High-Protein Meal Plan on a Budget: 7 Days With a Shopping List
How to hit your protein target without overspending: compare foods by cost per serving of protein and follow a 7-day budget menu.
High-protein eating has a reputation for being expensive, mostly because of powders, bars and premium meat. It does not have to be. This guide shows how to compare foods by what they cost per gram of protein, and gives a seven-day plan built around inexpensive staples.
Contents
- How do you compare protein by cost?
- Which foods are usually good value?
- What does a 7-day budget high-protein plan look like?
- How do you keep the plan cheap?
- How do you get a plan for your own target?
How do you compare protein by cost?
The price on the package does not tell you much. Calculate cost per 25 g of protein instead:
- Read the protein per 100 g on the label.
- Work out how many grams of the food give 25 g of protein.
- Multiply by the price per gram.
Example with made-up prices: if 100 g of a food has 20 g protein, you need 125 g for 25 g. At 2.00 per kg, that is 0.25. Do the same for each food you buy often, using your own local prices. Prices vary widely by country and season, so we do not quote fixed numbers here.
Which foods are usually good value?
| Food | Approx. protein | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Eggs | 12-13 g per 100 g | Versatile, cooks in minutes |
| Dry lentils and beans | 20-25 g per 100 g dry | Very cheap, needs cooking or tins |
| Chicken thighs (whole chicken) | 17-20 g per 100 g | Often cheaper than breast |
| Cottage cheese, plain yogurt | 8-12 g per 100 g | Check larger tubs |
| Canned tuna or sardines | 20-25 g per 100 g | Shelf-stable |
| Tofu | 8-15 g per 100 g | Varies by type |
| Oats | 12-13 g per 100 g | Cheap protein boost for breakfast |
Values are typical ranges. Check the label of the product you buy.
What does a 7-day budget high-protein plan look like?
Target: about 2,000 kcal and 120-140 g protein per day. Scale portions up or down for your own numbers (see how to calculate your daily calories and macros).
| Day | Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mon | Oats with milk and a scoop of yogurt | Lentil and vegetable soup, bread | Chicken thighs, rice, frozen vegetables |
| Tue | Scrambled eggs on toast | Chicken rice bowl (leftovers) | Tuna pasta with tomatoes |
| Wed | Oats with milk and yogurt | Lentil soup (leftovers) | Egg and vegetable fried rice |
| Thu | Cottage cheese with fruit and oats | Tuna pasta (leftovers) | Chicken thighs, potatoes, cabbage salad |
| Fri | Scrambled eggs on toast | Chicken and potato wrap | Bean chilli with rice |
| Sat | Oats with banana | Bean chilli (leftovers) | Omelette with vegetables and cheese |
| Sun | Pancakes (oats, eggs, yogurt) | Fried rice (leftovers) | Prep day: cook lentils, rice and chicken for next week |
Add snacks based on your target: yogurt, boiled eggs, a handful of peanuts, cottage cheese with fruit.
Shopping list overview:
- Protein: whole chicken or thighs (about 1.5 kg), 18 eggs, 1 tin of tuna, 250 g dry lentils, 2 tins of beans or 200 g dry, 500 g cottage cheese, 1 kg plain yogurt
- Carbs: oats, rice, pasta, potatoes, bread
- Vegetables: frozen mixed vegetables, cabbage, onions, carrots, tinned tomatoes, bananas, seasonal fruit
- Pantry: oil, salt, spices, stock cubes
How do you keep the plan cheap?
- Buy whole cuts and portion them. Thighs or a whole chicken usually cost less per gram of protein than breast.
- Use frozen vegetables. They are cheaper, last longer and cut waste.
- Fewer unique ingredients. A plan with fewer different items is almost always cheaper to shop for.
- Cook in bulk. Double the lentils, chilli and rice, then freeze portions.
- Skip protein products unless you need them. Powders and bars are convenient, not necessary.
For a full planning workflow, see our guide to weekly meal planning.
How do you get a plan for your own target?
Your protein target depends on your weight, goal and activity. Dietly takes your weight, height and goal, then builds a full week of meals with macros and a grocery list in under a minute.
Build my plan or visit the Dietly homepage.