The Best Affordable Seafoods That Taste Delicious

In addition to being a delicious treat, seafood is a nutrition powerhouse. Fish and shellfish are packed with lean protein, omega-3 fatty acids, and healthy fats. Low in sodium and saturated fat, they bring an array of essential vitamins and minerals  to our diets, including niacin, vitamin E, B6, B12, A, D, iron, calcium, and potassium, among others.

Part of this healthy food group, lobster remains expensive today. While the crustacean has its culinary fans, controversy surrounds lobster consumption. As an alternative, other fish and shellfish can provide a great deal of health benefits while also staying affordable. To help you enrich your diet (and taste buds) while not breaking the bank, we compiled a list of great seafoods you can find at the grocery store suitable for every budget out there. From the ones you may have guessed would be included, like canned sardines, to the ones you may be more surprised about (we're looking at you, seafood medley), these are seafoods you can find in the grocery store for cheap that still taste delicious.

Sardines shine their little oily skins off when it comes to nutritional value for the buck. First of all, the small fish swim low on the food chain, containing fewer amounts of contaminants such as mercury than other commercially distributed specimens. In addition to the long list of beneficial vitamins and minerals that seafood in general contains, phosphorus, calcium, potassium, iron, and selenium take sardines' nutritional profile to the next level. The aforementioned omega-3 fatty acids, abundant in sardines, are proven to improve brain function and decrease the risk of Alzheimer's and cardiovascular disease.

Though the salty, fishy, and slightly smokey flavor of sardines will keep you scraping the can clean and looking for more, a little goes a long way. One serving of 3.75 ounces measures about 191 calories, 22.7 grams of protein, and 10.5 grams of fat. With all that goodness, it is hard to believe that this product is so affordable. As of March 2025, the price of sardines in the U.S. ranges between $0.61 and $1.52 per pound.

Sardines belong to the herring family. This small fish live and travel in large schools in the Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian Oceans. Popular all around the world, the specific types that are fished, processed, and sold in different countries vary. Today, Portugal leads the world's sardine production. Spain, France, and Norway trail behind, with additional canning plants in the U.S. and other countries. You can use sardines in lots of different meals, like popped in the air fryer for a tasty snack or put them in Creole Italian pasta.

Known as "the king of fish," salmon defends its title in more ways than one. The large specimens provide a significant amount of meat per fish, making its fishing a profitable endeavor that also keeps the prices low. A mature fish with a lifespan of 13 years can reach a whopping 4 feet in length. While this seafood's name suggests it to be an oceanic fish, it is an anadromous species, which means it lives in both fresh and salt waters. With most of its lifespan spent in the ocean, every fall, salmon travel to fresh waters where it spawned and hatched. To reach its destination, the fish overcomes the obstacles of upstream swimming and waterfall jumping that can reach 12 feet in the air.

When it comes to nutrition, salmon still reigns king. Wild-caught fish amounts to about 155 calories, 21 grams of protein, and 7 grams of fat. Farm-raised specimens come close behind, with about 175 calories per serving, 18 grams of protein, and 10 grams of fat. Salmon is high in selenium, a nutrient that aids thyroid hormone metabolism and improves reproductive health, among other benefits.

In March 2025, salmon prices in the U.S range between $13 and U.S. $70 per pound, with wild-caught costing more than farm-raised. One of the largest fish commodities in the world, salmon attracts with its mild buttery flavor and flaky texture. And who can resist that soft pink flesh? With its popularity running high, the abundance of recipes available range with creativity. From dishwasher-poached fillets to skin-on grilled dinners, salmon shines as a royal centerpiece of any dinner table, even a budget one.

"Oysters? Cheap!? Get out of here!" Hear us out, friends. We are not talking about a lavish night out on the town, where Champagne flows and the bill for a shared platter of oysters runs into triple digits. Yikes. As fun as that sounds, we are here to offer a more modest grocery store alternative.

With the right supplier, simple preservation processes in place, and sustainable farming, production, and shipping practices, we can all find the funds for a little oyster treat. Small, family-owned seafood farms can offer fresh options with an affordable price tag. Goose Point Oyster Farm from Willapa Bay, Washington, for example, offers a dozen oysters in the shell for as little as $14 — which is extra fun for a whole family shucking experience that you can turn into a whole activity. The company also sells fresh-shacked oyster meat in containers for about $8 per pound.

