My last post blew up, so here are a few cheap, high-protein meal ideas + a dessert all under $3 each.

My last post got way more attention than I expected, and a bunch of people DM’d me for ideas. So here are a few more combinations I’ve been leaning on lately. They're pretty simple, filling, and about $2.50 or less per serving based on Walmart/Costco pricing.

I'm not good with recipes and usually cook by taste/as I go, but I can prob write something down next time.

PSA – I also buy ingredients and bulk and just calculate based on serving size. If you buy individual eggs, this is probably not gonna help you lol

High-Protein Breakfast Burrito (~35g protein, ~$1.90)

• Eggs
• Low-fat Greek yogurt
• Spinach
• Salsa
• Tortilla

Chicken Thigh Rice Bowl (~40–45g protein, ~$2.30)

• Boneless chicken thigh
• White rice
• Frozen corn + peas
• Garlic + soy sauce
• Optional chili oil

For flavori and protein on a budget, thighs are much better than breast imo. I usually go skin-on, then just make sure the skin gets a crispy sear.

Cottage Cheese Pasta Bowl (~30–35g protein, ~$1.60)

• Cottage cheese
• Pasta
• Garlic powder
• Black pepper
• Optional Parmesan

Cottage cheese is super protein-dense for the price and works surprisingly well with pasta. This ends up tasting richer than you’d expect for how cheap it is.

Black Bean Wrap (~30–32g protein, ~$1.50)

• Black beans
• Tortilla
• Lettuce
• Taco seasoning
• Hot sauce

Beans are one of the cheapest protein sources around. This one feels like a budget burrito and is easy to scale up or down depending on calories. If you have any left over breast or thighs, you can shred it up and throw it in here also.

High-Protein Dessert (~28–35g protein, ~$1.70)

• Low-fat Greek yogurt (Costco brand)
• Frozen berries (Costco brand again)
• Whey protein (I can cheap out here but end up going for ON)
• drizzle of honey

Hope this helps y'all!