Grocery List of Protein Foods on a Budget

Q: What foods are good in protein recipes?

My top protein boosters for recipes are Greek yogurt , cottage cheese, collagen , and protein powder . Many recipes can be adjusted to include one or more of these without changing the overall taste and texture too much.

If you need a list of protein foods you can actually afford, look no further! Use this budget protein foods list the next time you’re at the store to hit your protein goals without breaking the bank.

Photo collage of some of the options on the list of protein foods: Eggs in a bowl, measuring cups with dried beans, ground beef in a cast iron skillet, shredded chicken breast on a plate with a fork, a bowl of cooked quinoa, a bowl of Greek yogurt with berries, bananas, and flaxseed. Text overlay reads "Protein Foods on a Budget".

When you’re trying to eat well on a budget, you quickly realize that protein can chew up a large portion of your money.

But you still want to hit your protein goals!

You need to make the most of your money. Here’s how you can maximize your budget without sacrificing protein!

What should my budget grocery list of protein foods include?

By making smart choices about meats, eggs and dairy, and pantry staples, you can get the most protein bang for your buck!

GROCERY LIST OF PROTEIN RICH FOODS

The best deal for protein is going to be the highest grams of protein per ounce/serving. So most of your “protein money” should go toward the highest protein ingredients, and then supplement with the remaining protein foods that add less protein.

In theory, you could buy 5 pounds of chicken breast to hit your protein goals of 100g per day for a week and be well under the $75 budget. But if you like a little more variety (and you don’t want to eat multiple chicken breasts per day!), you might want more on your protein foods list.

With that in mind, here are my top 20 foods that contain high protein.

MEAT AND FISH

Grocery Item	Average Cost	Protein Yield Per Ounce	Cost Per Gram of Protein
Chicken breast	$2.99/lb	9g	$0.02
Chicken thighs	$2.32/lb	7g	$0.02
Chuck roast	$6.97/lb	7g	$0.06
Lean ground turkey (93%)	$5.46/lb	5.5g	$0.06
Ground pork (80%)	$3.49/lb	5g	$0.04
Canadian bacon	$3.28/6 oz	5g	$0.11
Shrimp (raw, peeled)	$7.12/lb	6g	$0.07
Lean deli ham	$3.98/lb	4g	$0.06
Canned tuna (packed in water)	$0.99/5 oz can	4g	$0.05
Canned salmon	$3.46/14.75oz can	6g	$0.04

Tips:

Bone-in is usually cheaper than boneless for meat.
Larger cuts that you break down yourself are generally cheaper per pound/ounce than those already broken down (chicken leg quarters are cheaper than chicken thighs and drumsticks separately; a chuck roast is cheaper than stew beef).
A whole turkey breast is a good poultry option if you don’t mind the taste.
Ground turkey is cheaper than lean ground beef, and ground beef is cheaper than sirloin steak – they’re all beef (or beef-like), but you can choose cheaper and stick with the quality that you want.
Buying store-brand ground turkey compared to a national brand like Jenni-O can save you $0.50 to $0.80 per pound.
Pre-packaged store-brand deli meat is going to be cheaper than name-brand, which will still be cheaper than freshly sliced from the deli. Choose what fits with your budget and your food priorities.
Canned tuna is cheaper per ounce than fresh fish, and it’s a great budget protein option! Stick with tuna packed in water rather than oil.

EGGS AND DAIRY

Grocery Item	Average Cost	Protein Yield Per Ounce	Cost Per Gram of Protein
Eggs (conventional)	$2.18/dozen	6g per large egg	$0.03
Eggs (pasture-raised)	$4.68/dozen	6g per large egg	$0.07
Egg whites	$4.87/32oz	3.5g	$0.04
Greek yogurt (tub, store brand)	$2.24/16oz	3g	$0.05
Greek yogurt (single serving)	$0.74/5.3oz	3g	$0.05
Cottage cheese (store brand)	$2.28/16oz	2.5g	$0.06
Cottage cheese (Daisy)	$2.88/16oz	2.5g	$0.07

Tips:

If you go through a lot of eggs, buying the big 5-dozen box (that’s 60 eggs!) is much cheaper. Eggs last for several weeks in the fridge, so it might be worth stocking up.
On the flip side, only buy the amount you’ll actually use – don’t buy the 32oz massive tub of Greek yogurt unless you actually go through that much in a couple of weeks.
You can substitute Greek yogurt for oil in some baked goods, like muffins or pancakes, to boost the protein and lower the fat.
As with the meat, store brands are generally cheaper than name brands. Check the labels to compare ingredients and grab the best value!
One thing to watch out for when using dairy as a protein source is to keep your fat in check. Read more about high protein and low fat foods here.

