The 15 Best Foods to Build Muscle (and Easy Ways to Eat Enough)

In short

Looking for foods to build muscle? Start with protein foods such as meat, chicken breast, salmon, eggs and soy; add carbohydrates such as pasta, rice, sweet potatoes, oats and fruit; and make room for fats from almonds, olive oil, avocado, dark chocolate and peanut butter. To build muscle, you need enough calories and nutrients alongside a training plan that fits your goals.

These are the foods I would keep in mind when eating for a mass phase. If eating enough is a struggle, I have included simple ways to put them together.

Quick list of foods to build muscle

Values are per 100 g and rounded, from USDA FoodData Central (entries in the Sources list).

Protein foods for building muscle

Protein gives your body building material for muscle. The International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN) position stand gives a general range for healthy active adults of about 1.4 to 2.0 g of protein per kg of body weight per day (about 0.6 to 0.9 g per lb), spread over the day in meals of about 20 to 40 g every 3 to 4 hours. For example, for a person who weighs 75 kg (about 165 lb), that range works out to about 105 to 150 g of protein a day. Your needs may differ. More detail is in the protein guide and the list of high-protein foods.

1. Meat

Meat is one of the best foods for building mass. It is rich in high-quality complete protein, with all the essential amino acids, and it gives you iron, zinc and B vitamins. Cooked lean sirloin steak, for example, has about 31 g of protein, 6 g of fat and 185 kcal per 100 g, plus about 5.7 mg of zinc and 2 mg of iron.

Some cuts have a lot of fat and some have less. Fattier cuts usually have less protein for the same weight. Let most of the meat you eat come from leaner sources such as chicken, chicken breast, boneless chicken thighs and sirloin.

2. Chicken breast

You cannot make a list of foods for building muscle and bodybuilding without chicken breast. Bodybuilders love its protein: 100 g of cooked chicken breast has about 31 g, so you can eat 200 g and get about 60 g of protein in one meal.

Another reason they love it is that you can prepare it in countless ways. Season it however you like; roast it, cook it in a pot or oven, use an air fryer, or grill it.

3. Salmon

Salmon has a winning combination of complete protein and fat, including omega-3. Cooked farmed Atlantic salmon has about 22 g of protein and 12 g of fat per 100 g. It is also a source of vitamin D: about 13 micrograms per 100 g in the farmed, cooked entry.

4. Eggs

There is a reason for the story about bodybuilders drinking eggs: eggs are a great food for building muscle. You do not need to drink them raw. Raw or undercooked eggs can carry Salmonella bacteria, and the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) advises cooking eggs until both the yolk and the white are firm.

Eggs contain complete protein with all nine essential amino acids. A large egg (about 50 g) has about 6 g of protein, along with fat, vitamin D and choline.

You can make hard-boiled eggs, fried eggs, scrambled eggs, shakshuka and more. Use cooking methods that do not need a lot of oil. In a 12-week study of 30 trained young men, eating 3 whole eggs or 6 egg whites after each workout led to similar muscle gains, so both work.

5. Soy foods

Soy suits vegetarians, vegans and anyone who wants more variety. It contains all the essential amino acids your body cannot make, along with minerals such as calcium, iron and potassium. Firm tofu (made with calcium sulfate) has about 17 g of protein per 100 g, tempeh about 20 g and cooked edamame about 12 g. A 2018 meta-analysis of 9 studies (266 people) found that soy protein powder gave similar strength and lean mass gains to whey or other animal protein powders.

Soy comes in many forms, so you can change up your menu with soybeans, edamame, tofu, tempeh or soy milk. More ideas are in the guide on plant-based protein.

Milk, Greek yogurt and cottage cheese are other ways to add protein to a meal or snack.

Carbohydrate foods for building muscle

6. Pasta

If you find it hard to eat a lot and gain mass, pasta is one of my favorite choices. It is easy to eat a big plate of it compared with foods like rice. Whole-grain pasta also gives you more fiber: about 4 g per 100 g cooked, against about 2 g in regular pasta.

Pair it with a protein-rich food, such as chicken or tofu, and you have a meal for your mass phase.

7. Rice

When you see a bodybuilder with a big meal, there is a good chance it is chicken breast and rice. Talk about bodybuilders' food. Rice goes with almost any protein food; it is tasty and easy to prepare.

Rice also gives you thiamin, niacin, zinc and phosphorus. Brown rice has a bit more fiber (about 1.6 g per 100 g cooked, compared with about 0.4 g in white rice).

8. Sweet potatoes

Sweet potatoes are one of the best foods you can eat while building mass. They give you carbohydrates, fiber (about 3 g per 100 g baked), potassium and vitamin C.

Their natural sweetness makes a meal better. This especially helps if you like sweet foods and want to eat less added sugar.

