Protein Cheat Sheet

Top 20 Cheapest Protein Sources

Ranked by cost per gram of protein. Lower number = more protein for less money.

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How to use this: The "Cost/g Protein" column is your cheat code. The lower the number, the more protein you get per dollar. Stick to Tier 1 to hit your protein goals without breaking the bank.

The Full Ranking

Based on average US grocery prices, April 2026

Rank	Item	Serving	Protein	Cost/Serving	Cost/g Protein
1	Dry Lentils	1/4 cup dry	13g	$0.15	$0.012
2	Dry Black Beans	1/4 cup dry	11g	$0.14	$0.013
3	Dry Pinto Beans	1/4 cup dry	11g	$0.15	$0.014
4	Whole Milk	1 cup	8g	$0.12	$0.015
5	Dry Split Peas	1/4 cup dry	12g	$0.18	$0.015
6	Eggs (value pack)	1 large	6g	$0.12	$0.020
7	Peanut Butter	2 tbsp	7g	$0.16	$0.023
8	Whey Protein (bulk)	1 scoop	24g	$0.60	$0.025
9	Chicken Thighs (bone-in)	4 oz cooked	28g	$0.75	$0.027
10	Whole Chicken	4 oz cooked	28g	$0.80	$0.029
11	Chicken Breast (value pack)	4 oz cooked	35g	$1.05	$0.030
12	Canned Tuna	1 can (5 oz)	22g	$0.85	$0.039
13	Cottage Cheese (tub)	1/2 cup	14g	$0.55	$0.039
14	Greek Yogurt (tub)	3/4 cup	15g	$0.65	$0.043
15	Ground Turkey 93/7	4 oz cooked	28g	$1.25	$0.045
16	Canned Sardines	1 can	23g	$1.10	$0.048
17	Pork Loin	4 oz cooked	30g	$1.50	$0.050
18	Ground Beef 80/20	4 oz cooked	28g	$1.50	$0.054
19	Tofu (extra firm)	1/2 block	20g	$1.15	$0.058
20	Cheddar Cheese (block)	1 oz	7g	$0.45	$0.064

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Budget Protein Tiers

Where your dollar goes the furthest

Tier 1 — Under $0.04/g Protein (Best Deals)

Dry Lentils$0.012/g

Dry Black Beans$0.013/g

Dry Pinto Beans$0.014/g

Whole Milk$0.015/g

Dry Split Peas$0.015/g

Eggs$0.020/g

Peanut Butter$0.023/g

Whey Protein (bulk tub)$0.025/g

Chicken Thighs (bone-in)$0.027/g

Whole Chicken / Rotisserie$0.029/g

Chicken Breast (value pack)$0.030/g

Canned Tuna$0.039/g

Cottage Cheese$0.039/g

Tier 2 — $0.04-$0.08/g Protein (Solid Value)

Greek Yogurt (large tub)$0.043/g

Ground Turkey 93/7$0.045/g

Canned Sardines$0.048/g

Pork Loin (whole, on sale)$0.050/g

Ground Beef 80/20$0.054/g

Tofu (extra firm)$0.058/g

Cheddar Cheese (block)$0.064/g

Tier 3 — $0.08-$0.12/g Protein (Premium, Worth It)

Deli Turkey Breast$0.085/g

Salmon (frozen fillets)$0.090/g

Beef Steak (chuck/round on sale)$0.095/g

Shrimp (frozen, shell-on)$0.100/g

Protein Bars (bulk box)$0.110/g

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5 Rules to Spend Less, Eat More Protein

1. Build meals around beans/lentils + eggs + chicken thighs.
2. Buy whey protein in 5-lb tubs — best supplement value by far.
3. Use whole milk instead of almond/oat if protein is the goal.
4. Buy large tubs of yogurt and cottage cheese — never single-serve cups.
5. Shop sales, buy in bulk, freeze in portions.

Want the Full System?

This cheat sheet is one piece. The Protein Budget System gives you 15 macro-friendly recipes, a complete weekly meal plan, a grocery list under $75/week, and a 2-hour prep day playbook. Everything you need to hit 120g+ protein daily without breaking the bank.

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