15 Cheap High-Protein Snacks (Under $1 Each)

Protein is the one macro that keeps you full, protects your muscle, and stops you from raiding the vending machine at three in the afternoon. Trouble is, the snack aisle wants to sell you protein at a steep markup. A fancy bar with 20 grams of protein and a $3.50 price tag is not a health food, it is a candy bar wearing a lab coat.

You can do better. Here are 15 high-protein snacks that each cost under a dollar per serving, most of them with real, defensible numbers you can check at your own store. Prices reflect typical 2026 grocery costs and will wander a bit by region.

• Hard-boiled eggs (about 25 cents each). Six grams of protein apiece. Boil a dozen on Sunday and you have grab-and-go protein all week for pocket change.
• Cottage cheese (about 55 cents per half cup). A big tub runs a few dollars and gives you 13 grams of protein per serving. Top it with pepper or with fruit, your call.
• Greek yogurt (about 60 cents per serving). Buy the large plain tub, not the little flavored cups. You get 15 to 17 grams of protein for well under a dollar.
• Peanut butter on a banana (about 45 cents). Two tablespoons of peanut butter bring 7 grams of protein, and the banana makes it feel like a treat.
• Canned tuna (about 90 cents per can). Around 20 grams of protein in a single can. Eat it with crackers or straight from the can if nobody is watching.
• Roasted chickpeas (about 40 cents per serving). One can, drained, tossed with oil and spices, roasted crisp. About 7 grams of protein and a satisfying crunch.
• String cheese (about 35 cents per stick). Seven grams of protein, individually wrapped, impossible to overeat. The lunchbox classic earns its spot.
• Edamame (about 55 cents per serving). A bag of frozen shelled soybeans microwaves in minutes. Roughly 9 grams of protein with a little salt.
• Roasted peanuts (about 30 cents per handful). A one-ounce handful carries 7 grams of protein. Buy them by the jar, not the single-serve bag, to keep the cost down.
• Deli turkey roll-ups (about 80 cents per serving). A couple slices of turkey wrapped around cheese. Close to 12 grams of protein and no cooking at all.
• Tuna or bean salad on crackers (about 75 cents). Mash white beans or tuna with a little mustard. Ten grams of protein and it feels like actual food.
• Milk (about 25 cents per cup). The simplest one on the list. Eight grams of protein a cup, and a glass of it still holds up.
• Overnight oats with yogurt (about 70 cents). Oats stirred into Greek yogurt overnight. You wake up to 15 grams of protein already made.
• Sunflower seeds (about 35 cents per serving). A quarter cup of kernels brings about 6 grams of protein and keeps your hands busy on a long drive.
• Homemade protein bites (about 30 cents each). Oats, peanut butter, and a scoop of powder rolled into balls. Around 6 grams of protein for a fraction of a store-bought bar.

Bottom line: Hitting your protein does not require a specialty store or a supplement budget. Eggs, dairy, canned fish, beans, and nuts do the heavy lifting for a fraction of what the packaged stuff charges. Stock two or three of these, keep them at eye level in the fridge, and you will stop paying $3.50 for a bar that a boiled egg could replace for a quarter.

One note. Protein needs vary from person to person, so use these as budget-friendly options rather than a prescription, and check with your doctor if you have specific dietary needs.

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