Cheap High-Protein Meals: 25+ Budget Ideas

Protein is usually the most expensive part of a healthy plate, so people dieting on a budget often fill up on bread and pasta and are hungry an hour later. The fix is not protein powder. It is knowing which staples give the most protein per dollar and having a few recipes that turn them into meals you want to eat. This guide does the math with real prices, USDA nutrition data and a week of meals you can copy.

What are the cheapest high-protein foods?

We priced 15 protein foods at Walmart.com on October 8, 2026, and used Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) U.S. average prices for August 2026 where BLS publishes one (eggs, whole chicken, chicken breast, milk). We divided each price by the protein in the edible portion from USDA FoodData Central to get what you pay for 20 or 30 g of protein, about one meal’s worth.

Cost per serving and per 20 g / 30 g of protein, sorted from cheapest (prices Aug to Oct 2026; nutrition from USDA FoodData Central)

Food	Serving	Protein	Calories	Cost per serving	Cost per 20 g protein	Cost per 30 g protein
Peanut butter	2 tbsp (32 g)	7 g	191	$0.11	$0.32	$0.47
Dried lentils	1/4 cup dry (48 g), about 3/4 cup cooked	12 g	169	$0.20	$0.34	$0.52
Frozen ground turkey (87% lean)	4 oz raw (113 g)	19 g	203	$0.49	$0.52	$0.77
Old-fashioned oats	1/2 cup dry (40 g)	5 g	152	$0.14	$0.53	$0.80
Milk (2%)	1 cup (244 g)	8 g	122	$0.23	$0.58	$0.87
Eggs, large	2 eggs (100 g)	13 g	143	$0.38	$0.60	$0.90
Greek yogurt, plain nonfat	3/4 cup (170 g)	17 g	100	$0.61	$0.71	$1.06
Boneless skinless chicken thighs	4 oz raw (113 g)	22 g	137	$0.80	$0.72	$1.08
Cottage cheese (2%)	1/2 cup (113 g)	12 g	92	$0.48	$0.81	$1.21
Boneless chicken breast (for comparison)	4 oz raw (113 g)	25 g	136	$1.04	$0.82	$1.23
Canned light tuna	1 can, drained (113 g)	22 g	97	$0.96	$0.87	$1.31
Whole chicken (meat only)	4 oz raw meat (113 g)	24 g	134	$1.15	$0.95	$1.43
Canned chickpeas	1/2 cup, drained (76 g)	5 g	105	$0.28	$1.03	$1.54
Canned black beans	1/3 can, drained (85 g)	5 g	77	$0.31	$1.20	$1.79
Extra-firm tofu	1/4 block (99 g)	10 g	97	$0.73	$1.46	$2.18

A few things stand out. Dried lentils give 20 g of protein for about $0.34, and frozen ground turkey rolls (about $0.52) and eggs (about $0.60, even at $2.27 a dozen) beat every fresh meat. Boneless chicken thighs came in at $0.72 per 20 g, cheaper than boneless breast at $0.82. A whole chicken was not the bargain it looks like: at $2.01 a pound (BLS, August 2026) you get only about 197 g of meat per pound without bones and skin (USDA yield data), or $0.95 per 20 g, unless you also make broth.

Tofu was the priciest at $1.46 per 20 g, partly because the only extra-firm block we could price was organic. Canned beans are cheap per can but light on protein per dollar; use them to stretch meat or eggs.

