12 high-protein foods ranked by $/gram

A shopping list to hit 150 g of protein a day for under $5, built from 12 foods ranked by cost-per-gram.

1. 01

   Whey concentrate

   ~$0.013/g protein. Costco Kirkland or Bulk Supplements commodity whey. 30 g protein per scoop. The cheapest cleared-by-FDA protein source available. Use as a base layer, not a meal.

2. 02

   Whole chicken (bone-in, Costco)

   ~$0.015/g cooked protein. 2 kg raw bird yields ~450 g cooked meat plus bones for stock. Roast 220 C for 75 min. The compounding win once you factor bone stock as a byproduct.

3. 03

   Chicken thighs bone-in (Costco)

   ~$0.017/g cooked protein. Higher fat than breast, tolerates overcooking. 35 min at 220 C on a sheet pan. Best flavor-to-effort ratio for ahead-cooked weekday protein.

4. 04

   Eggs (18-count)

   ~$0.020/g protein at ~$0.25/egg. Hard-boil 10-egg batches; 7-day fridge life. 6 g protein per egg. Breakfast primitive.

5. 05

   Beans + rice combo (dry bulk)

   ~$0.020/g protein. The lysine/methionine complementary pair. Cook lentils or pintos in 10 lb batches. Leucine profile ~50% of whey, so use as calorie base, not as primary protein driver.

6. 06

   Canned tuna (chunk light)

   ~$0.025/g protein. $1.00 for a 142 g can (~22 g protein). Shelf-stable. Chunk light beats albacore on mercury per EPA 2023. Costco 12-pack drops $/g further.

7. 07

   Greek yogurt (bulk tub)

   ~$0.028/g protein. Kirkland 2% tub, 17-20 g protein per 170 g serving. Stack with frozen berries and 30 g whey to clear 40 g protein in under 3 minutes.

8. 08

   Pork shoulder (whole, Costco)

   ~$0.030/g cooked protein. 5 kg raw shoulder yields ~2 kg pulled meat. 90 C for 8 hours with salt. Highest-yield batch cook per dollar on this list.

9. 09

   Cottage cheese (4%, bulk)

   ~$0.032/g protein. 24 g protein per cup, predominantly casein. Pre-bed slow-release protein pick (Res 2012). Good Culture or Kirkland tubs.

10. 10

    Milk (2%, gallon)

    ~$0.035/g protein. 8 g protein per cup. Base for smoothies, oats, or a between-meal 500 mL top-up. Diminishing returns as primary source (liquid calories, lactose).

11. 11

    Ground turkey (93/7)

    ~$0.045/g protein. Lower fat than beef at comparable price. Sheet-pan with vegetables, 200 C for 25 min. 1 lb raw yields ~110 g cooked protein.

12. 12

    93/7 ground beef

    ~$0.050/g protein. Higher heme-iron than poultry; the pick during iron-loading blocks (menstruating athletes, plant-leaning diets). Brown 500 g batches, portion, freeze.