A List of muscle foods that every weightlifter and bodybuilder should eat, in order to gain muscle mass and definition.
Before you dive into this blog post, I encourage you to click here to download the free infographic which contains all 100 muscle foods. This quick reference cheat sheet should be stored on your computer, posted on your refrigerator, put alongside your desk, or duck taped to your dog’s tail. Basically anywhere you might be when you create your grocery list.
I’ve read a lot of books and blogs over the years regarding muscle foods. Some were pretty good, and others made me wish I would be struck by lightning on a sunny day. One thing for sure is that none of them provided a comprehensive list of all the foods you should be eating to gain mass, and accelerate muscle definition. Most of the junk on the web was single focused, just about protein, or just about carbohydrates.
None of them contained ALL the foods one should eat, to get an all-inclusive list, all in one place. That is until now. With this free infographic, you now have 1 single resource to use as a cheat sheet. To store and quickly use whenever you are deciding what you should eat. It is this list of foods that we use here at BulkingDiets.Com to create each and every one of our weekly meal plans with.
Let’s dive in. Below are the very best Muscle Foods you should incorporate into your diet regardless if you are trying pack on mass or lose weight. Each of these has their own way of helping you, so it’s important that you diversify by mixing and matching these foods every day, of every week.
The list is in no particular order, as each food has its own unique reason for being on the list. What’s more important than ranking, is how many of these foods you can work into your diet. If you would like to deep dive in on why some of these proteins are on the list, see also our blog post Top 8 Favorite Sources for a High Protein Diet or Top 6 Foods for Proper Muscle Nutrition.
Proteins
- Anchovies
- Beef Jerky
- Beef Tenderloin
- Buffalo
- Canadian Bacon
- Chicken Breast
- Chorizo
- Corned Beef
- Cottage Cheese
- Crab
- Edamame
- Egg Whites
- Elk
- Eye Of Round Roast
- Flank Steak
- Flounder
- Greek Yogurt
- Green Peas
- Halibut
- Lean Ground Beef
- Lentils
- Milk
- Navy Beans
- Octopus
- Pepperoni
- Pork Chop
- Pork Loin
- Red Snapper
- Roast Beef
- Salmon
- Sardines
- Scallops
- Shrimp
- Soy Milk
- Swiss Cheese
- Tilapia
- Tofu
- Tuna in Water
- Turkey Breast
- Venison
- Whey Protein Powder
Carbohydrates
- Apples
- Apricots
- Asparagus
- Barley
- Beets
- Black Beans
- Black-eyed Peas
- Blueberries
- Broccoli
- Brown Rice
- Cabbage
- Cantaloupe
- Carrots
- Cauliflower
- Chickpeas
- Corn
- Cream of Wheat
- Grapefruit
- Grapes
- Green Beans
- Kale
- Kidney Beans
- Kiwi Fruit
- Lentils
- Mango
- Mushrooms
- Oatmeal
- Oranges
- Peaches
- Peppers
- Pineapple
- Pinto Beans
- Quinoa
- Raspberries
- Romaine Lettuce
- Spinach
- Split Peas
- Strawberries
- Sweet Potatoes
- Tangerines
- Tomatoes
- Watermelon
- Wheat Germ
- Whole Wheat Bread
- Whole Wheat Pasta
- Yams
Fats
- Almond Butter
- Almonds
- Avocados
- Cashews
- Fish Oil
- Flax Oil
- Flax seeds
- Olive Oil
- Peanut Butter, Natural
- Pecans
- Pumpkin Seeds
- Sesame Seeds
- Walnuts
Any lifter who’s serious about their results can take their muscle gains to the next level by eating the muscle foods outlined on this free infographic . Will it guarantee success? Oddly enough, yes it will. These foods will keep your muscles fueled, and will ensure you are healthy, not just muscular (yes, there is a difference). Since new foods don’t really get invented, this list is evergreen. You will get old and die, the list however is here to stay. Great for the list, not so great for you.
Click here to download the free infographic
Now it’s your turn. What foods did we miss from the list? I’d love to hear your input.

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