9. Oats

Oats are another great source of carbohydrates. They contain fiber (about 10 g per 100 g dry) and minerals such as phosphorus, zinc and magnesium.

My favorite part is that you can add oats to a shake: put protein powder, oats, some fruit and nuts in a blender for a nutritious drink with plenty of energy. Or eat oats with a little honey and milk.

10. Fruit

If I had to list every fruit that fits a mass phase, this article would never end. Fruits give you vitamins, minerals and fiber; each fruit brings a different mix. Eat several different kinds for variety.

Fruit is tasty between meals, helping you add both calories and nutrients. Dried fruit gives you more energy in a small amount: medjool dates have about 277 kcal per 100 g.

Fat-rich foods for building muscle

11. Almonds

Almonds are an excellent snack when you want to gain mass. They give you fat, vitamin E and magnesium, and a small handful adds calories easily. Ten almonds (about 12 g) have about 70 kcal.

12. Olive oil

Beyond the taste and aroma olive oil adds to a dish, it is an easy way to add energy when building mass. It is rich in monounsaturated fats and contains vitamin E. One tablespoon (about 13.5 g) has about 120 kcal.

You can add olive oil to almost any food: cook with it, drizzle it over salads, use it in dressings and more.

13. Avocado

Beyond its wonderful taste (not everyone agrees about that), avocado is a useful food for a mass phase. It has plenty of calories, fat and fiber, along with vitamins C, E, K and B6.

You can include it in any meal or make a whole dish from it, such as guacamole.

14. Dark chocolate

Here is a food chocolate lovers will like. Dark chocolate with more than 75% cocoa can fit a mass phase. It has a lot of calories, and it contains fat and minerals. More than half its fat is saturated, so I would enjoy it in moderation.

As with any food, watch the amount. If you eat far more calories than you need, weight can rise too quickly and more of that gain may be body fat.

15. Peanut butter

Peanut butter is one of the most popular spreads. If you have trouble gaining weight, it is an easy way to add calories and fat. A level tablespoon (about 16 g) has about 95 kcal; a heaped spoon has more. Add it to shakes or spread it on whole-wheat bread.

When you choose peanut butter, check the label for added sugar and oils. I prefer a simple ingredient list, such as peanuts and perhaps salt.

How to eat more when you struggle to gain

If you struggle to eat enough for a mass phase, here are ways to use the foods above:

• Choose foods that are easy to eat in larger amounts, like pasta.
• Add energy without adding volume: a drizzle of olive oil, a spoon of peanut butter, a handful of nuts, avocado on your sandwich.
• Drink some of it: a shake of milk, oats, fruit and nut butter is easier to finish than the same food on a plate.
• Snack between meals on fruit, dried fruit, nuts or yogurt.
• Eat on a schedule instead of waiting to feel hungry.

Protein powder can go in the oat shake I mentioned; it is a convenient option if you use it, not a requirement. More in the protein powder guide.

A sample day of food choices

Here is one way to put the foods together during a day. These are choices, not portions; the amount you eat depends on your needs and goals.

Bottom line

To build mass, you need to know which foods to eat. Nutrition plays a big part: if you do not eat enough calories, you make it harder for your body to build muscle. Include vegetables too. I did not put them on this list because you need them whether you are cutting or building mass.

To make progress, eat a little more than you burn and follow a training program that fits your goals. Reviews of the research say an energy surplus supports muscle gain, but nobody knows the exact "right" amount, and the authors advise a moderate surplus with slow, steady gains. Gaining weight too fast mainly adds more body fat. The BMR calculator gives a starting estimate of energy used at rest, not a target. See how to build muscle and bodybuilding nutrition for the bigger picture.

Frequently asked questions

What foods build muscle the fastest?

No single food builds muscle fast. Muscle grows from hard, regular training plus enough protein and energy over weeks and months; chicken, fish, eggs, dairy and soy make the protein easy.

What are good bulking foods if I struggle to gain weight?

Energy-dense, easy-to-eat foods: pasta, rice, oats, whole milk, nuts, peanut butter, olive oil, avocado, dried fruit and homemade shakes, added to meals you already eat.

What are the best foods to build muscle for vegetarians?

Eggs, milk, Greek yogurt and cottage cheese if you eat them, plus soy foods (tofu, tempeh, edamame, soy milk), beans, lentils, nuts and oats. See the plant-based protein guide.

How many calories should I eat to build muscle?

That depends on your body, activity and goals, so this guide gives no number. The BMR calculator gives an estimate of energy used at rest, not a complete daily calorie target.

Is "dirty bulking" a good idea?

Eating anything and everything usually makes you gain weight fast, and fast gains add more body fat. A small surplus from mostly nutritious foods, with room for treats like dark chocolate, is the more sensible approach.