Top 10 High-Protein Street Food Picks in India for Busy Professionals

Look for three things: items with visible protein (chicken pieces, paneer cubes, eggs, sprouts, chole/rajma), cooking methods that are grilled, tandoor, boiled, or lightly sautéed rather than deep-fried, and stalls serving dal, chole, or egg-based dishes. If you see a big kadai full of oil and mostly flour-based snacks, protein is likely low.

Ask for: extra protein component (more chole, extra egg, more paneer/chaap), less butter, cream, or visible oil, more salad or onions instead of extra bread, and extra dahi or sambar for additional protein. These small requests usually don’t bother vendors and can significantly improve the nutrition profile.

You can cover a good chunk of your protein needs using smart street food choices, especially with grilled chicken, paneer, eggs, and legumes. However, hygiene, portion control, and variety matter. Use street food as a strategic supplement to home or office meals, not your only source, and try to get some protein from breakfast or dinner at home as well.

Paneer tikka or paneer rolls, soya chaap, sprouts chaat, chole kulche (with more chole, less oil), rajma chawal, masala dosa with extra sambar, and dahi bhalla with extra curd are strong vegetarian choices. Combining two smaller items, like sprouts chaat plus boiled egg (if you eat eggs), further boosts protein.

Prioritize protein and fiber and slightly reduce refined carbs and heavy fats. For example, choose more chole and less kulcha, more rajma and less rice, grilled tikka instead of deep-fried options, and add salad or sprouts. Avoid overeating just because it’s cheap, and sip water instead of sugary drinks to prevent post-meal drowsiness.