Learn how to build muscle for $8 a day with budget meal prepping.
“There’s a common misconception out there that eating healthy and tasty is expensive,” says Jeremy Ethier NASM and FMS certified trainer and Kinesiology graduate. It is possible to build an effective and muscle building diet for just over $8 a day.
How to build muscle for $8 a day with budget meal prepping
Choose the right food sources
“We want to choose nutritious protein, fats, and carbs sources that’ll not only be the best option for us to use to build muscle with, but are also the most budget-friendly options to hit our calorie and macronutrient targets,” says Ethier.
Some excellent options that maximise the amount of protein you get per dollar include:
- Eggs
- Milk
- Canned tuna
- Chicken breast
- Ground turkey
- Whey protein powder
Some excellent options that maximise the amount of carbs you get per dollar include:
- Oatmeal
- Bananas
- Brown rice
- Pinto beans
- Potatoes
Some excellent options that maximise the amount of fats you get per dollar include:
Some excellent options that maximise the number of vitamins you get per dollar include:
- Carrots
- Cabbage
- Romaine lettuce
- Onions
Invest in some seasoning like salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder and soy sauce to spice up your dishes.
Additionally, you’ll want to purchase these foods at the most budget friendly grocery stores.
Source: Monika Grabkowska on UnsplashMeal plan
This muscle building meal plan consists of four main meals with at least 20 grams of protein within each meal. It averages around 2,700 calories per day.
- Breakfast smoothie ($1.70)
- Egg stir fry ($1.51)
- Fajita bowl ($2.84)
- Ground turkey sweet potato dish ($2.34)
Watch Jeremy prepare each meal in the video above.
Meal prep for three days and shop once a week for the perishable foods like the meat and vegetables.
Read more: How to Eat for Performance Vs Health Vs Looks?
Add variety
So you don’t get sick of always eating the same thing, you can add variety to your budget meal prepping plan by swapping out some of the protein, carbs, or fat sources in your meal for an equivalent amount of another budget-friendly food source.
Additionally, experiment with different seasonings, sauces and veggies for each dish.
“This is a very easy way to change the flavours of the dish and add some variety whenever you may need it,” says Ethier.
Customise your macros
Make sure to tweak the calories and macros of this meal plan to suits your needs.
“Don’t stress over this too much,” says Ethier. “They key is to just to get started, experiment with it, monitor how your weight is changing, and then adjust the serving sizes to ensure that you’re not either gaining weight too quickly or, on the other hand, you’re not losing weight because there’s just not enough calories.”
Read more: Forget About Diets – Sustainability Is What Matters Most in Your Nutrition
