No matter what social media or diet trends want you to believe, there’s always room on the menu for healthy high-fat foods.

“There was a moment in time when several food companies made their products food ‘fat-free’ because food manufacturers thought it would improve health,” says Colleen Rilling, RD, a registered dietitian with Expedition Wellness in West Des Moines, Iowa. “However, fat is important and essential for a healthy, strong body.”

Ahead, dietitians explain just how crucial dietary fat is for our bodies—plus, they share some of their favorite high-fat snacks to add to your rotation between meals, after workouts, and beyond.

What’s Considered a Healthy High-Fat Food?

Before we dive into what kinds of fats are recommended by health experts more often than others and why, it’s important to acknowledge a few key caveats.

What is “healthy” for one person may be “unhealthy” for another, and all foods can be part of a balanced diet—unless, of course, you’re allergic or intolerant to them or steer clear for religious or cultural reasons. Plus, it’s essential to remember that the science on various types of fats continues to evolve, and our understanding of what qualifies as a “healthy high-fat food” can certainly change over time.

All that said, it’s important to recognize that “some fats offer more health benefits than others,” Rilling explains. Here’s a brief breakdown:

Given the current evidence that we have available, a “good rule of thumb if you’re looking for healthy high-fat foods is to choose fat sources liquid at room temperature more often,” otherwise known as unsaturated fats, “and limit your intake of fats that are solid at room temperature,” aka saturated fats, Rilling says. 

Zooming in further, dietitians say the “best” types of fat they recommend are monounsaturated fats and omega-3 fatty acids, a type of polyunsaturated fat. Here are a few sources of each:

Why Are Healthy Fats Important?

“Let’s set the record straight: Fat is important for our bodies because it plays a pivotal role in many functions and, therefore, is essential to optimizing our health,” explains Mary Stewart, RD, a registered dietitian and the founder of Cultivate Nutrition in Dallas. 

According to available research and the experts we spoke with, the benefits of eating enough healthy high-fat foods include:

Fat is also a great fuel source for athletes. This is largely because it’s energy-dense, “with more than double the calories per gram (9) than protein (4 calories per gram) and carbohydrates (4 calories per gram),” Rilling says. “As an active individual, you need more calories than the average person for peak performance and recovery. Fat helps fuel active lifestyles.” 

7 Healthy High-Fat Snacks to Add to Your List

Now that you know just how crucial healthy fats are for our bodies and brains, how can you start adding more of the macro to your diet? One simple way to start is by incorporating more high-fat snacks into your day. Here are a few dietitian-loved picks to inspire your grocery list:

1. Nuts and Nut Butter

Fat per 1-ounce (cashew) serving: 13 grams

Nearly all the fat in nuts, such as almonds, pistachios, walnuts, and pecans, is unsaturated, says Roxana Ehsani, RD, a Miami-based board-certified sports dietitian. This makes them a top-notch high-fat snack. 

More specifically, Stewart’s high-fat snack nut of choice is cashews. Beyond being rich in monounsaturated fats, a handful of cashews also offers some protein (4 grams) and a little fiber (1 gram), plus minerals like muscle-function-supporting magnesium.

Get your fix by simply grabbing a handful or packing a snack bag to tote along in your bag, stir them into oatmeal or yogurt, or spread some nut butter on apple slices or toast.

2. Canned Seafood or Tinned Fish

Fat per 3.75-ounce tin (sardine) serving: 10.5 grams

“Wild-caught salmon is an excellent source of a specific type of anti-inflammatory fat: omega-3 fatty acids,” Stewart says. “This type of fat not only lowers inflammation in the body, but also supports brain, heart, skin, and immune health.”

Seafood of all kinds is also strong in protein. (For reference, a 3.75-ounce can of sardines delivers nearly 23 muscle-feeding grams.) 

Classic canned salmon and tuna are stellar high-protein, high-fat snacks, as are their trendy tinned fish siblings, such as sardines, anchovies, mackerel, and oysters. Enjoy tinned fish on salads or crackers, or toss together a salmon or tuna salad with avocado-oil based mayo, diced celery, and diced apples to savor on a slice of toast, Stewart recommends. 

3. Eggs

Fat per two eggs: 10 grams

Stewart deems the egg a “powerhouse food” since each one offers 6 grams of protein, 5 grams of fat, “as well as vitamins and minerals like choline, iron, zinc, and vitamin D that will support your immune system and brain health,” she explains.

For a filling high-fat snack, sprinkle a couple hard-boiled eggs with everything bagel seasoning, or stir together a jammy egg salad with mayo or plain Greek yogurt, dijon mustard, diced celery, diced pickles, and some fresh dill. Scoop this up with sticks of celery, bell pepper wedges, crackers, or pita.

4. Avocado

Fat per one-third avocado: 10 grams

“This creamy fruit is mostly fat, but the ‘good’ kind: monounsaturated fat,” Ehsani says. “It’s also rich in fiber and potassium, making it a healthy high-fat food.” 

Rilling adds that avocados are also a great source of fiber and eye-health-promoting antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin.

