How much do you need per day?

Protein comes from both plant and animal sources. Plant protein is usually less expensive than animal protein.

MyPlate and the Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends 4 to 5 ounces of meat or meat equivalent per day for children aged 2 to 13 and 5 to 6.5 ounces for teens and adults.

Download the Spend Smart Basics: Protein for more information on spending smart in the meat aisle.

Choose either dried or canned beans

• Both canned and dried beans make good meat substitutes and provide the same amount of fiber, protein, and other nutrients.
• Dried beans are less expensive but take more planning to use.  
• Canned beans have more sodium (800 mg per cup compared to 5 mg per cup for dried). If you’re concerned about sodium but like the convenience of using canned beans, you can drain and rinse the beans to remove about 40 percent of the sodium.