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Cheapest calories
The most energy per euro — useful for tight budgets, with a note on doing it healthily.
How to get the best value
For pure energy value, compare the price per 1000 kcal: divide the pack price by its total calories, then multiply by 1000. This is how to stretch a food budget furthest. The catch is that the very cheapest calories are often refined — oil, sugar, white flour — so balance value against nutrition rather than chasing cheap energy alone.
Usually the best value
Cheap calories per euro typically come from oats, rice, pasta, potatoes, dried beans, flour and vegetable oil. Built around some cheap protein and vegetables, these staples make inexpensive, genuinely nourishing meals.
Live tracked prices for this category are added where a store feed is available. The method above works for your own shop today.
Compare it the fair way
| What you are buying | Compare it by |
|---|---|
| Protein foods (meat, fish, dairy, eggs, beans) | Price per 100 g of protein |
| Staples for energy (grains, oil, potatoes) | Price per 1000 kcal |
| Vegetables and fruit | Price per kilo, in season |
| Any two similar products | Price per 100 g of the same food |
Other categories
Cheapest protein
How to find the best-value protein — compared per 100 g of actual protein, not per kilo of food.
Meat and fish
Getting the most protein per euro from meat and fish.
Dairy and eggs
Some of the best-value everyday protein there is.
Grains and legumes
The cheapest calories and plant protein, especially dried.
Vegetables and fruit
Eating your vegetables without overspending.
Source: Method is our own; any tracked prices link to their store and date. · checked 2026-09-04
Hit your protein for less
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