And consider the powerful health benefits of oysters. One cooked serving of these mollusks amount to 79 calories and offers 9 grams of protein, 3 grams of fat, over 500% of the daily value of zinc, vitamin B12, and copper, as well as 40% of the daily value of iron, among a multitude of other beneficial nutrients.

Once declared one of the most sustainable fish choices, in 2023 the British Marine Conservation Society (MCS) downgraded mackerel from its green to amber rating of sustainability. That means the Atlantic supply was getting overfished and the organization encouraged a search for more sustainable practices. For the everyday consumer, that means looking for line-caught mackerel fisheries.

By no means does the rating change is requiring us to abandon this great source of protein and omega-3 acids, and one of the lowest mercury-containing seafoods available. This fish has a rich flavor, and its velvety texture allows it to be used raw in sashimi making, as well as cooked in various dishes. The fish's yellow-spotted backs with green undertones make for a colorful and esthetically pleasing presentation, however you cook it. While mackerel is on the higher end of the price spectrum in this article, for instance we found one supplier offering it at $17 per pound for fresh fillet as of March 2025, it is still one of the most all-around affordable options when it comes to the world of seafood.

Another anadromous specimen, steelhead trout splits its time between the salty waters of the Pacific Ocean along the shores of North America and eastern Asia and the fresh waters of the two continents. The same species with a different lifestyle, rainbow trout, remain in freshwater rivers and estuaries even after spawning.

Similar in texture and flavor to salmon, this fish is milder in flavor, with sweet and nutty undertones. With its flesh a lighter pink than salmon, rainbow trout's skin shades between yellow, blue, and green, speaking to the origin of its name. Steelhead trout, on the other hand, feature more silver coloring.

Rated as environmentally sustainable and packing on nutrition, trout earns a recommendation from Monterey Bay Aquarium as one of the best fish to eat. Farmed trout is cheaper than salmon because the techniques to raise it are simpler and do not require the imitation of a saltwater environment. Again, nutritionally similar to salmon, trout contains half the fat of the former and offers a bit more protein at 20 grams per serving. In March 2025, a pound of trout in the U.S. cost between $3 and $10, making it an affordable seafood option.

Crabs are a delicious and protein-packed, low-calorie seafood with very little fat. A single serving is about 71 calories but brings a stunning 15 grams of protein and 0.63 grams of fat.

Fresh crab comes with a hefty price tag, but canned crab offers an affordable alternative. While lump meat, which comes from the animal's muscles, is the most tender and flavorful, it can still cost $40 per pound. When looking for cheaper options, seek backfin meat, which is a combination of lump meat and meat from other parts of the crab. Canned crab meat can cost you as little as $3. Score.

While the mixed-meat canned variety of this seafood makes it accessible, it is usually not eaten by itself like fresh crab or canned lump meat. Instead, it makes for a great addition to a pasta dish, a dip, or, obviously, crab cakes. An important step in canned crab preparation is rinsing and drying the meat before use. This removes any excess salt used as a preservative and allows more control over the flavor of whatever dish you are making. Drying the meat also improves its texture.

Rated high as a sustainably farmed food source, mussels provide another low-calorie, high-protein option that won't break the bank. According to a study published in Nutrients, mussel production does not put a strain on freshwater resources and can, in fact, provide a sustainable option to ease the world's growing concern of food scarcity. But they're not just treating the environment well; they're respecting your wallet, too.

In March 2025, mussel prices range between $3 and $5, making it an extremely affordable seafood option for you to try. One of the reasons behind the low pricing of mussels and clams is that their farming has low overhead costs. To feed, mussels extract nutrition out of the particles and microorganisms from water they ingest with their gills, needing virtually no feed. The lean mussel body then serves as a great source of protein at 20 grams per serving, and fat at 3.8 grams per serving.

What is the difference between mussels and clams? Generally speaking, mussels live in both salt and freshwater, while clams dominate freshwater. They also have different appearances, with mussels being black and more oblong in shape, while clams have white shells and a more rounded structure. Clams have a stronger and brinier flavor, while mussels are sweeter, milder, and more tender. So if you are in the market for some clams, you will be happy to know you will not have to break the bank to buy some at the grocery store.

