There are a lot of cheap high protein foods that you can add to your weekly grocery list that don’t cost all that much.
We live in a time when food prices are soaring, the dollar doesn’t go as far as it used to, and the central banking oligarchs who run the monetary system and thus the world are trying to force communism on the population, so it’s critical that we exercise wisdom in how we spend our hard-earned money to both feed our families as well as feed our hungry muscles.
The following protein sources are both cheap, for the amount of protein you’re getting, as well as being readily available at most supermarkets, at least for now.
Most of them also have a high protein to low calorie ratio, so you can more easily get in your 1 gram per pound of ideal body weight without going over calories if you’re on a cut.
1. Garbanzo Beans
Garbanzo beans have 2.4 grams of protein per serving and at a minuscule 35 calories per serving, that’s not bad. For being beans, they’re little protein powerhouses.
You can easily add them to your salad to give it a little bit more of a protein boost, or just add them to your food any old way. If you turn them into hummus, that will drastically add calories because of the added oils, but if you’re not on a cut, then that doesn’t matter.
2. Cottage Cheese
Cottage cheese has 14 grams of protein per serving at just 80 calories per serving. You also 4 servings of it, or 56 grams of protein for a total cost of $3.48, at least at my supermarket. Only thing is, don’t forget to get the low fat version because it’s lower in calories.
Tastes damn good too. You can eat it straight, which is what I do, or add it to something, if you want to get fancy.
I’ve seen recipes for protein pudding that call for cottage cheese as an ingredient, so you may want to look into that.
3. Lentil Pasta
I’ve heard somewhere that lentils are higher in protein than any other legume. I’ve got to remember that for the next time I’m at an all-you-can-eat Indian buffet.
Anyways, 23 grams of protein per serving of this lentil pasta is freaking great. $2.50 a box for pasta might look steep to you, but if you think about how much protein you’re getting in the box, it’s worth it in my opinion. You’re getting 4 servings, or 92 grams of protein for less than $3, which frankly can’t be beat, bro.
4. Powdered Peanut Butter
I’ve just discovered this stuff and the concept of it is phenomenal. I’m sure you’ve seen it at the supermarket and was like, “What the hell is that?” but it’s actually pretty ingenious.
It’s powdered peanut butter that you add water to. It’s basically peanut protein without all the fat. Normally, you’d have to eat 210 calories of peanut butter in order to get the meager 6 grams of protein in the peanut butter, but here, what they’ve done is nixed the fats and now you get 6 grams of protein for 60 calories and there’s 14 servings in this small 6.5 oz container that only cost me about $5.
Just to give you perspective, that’s 84 grams of protein you’re getting for $5. It’s a no brainer. And if you can get this stuff at bulk prices, or in a huge container from Sam’s Club, or whatever, then you’re really saving a lot of money.
5. Garbanzo Bean Pasta
This one is another protein pasta made from garbanzo beans. 22 grams of protein per serving! What did I tell you about garbanzo beans! Great little bean and cheap as can be.
This box is $3, which can seem steep for a small box of pasta, but, you have to remember, you’re getting 88 grams of protein for that price. At a relatively low calorie to protein ratio because they’re using garbanzo beans, this can be a great cheap, high protein solution for those of us (read: me) who want to save those hard-earned dollars.
6. Brussels Sprouts
$1.79 for a bag of veggie protein?? Brussels sprouts have a terrible reputation, but I love them. They taste great. Plus, you get 3 grams of protein per 38 calorie serving, which, for a vegetable, is an insane amount of protein!
The other thing that’s great about them is that they’re not technically part of the clean 15, but they are. You gotta figure, since broccoli and cabbage are both on the clean 15, brussels sprouts kind of are too, since they’re like a combination of broccoli and cabbage.
Get the frozen ones, so you don’t have to worry about stuff going bad and, like I said above, no need to buy it organic. It’s super cheap, high in protein and won’t spoil if you get it frozen. What more could you want in a side dish?
7. Wild Caught Sardines
$.99, bro. $.99 for a can of sardines in water that has 20 grams of protein and 170 calories per can. Sardines are a fatty fish, so a bit higher in calories for the amount of protein you’re getting, but they’re healthy fats, so in my opinion, it’s a win.
I don’t think you can get cheaper than $.99 for 20 grams of protein. I really don’t. On a purely cost per gram of protein point of view, sardines can’t be beat.
They’re even better than tuna because the wild caught tuna, which is the one you want because it’s lower in mercury, is getting way too expensive.
Look at these sardines. They’re non-GMO and everything. And they’re still $.99! Grab like 10 next time you go the supermarket.
