If you are looking to stock up on high protein foods on a budget, you’ve entered the right place! I’ve compiled a comprehensive list which evaluates large number of high protein foods at various grocery stores.
Our first up is Walmart.
11. Great Value Skinless Boneless Chicken Breast – 18.6 grams per dollar
Chicken is obviously a great source of healthy and lean protein. Of course, it doesn’t hurt that is ranks up there in terms of cheap sources of protein either!
10. Medium Ground Beef – 19 grams per dollar
9. Halal Yogurt – 20.3 grams per dollar
I’ve never thought that Halal Yogurt would be better priced than generic yogurt…but alas at just $1.77 for a tub, this product is pretty healthy and cost effective.
8. Sirloin Steak – 20.5 grams per dollar
Not surprising that lean steak is up there. However, I am surprised that it is better priced than the cheap ground beef! Walmart has been able to sell this pretty cheaply at $9 for over 1kg
7. Canned Tuna – 21 grams per dollar
Yay for tuna sandwich! Remember, don’t have much of it because it is high in mercury!
6. Whey Protein – 24 grams per dollar
I am pretty surprised that Whey didn’t even make the top 5 list. However, bodybuilders and fitness fanatics alike shouldn’t disregard this product because it is still pretty good value at 24 grams/$.
5. Great Value Large Eggs – 27 grams per dollar
If you want cheap and healthy protein, eat some scrambled eggs! They are delicious, healthy, and cheap. Did I forget to say cheap source of protein? 27 g/$ cheap!
4. Canned Beans – 35.6 grams per dollar
Although canned beans by itself is stale and boring, they go absolutely great with eggs, soup, and salad. At 35.64 g/$, you definitely want to add these to your diet!
3. Skim Milk – 36.3 grams per dollar
When grandma told you to drink milk to grow tall and strong, she was absolutely right. It’s very cheap and very nutritious. At 36.27 grams per dollar, 362 calories per dollar, and 10% calories, skim milk is one of the most inexpensive ways to get protein.
2. Great Value Hot Dogs – 41 grams per dollar
Surprisingly, hot dogs are very cheap sources of protein. With over 40 grams per dollar, it beats out beef and chicken by a good margin.
1. Great Value Oatmeal – 75 grams per dollar
Yep, at 75 grams per dollar, just a buck or two would give you enough protein intake for the day. It also has a high number of calories per dollar, clocking at 1750 grams per dollar as well.
That’s it boys and girls; if you want to save money on protein, buy cheap oatmeal!
Below is the complete list with calories per dollar and protein percent vs calories:
Name | Net Price | Protein / $ | Weight / $ | Calories / $ | Protein % | Net Protein (g) | Net Weight (g&mL) | Net Cal. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oatmeal, Great Value | $2.00 | 75.00 | 500.00 | 1,750.00 | 4.29% | 150 | 1000 | 3500 |
| Hot Dogs, Great Value 12 | $1.47 | 40.82 | 306.12 | 734.69 | 5.56% | 60 | 450 | 1080 |
| Milk, Neilson Skim | $3.97 | 36.27 | 1,007.56 | 362.72 | 10.00% | 144 | 4000 | 1440 |
| Canned Beans, Great Value Pork | $0.67 | 35.64 | 594.03 | 831.64 | 4.29% | 23.88 | 398 | 557 |
| Eggs, Great Value Large | $2.64 | 27.27 | 240.91 | 318.18 | 8.57% | 72 | 636 | 840 |
| Whey Protein, Muscle Tech 6 Star | $25.97 | 23.81 | 34.92 | 134.91 | 17.65% | 618.3 | 907 | 3504 |
| Canned Tuna, Great Value Albacore | $2.00 | 21.23 | 85.00 | 113.20 | 18.75% | 42.45 | 170 | 226 |
| Steak, Our Finest 8 Ultimate Sirloin | $8.97 | 20.51 | 125.98 | 205.13 | 10.00% | 184 | 1130 | 1840 |
| Yogurt, (Halal 0%) | $1.77 | 20.34 | 423.73 | 203.39 | 10.00% | 36 | 750 | 360 |
| Ground Beef Medium | $11.97 | 19.09 | 113.62 | 309.04 | 6.18% | 228.48 | 1360 | 3699 |
| Chicken Breast, Great Value Italian | $23.00 | 18.59 | 123.91 | 99.13 | 18.75% | 427.5 | 2850 | 2280 |
| Yogurt, Great Value | $1.97 | 16.50 | 329.95 | 230.96 | 7.14% | 32.5 | 650 | 455 |
| Angus Steak, Lean, 12 Black River | $25.00 | 13.44 | 57.60 | 81.60 | 16.47% | 336 | 1440 | 2040 |
| Silhouette 0% Yogurt | $2.00 | 13.00 | 325.00 | 130.00 | 10.00% | 26 | 650 | 260 |
| Angus Burgers, 12 Black River | $16.00 | 12.75 | 90.00 | 142.50 | 8.95% | 204 | 1440 | 2280 |
| Angus Steak,12 Black River | $25.00 | 11.04 | 56.00 | 62.40 | 17.69% | 276 | 1400 | 1560 |
Impractical. I would suggest you redo your research and indicate the cost per $1 with notation of serving size. Example GV Quick Oats $2.00 Cost Serving size 1 dry cup 40 grams. Remember when someone is reading your research data what audience you may typically draw. (People looking for low-cost protein alternatives. /it would be impractical to suggest Quick Oats. In order to achieve the protein stated some would need to consume the whole container. In the case of a can of tuna, this would not be an issue but a whole container of GV Quick Oats would be impractical.
Hey, thanks for the critic. Noted.
In the GV Oats, it is 140 Calories for 6 grams of protein per serving. So it simply to highlight, for a cheap breakfast you should definitely include oats into your meals because it has low protein/$ costs.
Essentially, if your breakfast is canned beans, oats, milk, and eggs, you can feel full, get your protein needs, and eat extremely cheap.
121.5g per dollar:
Great Value Original All-Purpose Flour
Add water: Make seitan
Add oil: Make crispy fried seitan ^_^
Haha fair enough! But I guess the nutrients are a little lacking heh
Add seitan to vegetable broth/soup: nutrients galore! 😀 Hahaha