UK Supermarket High-Protein Shopping List (Aldi, Lidl, Tesco, M&S)

TL;DR

• Lidl and Aldi beat Tesco and Sainsbury’s on price for most high-protein staples
• M&S wins on ready-to-eat protein snacks and quality, but you pay for it
• Own-brand Greek yoghurt, eggs, and frozen chicken are the best-value protein sources in the UK
• A full week of high-protein food costs £35-45 per person if you shop well
• Aim for 80% of your shop at budget supermarkets, top up at M&S or Waitrose only for specific items

Most macro tracking advice on the internet was written for Americans shopping at Target. That’s useless if you’re pushing a trolley around Lidl on a Wednesday evening.

Here’s a UK-specific, actually-useful high-protein shopping list, organised by supermarket and by food category. Prices are rough 2026 averages — check current in-store, but the ranking between supermarkets is pretty stable. If you want the wider playbook for keeping macros on track without overspending, this list is the practical companion piece.

The UK Supermarket Landscape

Understanding where each supermarket sits helps you shop efficiently instead of wandering around paying premium prices for basics.

Aldi and Lidl

Cheapest for staples. Fewer brands, more own-label, better protein-per-pound ratio. Limited selection means you adapt, not choose. Weekly shop from here runs 20-30% less than the big four for equivalent items.

Tesco and Sainsbury’s

Middle of the pack. Good range, reasonable prices, excellent own-brand protein options. Clubcard prices at Tesco are genuinely competitive with Aldi on specific items.

M&S

More expensive but unbeatable for ready-to-eat. Protein pots, prepped meals, quality meat. Useful for busy weeks or lunches away from home.

Morrisons and Asda

Underrated. Morrisons’ meat counter is genuinely good. Asda is cheap but quality varies more than the others.

Waitrose

Quality is high, prices are higher. Useful for specific items (some fish, specialty yoghurts), not a weekly shop.

Dairy and Eggs: The Cheapest Protein Wins

This category gives you the most protein per pound. Always start here. If you’re not sure how much protein you actually need each day, aim for roughly 1.6–2.2g per kg of bodyweight and let that anchor your shop.

Greek Yoghurt, 0% Fat

Supermarket	Price (500g)	Protein per 100g
Lidl own-brand	£1.25	10g
Aldi own-brand	£1.30	10g
Tesco own-brand	£1.60	10g
Sainsbury’s own-brand	£1.65	10g
Fage (any)	£2.50	10g

Own-brand Greek yoghurt is genuinely indistinguishable from branded versions in blind tasting. Don’t pay double for Fage unless you really prefer the texture.

Skyr (Slightly Higher Protein)

• Arla Skyr at Tesco: £2.00 for 450g, 11g protein per 100g
• Own-brand skyr at Lidl: £1.50 for 450g
• M&S skyr pots: £1.25 for single pot (handy for lunches)

Cottage Cheese

Underrated in the UK. Very high protein, low calorie, versatile.

• Aldi own-brand: £1.20 for 300g, 11g protein per 100g
• Tesco own-brand: £1.40 for 300g

Eggs

Stock up weekly. Six eggs is roughly 36g of protein.

• Lidl medium free range (6): £1.70
• Aldi medium free range (6): £1.75
• Tesco medium free range (6): £2.00
• M&S medium free range (6): £2.50

High-Protein Milk

• Arla Protein Milk (200ml): 8g protein
• Tesco Protein Milk (200ml): 10g protein — slightly better value
• Own-brand skimmed milk: 7g protein per 200ml, cheapest option

Meat and Fish: Where Budget Matters Most

Protein per pound varies a lot here. Frozen and bulk wins.

Chicken Breast

Supermarket	Fresh (per kg)	Frozen (per kg)
Lidl	£6.00	£5.00
Aldi	£6.00	£5.00
Tesco	£7.50	£6.00
M&S	£10.00	N/A

Frozen chicken breast from Aldi or Lidl is the single best protein-per-pound option in UK supermarkets. 30g protein per 100g, £5 per kilo. Nothing beats it.

Chicken Thigh (Boneless, Skinless)

Cheaper than breast, more satisfying, slightly more fat. Good rotation option.

• Aldi frozen: £4-5 per kg
• Tesco fresh: £6-7 per kg

Turkey Mince (5% Fat)

Leaner than beef mince, good for swaps.

• Tesco own-brand: £4.50 for 500g
• Sainsbury’s own-brand: £4.75 for 500g

Beef Mince (5% Fat)

• Tesco and Sainsbury’s: £5 for 500g
• Aldi: £4.50 for 500g

Tinned Tuna (in Spring Water)

Bulk-buy territory. Don’t pay brand premiums.

• Lidl 5-pack: £4.00
• Aldi 4-pack: £3.50
• Tesco own-brand (single): £1.00

Frozen White Fish

Best hidden deal at Lidl. Low calorie, high protein.

• Lidl frozen cod fillets: £3.50 for 400g
• Lidl frozen pollock: £3.00 for 400g

Pork Tenderloin

Genuinely lean and underused.

• Tesco: £8 per kg
• Aldi: £7 per kg

Plant-Based Protein

Cheaper than meat for the protein content, if you can work with them. For meal ideas built around these staples, see our roundup of high-protein vegetarian meals for macro tracking.

