Are you looking to save loads of money while still eating healthy? This is exactly what you need to be reading. Everyone wants to eat clean but is hard to do without shelling out a ton of cash. Whole Foods is a real behemoth that has great, healthy food but is also adept at sucking money out of your wallet.

When you want to build muscle the name of the game is protein. And you have to balance that with the right amount of vegetables and fruits to get proper nutrients, while also only eating the best carbs for a serious body builder. The benefits of eating clean for muscle building are endless. You have more fuel to work out longer and harder, your body feels better all the time and you recover faster.

Eating clean on a budget is doable, though. You just need a commitment to find the cheap foods that fit your training regimen and nutrition program.

Finding Cheap Protein

Chicken is always a good option. You can get good, clean organic chicken breasts at decent prices that won’t break the bank. And then you can go down the legume route. Beans are an excellent source of inexpensive protein. When you delve into the seafood realm, tuna and salmon can be good options, if you find a good purveyors that are providing you with fresh fish.

Red meat can get a little trickier, but you want to go for the leaner cuts of the cow, since fat is flavor. And flavor is highly prized by the market, which makes rich ribeyes and other cuts with marbled fat running through them very pricey.

Stay Away From Farmers Markets

While you might be able to find clean, organic produce and meat at farmers markets, the markup is going to be a killer on your budget. Your best bet is to join a bulk shopping club, such as BJ’s or Costco, so you can stock up on good meat and produce that you know is clean.

Look for Deals Online

Check out sites that offer a to anyone that goes to their page. Beyond that, there are tons websites out there that will curate good protein sources for you to peruse. From whey protein to supplements to subscription meat sites you have a wealth of options that will not eat away at your net worth.

Eat Insects

Now, don’t bug out, but insect protein is getting more and more popular with the bodybuilder community. It is cheap fuel that will hit spot and not hit your bank account. Crickets, mealworms and grasshoppers are prized in the developing world. And it could be a real solution to overtaxed factory farms in the First World that are feeding and growing livestock in unsustainable and unethical ways. Insect farming is sustainable and takes up much less land or feed.

If you do not see yourself as an insect eater, fear not! You can look for more traditional forms of clean protein by finding lean chicken or beef at local butcher shops. And keep going down the bean road. The more beans you add to your diet, the better you will feel and the harder you will train. Happy lifting!