A week of everyday Venezuelan meals that gets a 90 kg, 1.80 m adult to at least 145 g of protein a day, built from the products that give the most protein per dollar at Rio.
| Product | Used this week | Buy | Cost | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total |
Weights are raw, as you buy them. Chicken weights include the bone. Beans, lentils, peas, chickpeas, rice and pasta are dry weight: 70 g of dry beans makes about a cup and a half cooked. Cook a big pot of beans or lentils on Sunday and Wednesday.
Spread it out. Each meal has 17–63 g of protein. Lunch carries the most, so if you train, train before lunch or have the snack shake afterwards.
Add vegetables, fruit and a little oil freely. They aren't counted here and barely change the protein. Plantain, tomato, onion, avocado and cambur are all cheap at Rio.
Leftovers carry over. Several packages (oats, rice, milk powder, peanut butter, flour, pasta) last longer than a week, so the second week costs less.
Protein values come from real labels where one exists (Alibal mortadella, Nutty peanut butter, Holland Horizon milk, Sabor del Pacífico tuna) and typical values for fresh chicken, beef, cheese, eggs and dry legumes.
Check with a doctor first if you have kidney disease or have been told to limit protein. Drink plenty of water on a high-protein diet.