April 04, 2022

5 Budget Protein Options l EP#124

14 minutes

With rising food costs, host Allison Schaaf knows that finding high quality, budget protein sources that won't break the bank is a real challenge.

Prep Dish subscribers, make sure to check your subscriber newsletters every Friday for budget-friendly substitution ideas as well!

Here are 5 Low Budget Protein Sources (Plus a Bonus!):

Pork Chops - Make sure not to overcook them! Pork can be a little pink on the inside and still be safe to eat. According to the USDA, pork should be cooked to an internal temperature of at least 145 F (https://www.usda.gov/media/blog/2011/05/25/cooking-meat-check-new-recommended-temperatures)
Ground Turkey - Use this anywhere you would use ground beef! Tacos, marinara, etc. If you make turkey burgers, use a recipe with some add-ins like feta cheese, etc., so they're not dry.
Roasts - Roasts are budget-friendly, and also cut down on meal prep time! Since they make a lot of meat, it's easy to serve them twice in two different ways.
Cod - Cod is more sustainable than a lot of other seafood and has a mild taste. It works well as an alternative to salmon and is a lot less expensive than something like sea bass or halibut. Make sure not to overcook! You can often find nice frozen cod.
Beans & Lentils - Similar to a roast, you can make a big batch and use for multiple meals. You can also freeze extra. You can find a big bag of organic black beans at Costco. There is a huge variety of types of beans. Explore and find the ones your family likes the best! You can also use beans to stretch meals with meat. If you're making something with ground meat, add some beans to add extra servings.

Bonus - Eggs! There's no reason to limit eggs to breakfast, think about serving for lunch or dinner for a great budget-friendly protein.

Connect with Allison: PrepDish.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prepdish/

Get your FREE mealplan at PrepDish.com/podcast OR text the word mealprep to 33777

Resources mentioned in this podcast: Get your free trial at prepdish.com/mpm for two weeks of free meal plans!

My Experience with Imperfect Foods: https://prepdish.com/podcast-show-notes/ep72/

Cook Once, Eat Twice (Video): https://youtu.be/rJIlLjI4LM0

Backyard Chickens: https://prepdish.com/podcast-show-notes/ep28/

Grocery Budget Part 1: Money Saving Grocery Tips: https://prepdish.com/podcast-show-notes/ep116/

Grocery Budget Part 2: Reframing How You Think About Food Costs Rising: https://prepdish.com/podcast-show-notes/ep117/

Rosemary Pork Chops w/ Grilled Nectarines: https://prepdish.com/recipes/rosemary-pork-chops/

Turkey & Zucchini Lasagna: https://prepdish.com/recipes/paleo-lasagna/

Barbacoa (w/ Chuck Roast): https://prepdish.com/recipes/shredded-beef-barbacoa-lettuce-wraps/

Southwest Buddha Bowls w/ Chickpeas: https://prepdish.com/recipes/southwest-buddha-bowl-vegetarian-gluten-free/

Green Shakshuka: https://prepdish.com/recipes/green-shakshuka/

...more

By Allison Schaaf

4.8

6161 ratings

April 04, 2022

14 minutes

With rising food costs, host Allison Schaaf knows that finding high quality, budget protein sources that won't break the bank is a real challenge.

Prep Dish subscribers, make sure to check your subscriber newsletters every Friday for budget-friendly substitution ideas as well!

Here are 5 Low Budget Protein Sources (Plus a Bonus!):

Pork Chops - Make sure not to overcook them! Pork can be a little pink on the inside and still be safe to eat. According to the USDA, pork should be cooked to an internal temperature of at least 145 F (https://www.usda.gov/media/blog/2011/05/25/cooking-meat-check-new-recommended-temperatures)
Ground Turkey - Use this anywhere you would use ground beef! Tacos, marinara, etc. If you make turkey burgers, use a recipe with some add-ins like feta cheese, etc., so they're not dry.
Roasts - Roasts are budget-friendly, and also cut down on meal prep time! Since they make a lot of meat, it's easy to serve them twice in two different ways.
Cod - Cod is more sustainable than a lot of other seafood and has a mild taste. It works well as an alternative to salmon and is a lot less expensive than something like sea bass or halibut. Make sure not to overcook! You can often find nice frozen cod.
Beans & Lentils - Similar to a roast, you can make a big batch and use for multiple meals. You can also freeze extra. You can find a big bag of organic black beans at Costco. There is a huge variety of types of beans. Explore and find the ones your family likes the best! You can also use beans to stretch meals with meat. If you're making something with ground meat, add some beans to add extra servings.