PANTRY STAPLES

Grocery Item	Average Cost	Protein Yield Per Serving	Cost Per Gram of Protein
Dried Lentils	$1.89/lb	9g per ½ cup cooked	$0.019
Dried Chickpeas	$1.46/lb	7g per ½ cup cooked	$0.016
Dried Black Beans	$1.32/lb	8g per ½ cup cooked	$0.014
Quinoa (white)	$3.44/lb	8g per 1 cup cooked	$0.05
Quinoa (tricolor)	$3.72/lb	8g per 1 cup cooked	$0.06
Natural peanut butter	$3.18/16oz	8g per 2 Tbsp	$0.02
Protein pasta	$2.98/12oz	10g per 2oz serving	$0.05

Tips:

Buying dried beans and cooking them yourself saves compared to buying canned beans. I did the math! Black beans, pinto beans, and garbanzo beans are all great options.
Dried beans and quinoa can be stored for longer periods of time. Buy them in bulk for a lower price per pound.
The total protein in protein pasta will vary a little bit depending on if it’s a wheat blend or a legume-based pasta. Look for BOGO sales to get the best price, and pay attention to the weight of the box (some are only 8oz instead of 12-14!).
Many of these 25+ Cheap Protein Foods fall under this list, and while they aren’t high protein on their own, combined with or used to supplement other protein foods, they can bump up your total protein for the meal/day.
A lot of people think nuts are high-protein foods, but in reality, they are also high in fat. They are also more expensive than you might think if you’re using them to hit a protein goal. This goes for peanuts, almonds, sunflower seeds, cashews, etc.
I also use collagen as a protein source. However, I only buy one brand, and I stock up when it’s on sale. So I’m not including it in this budget list of protein foods.

Korean beef and brown rice in a bowl garnished with fresh cilantro

RECIPE IDEAS FOR PROTEIN FOODS LIST

Choose your budget protein sources list and make a menu plan before you go shopping!

These Framework Recipes are a great place to start when building meals based on protein.

If you want recipes with specific amounts, try these, which include the protein staples on this list:

Looking for more ways to increase your protein? Try one of my favorite high-protein recipes – I always have these on my meal plan and keep them stocked in my fridge. This way, I always have a protein-focused meal to put on my plate! Grab High Protein Recipes on Repeat here.

Overview shot of 6 Jamaican jerk chicken drumsticks on a white plate.

STORAGE AND PREP HACKS FOR FOODS THAT CONTAIN HIGH PROTEIN

Once you’ve done your shopping with the grocery list of protein rich foods, it’s time to do a bit of prep work.

Raw meat can stay in the fridge for 1-5 days, depending on the cut, which means that some of it will likely need to go in the freezer. Instead of just popping the whole package in the freezer, portion out what you’ll use per recipe or meal (and you can even cut it up into smaller pieces before freezing!). Then it’s easy to pull out just what you need for a meal. You can also cook all of the meat first and freeze it that way – it’s up to you!

Make a big batch of dried beans or grains and freeze those too. These methods are mostly hands-off, and then you’ll have them all ready to go for quick and easy meals.

How to Cook Dried Beans (stovetop, slow cooker, Instant Pot)
Quinoa in the Instant Pot
Brown Rice in the Instant Pot

Whether you’re prepping foods that contain high protein for yourself or for family meals, make sure it’s labeled and let the family know whether certain foods are fair game for snacking or not. There’s nothing worse than prepping your own lunch for the week and having hungry teens wipe out half of your work in one fell swoop!

A stack of waffles with protein, topped with fresh blueberries and strawberries, with syrup pouring over the top from a small pitcher

STORES TO SHOP THE LIST OF PROTEIN FOODS

Should I buy protein bars at Costco? Do I need to pick up Aldi protein yogurt or Aldi protein pancake mix?

One thing you might have noticed from this list of protein foods is that most of the items are pretty basic, which means that you can shop for them wherever you normally get your groceries (or wherever has the best prices).

My philosophy is to stick with simple, real foods that naturally contain protein, plus homemade versions of foods that contain high protein, rather than heading to the store to look for “high protein” on labels.

While I’m not against taking shortcuts with protein bars or shakes occasionally, the store-bought versions generally either have a long list of ingredients or they’re pretty expensive for the amount that you get. Homemade versions of foods that contain high protein end up being a lot cheaper AND better for you!

A hand holding four stacked homemade Nutella protein bars

PROTEIN SOURCES LIST FAQS

What should I include on my protein foods list for fat loss?

When it comes to weight loss, it’s not the specific foods so much as making sure you’re eating the right amount for your body. In fact, you can eat healthy and still not lose weight! Figuring out those specific macro goals is something I work through with my coaching clients.

What foods are good in protein recipes?

My top protein boosters for recipes are Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, collagen, and protein powder. Many recipes can be adjusted to include one or more of these without changing the overall taste and texture too much.