Prices used in this guide and where they came from

Food and package	Price	Source and date
Peanut butter, 40 oz jar	$3.98	Walmart.com, Oct 8, 2026
Dried lentils, 1 lb bag	$1.92	Walmart.com, Oct 8, 2026
Frozen ground turkey (87% lean), 1 lb frozen roll	$1.98	Walmart.com, Oct 8, 2026
Old-fashioned oats, 42 oz canister	$4.18	Walmart.com, Oct 8, 2026
Milk (2%), 1 gallon	$3.71	BLS APU0000FJ1101, Aug 2026
Eggs, large, 1 dozen	$2.27	BLS APU0000708111, Aug 2026
Greek yogurt, plain nonfat, 32 oz tub	$3.28	Walmart.com, Oct 8, 2026
Boneless skinless chicken thighs, per lb, family pack	$3.22	Walmart.com, Oct 8, 2026
Cottage cheese (2%), 24 oz tub	$2.87	Walmart.com, Oct 8, 2026
Boneless chicken breast (for comparison), per lb	$4.17	BLS APU0000FF1101, Aug 2026
Canned light tuna, 5 oz can	$0.96	Walmart.com, Oct 8, 2026
Whole chicken (meat only), per lb	$2.01	BLS APU0000706111, Aug 2026
Canned chickpeas, 15.5 oz can	$0.92	Walmart.com, Oct 8, 2026
Canned black beans, 15 oz can	$0.92	Walmart.com, Oct 8, 2026
Extra-firm tofu, 14 oz block	$2.92	Walmart.com, Oct 8, 2026

Prices vary. BLS figures are national averages without sales tax (BLS average price data); Walmart.com prices are online prices for one store on the date shown. Use them to compare foods.

Which cheap proteins are best for weight loss?

In a calorie deficit, price is only half the story. Peanut butter is one of the cheapest proteins per dollar, but 20 g of protein from it costs about 538 calories. Here are the same foods sorted by calories per 20 g of protein.

Calories you eat to get 20 g of protein (USDA FoodData Central values)

Food	Calories per 20 g protein	Protein per 100 calories (g)	Cost per 20 g protein
Canned light tuna	88	22.6	$0.87
Boneless chicken breast (for comparison)	107	18.8	$0.82
Whole chicken (meat only)	111	18.0	$0.95
Greek yogurt, plain nonfat	116	17.3	$0.71
Boneless skinless chicken thighs	123	16.2	$0.72
Cottage cheese (2%)	155	12.9	$0.81
Extra-firm tofu	194	10.3	$1.46
Frozen ground turkey (87% lean)	213	9.4	$0.52
Eggs, large	228	8.8	$0.60
Dried lentils	286	7.0	$0.34
Canned black beans	302	6.6	$1.20
Milk (2%)	303	6.6	$0.58
Canned chickpeas	392	5.1	$1.03
Peanut butter	538	3.7	$0.32
Old-fashioned oats	576	3.5	$0.53

The sweet spot is foods that are cheap and lean: canned tuna, Greek yogurt, chicken thighs, cottage cheese, eggs and ground turkey all give 20 g of protein for about 90 to 230 calories and under $1. Lentils and beans bring fiber too. Treat peanut butter and oats as boosters, not main proteins. For a deeper look at meat choices, see our guide to the best lean meats for weight loss.

What are some cheap high-protein meal ideas?

These 27 meals use only the staples above plus cheap extras (onions, peppers, frozen vegetables, canned tomatoes, rice, pasta, spices). Each has at least 20 g of protein; most have 25 to 40 g. Nutrition and cost are per serving, counting only what you use.

27 cheap high-protein meal ideas, by meal (per serving)

