The Cheapest Ways to Get Your Protein Right Now

Photo: Sergey Ryzhov (Shutterstock)

Eggs used to be one of the cheapest protein sources out there. Back when they cost $2 a dozen, the 84 grams of protein in a carton of extra-large eggs worked out to just 48 cents per 20 grams of protein. But thanks to the recent bird flu outbreak and various other economic factors, egg prices have skyrocketed.

Some other protein sources, like whey powder, are more expensive than they used to be as well. So we figured it’s time to calculate the price you pay for a serving of protein, across a variety of grocery items. We’re including the classic meat, eggs, and protein powder, as well as a few underrated options like tofu and peanuts.

Methodology

The following calculations are not from an exhaustive national survey of prices. After failing to find a good source of up-to-date prices that could be fairly compared to each other on deadline, we used non-sale prices from a chain grocery store in Pittsburgh, checking on Amazon as well for a few items that weren’t available in store. The prices in your location may be higher or lower, but we’re hoping the relative prices—which items are cheaper than others—will be similar to what I’ve found. You can calculate your own with this formula:

(price per item) / (grams of protein in the whole package) = price per gram

As we go through the list, note that I’ve calculated the price per 20 grams of protein. (Multiply the number you get above by 20.) That would be enough for a small snack, or you can double or triple it for a big protein-rich meal. For comparison, a chicken breast is about 40 grams of protein.

The overall cheapest protein sources

Nothing on my list matches the cost-effectiveness of $2 or even $2.50/dozen eggs (RIP), but the following are all under $1 per 20 grams of protein:

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• Skim milk, 65 cents ($4.29/gallon, 133 grams of protein)
• Chicken legs (bone-in), also 65 cents ($1.95/lb, 49 grams)
  
• Peanuts (!), 68 cents ($3.79/lb, without shells, 112 g)
  
• Whole milk, 85 cents ($5.19/gal, 123 g)
  
• Chicken breast, 86 cents ($5.89/lb, 139 g)
  
• Tuna, 95 cents ($1.09 for a can that contains 23 g of protein)
  

How meats stack up

Chicken is cheap enough that it made our overall cheapest list, above. Chicken breast is expensive per pound, but you get a lot of protein for that money. Bone-in, skin-on chicken legs are, by contrast, dirt cheap—but that price includes bones, which are inedible, and plenty of fat in the meat and skin. Some of that fat may drain away, depending on how you prepare the chicken.

• Chicken legs (bone-in), also 65 cents ($1.95/lb, 49 grams)
  
• Chicken breast, 86 cents ($5.89/lb, 139 g)
  

When it comes to cuts of meat, you’ll be making a similar tradeoff. In terms of protein price, more expensive cuts of meat can still be cost-effective if they are lean. We’ll let you run your own numbers for your favorite steaks and such, but you might find it interesting to see that ground beef is about the same price per gram of protein ($1.40 per 20 grams) regardless of the fat percentage:

• 80/20 beef (20% fat), $1.39 ($5.29/lb, 76 g)
  
• 85/15 beef (15% fat), $1.38 ($5.79/lb, 84 g)
• 93/7 beef (7% fat), $1.41 ($6.79/lb, 96 g)

All of those grades of beef work out to better prices than most other popular meats, especially lean ones. Here’s a sampling:

• Pork tenderloin, $1.49 per 20 grams of protein ($8.59 for a 22 ounce packaged tenderloin with 115 grams of protein)
• Tilapia, $1.65 per 20 grams of protein ($7.49 per pound, for 91 grams of protein). Note that fish prices vary, and that you can usually get better prices if you buy frozen—so this one might move up in the rankings if you can get a good deal in the frozen section.
• Ground turkey, $1.69 ($8.09 per pound, for 96 grams of protein).

For comparison, here are two items that worked out to be more expensive than the others. One I expected, one not so much:

• Salmon, $2.35 for 20 grams of protein ($10.69/lb for 91 grams of protein—and that’s cheap for salmon!)
• Canned chicken, $3.54 for 20 grams of protein ($3.19 for a 4.5-ounce can)

Vegetarian options

What about things that aren’t meat? Besides eggs, it’s good to know that dairy, beans, and tofu are also great protein sources. Peanuts were the only plant-based item that cracked our under-$1 list above, alongside the milk for you lacto-ovo folks. Here are a few more non-meat items with their prices, many of them a better deal than the meats (mostly cheaper than beef but more expensive than chicken):

• Canned black beans, $1.03 for 20 grams of protein ($1.29 per can with 25 grams of protein)
• Eggs, $1.12 for 20 grams of protein if you buy them at $4.69/dozen (extra large). Prices are volatile here, so calculate your own: large eggs have 6 grams of protein each, extra-large have 7 grams.
• Cheddar cheese, $1.14 per 20 grams of protein ($3.19 for an 8-ounce block of cheese with 56 grams of protein)
• Extra firm tofu, $1.16 per 20 grams of protein ($2.49/lb, 43 grams of protein)
• String cheese, $1.66 per 20 grams of protein ($4.89 for a 12-pack with a total of 84 grams of protein)
• Whey protein powder, $1.23 per 20 grams of protein ($42.74 for a tub that contains 696 grams of protein)
• Egg whites in a carton, $1.44 per 20 grams of protein ($3.59 for a 16 ounce carton with 50 grams of protein)
• Greek yogurt, $1.50 per 20 grams of protein ($5.99 for a 32 ounce container that includes 80 grams of protein) Yogurt is another one of those items where the price varies a lot by brand and variety, so shopping around is especially important here.

As with any price comparison, check the numbers at your local store. Prices vary across the country, and some items (like those eggs!) are changing from day to day. Sales, coupons, and frozen items can also help you find cheaper prices than these, so if you manage to beat what we found, we’re happy for you.

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