Best whole-food protein sources, ranked by $/gram

~$0.015/g cooked protein. 2 kg raw bird yields ~450 g cooked meat plus bones for stock. Roast at 220 C for 75 min, cool, pull. Refrigerate portioned for 4 days.

~$0.020/g protein at ~$0.25/egg for 6 g protein. Hard-boil in 10-egg batches; keeps 7 days refrigerated. Breakfast primitive. Zero cook time after the initial boil.

~$0.017/g cooked protein. Higher fat than breast; tolerates overcooking. Roast a sheet pan at 220 C for 35 min. Better flavor-to-effort ratio than breast if you're cooking ahead for a week.

~$0.025/g protein at $1.00 for a 142 g can (~22 g protein). Chunk light has lower mercury than albacore (EPA 2023 advisories). Bulk 12-packs at Costco drop $/g further.

~$0.030/g protein plus ~1 g EPA+DHA per 100 g tin. One of the only foods that beats the dollar-for-dollar math on protein and omega-3 simultaneously. Wild Planet, King Oscar, Bela, buy whichever is cheapest per gram.

~$0.022/g cooked protein. Lower $/g than grocery chicken breast but higher than bone-in at Costco. Pay the 30% premium if fat macros are tight; otherwise choose thighs.

~$0.028/g protein on the 2% Kirkland tub. 17-20 g protein per 170 g serving. Low-lift breakfast; stack with frozen berries and 30 g whey concentrate to clear 40 g protein in 3 minutes.

~$0.032/g protein. 24 g protein per cup; predominantly casein. Overnight absorption kinetics make it the pre-bed pick if you care about nighttime MPS (Res et al. 2012). Good Culture and Kirkland both viable.

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

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

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

~$0.030/g cooked protein. 5 kg raw shoulder yields ~2 kg pulled meat. Slow-cook 90 C for 8 hours with salt; portion into 150 g containers and freeze. Highest-yield batch cook per dollar on this list.

~$0.020/g protein when bought dry in 10 lb bags. The lysine-deficient/methionine-deficient pair completes the essential amino profile. Leucine still ~50% lower per gram than whey; use as calorie base, not primary protein driver.

~$0.025/g protein. 18 g protein per cooked cup. Best bought in 5-10 lb bags. 25 min simmer, no soak required. Pair with vitamin C source to boost non-heme iron absorption (Hallberg 1989).

~$0.055/g protein. 19 g protein per 100 g. Whole-food plant option with better amino profile than most bean/rice combos because of soy fermentation. Lightlife and Tofurky mainstream; buy whichever is cheapest per gram.

~$0.045/g protein. 10 g protein per 100 g. Cheaper than tempeh but lower protein density. Press, cube, air-fry at 200 C for 15 min for a workable texture.

~$0.080/g protein. Low-calorie, low-fat, zero-prep. Sears in 3 min from frozen. A premium flex for variety, not a $/g winner.

~$0.095/g protein but ~2 g EPA+DHA per 150 g fillet. Pay the premium when the omega-3 delivery matters. Farmed Atlantic is cheaper; wild Alaskan is the lower-contaminant pick (EPA/FDA 2022 advisory).