Eating enough protein to build muscle doesn't require an expensive diet. The foods that deliver the most protein per dollar — eggs, canned tuna, chicken thighs, oats, cottage cheese — are also some of the cheapest items in any grocery store. With the right list and a bit of meal prep, hitting 150g+ of protein daily on under $50 a week is genuinely achievable.

This guide gives you a complete high-protein grocery list under $50/week and a simple 7-day meal framework built around it.

The $50/Week High-Protein Grocery List

These are the staples. Prices are approximate and based on 2026 US grocery averages — you may spend slightly more or less depending on your location and store.

Item	Approx. Cost	Protein
Chicken thighs, bone-in (3 lbs)	$6.00	~170g total
Eggs (18-pack)	$3.75	~108g total
Canned tuna (6 cans)	$6.00	~150g total
Ground turkey, 93% lean (2 lbs)	$7.00	~160g total
Non-fat Greek yogurt (32oz)	$5.00	~80g total
Cottage cheese (24oz)	$4.00	~72g total
Rolled oats (42oz canister)	$4.00	~50g total
Frozen broccoli (2 bags)	$4.00	—
Canned black beans (3 cans)	$3.00	~45g total
Rice (2 lb bag)	$3.00	—
Total	~$45.75	~835g protein

That's roughly 119g of protein per day from this list alone — before adding anything else you already have at home. If you push the chicken or turkey slightly, hitting 150g daily is easy.

Why These Foods

Chicken thighs over chicken breast. Bone-in thighs run about $2.00/lb — roughly half the cost of boneless chicken breast ($4.00+/lb). They cook more forgivingly and still deliver around 26g of protein per 4oz of cooked meat. For budget cooking, they're the better choice.

Canned tuna. One of the highest protein-per-dollar foods available. A single can of tuna (around $1) delivers 25g of protein. It works in salads, mixed with Greek yogurt, on rice, or straight from the can.

Eggs. At roughly 6g of protein per egg and around 21 cents each, eggs are the most versatile budget protein source. Scrambled, hard-boiled for meal prep, mixed into oats, or used as a base for any meal.

Ground turkey (93% lean). At around $3.50 per pound, ground turkey delivers about 22g of protein per 3oz serving at a fraction of the cost of ground beef (which has risen to $6.70+/lb for 80/20). It works in bowls, mixed into rice, or as a taco filling — and it's significantly lower in fat than ground beef, making it useful during both a cut and a bulk.

Greek yogurt and cottage cheese. Both deliver casein-dominant protein, which digests slowly — making them excellent for breakfast or before bed. Cottage cheese is particularly calorie-efficient.

Oats. Not a high-protein food on its own, but a cheap, filling carbohydrate base that pairs well with protein sources (Greek yogurt, eggs, protein powder if you use it). A bowl of oats with Greek yogurt and eggs is a high-protein, low-cost breakfast.

7-Day Meal Framework

You don't need seven different meal plans. Budget cooking works best with a small rotation of meals you prep in batches. Here's the structure:

Meal Prep (Sunday, ~90 minutes)

Cook all chicken thighs in the oven (season simply — salt, pepper, garlic powder)
Cook a large batch of rice
Hard-boil 6–8 eggs
Portion cottage cheese and Greek yogurt into containers

Daily Meal Structure

Breakfast (~40–50g protein)

3 scrambled eggs + 1 cup Greek yogurt with berries (if you have them)
Or: overnight oats made with Greek yogurt and 2 hard-boiled eggs on the side

Lunch (~40–50g protein)

2 cans of tuna mixed with a small amount of Greek yogurt (instead of mayo) + rice + frozen broccoli
Or: ground turkey bowl with rice and black beans

Dinner (~40–50g protein)

Chicken thighs + rice + broccoli
Or: ground turkey with black beans (cheap, filling, ~50g protein per serving)

Snack (~20–30g protein)

Cottage cheese (1 cup = ~28g protein)
Or: 2–3 hard-boiled eggs

This hits approximately 140–160g of protein daily without overthinking it.

Tips for Staying Under $50

Buy in bulk when items are on sale. Chicken thighs, ground turkey, and canned tuna frequently go on sale. When they do, buy extra — chicken and turkey freeze well, and canned goods last indefinitely.

Frozen vegetables over fresh. Frozen broccoli, spinach, and mixed vegetables cost significantly less than fresh, have equivalent nutritional value, and don't go bad. They should be the default for budget cooking.

Eggs are your emergency protein. When you're running low on other protein sources mid-week, eggs bridge the gap cheaply. Always have them.

Skip the pre-marinated and pre-seasoned meats. You pay a significant markup for convenience. Plain chicken thighs with your own seasoning cost half as much and take 30 seconds to prepare.

Generic and store brands. Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, oats, and canned goods have essentially no quality difference between name brands and store brands. Always buy the cheaper option.

Rice over pasta for carbs. Rice is cheaper per serving and pairs better with the protein sources in this plan. A 2 lb bag lasts the week and costs around $3.

Scaling Up Protein

If you're heavier and need more protein (180+ lbs aiming for 180g+ daily), the same list scales up slightly:

Add a 4th pound of chicken thighs (~$2.00)
Add 2 more cans of tuna (~$2)
That puts you at ~$50/week and adds roughly 80g more protein to your weekly total

Still right at or under $50/week for a very high protein intake.

The Bottom Line

Hitting your protein goals on a tight grocery budget comes down to building your diet around a small set of cheap, high-protein staples — chicken thighs, eggs, canned tuna, ground turkey, Greek yogurt, and cottage cheese. Batch cook on Sunday, repeat a small meal rotation through the week, and you can consistently hit 140–160g of protein daily for under $50.

Use the Bulked protein calculator to find your exact daily target, then build your grocery list around it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you build muscle on a $50/week grocery budget? Yes — the foods that build muscle most effectively (chicken, eggs, tuna, ground turkey, cottage cheese) are also among the cheapest sources of protein available. With smart shopping and basic meal prep, hitting 140–160g of protein daily for under $50/week is realistic for most people.

What is the cheapest high-protein food? Canned tuna and eggs offer the best protein-per-dollar of any whole food in 2026. Canned tuna delivers about 25g of protein per $1 can. Eggs deliver 6g of protein for roughly 21 cents each. Chicken thighs (bone-in) are close behind at around $2.00/lb.

How much protein can you get for $50 a week? Using the grocery list above, approximately 835g of total protein for the week — around 119g per day on average. With minor adjustments (an extra pound of chicken or a few more cans of tuna), you can push that to 150g+ daily while staying under $50.

Is meal prepping necessary on a budget? Not strictly, but it makes staying on budget significantly easier. Cooking in batches reduces the temptation to buy convenience food when you're tired, and it ensures your protein sources are always ready to eat. Even a basic Sunday prep of cooked chicken, rice, and hard-boiled eggs makes the week much easier to manage.

Related Guides

How Much Protein Do You Actually Need to Build Muscle? — find your daily protein target
Best High-Protein Foods Ranked by Protein Per Calorie — the most efficient protein sources
How Much Protein Do You Need to Lose Weight? — protein strategy during a cut

Bulk Grocery Meal Plan Under $50/Week: High-Protein Budget Meals for Gym-Goers