In March 2025, a pound of clams costs between $8 and $17, making it another affordable choice of seafood to put on your table. You can obviously cook and eat clams out of the shell, or you could cook a clams casino dish, whip up a clam linguine, or go for a classic chowder. The choice is yours.

Shrimp are quite the elders of the earth's animal kingdom, as the species have survived for over 300 million years with there currently being 128 types of shrimp out there. While nothing beats fresh shrimp straight from the docks, frozen shrimp offers a more affordable option for your wallet, not to mention the extended shelf life of this delicious seafood. 

Another nutritional powerhouse, shrimp delivers almost 20 grams of protein and it is low in fat at 1.5 grams of it per 100-calorie serving. Harvested in large quantities and individually quick-frozen, shrimp retains its flavor and freshness. That, in turn, helps keeps the prices low. Consumers also have size choices, with jumbo shrimp running a bit pricier, while smaller specimens provide even more affordable options. Depending on the size and brand you select, in March 2025, shrimp cost between $4 and $8 per pound, making it the perfect shellfish to feed the whole family with.

A relative of mackerel, tuna lives in saltwater. Its eight varieties vary in size, but all provide excellent dietary benefits. A single 100-calorie serving of canned tuna offers 21 grams of protein and 0.7 grams of fat, making it a lean source of high-quality nutrition. The fish is also rich in selenium and omega-3. When fresh tuna is out of the budget, canned tuna can provide an excellent alternative, ranging between $1 to $5 a can. What a steal.

A common misconception that canned tuna is not "real tuna" dismisses the fact that the fish in the tin is just a combination of different types of tuna. The most common varieties include skipjack fish, yellowfin, and bigeye tuna. Interestingly enough, the introduction of canned tuna brought fish to the American dinner table in the early 1900s. Before that, few Americans could afford or have access to fish.

Tuna salad is one of the most common uses of canned tuna, and you can spruce it up to taste as you please. Different brands of tuna can bring froward different flavor profiles, so find your favorite out there and be pleased with how much you saved in the process.

Frozen tuna steaks can offer a quick dinner option without breaking the bank. According to Food and Drug Administration, consuming frozen fish might sometimes prove to be a safer choice compared to fresh fish. That is due to the fact that fish stakes are frozen shortly after catching the fish, preserving freshness and killing harmful bacteria, instead of potentially sitting out to spoil if you are not careful.

Some chefs prefer using frozen tuna as opposed to fresh steaks, as the texture can work better in certain recipes. Lower mercury levels have also been detected in frozen varieties of the fish as opposed to fresh ones. And it's not just the cooking logistics people like frozen tuna steaks for.

Frozen tuna steaks provide a great option for an affordable fish. In March 2025, a pound of frozen tuna ranges between $10 to $15. This provides the most bang for the buck, as Ahi tuna — one of the most common frozen varieties available in the U.S. grocery stores — also rates as one of the highest sources of protein you can find in seafood. A serving of tuna offers as much as 40 grams of protein. See? Everyone is a winner with frozen tuna steaks, and you get your maximized protein at a reasonable price. Time to start shopping.

If you've walked by that mixed seafood medley in the grocery store before and wondered if it was worth getting, here's the deal: It probably is. A bag of mixed seafood in the freezer is an affordable way to get some protein and omega-3 into the diet, and do so on the go. While the mixtures vary from brand to brand, most contain a good variety of seafood delights — pieces of octopus, crab, shrimp, squid, and mussels are some common inclusions. While we should all keep our expectations low and be careful not to compare frozen seafood to fresh one, this is still a great affordable option for you to try.

The low calorie mixture — under 100 calories per serving – offers 16 grams of protein, and 1.5 grams of fat. The mixture can be added to soups, pasta dishes, paella, and stir fries, as well as other delicious dishes. You can really get creative with it. The prices of seafood medley ranges around $10 per pound as of March 2025. It's a good thing, too, as that mixed seafood bag can be a quick dinner savior any day of the week and on any budget. Plus, if you don't just want to eat one type of seafood and want to keep things interesting with a few different kinds (akin to a seafood boil), the frozen seafood medley is the perfect solution to your problem.