Mash some avocado and fresh lime juice to scoop up with pretzels or chips, or add slices of avocado and tomato to a piece of cottage-cheese-topped sourdough bread. Pinched for time? Stock up on snack cups of guacamole to pair with vegetable sticks for an easy and healthy high-fat snack.

5. Seeds and Seed Butter

Fat per 1-ounce (chia seed) serving: 9 grams

“Small and mighty seeds provide a source of omega-3s and fiber,” Rilling says, flagging that a mere ounce of chia seeds adds almost 10 grams of fiber to your day. (Proceed with caution and start with a small sprinkle and work your way up if you’re not used to eating a lot of fiber.) 

Chia seeds also supply many minerals that bolster bones and support energy production and muscle function, such as phosphorus, calcium, and magnesium. Plus, Stewart notes that an impressive 60 percent of the fat in chia seeds comes from heart-healthy omega-3s.

Chia, flax, pumpkin, and sunflower seeds are all nutritious sources of unsaturated fats that are easy to add to snacks you already love, like a cup of yogurt or cottage cheese, a smoothie, or a slice of peanut butter and banana toast. 

6. Full-Fat Greek Yogurt

Fat per 6-ounce serving: 8 grams

You’ve probably seen the 0-percent and 2-percent fat varieties of Greek yogurt at the grocery store, but Stewart recommends going for full-fat. “A scientific review found that consuming full-fat yogurt is effective in protecting against obesity and did not show an association with poor cardiometabolic health,” she says.

Not to mention, all types of Greek yogurt supply gut-friendly probiotics and bone-supporting calcium, Stewart says—and, of course, plenty of protein.

For a well-balanced high-fat snack, pair three-quarters cup full-fat Greek yogurt with a piece of fruit, or top a carton with a spoonful of nuts or seeds and some fresh or frozen berries.

7. Olives

Fat per 15 olives (green, pimiento-stuffed): 6 grams

Similar to avocados, olives are nearly all monounsaturated fat. They also pack inflammation-easing vitamin E and antioxidants, a little fiber, and “can make you feel like you're savoring your high-fat snack at a winery,” Ehsani says.

No need to sweat about whether you’re eating black or green; the color simply relates to the level of ripeness when picked. Both black and green olives are fairly similar nutrition-wise (with green olives coming out on top for vitamin E and black olives winning at oxygen-delivering iron).

Of course, you could enjoy this high-fat snack as part of a charcuterie board or cheese platter to complete Ehsani’s winery-inspired snack set-up. Or if you’re simply at your desk or in your car, you can opt for the little snack cups or bags of shelf-stable olives to get your dose on the go.

How Many High-Fat Snacks Do Experts Recommend Each Day?

Throughout the course of the day, about 20–35 percent of your calories should be coming from fat, according to the current Dietary Guidelines for Americans. 

“This is a wide range and is dependent on your lifestyle, activity level, and preference; our bodies may prefer a lower or higher fat diet,” Rilling says. That means there’s no need to feel tied to this exact amount or track your intake.

But for context, “if you are following a standard 2,000-calorie-a-day diet, this would mean 400–700 calories coming from fat, which you can spread out into meals and snacks throughout the day,” Ehsani says. “Keep in mind, if you are active, you likely need more than the standard 2,000 calorie recommendation.” 

Work towards adding one or two sources of healthy fats to your plate at meals, and consider adding at least one of the high-fat snacks listed above to your meal plan per day. Along the way, “try to keep saturated fat to less than 10 percent of your calories each day,” Rilling recommends.

As far as snack frequency size, plan for two per day with “about 200–300 calories and 8–12 grams of fat per snack, assuming you’re consuming 35 percent of calories from fat for the day,” Stewart says. “This caloric and dietary fat range usually supports an adequate amount of energy until you eat your next meal.” 

When Are High-Fat Snacks Especially Beneficial? 

The dietitians we spoke to agree that there isn’t necessarily a “best” time for active individuals to eat a high-fat snack, “but it’s important to know when not to consume too much fat,” Rilling says. “Stay away from a high-fat snack an hour before any workout, since the fat will cause the snack to take longer to digest and absorb. It can also cause an upset stomach if you eat too much fat before you exercise.” (Consider sticking with fast-digesting carbs right before a workout instead.)

Outside of that one-hour pre-workout window, dietitians recommend enjoying a high-fat snack any time you feel hungry. “Listening to your body is key, as you may feel hungry at different times throughout the day,” Ehsani says.

That said, an especially great time to sneak in a high-fat snack is when you know you’re going to be out and about or busy, and your next meal might be a bit later than usual. That’s because our bodies process fat slower, leaving us feeling fuller for longer. Rilling swears by this and says it’s key “so I won’t get ‘hangry!’ I like to think about being proactive rather than reactive with my fueling.”

Then throughout the day, try to incorporate all three macros—protein, carbs, and healthy fats—at every meal to ensure your body gets enough fuel to recover and run on all cylinders by the time your next workout rolls around.