Meal	Best for	Calories	Protein	Cost	How to make it
Egg-boosted oatmeal	Breakfast	400	20 g	$0.69	Oats cooked in milk with 1 egg whisked in.
Cottage cheese egg muffins	Breakfast	270	26 g	$0.92	3 eggs, cottage cheese, spinach, baked.
Greek yogurt overnight oats	Breakfast	365	27 g	$1.00	Oats, Greek yogurt, milk, half a banana.
Cottage cheese and egg toast	Breakfast	325	26 g	$1.06	2 slices toast, cottage cheese, boiled egg.
Egg and potato hash	Breakfast	410	23 g	$1.27	Crispy potatoes, onion, pepper, 3 eggs.
Black bean egg breakfast burritos	Breakfast	490	28 g	$1.30	Eggs, cottage cheese and beans; freezes well.
Tofu scramble on toast	Breakfast	415	30 g	$2.06	Half a block of tofu, spinach, 2 slices toast.
Egg fried rice	Lunch	495	27 g	$0.89	3 eggs, day-old rice and frozen peas.
Lentil tomato soup with yogurt	Lunch	345	25 g	$0.93	Lentils, tomatoes, spinach; yogurt on top.
Black bean quesadilla	Lunch	455	20 g	$1.13	Black beans and cheddar in a tortilla.
Turkey taco wraps	Lunch	495	30 g	$1.16	Taco turkey and beans in a tortilla.
Tuna fried rice	Lunch	380	30 g	$1.29	Day-old rice, peas, 1 can tuna, soy sauce.
Chickpea tuna salad	Lunch	230	27 g	$1.35	Tuna and chickpeas in a Greek yogurt dressing.
Baked potato with cottage cheese and beans	Lunch	335	20 g	$1.40	Potato topped with cottage cheese and beans.
Tuna melt	Lunch	380	38 g	$1.65	Tuna and yogurt on toast, cheddar, broiled.
Turkey tomato pasta	Dinner	485	30 g	$1.12	Turkey tomato sauce over 2 oz pasta.
Lentil and egg shakshuka	Dinner	435	29 g	$1.32	Spiced lentil-tomato sauce with poached eggs.
Turkey and black bean chili	Dinner	400	31 g	$1.40	Turkey, black beans, crushed tomatoes, cumin.
Chicken thigh burrito bowl	Dinner	420	35 g	$1.46	Thigh, rice, black beans and salsa.
Chickpea spinach stew with eggs	Dinner	440	27 g	$1.47	Chickpeas, tomatoes, spinach, 2 eggs.
Cottage cheese pasta	Dinner	485	34 g	$1.55	Blended cottage cheese sauce, spinach and peas.
Roast chicken and potatoes	Dinner	345	34 g	$1.89	5 oz roast chicken meat with potatoes.
Tofu broccoli stir-fry	Dinner	445	27 g	$1.89	Half a block of tofu, broccoli, rice.
Sheet-pan chicken thighs and potatoes	Dinner	395	39 g	$1.92	Thighs, potatoes and frozen broccoli, one pan.
Peanut tofu rice bowl	Dinner	545	31 g	$2.00	Crispy tofu, rice and broccoli, peanut sauce.
Greek yogurt peanut butter bowl	Snack	280	27 g	$1.01	1 cup yogurt, 1 tbsp peanut butter, banana.
Budget protein shake (no powder)	Snack	465	27 g	$1.03	Milk, yogurt, banana, oats, peanut butter.

The cheapest options lean on eggs or lentils: egg-boosted oatmeal, egg fried rice, cottage cheese egg muffins and lentil tomato soup are each under $1. The highest-protein ones use chicken thighs, tuna or turkey and stay under $2. For four more recipes in the same style, see our cheap high-protein meals on a budget, including a turkey and black bean chili that makes six servings.

Which budget recipes should I start with?

Six of the ideas have full recipes with steps, substitutions, allergens and meal prep notes, designed to share ingredients.

Our budget high-protein recipes (per serving)

Recipe	Servings	Calories	Protein	Cost per serving	Cost per batch
Lentil and Egg Shakshuka	4	435	29 g	$1.32	$5.29
Chickpea Tuna Salad	3	230	27 g	$1.35	$4.04
Sheet-Pan Chicken Thighs and Potatoes	4	395	39 g	$1.92	$7.67
Black Bean Egg Breakfast Burritos	6	490	28 g	$1.30	$7.79
Cottage Cheese Pasta with Spinach and Peas	4	485	34 g	$1.55	$6.20
Peanut Tofu Rice Bowls	4	545	31 g	$2.00	$8.00

Start with the breakfast burritos (six freezer breakfasts for under $8); the sheet-pan chicken has the most protein and the lentil shakshuka is the cheapest dinner.

What does a 1-week budget high-protein meal plan look like?

This plan is for one adult and uses five of the recipes plus simple snacks. It averages about 1,710 calories and 122 g of protein a day; your own targets may differ, so add toast or fruit if you are hungry, or drop a snack if you are not losing weight after two or three weeks.

