Tuna Salad Sandwiches
Tuna Salad Sandwiches costs about $5.33 to make ($1.33 per serving) at U.S. grocery prices reviewed August 2026, and each serving has roughly 412 calories, 29 g protein, and 27 g net carbs. Total time: 10 min.
- 29 g protein/serving
- 412 calories/serving
- 27 g net carbs
- 10 min total time
- Easy difficulty
Canned tuna, mayo, and minced onion between two slices of bread. The benchmark cheap lunch that every other cheap lunch gets compared to.
What it costs
| Ingredient | Cost |
|---|---|
| 3 cans tuna, drained | $3.57 |
| 6 tbsp mayonnaise | $0.51 |
| ¼ onion, minced | $0.11 |
| 8 slices sandwich bread | $0.90 |
| salt, pepper, pinch of celery seed | $0.25 |
| Total | $5.33 |
How to make it
- Flake the drained tuna into a bowl and break up any large chunks.
- Mix in mayonnaise, minced onion, salt, pepper, and celery seed.
- Divide between 4 sandwiches. Toast the bread if you want it to hold up in a lunch bag.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 412 |
| Protein | 29 g |
| Fat | 19 g |
| Carbohydrates | 29 g |
| Fiber | 2 g |
| Net carbs | 27 g |
| Saturated fat | 3 g |
| Sodium | 713 mg |
Substitutions
- Tuna, canned in water → Eggs, large — saves $0.76/serving, −12 g protein. hard-boiled eggs make this even cheaper — see the egg salad version
Make it cheaper
Tuna in multipacks drops the per-can price noticeably, and store-brand mayo is indistinguishable once mixed.
Common questions
How much does it cost to make Tuna Salad Sandwiches?
About $5.33 total, or $1.33 per serving, using U.S. average grocery prices reviewed August 2026. Actual cost depends on your store and region.
How much protein is in Tuna Salad Sandwiches?
Each serving has roughly 29 g of protein (412 calories per serving), computed from USDA-typical ingredient values.
How can I make Tuna Salad Sandwiches cheaper?
Tuna in multipacks drops the per-can price noticeably, and store-brand mayo is indistinguishable once mixed.
Do leftovers of Tuna Salad Sandwiches keep well?
Keep the salad and bread separate; the mix holds 2 days refrigerated.
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9 of 49 ingredient prices come from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics average price data; the remaining 40 are estimates. Last reviewed 2026-08-12. Your store will differ — treat every figure as a planning estimate, not a quote. Nutrition is computed from USDA-typical ingredient values and rounded.