High Protein Meal Prep Ideas on a Budget

I have plenty of posts about high protein meals and meal prep – but none with the cost of groceries in mind! This is the ultimate guide to high protein meal prep on a budget! 25 budget-friendly ideas prioritizing protein plus some budget-saving tips.

All of these meals prioritize protein to assist with meal satiety and to help you reach an overall higher protein intake. Now, I don’t know your budget, lifestyle or food preferences so I have tried to include a variety of different ideas that you can customize easily based on your preferences.

These recipes and ideas focus on well-balanced meals and can be meal prepped for grab-and-go lunches or used as easy dinner preparation. Let’s hope things change, but right now we are all trying to save some money with the price of groceries is on the rise

Budget-Friendly Tips

Essentially, a well-balanced meal should contain carbohydrates, protein, fat (like olive oil) and at least one serving of vegetables or fruit. Below is an infographic of some low cost food items that could easily be thrown together to create a nutritious meal with endless flavor variations so you never get bored.

Buying in bulk can lower the cost especially for less budget-friendly foods, like chicken, quinoa, and beef. When you’re meal prepping for a few days and a recipe calls for 1-2 cups of rice – make more!

Use dried beans soaked overnight for even cheaper meals. Make a large pot and portion it out for lunches. Freezing cooked beans is a great way to save time and money, especially if you buy dried beans in bulk and cook them yourself.

This will streamline the meal prepping process in the future. Most items can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw the night before or reheat in the microwave to throw together easy meals and make lunch prep seamless. If you are nervous about the gas or bloating when it comes to eating beans, gradually increase consumption over a few weeks and take Beano prior to eating.

Greek yogurt is a cheap ingredient that can be added to sauces, soups, power bowls, stir-fries, and so on to increase the protein content without using so much meat!

Budget-Friendly Meal Prep Ideas

All of these meal prep ideas prioritize protein with a focus on well-balanced meals. Recipes were calculated using my Kroger app and do not account for taxes or spices. Prices may vary based on season, grocery stores, etc. – these are just rough estimates!

This post does contain Amazon affiliate links. At no cost to you, I receive a small compensation when a purchase is made.

Soups or Chili

The reason soups make the “ideal” high protein, budget-friendly meal is because they usually contain less costly meat and more veggies, broth or legumes. Frozen veggies are usually more cost-effective and perfect for a warm soup recipe.

Take, for example, this Easy Lasagna Soup from Haute & Healthy Living with 34g protein per serving. Total cost for 6 servings is $13.78 or $2.29 per serving.

The less meat or fresh vegetables the cheaper a soup or chili will be. Top with 1/4 cup of Greek yogurt to increase the protein with less meat! For example, the chili or chicken enchilada soup would be great options as a sub for sour cream.

Low Sodium Goulash (Low So Recipes)

This recipe costs about $6.50 for 6 servings, which comes to a little more than $1 per serving! Each serving provides 23 grams of protein. I would add some frozen veggies, like broccoli, to increase the nutrient-density and make the meal appear larger (while being lower in calories).

Ground Turkey & Zucchini Lasagna (The Oregon Dietitian)

While a little bit more labor intensive, this recipe makes 8 servings at $2.19 per serving (with 39 grams of protein). You can feed your family and have leftovers for meal prep, too.

Oatmeal/Overnight Oats

Oats are super cheap when compared to other ingredients these days which makes overnight oats the perfect vessel for high protein meal prep on a budget. I eat them for lunch sometimes, too! They are SO easy to prep with endless variations. It can be as simple as a 1/2 cup of oats with 1 cup of Fairlife milk and frozen fruit as a topping.

Here is a breakdown:

Caramelized Apples Overnight Oats (28g protein with milk); $1.64 per serving.

• 1/2 cup rolled oats = $.13
• 1/2 cup non-fat Greek yogurt, vanilla or plain = $.69
• 1/2 cup Fairlife milk = $.32
• 1/2 large apple = $.25
• Butter, Brown Sugar, Walnuts = $.25

The combination of 1/2 cup of rolled oats, 1/2 cup Greek yogurt, and 1/2 cup milk can be used to create endless flavor combinations that are both high protein and cost-effective! Top with bananas and cinnamon or frozen berries and honey. Check out these 10 Variations of Overnight Oats (shown below) from Get Inspired Everyday!

Cost Friendly Higher Protein Oatmeal Toppings

• Mix in milk or yogurt.
• Top with peanut butter.
• Whisk in liquid egg whites while cooking.

Budget-Friendly Lunchable Ideas

Get yourself a lunchable storage container like this Bento Lunch Box I got from Amazon. Read my post on High Protein and Fiber Lunchables for more ideas.

Lunchable #2

• Pasta salad with veggies using higher protein noodles.
• Edamame.
• Hummus.
• Pita Bread or Cottage Cheese Flatbread.

White Bean and Ground Turkey Pasta or Bowl

Keep it simple yet flavorful with a recipe like this White Bean Algio Olio from Plant Based School. Add some ground turkey and spinach for a more well-balanced meal. If you’re tired of pasta, this would be delicious over rice or cauliflower rice. Each serving costs about $1.59 and the recipe makes 4 servings.

Dense Bean Salads

There are usually a lot of components to a dense bean salad. However, it’s just cooked beans at the heart of it. This specific recipe consists of fresh veggies and canned beans. Omit the tomatoes and buy dry beans in bulk to make this much more budget-friendly! It’s packed with both protein and fiber. $2.22 per serving (6 total servings).