7-day budget high-protein meal plan (calories, protein and food cost per day)

Day	Breakfast	Lunch	Dinner	Snack	Calories / protein	Food cost
Monday	Black bean egg breakfast burrito	Chickpea tuna salad + 2 slices whole-wheat toast	Sheet-pan chicken thighs and potatoes	Greek yogurt peanut butter bowl	1,560 / 129 g	$5.97
Tuesday	Black bean egg breakfast burrito	Chickpea tuna salad + 2 slices whole-wheat toast	Sheet-pan chicken thighs and potatoes	Budget protein shake (no powder)	1,745 / 129 g	$5.99
Wednesday	Black bean egg breakfast burrito	Chickpea tuna salad + 2 slices whole-wheat toast	Sheet-pan chicken thighs and potatoes	Greek yogurt peanut butter bowl	1,560 / 129 g	$5.97
Thursday	Black bean egg breakfast burrito	Sheet-pan chicken thighs and potatoes	Lentil and egg shakshuka	Budget protein shake (no powder)	1,785 / 122 g	$5.57
Friday	Black bean egg breakfast burrito	Lentil and egg shakshuka	Peanut tofu rice bowl	Greek yogurt peanut butter bowl	1,750 / 115 g	$5.63
Saturday	Black bean egg breakfast burrito	Peanut tofu rice bowl	Lentil and egg shakshuka	Greek yogurt peanut butter bowl	1,750 / 115 g	$5.63
Sunday	Greek yogurt overnight oats	Peanut tofu rice bowl	Lentil and egg shakshuka	Budget protein shake (no powder)	1,810 / 114 g	$5.36
Week					avg 1,710 / 122 g	$40.11

Weekly cost: the food you actually eat costs about $40.11, or $5.73 a day. Because you buy whole packages, the first shopping trip is about $83.68: roughly $58.56 of perishables and $25.12 of pantry items (oil, spices, rice, oats, peanut butter, sauces) that last for weeks.

Prep schedule: on Sunday, make the burritos (freeze them), the tuna salad and the sheet-pan chicken. On Wednesday, cook the shakshuka sauce and the tofu bowls for Thursday to Sunday. Everything stays within the USDA 3-to-4-day fridge window; one tofu bowl goes to the freezer.

Shopping list (one person, one week): Protein and dairy: 2 dozen eggs, 2 lb boneless chicken thighs (about), 2 cans tuna, 2 blocks tofu, 1 bag lentils, 1 can chickpeas, 1 can black beans, 2 tubs Greek yogurt (32 oz), 1 tub cottage cheese (24 oz), 1 bag shredded cheddar, 1 gallon milk. Produce and frozen: 1 bag onions (3 lb), 2 green bell peppers, 1 garlic bulb, 1 bunch celery, 2 lb potatoes, 3 lb bananas, 2 bags frozen broccoli. Bread, grains and jars: 1 pack burrito tortillas, 1 loaf whole-wheat bread, 1 bag rice (5 lb), 1 canister oats, 1 jar peanut butter, 1 can crushed tomatoes (28 oz), 1 jar salsa, 1 bottle soy sauce, 1 bottle lemon juice, 1 bottle lime juice, 1 bottle mustard, 1 bottle oil, 1 jar cumin, 1 jar paprika, 1 jar garlic powder.

For set calorie levels, see our 7-day high-protein meal plan for weight loss (1,600 and 2,000 calories) and the high-protein meal prep guide.

How much protein do I need on a budget?

Probably less than supplement ads suggest. The National Academy of Medicine minimum is 0.8 g of protein per kilogram of body weight a day, or just over 7 g for every 20 pounds, according to the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health’s Nutrition Source. That is about 50 g a day for a 140-pound person. For weight loss, a review by Leidy and colleagues in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that higher-protein diets of about 1.2 to 1.6 g per kilogram, potentially including at least 25 to 30 g of protein per meal, may improve appetite and body weight management.

Practical target: 25 to 30 g at each meal. See how much protein you need to lose weight for a table by body weight, and how to calculate your calorie deficit.

How can I save money on high-protein groceries?

1. Compare unit prices per gram of protein, not per package, using the shelf tag and the table above.
2. Make dried lentils your default legume. No soaking, 20 to 30 minutes to cook, and among the cheapest proteins we priced.
3. Use eggs at every meal. Even at $2.27 a dozen (BLS, August 2026), two eggs cost about 38 cents.
4. Buy chicken thighs in family packs and freeze recipe-size portions.
5. Choose frozen ground turkey rolls for chili, tacos and pasta: $1.98 a pound in our check, less than half the price of fresh lean ground turkey.
6. Buy the big tubs of Greek yogurt (32 oz) and cottage cheese (24 oz) instead of single cups.
7. Stock up on canned tuna in bulk; the 48-pack was about 23 percent cheaper per ounce than single cans.
8. Skip most protein bars and powders. Our homemade shake of milk, Greek yogurt, banana, oats and peanut butter gives 27 g of protein for about $1.03.

