Table Of Contents
Introduction
There are various protein rich foods, but some can be expensive. Below is a list of low budget foods you can buy to build muscle.
Nutrition plays a significant role in building muscle. Training in the gym is only the first part of the equation. Without proper nutrition, you won’t see major results. Likewise, recovery also plays a vital role in building muscle.
Cheap Foods:
Whole eggs
Eggs are by far the cheapest muscle building food you can get and have 5-6 grams of protein per egg, depending on the size. They are also a reliable source of omega 3 which plays a vital role in heart health.
Eggs are great way to increase your protein intake and your calorie intake. A medium egg contains about 60-65 calories and large eggs contains 70-75 calories.
Chicken breast/thigh
Chicken breast or chicken thighs are a bit more expensive than eggs but pack a lot of protein. It is the go to meat for building muscle.
100g of chicken breasts (skinless) contain 106 calories and 24g protein whereas 100g of chicken thighs (with skin) contain 264 calories and 26g of protein, 2g more protein than chicken breast. Without the skin, chicken thigh would have a lower calorie but still have 26g of protein.
Peanut butter
Peanut butter contains healthy fats and are a great way to increase your calorie intake as they are calorie dense foods.
A tablespoon of peanut butter (16g) contains 3.5g of protein, 94 calories and 8g of fat (healthy fats). Peanut butter can be added to your protein shake or a smoothie to boost the calories and protein.
Soya Milk
Soya milk is a plant-based protein and is much cheaper than regular dairy whole milk.
A serving size (250ml) contains 8.5g of protein and 1g of carbohydrates whereas whole milk (3.25% fat) contains 8g protein and 12g of carbohydrates. However, soya milk is less in calories than whole milk which is not ideal when you are trying to gain weight, but it still is a major source of protein.
Protein powder
Protein powders are a great convenience to boost your daily protein intake if you are not getting enough from your meals. There are different protein powders ranging from whey, casein and plant protein and you can choose whichever you prefer.
Ground turkey
Ground turkey is another source of protein in the form of meat. It contains more protein than ground beef and cheaper than it as well. Also, ground turkey contains less fat than ground beef.
Oats
Oats are part of everyone’s’ breakfast. They are an excellent source of carbohydrates, protein and fibre which is important for gut health.
Tuna
Tuna is one of the cheapest seafood options to have in order to increase your protein intake. A 100g can of tuna contains a whopping 25g of protein and 110 calories.
Greek Yoghurt
Greek yoghurts are an ideal snack to have during the day and fulfilling as well. A Brooklea Greek yoghurt contains 8.3g of protein per 150g and 81 calories.
Quinoa
Quinoa is a plant-based food, and it contains more protein than brown and white rice. 185g of cooked quinoa contains 222 calories, 8.14g of protein and 39.4g of carbohydrate.
It has many other nutrition such as manganese, iron, folate, and magnesium which are all important for your overall health.
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