Believe it or not, if you are like me, you struggle to eat enough of the right things throughout the day. I am always trying to extract as many nutrients as possible out of my meals. We have all heard that fiber and protein keeps you fuller longer. So check out these tips for picking high protein items when evaluating the cost v.s the value of your picks.
Skip the breakfast sausage
While it is easy to pop the pre-cooked breakfast sausage in the microwave, what you gain in time, you can lose in nutrients. I have definitely kept such turkey breakfast sausage in the freezer for easy access and valued the 13 grams of protein. I would also alternate with the turkey sausage that required cooking. However, I noted that it only offered about 10 grams of protein per serving.
When I realized I could get 22 grams of protein for a serving of ground turkey, it was a no brainer to batch cook a pound of ground turkey. It honestly is easy to mimic the flavors of sausage with ground chicken or turkey. Try adding dried thyme, oregano, fresh garlic, onion and red pepper flakes. One pound will yield four servings and can always be doubled to ensure enough for the entire week.
Read the labels
All protein comes with its own set of nutrients. Because of that, it is good to eat a variety of lean meats including seafood, and some red meat. It can be more cost effective and better on health values like cholesterol and fat targets to prioritize lean meats. I have also found that ground chicken actually has more protein per serving than the same amount of ground beef or pork.
But even with ground chicken or turkey, I have noticed that the highest protein is the ground white meat at 28 grams of protein per serving, vs the blended or dark meat at 22 grams of protein per serving. The difference in price is usually pretty minimal and from a value standpoint, that higher protein will go a longer way.
Other Resources
If you want to learn more about the macro nutrients in different proteins, check out Healthline or FoodStruct. If you find these tips helpful, check out my e-book where you can find more tips on how to save money through meal prepping. Use coupon code TIP25 at checkout to access it for $1.99. Stay tuned for the next posting!