35 years ago, when I read my first muscle magazine, it had 95% articles on how to get big and contest results. Maybe it was 5% advertising. Or it seemed like that to me. Choose one now; it’s almost the other way around, nothing more than announcements of things that will make you bigger than Godzilla.

And there must be 2 dozen or more ads for protein powder this and protein powder that. Well, before you spend all your hard-earned money on that Myo-whatever jackpot, consider what nature has to offer.

1. Chicken: A 3.5 oz serving has approximately 30 grams of protein. A protein drink with 20 to 30 grams of whey and soy can cost you between 3 and 5 dollars. A good piece of delicious chicken breast that weighs less than 4 ounces will cost you around fifty dollars or less at your local grocery store.

2. Whole eggs: Yes, there is the problem of cholesterol in the yolk, but because of the protein value; you just can’t beat a whole egg. That little beauty will give 6 to 7 grams of high-octane protein at a cost of about 28 cents (we get brown, organic, blah blah eggs that are too expensive, which wife wants), but you can get them cheaper.

3. Whole milk: Where do you think the whey comes from? You can’t beat this bounty of nature for adding muscle mass and building strength. An 8-ounce chilled glass will yield about 8 grams, or a 16-ounce glass will give you 16 grams of muscle-building fuel at a cost of about 50 cents, maybe less in your area.

4. Almonds and peanuts: a quarter cup of each will produce between 8 and 9 grams. If you eat a mixed cup of both throughout the day, you’ll get 32 ​​to 36 grams of protein, plus the natural energy boost from those nuts. This is another cheap source of protein that you can use to reach your fitness goals.

5. Honorable Mentions: A can of tuna offers excellent value for money at 40 grams per can. Mix it with a little mayonnaise, a hard-boiled egg, a quarter cup of chopped bell peppers, carrots, onions; and you can have a tasty protein sandwich. Every once in a while, fire up the grill and eat some red meat, because a 6 oz steak has almost 40 grams of protein.

There you have it, my top 4 muscle building foods plus a couple of honorable mentions. So next time you’re looking for that can of protein powder; Take one hand and slap the other before heading to your local grocery store for the best muscle building foods nature has to offer.