4 Cheap High-Protein Meals That Prove Eating Healthy Isn’t Expensive
Eating healthy isn’t expensive. Being unprepared is
Most people don’t struggle with "eating healthy" because they don’t care. They struggle because:
- They’re busy
- They’re guessing
- They are unaware of how accessible good food is
So they default to convenience… and that’s where it gets expensive.
Not just financially.
But in energy, consistency, and overall health.
These 4 cheap healthy meals are here to show you something simple: You can eat well, fuel your body, and stay on budget.
High Protein Breaky Bruschetta
~$4.36 per serve | ~447 kcal | ~35g protein
Why this works
- High protein to start your day
- Balanced fats = better energy (no crash)
- Quick and easy
Ingredients
4 cherry tomatoes
125g High protein cottage cheese
2 eggs
¼ avocado Balsamic glaze
2 slices sourdough
Method
Toast sourdough
Cook eggs to preference
Layer avocado, cottage cheese, tomatoes
Add eggs and drizzle glaze
Honey Soy Chicken Noodles
~$3.79 per serve | ~480 kcal | ~42g protein
Why this works
- Batch cook = removes decision making
- Easy to adjust calories
- High protein, high volume
Ingredients
- 750g chicken breast (raw)
- 200g egg noodles (raw)
- Mixed veg (cabbage, carrot, capsicum)
- 3 tsp baking soda
Sauce
- 3 tbsp dark soy
- 3 tbsp light soy
- 1 tsp chicken stock
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 tbsp honey
Makes 5 serves
Method
Prep your ingredients
- Slice chicken breast into thin strips and cover evenly in baking soda (velveting chicken) let that sit while you prep your sauce (this helps it cook faster and stay tender)
- Slice cabbage, carrot, and capsicum thin so they cook evenly
Make the sauce
- In a small bowl, mix: soy sauce, honey, a splash of water or stock
- Adjust to taste (more honey = sweeter, more soy = saltier)
Cook the chicken
- Heat a pan on medium-high
- Add a small amount of oil
- Cook chicken until lightly browned and just cooked through
- Remove from the pan and set aside
Cook the vegetables
- In the same pan, add your vegetables
- Add a splash of water and place a lid on top
- Let them steam for 3–5 minutes until slightly softened but still have some crunch
Cook the noodles
- Boil noodles 1 minute less than packet instructions (they’ll finish cooking in the pan)
- Drain and rinse briefly
Bring it all together
- Add chicken back into the pan with veg
- Pour in sauce and mix
- Add noodles and toss everything together
- Cook for another 1–2 minutes so the sauce coats everything
Finish
- Top with coriander (optional)
- Portion into containers for the week
Chicken Teriyaki
~$3.06 per serve | ~450 kcal | ~45g protein
Why this works
- Great post-training meal
- Simple carbs + protein combo
- Easy to scale portions
- Uses basic, affordable ingredients
Ingredients
- 750g chicken breast (raw)
- 250g uncooked jasmine rice (raw)
- Mixed veg (cabbage, carrot, bok choy)
- 3 tsp baking soda
Sauce
- 60ml light soy
- 20g brown sugar
- 10g minced garlic
- 10g minced ginger
- 150ml water
- 10g cornflour
Makes 5 serves
Method
Velvet Chicken (don't skip this)
- Slice chicken breast into thin strips (against the grain)
- Add 1 tsp baking soda
- Mix well so all chicken is lightly coated
- Let sit for 15–20 minutes
- After resting: Rinse thoroughly under cold water. Pat dry completely with paper towel.
