Best High Protein Foods for Muscle Gain

Want muscle gain without overthinking every meal? Start with protein foods you will actually cook, then fit them into a week you can shop for.

Pick 4-6 staples below, check your target in our macro calculator, and map them in the public planner so one late night does not break the week.

Step 1 — Get your protein target first

Protein needs vary by body size, training and diet. Use our Macro Calculator to estimate daily calories and macros, then come back to choose foods. See also Calorie Calculator. If you have a medical condition, check with a professional.

High-protein foods to rotate for muscle gain

Protein per 100g from USDA FoodData Central — FDC ID and retrieval date per row. Cooked weights unless noted; brands, cuts and labels vary, so check your pack.

• Chicken breast, meat only, roasted — 31.0 g protein per 100 g (FDC 171477, retrieved 2026-09-10) — batch-cook, bowls, tacos. Cook once, reuse twice.
• Turkey breast, meat only, roasted — 30.1 g protein per 100 g (FDC 171496, retrieved 2026-09-11) — meatballs, chili. Add to the shopping list.
• Tuna, light, canned in water, drained — 25.5 g protein per 100 g (FDC 171986, retrieved 2026-09-10) — lunch bowls, wraps. Two no-cook lunches.
• Salmon, sockeye, cooked — 26.5 g protein per 100 g (FDC 173692, retrieved 2026-09-10) — two dinners a week. Freeze portions.
• Eggs, hard-boiled — 12.6 g protein per 100 g (FDC 173424, retrieved 2026-09-10) — breakfast, snacks. Boil a batch.
• Greek yogurt, plain, lowfat — 9.95 g protein per 100 g (FDC 170903, retrieved 2026-09-10) — breakfast, post-training. No-cook staple.
• Cottage cheese, 1% milkfat — 12.4 g protein per 100 g (FDC 173417, retrieved 2026-09-10) — snacks, toast. No-cook staple.
• Milk, nonfat — 3.57 g protein per 100 g (FDC 171270, retrieved 2026-09-10) — shakes, oats. Unsweetened soy varies by brand, so check the label.
• Lentils, cooked, boiled without salt — 9.02 g protein per 100 g (FDC 172421, retrieved 2026-09-10) — soups, bowls. Batch and freeze.

Chickpeas and black beans (bowls, salads — canned and rinsed), firm tofu or tempeh (stir-fry, bowls — press and crisp), and lean beef (1-2 dinners a week — plan with the shopping list) rotate the same way. Look up your exact pack or cut on USDA FoodData Central — protein varies by brand, cut and preparation, so no number is listed here.

How to assemble muscle-gain meals without tracking all day

• Build plate: protein staple + whole grain / potato + veg + olive oil / nuts.
• Cook protein once, reuse twice: e.g. chicken -> Day 1 bowl, Day 2 wrap.
• Keep 2 no-cook proteins: yogurt, tuna, eggs, tofu.
• Send all to Shopping list from Planner.
• Stuck tonight? Ask Chef Bento what's in your fridge. Browse Recipes.

3-day reuse example

Amounts come from your calculator — this is the shape of a week, not a prescription.

• Day 1: chicken + rice + broccoli; yogurt snack
• Day 2: chicken wrap + lentil soup; eggs snack
• Day 3: salmon + potatoes + salad; cottage cheese snack

Map it: Open planner / Download free PDF