If you’re trying to increase your fat intake without spending a lot of money, choosing the right animal fat source can save you a significant amount over time. While foods like bacon and cheese are often associated with high-fat diets, they aren’t usually the most economical options. Traditional cooking fats and inexpensive meat trimmings often provide far more fat per dollar.

If your goal is to consume around 60 grams of dietary fat per day, several affordable animal-based foods can help you reach that target with ease.

What Makes an Animal Fat Cost-Effective?

The cheapest animal fat sources typically have two things in common:

• They contain a very high percentage of fat.
• They cost less per pound or kilogram than premium cuts of meat or processed products.

Foods that meet both criteria offer the lowest cost per gram of fat.

Pork Fat (Lard or Fatback)

Lard and pork fatback are among the most affordable animal fats available.

They contain approximately:

• 100 grams of fat per 100 grams

Because they’re nearly pure fat, they provide the greatest amount of dietary fat for the lowest cost. Many butcher shops sell pork fat trimmings very cheaply since they’re considered a byproduct of meat processing.

Lard is also widely available in grocery stores and has a long shelf life, making it an economical cooking fat.

Beef Fat (Suet or Tallow)

Beef fat is another excellent budget-friendly option.

It contains approximately:

• 100 grams of fat per 100 grams

Suet and beef fat trimmings are often inexpensive when purchased directly from a butcher. Once rendered into beef tallow, they can be used for frying, roasting, and general cooking.

Like lard, beef tallow is nearly pure fat, making it one of the cheapest ways to increase fat intake.

Chicken Skin

Chicken skin is naturally rich in fat and is often overlooked.

It can be purchased separately in some stores or obtained by buying whole chickens and keeping the skin attached during cooking.

Chicken skin provides plenty of dietary fat while also adding flavor and texture to meals, making it another affordable choice.

Regular Ground Beef (70/30)

Ground beef with a higher fat content offers a balance of protein and fat.

Typical nutrition includes:

• About 30 grams of fat per 100 grams (raw)

Compared with lean ground beef, 70/30 ground beef is often less expensive while providing significantly more fat. It also supplies high-quality protein along with important nutrients like iron, zinc, and vitamin B12.

Pork Belly

Pork belly is one of the fattiest cuts of pork.

It contains a large amount of fat and is popular among people following low-carb and ketogenic diets.

Although it provides substantial fat, pork belly generally costs more than plain pork fat because it is considered a premium cut in many markets.

Bacon

Bacon is high in fat but isn’t one of the cheapest ways to reach your daily fat goal.

The higher price comes from the curing, smoking, seasoning, and processing involved in its production. You’re paying for more than just the fat itself.

While bacon can certainly contribute to your daily fat intake, it usually costs considerably more per gram of fat than lard, beef tallow, or butcher fat trimmings.

What About Butter?

Butter is another inexpensive source of animal fat and is a staple in many households.

Approximate fat content includes:

• Butter: About 11–12 grams of fat per tablespoon (14 grams of butter)
• Lard: About 13 grams of fat per tablespoon
• Beef tallow: About 13 grams of fat per tablespoon

Although butter contains slightly less fat per tablespoon than lard or beef tallow, the difference is relatively small.

How Much Butter Provides 60 Grams of Fat?

To consume approximately 60 grams of fat, you would need about:

• 5 tablespoons of butter, equal to roughly 70 grams of butter
• 4½ to 5 tablespoons of lard or beef tallow

Butter is convenient, widely available, and easy to use for cooking or spreading on foods. However, it usually costs a little more per gram of fat than lard or tallow.

Is Butter Enough by Itself?

While butter is an excellent source of dietary fat, it isn’t considered a complete food.

Butter contains small amounts of vitamins such as:

• Vitamin A
• Vitamin D (in fortified varieties)
• Vitamin E
• Vitamin K2 (especially from grass-fed cows)

However, it provides very little protein and only modest amounts of other nutrients.

For that reason, it’s generally better to obtain your daily fat from a variety of foods rather than relying almost entirely on butter.

Which Animal Fat Offers the Best Value?

For most people, the best value comes from:

1. Pork fat (lard or fatback)
2. Beef fat (suet or tallow)
3. Chicken skin
4. Butter
5. Regular ground beef (70/30)
6. Pork belly
7. Bacon

The exact order can vary depending on local prices, but lard and beef tallow are usually the least expensive sources of nearly pure animal fat.

Reaching a 60-Gram Daily Fat Goal

If your target is approximately 60 grams of fat per day, some inexpensive ways to reach it include:

• About 60 grams of lard
• About 60 grams of beef tallow
• About 5 tablespoons of butter
• A combination of eggs, ground beef, butter, and cooking fats
• Chicken with the skin left on

Most people naturally consume fat from several foods throughout the day instead of relying on one source.

Final Thoughts

If your goal is reaching your daily fat intake as cheaply as possible, lard, beef tallow, and butcher fat trimmings are generally the most cost-effective animal-fat foods available. They provide nearly pure fat at a very low cost per gram.

Butter is also a practical and relatively inexpensive option, containing about 11–12 grams of fat per tablespoon. Although it isn’t quite as economical as lard or tallow, it’s widely available and easy to incorporate into everyday meals.

For the best overall nutrition, combine affordable animal fats with whole foods such as eggs, meat, fish, and dairy products. This approach helps you meet your fat goal while also providing protein, vitamins, and minerals that pure fats alone cannot supply.