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Eating healthy on a budget is hard. According to a national Cleveland Clinic Survey, about 46% of respondents note that healthy foods are expensive.
And I agree! As someone who tries to eat a healthy diet, I struggle. One area I struggle with a lot is eating enough protein to feel full. But how does one get enough protein in their diet when protein is often the most expensive thing to buy?
The key is finding Protein-Packed Meals that are both nutritious and budget-friendly. Simple swaps like incorporating beans, lentils, eggs, and canned tuna can help increase protein intake without overspending. Meal prepping and buying in bulk are also great strategies to ensure you’re getting enough protein without breaking the bank.
We did the work and curated a list of meals that cost less than $10 to make. Most of the time, you’ll end up with leftovers or enough to feed a household. These meals have at least one source of protein and have room for more with substitutions. Most also use items we already have in our kitchens.
Here are 16 budget-friendly, protein-packed meals that are surprisingly satisfying.
Protein-Packed Meals: Protein pancakes
I have a huge sweet tooth. If you’d let me, I’d eat sweets for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I probably don’t have to tell you, but that isn’t the healthiest thing.
Protein pancakes satisfy my sweet tooth. They are just sweet enough to satisfy my craving and packed with protein. I bought a box for about $4.39 in Aldi that lasted two months. Every household, though, is different; Aunt Maple’s protein pancake mix has 14 grams of proper serving.
Cottage Cheese Omelets
Cottage cheese is tricky. It’s inexpensive, easy to use, and mixes well with most ingredients. However, not everyone likes the texture. By itself, I can’t stomach it, but in eggs, it’s perfect.
Cottage cheese varies in price depending on your region, the store, the brand, and the size. You can find cottage cheese at Walmart for as low as $2.24. There are 12 grams of protein per serving, not including the eggs.
Lentil Chili
Don’t sleep on legumes, especially lentils. They have a nutty flavor and plenty of protein—one cup contains nearly 18 grams.
One of my favorite, high-protein, budget-friendly meals is a lentil chili. I use lentils, red beans, black beans, and any leftovers I can find in this chili. It’s a good way to use your leftovers and pantry on a tight budget. You can eat it as a soup or serve it over rice.
Edamame Salad
I don’t know about you, but when I come home from work, the last thing I want to do is spend hours cooking. So why not make a salad?
Plenty of salads are protein-heavy and budget-friendly. I like buying pre-made salads in Aldi. They are less than $3 a bag and include edamame. One cup of edamame has 189 calories and about 17 grams of protein. Want more protein for cheap? Add a boiled egg or leftover chicken to your salad.
Tuna Sliders
It’s hard to beat canned fish. Tuna is filled with protein. A 3-ounce serving contains just 110 calories. Out of 85 grams, tuna has 25 grams of protein. The protein varies depending on the type of tuna.
The best thing about this simple, protein-heavy meal is the price. You can find a can of tuna for under $1! Grab your favorite bread, and voila, you have a meal.
Chicken Thigh Stews
Chicken thighs deserve way more love. They are easy to cook and high in protein. Chicken thighs are also pretty cheap. The last time I bought a pack, I only paid $6!
So, how much protein is in one chicken thigh? One chicken thigh with 195 calories has 27 grams of protein. Cooking chicken thighs into a stew is cheap. All you need is water, seasonings, some kind of stock, and a can of tomato sauce.
Crispy Tofu Salads
Another high-protein salad makes our list! Tofu is such a great non-meat protein. It’s a mix of water and soy milk. A little goes a long way, and it’s cheap!
I make tofu at least twice a month. A firm block of tofu costs less than $3 at Aldi. How you prepare tofu is up to you. You can sear it on a pan or use an air fryer. Have fun and get creative with this salad. Add your favorite toppings and dressing.
Stuffed Bell Peppers
Have you ever tried stuffed bell peppers? Writing about them makes my mouth water. Stuffed bell peppers are healthy, inexpensive, and high-protein.
Three bell peppers can cost as little as $2. Cut off the top and stuff it with your favorite protein, cheese, and toppings. I like to use ground turkey meat, cream cheese, and breadcrumbs.
Spaghetti
Not a lot of people consider spaghetti or most pasta dishes as high-protein. But you can make any dish protein-heavy with some changes.
You can add meatballs or ground meat as a protein to your pasta dish. Protein pastas are a thing, and they taste pretty good, too! They are usually made with chickpeas or edamame.
Loaded Hummus
Hummus is delicious. I could eat it every day. It’s also cheap to buy and even more inexpensive to make. Hummus is really just smooth ground olive oil and chickpeas with garlic and tahini. One can of hummus costs $1 or less.
Hummus alone isn’t a meal. You can load hummus by baking sweet potatoes, cut-up cauliflower, and chickpeas. Pour these ingredients on top of the hummus and eat with pita bread.
Black Bean Bowls
Why eat at Chipotle when you can cheaply make your own burrito bowls at home? And they taste better!
You can make this meal with just Dollar Tree ingredients. You can buy white rice, black beans, tomato sauce, seasonings, and canned sauces at Dollar Tree. Combine all this, and you have a savory and inexpensive black bean bowl.
Chicken Fajitas
Chicken is a staple in my home. It’s easy to cook, and thousands of recipes are available online. One of my favorites is chicken fajitas with high-protein tortillas.
I buy whatever chicken cut is on sale and in good condition. After that, season to your heart’s content and shred. You can also just buy cooked chicken to make it easier.
Chicken Lemon Parm
If you aren’t a huge fan of tortillas, try making chicken lemon parm. For this meal, I like using chicken breast. It’s easier to cut, bread, and season.
Season your chicken, cut it in half, and stuff it with lemon and cheese. To cook it, you can pan-fry or air-fry. I like to pan-fry and then bake on top of protein pasta with a creamy cheese sauce in the oven.
Baked Salmon With Sweet Potatoes
Salmon is another excellent protein source to add to your life. According to Healthline, a 3.5-ounce cooked wild salmon contains about 25 grams of protein. It’s also only 182 calories and an excellent source of B12.
Salmon over a bed of rice or cooked with baked sweet potatoes is a staple in my house. I also like to use tomatoes, lemon, and cream cheese for the salmon.
One-Sheet Baked Chicken Sausage and Tofu
No one likes making a mess in the kitchen, but it doesn’t take long for dishes to pile up. This is why I love making one-sheet meals, and what better one than a chicken sausage and tofu mix?
All you need to do is cut up chicken sausages and the veggies of your choice. I prefer potatoes and green beans. Then, dump the tofu, chicken sausages, and veggies on the pan. Sprinkle your favorite oil and seasonings, and bake to perfection.
Turkey Beef Nachos
Last but not least are turkey beef nachos. They are also simple. You only need tortillas or chips, turkey beef, and your favorite toppings.
A 100-gram serving of ground turkey contains 18.7 grams of protein. Ground turkey is lean and versatile. You can use it as a substitute for ground beef. Cook it with your favorite seasonings and dump it on tortilla chips with cheese, tomatoes, and whatever else you like.
The 41 Biggest Wastes of Money
If you’re looking for ways to earn more money to put toward your goals, start by examining your spending habits. By tracking your spending and seeing where every dollar goes, you’ll likely find several instances of spending money you don’t have to. It could be little things that add up or recurring monthly expenses that are an utter waste of money.
Once you eliminate your bad spending habits, that money can go toward your emergency fund, paying off debt, or other essential things. Here are the 41 biggest wastes of money to look out for.
- Read More: The 41 Biggest Wastes of Money
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