Training too? See our best muscle building foods and simple meal plan based on macros.

Are cheap protein foods healthy?

Mostly, yes. Harvard’s Nutrition Source notes that the protein “package” matters: a cup of cooked lentils has about 18 g of protein and 15 g of fiber with virtually no saturated fat or sodium. It advises choosing fish, poultry, beans and nuts, limiting red meat and cheese, and avoiding processed meats such as bacon and cold cuts (Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health). Conveniently, those foods are also cheaper than steak and deli meat.

Watch two things. Sodium: canned beans, salsa, tortillas, cheese and soy sauce add up, so rinse beans and pick less-sodium versions when the price is the same. Variety: rotating legumes, eggs, dairy, poultry and fish gives a wider range of nutrients than eating the single cheapest protein every day.

How do I store budget proteins safely?

The USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service says to refrigerate cooked food within 2 hours (1 hour above 90°F), keep leftovers 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator or 3 to 4 months in the freezer, and reheat leftovers to 165°F. Cook poultry to 165°F and ground beef or pork to 160°F, and cool big batches in shallow containers. Freeze raw thighs and turkey flat in recipe-size bags and thaw tomorrow’s portion in the fridge overnight.

Frequently asked questions

What is the cheapest source of protein?

Based on Walmart.com and Bureau of Labor Statistics prices from August to October 2026, dried lentils, peanut butter and frozen ground turkey were the cheapest, at roughly 32 to 52 cents per 20 g of protein. Peanut butter is calorie-dense, so lentils, turkey and eggs are better everyday picks for weight loss.

How can I eat high protein on $50 a week?

Build meals around eggs, lentils, tuna, beans, chicken thighs, cottage cheese and Greek yogurt, and batch cook twice a week. Our 7-day plan averages about 122 g protein a day, and the food eaten costs about $40.11.

Is canned tuna or chicken cheaper for protein?

In our price check they were close: about $0.87 per 20 g protein for store-brand canned light tuna versus $0.72 for boneless skinless chicken thighs and $0.82 for boneless breast.

Are canned beans as cheap as dried beans for protein?

No. Dried lentils cost about $0.34 per 20 g protein, while canned chickpeas and black beans cost roughly $1.00 to $1.20, because you pay for water and the can.

How much protein should a cheap meal have?

Aim for about 25 to 30 g per meal. A review in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition suggests at least 25 to 30 g of protein per meal may help with appetite and weight management.

Key takeaways

• Lentils, frozen ground turkey and eggs were the cheapest everyday proteins at about $0.34 to $0.60 per 20 g (prices Aug to Oct 2026).
• For weight loss, pick proteins that are cheap and lean: tuna, Greek yogurt, chicken thighs, cottage cheese, eggs and turkey.
• All 27 meal ideas have at least 20 g of protein; most cost $1 to $2 a serving.
• Our 7-day plan averages about 122 g of protein a day for about $40.11 of food.

How we calculated cost and nutrition: calories and protein are estimates from standard USDA FoodData Central values (SR Legacy entries) for the edible portion of each food, rounded to the nearest 5 calories and 1 gram. Prices are Walmart.com online prices checked on October 8, 2026 and Bureau of Labor Statistics U.S. city average prices for August 2026 (whole-wheat bread: May 2026, the latest published). Costs are pro-rated for the amount used and exclude salt and pepper. We assume about 4 oz drained per 5 oz can of tuna and 1 1/2 cups drained per 15 oz can of black beans. The frozen turkey roll we priced lists 15 g protein per serving on its label, less than USDA’s closest entry (85% lean), so check your brand.

Not medical advice. This article is general information for healthy adults, written by our editorial team. Talk with your doctor or a registered dietitian before changing your diet, especially if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, have kidney disease, diabetes or another health condition, or take medication.

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