Whenever I go go grocery shopping the biggest problem I seem to have is finding protein that doesn't cost you an arm and a leg. I always want beef, but beef these days is so expensive. I am not a huge of fan of pork to begin with, unless it is bacon of course, so that is not the issue. Pork can be good, but even that is on the pricier side. The issue is that the good stuff costs the most(i.e lamb, veal, any beef) and the cheaper stuff(Chicken) is usually cheap for a reason, its more about what you add to it and how you use it than about the actual protein itself. Making sure we have enough protein in our diets is important. I have found the most economical way of doing so it to buy Tuna, Chicken, and Beans(either canned or dried, although dried are much cheaper overall). Make sure to look for Tuna on sale, because it can be expensive otherwise but goes on sale frequently. Same with chicken. It is much more economical to buy a whole chicken at .99 a pound and quarter it for 2 meals or just roast the entire thing than it is to buy it pieced out and skinned. A little knowledge in cooking can save you money, and be fun!
Beans really would be the cheapest, I think, because you can buy them bulk and you don't have to be scared of wasting it. Also, in term of lives But they are not complete proteins, so that's a minus. Whole chicken can be sold pretty cheap, as well as pork. But I like how versatile these two meats can be -- I can get almost any taste out of a chicken, and if I buy it whole, then I can make three to four different meals out of it. Maybe more if I count reusing leftovers! So for me that's a plus. But knowing spices and herbs and how to make a great dish without having great meat is a plus for the budget. I love splurging on lamb every now and then, and sometimes beef too, but the rest of the time, I'm also happy cooking my bean/chicken/pork recipes because I can get great flavors out of them!
Eggs are probably the cheapest protein I can think of. And you don't just have to eat them at breakfast, you can incorporate them into dinner recipes as well. For example, I make a baked pasta dish that includes (along with the tomato sauce), dollops of ricotta cheese, diced ham, and chopped up hard boiled eggs, then some cheese on top. You can also put them over a cob salad, or even make eggs poached in tomato sauce, served over garlic toast. Pork is probably one of the cheapest meats at our grocery stores around here, but it doesn't have to be bland if you know what you're doing with it. I'm normally not a huge fan of brining, but it does work really well on pork items, such as pork chops. You can also turn a cheap pork roast into a really flavorful carnitas, by slow cooking it for hours, then chopping it up and throwing it under the broiler to crisp it up. As for chicken, I usually stick to chicken thighs. They're inexpensive, more flavorful, and can hold up high temperature cooking without getting all dried out inside. The chicken breast they sell at the stores these days are way too huge imo, and difficult to cook properly without them getting all dried out before the middle is cooked through.
Beans and canned tuna are probably the cheapest sources of protein, and they can keep for pretty long canned. There is some concern over the higher sodium content of such canned foods though, so perhaps you might want to opt for lower sodium options. Alternatively tofu is also a really good source of protein!
That is right, I completely forgot about eggs as an option. We eat a lot of eggs in my house, at all different times of day. They really can be incorporated into any meal, and even eaten as a snack. I was always told they were high in cholesterol and spent many years attempting to avoid them, but I heard that may not be entirely true? I am not sure, either way I know they work for me!
Are we forgetting milk? Babies get all the protein they need from milk. Since milk isn't that expensive, if you can get raw milk, and drink 2 liters every day, you'd get all the protein you need from it. Another alternative to expensive proteins would be organ meats. They are inexpensive so I suppose we could classify them as cheap proteins.
I also love turkey, which I don't really see listed here. If you can get it cheap around Thanksgiving, get an extra couple turkeys to cook. The meat freezes well, and you can use it anywhere you'd also use chicken. It's very healthy, too!
Other good options for protein are nuts, peanut butter or seeds. Nuts by themselves can be pricey, but peanut butter is usually a cheap option. You could add some peanut butter to your toast in the morning, eat it as a dip for celery or apples for a snack, or just have a peanut butter sandwich for lunch.
Nice thread! I was going to ask what people recommended as a source of cheap protein since I am thinking about getting into a fitness and nutrition program, which requires a set amount of protein (currently quite a lot more than I eat) So nice to see there are already some suggestions here!