Rice and Beans

The good ol’ rice and beans always makes for a cheaper meal. Measure out 1/2 cup of rice and 1/2 cup of beans. Mix in some Ro-Tel Tomatoes with Chilies for loads of flavor. Add 1/4 cup of ground beef to increase the protein to over 20 grams per serving.

Or give this Easy Vegetarian Black Beans and Rice Bowl a try by Raia’s Recipes. So simple, easy and cheap!

Store-Bought Mac and Cheese

Elevate a box of macaroni and cheese by adding two cans of chicken and microwaved broccoli (or vegetables of choice). The cost of a simple meal like this is $7.00 and provides about 3 servings, $2.30 per serving.

Low Sodium Tip: Only use half the cheese sauce or seasoning packet and improve the flavor with herbs, salt-free spices, lemon and/or lime to reduce the sodium content.

Cottage Cheese Mac & Cheese

On the topic of macaroni and cheese: this cottage cheese mac uses a combination of blended butternut squash and cottage cheese then combines it with a roux to create a higher protein sauce without meat. It makes 4 servings with an estimated $1.50 per serving using regular pasta. If you sub with Barilla Protein Plus noodles, this comes to about $2.00.

Store Bought Rice-a-Roni

Don’t feel bad about turning to convenience foods, like store-bought Rice-A-Roni. It’s all about what you can ADD to these meals.

A box of Rice-A-Roni is just $1.67 with 3.5 servings. Pair with canned chicken, tuna, or ground turkey and a frozen vegetable medley for a cheap and healthy meal! Another cost-effective option: use 1/2 pound of chicken and increase the protein content by making it creamy with 1/2-1 cup of plain Greek yogurt or whipped cottage cheese.

Black Bean Quesadillas

Cut into quarters and pair with frozen veggies or fruit. Each serving costs about $2.50 with one serving of frozen broccoli and provides 25 grams of protein! Ingredients below for one serving.

Tuna and Chickpea Salad (All Recipes)

This super simple tuna and chickpea salad makes 4 servings total at a cost of just $5 or $1.25 per serving. You could serve this on a wrap, make a sandwich, or eat with crackers. 17 grams of protein per serving – combine with carrots and Greek yogurt dip to make it a well-balanced meal.

Edamame and Egg Fried Rice

Both edamame and eggs are cost-friendly protein sources that can be combined to make an easy and delicious fried rice. 1/2 cup of mukimame (shelled edamame) has 10 grams of protein per serving. One bag with 5 servings costs $2.29. Combine with carrots and some frozen vegetables for an easy, throw together meal.

Use this Easy Egg Fried Rice recipe from Spoons of Flavor and add 1/2 cup of edamame per serving or customize it however you like to make a cheap, well-balanced meal.

Tacos

Tacos can be as complex or as simple as you want them to be. Switch up the toppings based on what produce is in season and change up the protein – ground beef, turkey, chicken or vegetarian.

Vegan Tacos with Quinoa and Black Beans: Just $1.01 per serving! There’s some wiggle room to add in a little ground beef or chicken to increase the protein content. Also, some tortillas are higher in protein – always read nutrition labels!

Also try: Grilled Shrimp Tacos (Kelsey and Cooper’s Kitchen).

Stir-Fry & Power Bowl Ideas

The options are literally endless when it comes to cost friendly power bowls and stir-fries! This is where you can get creative and create concoctions based on your preferences. Italian, Mediterranean, Mexican, Asian: there are many flavor options you can do on a budget.

Cost-Friendly Tips: batch cook an entire package of rice or preferred grain. Add in frozen veggies of choice or seasonal produce.

Beef and Broccoli Stir-Fry with Ginger (Fannetastic Food); shown below. This recipe utilizes flank steak, broccoli, onions and a homemade ginger soy sauce. Frozen broccoli or any stir-fry veggies would work as well.

Easy Vegan Chickpea Curry from Bites with Blair (shown below); 14 grams of protein per serving. Add some frozen edamame, tofu, more chickpeas or a little Greek yogurt to increase the protein content!

Sweet Potato and Black Bean Bowls (Skinnytaste). Roasted sweet potatoes are combined with black beans and rice with a creamy chipotle sauce made with yogurt. Each serving has an estimated 20 grams of protein.

Ground Beef and Cabbage Stir-Fry (The Oregon Dietitian); shown below. This recipe costs $2.98 per serving with 4 servings and 36 grams of protein/serving. Make it even cheaper by subbing the bell peppers with frozen peppers or potatoes.

Tofu Edamame Power Bowl: The combination of tofu and edamame provides 22 grams of plant-based protein per serving. This recipe can be easily customized to be more budget friendly: just swap out the peppers for carrots (or frozen veggies) and either keep the quinoa or sub with rice!

Throw whatever you have together to make a nutritious meal! For example, below I portioned out 1/2 cup of rice, 1/2 cup of white beans, onions, peppers, a little bit of chicken and then topped with roasted garlic hummus. Then, I stored a lot of leftover rice for another meal.

A Little Summary

My hope is that by breaking down the cost and listing different ingredients that can be used that you’ll be able to come up with a variety of meal prep options that are delicious, budget-friendly, and high in protein.

I am, by no means, a budgeting pro – but I did my best and tried to make this as detailed as possible! This post has actually inspired me to create more cost-friendly meals as well.

Remember to read nutritional labels to portion out the correct serving size for each component. What are some of your go-to recipes when meal prepping on a budget? Let us know!