8. Keto-Friendly Cereals
These keto-friendly cereals can be pricy at around $5-$6 bucks a box, but they actually have quite a bit of protein in them per serving for being cereal.
You get 12 grams of protein per 150 calories. I know, I know. The protein to calorie ratio is not the best, but you get 5 servings per box, which is 60 grams of protein altogether, so it is worth considering adding it to your shopping list, in my view.
As far as taste goes, I can personally vouch for the Kashi Go keto-friendly cereals. They taste awesome and it is nice knowing you’re getting 12 grams of protein per bowl that you eat, plus the milk, which makes that number even higher.
9. Organic Eggs
Whole eggs are a highly digestible super food that is absolutely packed with nutrition, so the way I look at it, we should be eating them regardless of the fact that the protein to calorie ratio isn’t the best.
But, still, 6 grams of protein per egg and 70 calories per egg isn’t horrible if your body is assimilating more of that protein than is the case with other types of protein that aren’t as digestible.
But, regardless, from a price point of view, eggs are a cheap, high protein food because you get buy two dozen organic eggs for $8.49 (around my parts, at least). That’s an insane 144 grams of total protein for around $9, which is damn good.
10. Alfalfa Sprouts
These alfalfa sprouts cost $1.99 and have 1 gram of protein per cup at a near negligible amount of calories per cup. The protein to calorie ratio is very good and the price is even better.
Plus, they’re packed with lots of micronutrients that the body needs. This cheap veggie could probably substitute for that expensive super greens powder you buy from Vitamin Shoppe, but don’t quote me on that.
11. Raw Milk
With raw milk, you get 8 grams of protein per serving at 150 calories per serving and a gallon will run you about $5, so pretty cheap since you’re getting 16 servings, or 128 grams of protein total.
If you live in a part of the country where buying raw milk from a farm, or co-op is legal, I highly recommend it. Similar to eggs, raw milk is a highly digestible protein source that is absolutely packed with all kinds of nutrition, even though the protein to calorie ratio isn’t the best. But, it does have a lot of health benefits, including improved gut health among others.
I’ve also heard stories about people who drink raw milk never getting sick and stuff like that because it basically bullet-proofs your immune system and I can attest to that because, when I went off it recently, I got covid.
Don’t believe all the horror stories because, as long as you’re getting the raw milk from a pasture-fed farm in the countryside somewhere and not a factory farm that has the cows in pens, or is inhumane with the cows, or whatever, you should be fine.
I’ve been drinking it for a while and every time I take a sip, I feel like I’m Popeye eating spinach. It’s teeming with all kinds of nutrition and you can feel it coursing through your body every time you drink it.
12. Protein Milk
10 grams of protein per cup at 110 calories per cup, if you’re getting the unsweetened one, for a price of around $5 for a half gallon. It’s great, since you’re getting 8 cups and 80 grams of protein altogether.
I’ve been buying this stuff for a while and it’s a great milk substitute, if you’re lactose-intolerant, and tastes great. I like to use it in my protein shakes that I make and in oatmeal, stuff like that.
I don’t get the one that says, “ultra” on it, though, because that one has soy protein in it and I like to steer clear of that stuff. I don’t trust it. But, this one has pea protein and nut proteins in it, so there’s nothing to worry about.
13. 0% Fat Greek Yogurt
You get 18 grams of protein per 90 calorie serving, giving you one of the best protein to calorie ratios out there. Get the 0% fat one, though. Costs about $5 for the large, 35 oz container, which has 6 servings in it, so 108 grams of protein altogether.
Not only do you get the 18 grams of protein per serving, here, but you also get all the great probiotic bacteria that live in the yogurt itself. It’s a great cheap, high protein food to have in your fridge if you’re looking to build muscle. This stuff should be on everyone’s list.
14. Grass-fed Whey Protein
17 grams of protein per scoop, 14 servings altogether in this small 12 oz container, so 238 grams of protein for around $12.
The Nature’s Promise brand at Stop & Shop, or Giant is a steal, bro. Most grass-fed protein powders cost a lot more. Same with all the designer brands of protein that are out there.
The beauty of this one is that it’s cheaper and lasts a decent amount of time for being a small container. It comes in chocolate and french vanilla.
Search for store brands of protein powder at your local supermarket, or grocery store, if you get a chance, because I would put money on being able to find a high quality protein powder for a cheaper price, since all the good protein powders are basically the same, just with different branding.
Cheap, High Protein Foods, Son!
It’s where it’s at. You gotta get some. You’ll thank me later.
Use these protein sources to power your gainzzz all day long!
God bless and to more gains,
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