Food	Supermarket	Price	Protein
Red lentils (500g)	Any own-brand	£1.00	25g per 100g dry
Tinned chickpeas (400g)	Any own-brand	40-60p	7g per 100g cooked
Edamame beans (frozen, 500g)	Tesco	£2.00	11g per 100g
Tofu, firm (396g)	Cauldron	£2.00	14g per 100g
Tempeh (200g)	M&S/Waitrose	£3.00	19g per 100g
Soy protein pieces (300g)	Holland & Barrett	£3.50	50g per 100g dry

Ready-to-Eat: M&S Territory

If you hate meal prep, M&S is your friend. Expensive per serving but far cheaper than Pret or a caught-short lunch.

M&S Protein Options

• Chicken and Bulgur Wheat pot — around 30g protein
• Protein Box (chicken, egg, edamame) — 35-40g protein
• Roasted Chicken Breast (pre-cooked, 200g) — 60g protein
• Greek Salad with Chicken — 30g protein
• Eat Well protein pots — 25-35g protein

A lunch of one M&S Protein Pot plus a piece of fruit runs £5-7 and gets you 30g+ protein with zero prep. Not cheap, but cheaper than a Pret salad and better tracking-wise.

Tesco and Sainsbury’s Equivalents

• Gosh! falafel and plant-based pots
• Tesco Finest chicken pots
• Sainsbury’s hot counter rotisserie chicken

Snacks and Convenience Protein

For a deeper dive on what to keep within arm’s reach, see the best high-protein snacks for weight loss. Quick UK-supermarket picks:

• Babybel (light version) — 5g protein per portion, 40 calories
• Cheese string (Applewood or own-brand) — 5g protein, low fat
• Grenade protein bars — 20g protein, overpriced but widely available
• Lenny & Larry’s protein cookies — 16g protein, satisfying
• Turkey slices — high salt but handy
• Beef jerky (M&S own-brand) — 15g protein per 30g bag, expensive
• Protein pudding (Müller Light, Arla, Lidl) — 10-20g protein

The Supporting Cast (Carbs and Fibre)

You’re not going to live on protein alone. These are the best-value carb and fibre options.

Carbs

• Oats (porridge) — Lidl 1kg bag for £1.15
• Basmati rice — Tilda microwave pouches if lazy, dry bag if not
• Wholegrain wraps — Lidl’s Protein Wraps have 10g protein each
• Sweet potato — Fills a plate for few calories
• Tesco wholemeal pasta — £1.00 per 500g

Fibre and Veg

• Frozen mixed veg — Aldi, £1-1.50 per kg
• Frozen berries — Aldi and Lidl, £1.75 per 350g
• Tinned tomatoes — Own-brand, 40-50p per tin
• Leafy salads — Cheapest at Aldi, wilts fast so buy small

Weekly Shop Template

Here’s a rough £40 per person per week high-protein shop:

Item	Quantity	Approx Cost
Eggs	12	£3.50
Chicken breast (frozen)	1 kg	£5.00
Turkey mince	500g	£4.50
Greek yoghurt	2 tubs (1kg)	£2.50
Skyr pots	4-pack	£2.00
Tinned tuna	4 tins	£3.50
Frozen white fish	400g	£3.00
Cottage cheese	500g	£2.00
Red lentils	500g	£1.00
Tinned chickpeas	2 tins	£1.00
Oats	1 kg	£1.15
Basmati rice	1 kg	£2.00
Wholegrain wraps	6	£1.50
Frozen veg	1 kg	£1.50
Frozen berries	350g	£1.75
Snacks (babybels, puddings)	Various	£4.00
Total		~£40

This hits 150g+ protein per day easily for under £45. Scale up accordingly for household size.

The Budget Strategy

If budget is tight, build 80% of your shop at Aldi or Lidl and top up at Tesco or M&S for the few things they don’t stock well. The savings are real — often 20-30% cheaper than the big four for equivalent nutritional content.

What to Buy Where

Category	Best Supermarket
Meat (fresh or frozen)	Aldi/Lidl
Yoghurt and dairy	Aldi/Lidl
Eggs	Lidl
Ready-to-eat pots	M&S
Specialty fish	Waitrose/M&S
Pantry staples	Aldi/Lidl
Frozen berries/veg	Aldi/Lidl
Takeaway-replacement meals	Tesco Finest or M&S

The M&S Trick for Busy Weeks

Keep a few M&S protein pots in the fridge for days when meal prep didn’t happen. £5 per lunch, zero effort, 30g+ protein. It’s cheaper than the Pret-and-guilt alternative you’d otherwise fall into. For the days a takeaway is unavoidable, our macro-friendly UK takeaway guide covers Nando’s, Greggs, Subway and the rest.

The Bottom Line

Tracking macros on a UK budget isn’t hard, but it does mean shopping with intention. Know your protein-per-pound winners, lean on frozen where it makes sense, and don’t let Instagram fitness accounts convince you that you need imported American protein powders to get lean.

A Lidl Greek yoghurt, four eggs, and a bag of frozen chicken breasts will get you further than any transatlantic hype. Shop smart, track with Chowdown, and your grocery budget will thank you.