Cook the Rice
- Rinse rice under cold water
- Add rice to water (250g rice:~375ml water)
- Bring to a boil, then reduce to low
- Cover and cook for 10–12 minutes
- Turn off heat and let sit (lid on) for another 5 minutes
Cook the vegetables
- In a medium heat pan add your vegetables
- Add a splash of water and place a lid on top
- Let them steam for 3–5 minutes until slightly softened but still have some crunch
Cook the chicken
- Heat a pan on medium-high
- Add a small amount of oil
- Cook chicken until lightly browned and in batches to not overcrowd the pan
- Remove from the pan and set aside
Don’t overcook here, it will cook more in the sauce
Make the sauce
In a bowl, mix:
- 60ml soy sauce
- 20g brown sugar
- 10g garlic
- 10g ginger
- 150ml water
- 10g cornflour
Mix until cornflour is fully dissolved
Bring it all together
- Add chicken back into the pan with sauce
- Stir continuously as it heats
- Within 2–3 minutes, it will: Thicken, turn glossy and coat the chicken
- Add vegetables back in
- Toss everything together until evenly coated
Finish
- Top with coriander (optional)
- Portion into containers for the week
Japanese Curry
~$5.13 per serve | ~580 kcal | ~55g protein
Why this works
- High protein while still feeling like comfort food
- Easy to cook in bulk (5+ meals in one go)
- Great for evenings when you want something warm and filling
- Balanced carbs + fats = sustained energy
Ingredients
- 1kg chicken thigh (skinless, trimmed)
(you can use breast, but thigh = more flavour + forgiving to cook)
- 300g uncooked jasmine rice
- 1 large brown onion (~200g, diced)
- 2 medium carrots (~200g, sliced)
- 1 apple (~150g, grated or finely chopped)
The apple is key, it adds natural sweetness and balances the curry
Sauce
- 1 packet Japanese curry mix (Golden Curry or similar ~90–100g)
- 750ml–1L bone broth (or water if needed)
- 1 tbsp tomato paste (~20g)
Optional (but recommended)
- 10g butter (for richness)
-1 tbsp cornflour (if you want it thicker)
Makes 5 serves
Method
Prep your ingredients
- Dice chicken into large bite-sized chunks (not too small, keeps it juicy)
- Dice onion
- Chop Carrots
- Grate or finely chop apple
Cook the chicken
- Heat a large pot on medium-high
- Add a small amount of oil
- Cook chicken until lightly browned and just cooked through
- Add chicken in batches (don’t overcrowd)
- Remove from the pan and set aside
Add curry and paste
- Add tomato paste and stir through
- Add curry blocks (break them up slightly)
- Add carrot + apple
- Cook for another 3–5 minutes
Build the base
- In the same pot, add onion
- Cook for 3–5 minutes until soft and slightly golden
- Add carrot + apple
- Cook for another 3–5 minutes
Add liquid
- Pour in 750ml bone broth
- Stir until curry blocks fully dissolve
- Bring to a gentle simmer
Simmer and develop flavour
- Add chicken back into the pot
- Reduce heat to low
- Simmer uncovered for 15–20 minutes
During this time: Sauce thickens, chicken becomes tender and flavours combine
Adjust thickness + richness
- If too thick → add a splash of water
- If too thin → mix 1 tbsp cornflour with water and stir in
- Optional: Add 10g butter at the end for extra richness
Cook the rice
- Rinse 300g rice
- Add ~450ml water
- Bring to boil, reduce to low
- Cook covered for 10–12 minutes
- Rest 5 minutes before fluffing
Finish
- Divide rice into 5 servings
- Add curry on top
- Optional: serve with pickled ginger or chilli flakes
What all of these meals have in common
They are:
- simple
- repeatable
- cost-effective
- built with intention
That’s what most people are missing.
Not motivation.
Not discipline.
Structure.
If you’re still struggling…
It’s not because you’re lazy. It’s because you’re trying to piece it together yourself. And when life gets busy, that falls apart.
If you want:
- personalised calories & macros
- simple meal structures like this
- ongoing adjustments based on your progress
- accountability without restriction
That’s exactly what we do inside our online coaching.
No extremes.
No guesswork.
Just a clear plan that fits your life.
