You must design a single-day meal plan for a client who needs 2000 kcal/day, 60 g protein/day, wants to spend under \$6 for food, and has 30 minutes total prep time. Given options: canned tuna (100 g portion: 100 kcal, 22 g protein, \$1.00), whole wheat bread (slice: 80 kcal, 4 g protein, \$0.15), dried beans (100 g cooked: 130 kcal, 9 g protein, \$0.30), frozen mixed vegetables (1 cup: 80 kcal, 3 g protein, \$0.40), oatmeal (1/2 cup dry: 150 kcal, 6 g protein, \$0.20). Choose the feasible combination meeting protein and cost with minimal prep and explain briefly why.

• A. Recommend three premium grilled steaks costing \$30 total because they ensure protein intake, ignoring the cost constraint since nutrition trumps budget always.
• B. Ten servings of oatmeal only because it is cheapest on a per-calorie basis and requires no protein calculation; it will automatically meet all goals regardless of actual protein need.
• C. Three canned tuna portions (\$3.00) + 6 slices whole wheat bread (\$0.90) + 1 cup frozen vegetables (\$0.40) + 1 serving oatmeal (\$0.20) = protein 3×22 + 6×4 + 3 + 6 = 66 + 24 + 3 + 6 = 99 g (well above 60 g); cost \$4.50; minimal prep (open cans, toast bread, heat vegetables, cook oatmeal); meets constraints.
• D. Only dried beans and vegetables priced at \$5.00 but providing 12 g total protein, and advise the client to buy expensive protein powders to make up the difference without showing calculations.

Answer: (C)