High Protein diet on a budget?

Han_naH

Hello. The cheapest tinned tuna is in Aldi at 54p a can. No-one compares to this. I used to know a bodybuilder who would blend tuna with blackcurrent (!) just to get it down his neck. He also spent time shelling hard boiled eggs and dumping the yoke.
So go to your local butcher and do a deal for a large quantity of eggs.
Truth is, the yoke is a super food and worth eating so don't discard all of it!

heykevin

Red beans and rice.

No meat here. Yet, red beans and rice together provide a complete protein source. To keep it even healthier and even less expensive, use dried red beans. Soak them overnight in cold water; remove the bad beans and then slow cook all day in the crock pot, with enough water to generously cover them. Serve them over brown, not white rice for more a complex carbohydrate. Be sure to avoid those packaged red beans and rice side dishes. They are loaded with preservatives and sodium. A home cooked serving of red beans and rice will give you about 8 grams of protein.

heykevin

Chicken breast.

White meat chicken has always been the body builder’s choice of high protein foods. Why? Because it has lots of protein, very little fat and there are 100 ways you can prepare it. Granted, it’s a little more expensive than the foods listed above, but it’s a great choice. For a quick, healthy dish, sprinkle a chicken breast with a little salt, some black pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice and then bake or grill. A 3.5 oz chicken breast contains 30 grams of protein.

heykevin

Peanut butter on toast.

Talk about a quick breakfast! Use only whole wheat bread and choose a peanut butter that is low in saturated fat and low in sugar. Two tablespoons of peanut butter will give you 8 grams of protein.

So, you see, it is easy to get your protein allowance for the day without spending too much money. Use these meal suggestions with others that you find to ensure that you’re getting adequate protein each and every day.

heykevin

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pink_princess

I eat a high protein, low carb diet.

These are my favourite cheap proteins
Pumpkin seeds
Yeast extract
Flax seed. ( this makes great cookies )
Eggs
Cheese
Walnuts
Brazil nuts ( Buy broken and you can get them cheap )
Pecan nuts
Sunflower seeds

InsertWittyName

Some good suggestions above.

Tuna/eggs/chicken as well as other meats were my staple when younger and lifting.

Surprised no-one has mentioned skimmed milk yet, cheap and packed with protein!

I used to love my 'breakfast shake', can be used as a meal replacement too if you're struggling with eating enough calories.

Base is:
1 banana
1/2 pint of milk or so
Small spoon of peanut butter
Scoop or two of whey powder (optional).
Blend to milkshake consistency.

I used to add seasonal fruit too to give it variety/flavour/vitamins: strawberries, blueberries etc. are all good.

Note that it's important to have enough protein, but don't dismiss carbs & fats. Total calories is key here, as well as maintaining a high protein ratio. I used to aim for a 40/40/20 split (40% of calories from protein, 40% from carbs and 20% from fats).

My shopping list was pretty much:

Chicken
Tuna
Eggs
Mackerel (cheap, tasty, plenty of protein and good fats)
Wholemeal bread/pasta/rice/noodles
Skimmed Milk
Peanut butter
Sweet potatoes
Lots of fruit & veg
Nuts & dried fruit for snacking
Other meats for variety, but in a smaller quantity due to cost (beef, lamb, pork etc.)

flexrider

adutd wrote: »

Hi, Ive fairly recently started weightlifting, Ive got a personal trainer and ive been advised to eat approx 5 meals a day with snacks in between aswell as the whey protein!
Ive already switched to frozen chicken and veg instead of the fresh stuff because of the cost, but any other ideas would be extreamly helpful.
Could also do with some large protein packed meal ideas I could cook for the week that I could freeze.

Got family that body build (Brother) im more the geeky computer type of family but i know his diet is something like

Lots of nuts (Cheshew,Almonds,brizal ect)
lean meats (chicken,Beef or steaks ect)
lots of veg +vitamins mostly b12 for building your muscles i think

Will ask em tomorrow when i see em and get the details

Thanks

AmeliaDebtFreelia

Quasar wrote: »

I agree, whey is the best protein around, classed as better than egg, where egg ranks at 100 and good quality whey at 103. I take two tablespoons of Pulsin' whey a day. I'm not a bodybuilder but I eat little meat, so the extra protein (about 20g whey protein) makes an excellent addition to integrate my diet.

Pulsin' whey costs about £30 per kilo and is of high quality. I find it in some organic food stores here in London. It's made from (added)hormone free milk from grass fed cows, and it's a protein isolate, which some bodybuilders prefer to protein concentrate. It has no flavourings or additives except some healthy soy lecithin, so it is completely tasteless.

EDITED LATER to tidy up some duff grammar.

Hi
I've tried a few unflavoured protein powders and they all have a weird sort of undertone to the taste which makes me feel sick. Is the one you use actually completely tasteless? I use the flavoured ones from My Protein which are tasty and cheap but am desperately looking to find a flavourless one to add to soups etc!
Thanks

Quasar

AmeliaDebtFreelia wrote: »

Hi
I've tried a few unflavoured protein powders and they all have a weird sort of undertone to the taste which makes me feel sick. Is the one you use actually completely tasteless? I use the flavoured ones from My Protein which are tasty and cheap but am desperately looking to find a flavourless one to add to soups etc!
Thanks

Yes it is completely tasteless. I add it to sauces, soups, stews and my own home made kefir. It is great in a glass of milk or cup of cocoa.

"Protein powders" can mean anything. Whey protein powder, unflavoured and unsweetened, should be completely tasteless or, at worst, VERY bland.