There's an inescapable mantra in the fitness industry: You gotta eat big to get big!
That's easy to say, but what is an aspiring Mr. or Ms. Olympia with a limited budget to do?
Luckily, your growing muscles aren't doomed—at least, not if I can help it! You can still eat healthy, high-protein foods that fuel your hard-working body without breaking the bank. In fact, you can make these three delicious recipes with less than $20 bucks.
In fact, the total cost for all three recipes runs you less than the price of two Chipotle burritos, my friend. They certainly feed you more than two burritos, as well. Let your muscles and your wallet rejoice!
Diesel On A Dime Episode 1
Watch The Video - 10:05
1. Sriracha Tuna Chili
Total ingredients cost: $9.50. Cost per serving (serves 6): $1.58.
Tight budget, meet canned tuna. You two are about to be the best of friends. Gram per gram, this extremely affordable source of lean protein provides a huge muscle-promoting bang for your buck. Don't worry; you're not doomed to eat boring tuna salad sandwiches forever. Instead, get hooked on this tuna chili with Sriracha chili sauce (since it goes with everything). If you're not a fan of spicy food, this recipe is versatile enough that you can easily lower the heat.
The Protein Chef Sriracha Tuna Chili
Watch The Video - 5:09
The high note of this recipe is that each serving packs 32 whopping grams of protein. If you ask me, that's quite a catch! If you're feeling cheesy, I like to top a bowl with some reduced fat or fat-free cheese, too.
2. Canned Chicken Parmesan Balls
Total ingredients cost: $2.75. Cost per serving (serves 7): $0.39.
When money is tight, the next best thing after the "chicken of the sea" is actual shredded chicken from a can. We're going to transform these into something like a sort of balled-up chicken parmesan. They're easy and scrumptious, and they're even better if you top them with some tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese!
The Protein Chef Canned Chicken Parmesan Balls
Watch The Video - 3:49
3. Lemon Pie Overnight Protein Oatmeal
Total Ingredients Cost: $1.25. Cost per serving (serves 1): $1.25.
Overnight oatmeals are one of my favorite recipes because they're incredibly easy to make, and you can make huge batches of them. For the purposes of this article, I'll be making one serving (or two, if you'd like to split it) of this protein-infused oatmeal that I swear tastes just like lemon pie!
Make this the night before you want to eat it, and it'll be ready to hit you right in the taste buds in the morning.