Grocery nutrition per dollar

Cheapest Fiber and Protein per Grocery Dollar

A dollar of dry split peas buys 71.0 grams of fiber, and a dollar of whole wheat flour buys 96.0 grams of protein. We matched USDA nutrition data to real US grocery prices, then ranked the store so you can see what your dollar actually buys.

Start with the cheapest high-fiber foods and the cheapest protein sources. The bag that has to do both jobs is split peas at 144.9 combined grams of protein and fiber. On the animal side, drumsticks buy 50.3g per dollar. A day of 30 grams of fiber costs $0.62 vs $14.42.

Breakfast counts protein and fiber together: flour 173.8g Combined vs oats 82.4g. Eggs aren't the cheapest protein on the full list: flour 96.0g vs eggs 34.4g.

Fiber per dollar data study comparing cheap high fiber foods

Fiber per Dollar: 53 Foods Ranked

53 grocery foods ranked by grams of fiber a dollar buys. The dry goods aisle wins, and it's not close.

Read the fiber study →

Protein per dollar data study comparing cheap protein sources

Protein per Dollar: 49 Sources Ranked

49 protein sources compared by cost per gram. Dried beans beat the stuff near the deli counter.

Read the protein study →

Same math, different counter: Chipotle, KFC, McDonald's, Taco Bell, and Wendy's. The pantry list is the plant-based protein guide, where dry brown lentils buy 77.7 grams of protein per dollar, dry pinto beans buy 57.6, and tempeh buys 13.2.

Want to shop from the ranking? Use the grocery budget calculator or see every study and download the data.

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We Did the Math

USDA nutrition numbers, real grocery prices, and one very long spreadsheet, so you can see exactly what your dollar buys.

Fiber per dollar data study comparing cheap high fiber foods

Fiber per Dollar: 53 Foods Ranked

53 foods ranked by how much fiber a dollar buys. Spoiler: the winners live in the dry goods aisle.

Protein per dollar data study comparing cheap protein sources

Protein per Dollar: 49 Sources Ranked

49 protein sources compared by cost per gram. The fancy stuff near the deli counter does not do well.

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Plan the Week Before the Cart Gets Ideas

Pick fiber or protein, choose your menu days, and get scaled food quantities and cost. No rebuilding our spreadsheet one bean at a time.

See every study and download the data →

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