But why would we need bulk protein when we have full meals available to us? Given that we come in all shapes and sizes and have varying health goals, some people require more protein in their diets than others. Bulk protein allows health seekers to build their own macro balanced meals, ensuring their protein intake lines up with their recommended macro intake.
- Largest range – Food 4 Fitness
- Plant based options – My Muscle Chef
- Cheapest protein per 100g – Food 4 Fitness Garlic Seasoned Chicken Breast
- Cheapest overall by cost/kg – My Muscle Chef Black Bean & Kidney bean Mix
| Name | Meal range | Smallest size | Largest size | Avg cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Food 4 Fitness | 25 | 500g | 6000g | $27.81/kg |
| My Muscle Chef | 7 | 400g | 400g | $27.84/kg |
| Athletes Nutrition | 3 | 200g | 1000g | $39.45/kg |
#1 Food 4 Fitness
A favourite among athletes and serious fitness enthusiasts, Food 4 Fitness allows you to buy up to 6kg of juicy unseasoned chicken breast to more family friendly options like mongolian beef. They have the largest range and even offer a choice of carbs and vegetables you can buy in bulk.
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#2 My Muscle Chef
A household name in ready-made meals, My Muscle Chef is the only provider here that offer plant-based protein options in their Protein PLUS range such as Black Bean & Kidney Bean Mix, and Peanut Butter Tofu.
You can find their meals across Australia from stockists such as Coles and Woolworths, however the bulk cooked protein range (Protein PLUS) can only be purchased online.
#3 Athletes Nutrition
From the founder and chef behind Muscle Meals Direct, Athletes Nutrition has stayed true to their name by delivering high quality meals to their athletes like UFC’s Robert Whittaker.
They currently only deliver to Sydney and Wollongong.
What is bulk cooked protein?
Bulk cooked protein is exactly what it sounds like, protein cooked in bulk such as poultry, lean meats, seafood and more. Why would we need bulk cooked protein? Well, aside from the obvious time saving aspect, bulk cooked protein is great for customising macro intakes.
Not everybody requires the same macros, which means some people may need more carbs, fats or proteins than others dependent on their individual health and weight loss goals. Pre-cooked bulk protein allows health seekers to create their own macro balanced meals.
Why do we need protein?
There is a long list of reasons why protein is essential to include in our diets. While the importance of fats and carbs has been widely debated, protein is necessary for our bodies to thrive in the gym, especially if we’re hoping to achieve those gains!
Strength & Muscle growth
If you’re putting in extra hours of strength training at the gym and you’re not seeing much muscle growth, that could be because you’re not including enough protein in your diet.
Protein encourages strength & muscle growth, which helps to increase muscle mass. By pairing protein with strength training, this will promote the muscle growth you’re looking for, while also helping to maintain muscle mass during weight loss.
Appetite
If you’re anything like me, I often confuse boredom with hunger and spend a lot of my day snacking to satiate my cravings. This can also be because you are not consuming enough protein in your meals. By packing protein into your regular meals, you can supress your ever-growing appetite, therefore minimising unnecessary snacking.
This is due to the ghrelin hormone which is better known as the ‘hunger hormone’. Protein helps to limit the amount of ghrelin released into your body while increasing your levels of peptide YY hormone which leaves you feeling fuller for longer.
Metabolism
A decent amount of protein in your diet can also help to boost your metabolism, which as a result, will assist with weight loss. This happens because your body actually burns calories to digest food and absorbs all of the nutrients the food provides. This is called TEF (Thermic Effect of Food).
Higher protein diets work better than fats and carbs, increasing the overall number of calories your body burns daily. Protein helps to burn significantly more calories than fat and carbs, reaching up to 100 more a day.
Weight loss
Arguably one of the most popular benefits is the weight loss associated with a higher protein intake. While our body’s metabolism increases, our calorie intake decreases. This means that people with more calorie in their diets are likely to burn calories faster, therefor losing weight and keep the weight off.
To help you narrow down a favourite protein provider, we have gone ahead and collated a list of bulk protein meal providers and the meals with the highest protein per 100g.
