Credit: Giada Di Laurentiis/Instagram
NEED TO KNOW
Giada De Laurentiis revealed she snacks on Parmigiano Reggiano as her go-to protein bar alternative
She said that the cheese’s clean ingredients make it a great “Italian hack” she’s loved since childhood
Parmigiano Reggiano contains about 10 grams of protein per ounce, Food & Wine reported, and has gone viral as a protein bar substitute
Giada De Laurentiis is revealing her go-to protein bar.
The former Food Network chef took to her Instagram on April 13 to share her favorite protein snack, revealing that she eats “hunks” of Parmigiano Reggiano, or as she calls it in her caption: “parm.”
“I’ve been hearing about the protein bar craze for so long now, it’s all over my social media, everywhere, and I was talking to Jade about it the other day,” she said of her 18-year-old daughter that she often posts about and shares with ex-husband Todd Thompson.
“This is my protein bar,” De Laurentiis reveals, holding up a block of Parmigiano Reggiano. “To be honest, I’ve been eating this since I was a kid.”
“It’s my favorite kind of snack,” she says as she pops a piece into her mouth. “It is clean and no junky ingredients.”
“You don’t know what you’re getting in those protein bars,” she added.
She continues to discuss the benefits of the cheese, saying, “honestly, cows eat spring grass, the milk is cooked in these beautiful copper pots, and it’s aged a minimum of 12 months – my favorite is 24 – but it’s good, it’s salty, it’s like the perfect little bit of protein,” she said.
“It’s got a lot of protein in these things, and you can finish meals with it or snack on it,” she concluded. “Italian hack. I’ve been doing it since I was a kid, and I’m telling you, it’s the best one.”
Giada Di Laurentiis often takes to Instagram to share cooking hacks or updates with her daughter, Jade
Credit: Giada Di Laurentiis/Instagram
“My protein bar has ALWAYS been a hunk of parm!!!” the chef emphasized in her caption. “It’s the cleanest, yummiest bar on the market 😉.”
The chef isn’t the only one to use the cheese for protein, as Food & Wine reported that many online users have posted themselves exchanging protein bars for the blocks of cheese.
The outlet said Parmigiano Reggiano has about 10 grams of protein per ounce, which comes from its milk content and aging process that compacts the protein into more concentrated servings.
Food & Wine also highlighted that people should consider portion sizes of the cheese due to its saturated fat and sodium content.
This isn’t the first time that De Laurentiis has shared food hacks on her social media.
In August 2025, she shared that “pasta the next day is better for you.”
“So when the pasta cools, the carbs turn into resistant starch, which is easier to digest, which means you have a lower blood sugar spike, and it’s better for your gut,” she explained as she spooned leftover pasta into a container.
“So leftover pasta for the win,” she said.
Read the original article on People
Dining and Cooking