Highest protein per 100g
| Provider | Meal | Main protein source | Weight (g) | Calories (per 100g) | Protein (per 100g) | Carbs (per 100g) | Fats (per 100g) | Cost/kg |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Food4Fitness | Garlic Seasoned Chicken Breast | Chicken | 500 | 198 | 33 | 4 | 5 | $25.90 |
| Food4Fitness | Satay Seasoned Chicken Breast | Chicken | 6000 | 197 | 33 | 3 | 6 | $25.90 |
| Food4Fitness | Lemon & Pepper Seasoned Chicken Breast | Chicken | 500 | 194 | 33 | 3 | 5 | $25.90 |
| Food4Fitness | Salt & Pepper Seasoned Chicken Breast | Chicken | 500 | 198 | 33 | 0 | 5 | $25.90 |
| Food4Fitness | Portuguese Seasoned Chicken Breast | Chicken | 500 | 188 | 32 | 3 | 5 | $25.90 |
| Food4Fitness | Chargrilled Steak | Beef | 500 | 170 | 32 | 0 | 5 | $33.90 |
| Athletes Nutrition | SIMPLY PROTEIN | Chicken Breast | Chicken | 200 | 165 | 31 | 0 | 3 | $34.75 |
| My Muscle Chef | PLUS + | PROTEIN Lemon Pepper Chicken | Chicken | 400 | 161 | 30 | 1 | 4 | $27.38 |
| Food4Fitness | Plain (Unseasoned) Chicken Breast | Chicken | 500 | 160 | 29 | 0 | 5 | $25.90 |
| My Muscle Chef | PLUS + | PROTEIN Chipotle Chicken | Chicken | 400 | 210 | 28 | 3 | 10 | $27.38 |
Some of of us aren’t necessarily willing to pay a higher price for a decent amount of protein, so we have also gone ahead and collated a list of the cheapest meals per kilo!
Cheapest per kilo
| Provider | Meal | Main protein source | Weight (g) | Calories per 100g | Protein per 100g | Carbs per 100g | Fats per 100g | Cost/kg |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| My Muscle Chef | PLUS + | PROTEIN Black Bean & Kidney Bean Mix | Black beans | 400 | 96 | 5 | 10 | 3 | $12.38 |
| My Muscle Chef | PLUS + | PROTEIN Peanut Butter Tofu | Tofu | 400 | 187 | 17 | 6 | 10 | $19.88 |
| Food4Fitness | Plain (Unseasoned) Chicken Breast | Chicken | 1500 | 160 | 29 | 0 | 5 | $25.67 |
| Food4Fitness | Plain (Unseasoned) Chicken Breast | Chicken | 500 | 160 | 29 | 0 | 5 | $25.90 |
| My Muscle Chef | PLUS + | PROTEIN Butter Chicken | Chicken | 400 | 189 | 25 | 4 | 8 | $27.38 |
| Food4Fitness | Beef Casserole | Beef | 500 | 190 | 19 | 6 | 9 | $27.90 |
| Food4Fitness | Pulled Beef | Beef | 2000 | 121 | 24 | 0 | 3 | $28.30 |
| Food4Fitness | Pulled Beef | Beef | 500 | 121 | 24 | 0 | 3 | $29.80 |
| Athletes Nutrition | SIMPLY PROTEIN | Chicken Breast | Chicken | 1000 | 165 | 31 | 0 | 6 | $29.95 |
| Food4Fitness | Chargrilled Chicken Thigh Fillets | Chicken | 500 | 175 | 24 | 0 | 9 | $31.90 |
But how would this compare to making your own bulk-cooked protein at home? We have put together a list of the ingredients you need to mimic the SIMPLY PROTEIN|chicken recipe, to help you figure out whether it’s worth spending not only your money, but your time.
Find the data here on Google sheets.
In conclusion, if you are thinking about making your own bulk-cooked protein, it could be worth your while to consider purchasing your protein from one of our favourite meal providers. This might mean you spend a few extra dollars, but it’s definitely worth it when you consider the precious relaxation time you’ll be saving at the end of a long working day!
