Free Meal Plan Generator: Your 7-Day Meal Plan and Shopping List
A free 7-day meal plan built around your calories and protein, with portions, vegetarian and vegan versions and a weekly shopping list.
Step 1
We’ll set your calories and protein first, then build a week of meals around them.
Step 2
Men usually burn more at rest because they carry more muscle.
Step 3
These set how many calories you burn and how much protein you need.
Please check your numbers. Age 18 to 100 (teens are still growing and shouldn’t diet without a doctor), height 4′7″–7′3″ (140–220 cm) and weight 80–500 lb (36–227 kg).
Step 4
Count your job, daily movement and exercise together.
Step 5
You can switch this on your plan later.
Step 6
Last step
These change what’s safe, so your answer matters. Pick any that apply, or skip.
Your numbers
From our calorie calculator, your dietitian, or your own tracking.
Please enter 1,200 to 4,500 calories, and protein between 40 and 300 g (or leave it blank). Plans under 1,200 calories need medical supervision.
Working out your calories…
This free meal plan generator works out how many calories and how much protein you need, then builds a full week of meals that hit those targets. You get portions in grams and cups, vegetarian and vegan versions, and a shopping list for the week. It takes about a minute, there is no sign-up, and the nutrition values for every food come from USDA FoodData Central.
How the meal plan generator works
The generator works in three steps. It uses the same formulas as our calorie calculator, so your numbers match across our tools.
- Your calories. We estimate the calories you burn at rest with the Mifflin-St Jeor equation (1), which a systematic review found to be the most reliable of the common equations (2), then multiply by your activity level. To lose weight, we take off about 500 calories a day for roughly 1 lb (0.5 kg) a week, or about 250 for half that pace. We never cut more than a quarter of your maintenance calories, or more than about 1% of your body weight a week, the top of the range one evidence review suggests for keeping muscle while dieting (3). We never go below 1,200 calories a day for women or 1,500 for men. To build muscle, we add about 10% to your maintenance calories.
- Your protein. We set protein by goal, as shown in the table below.
- Your meals. We choose from 36 everyday meals and snacks, then scale every portion so each day lands within a few percent of your calories and protein. Fat is set at about 30% of calories, and carbohydrates make up the rest.
| Your situation | Protein per kg of body weight a day |
|---|---|
| Losing weight | 1.6 g, or 2.0 g if you are moderately active or more |
| Staying at your weight | 1.2 g, or 1.4 g if you are moderately active or more |
| Building muscle | 1.8 g |
| Age 65 or older | At least 1.2 g |
| Chronic kidney disease (not on dialysis) | 0.8 g, and check with your doctor |
These targets sit within the range the evidence supports. The 2025 to 2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans set a protein goal of 1.2 to 1.6 g per kg of body weight a day (4). In a 2018 meta-analysis of 49 trials, protein added little extra muscle above about 1.6 g per kg a day, although the uncertainty range reached about 2.2 g, so a little more can make sense when you are dieting or training hard (5). One author of that meta-analysis has received grants from the US National Dairy Council, and another sits on a supplement company’s advisory board. For adults over 65, the PROT-AGE expert group recommends at least 1.0 to 1.2 g per kg a day, and at least 1.2 g for active people (6). If you have a higher body weight, we calculate protein from the weight that matches a BMI of 27, so the target isn’t inflated by body fat.
What a day on the plan looks like
Here are two days the generator built. Your plan will look different, because it scales every portion to your own numbers.
Example: a 1,800-calorie high-protein day
| Meal | What to eat | Calories | Protein |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breakfast | Greek yogurt bowl with oats, berries and walnuts: Greek yogurt, plain nonfat 250 g; Rolled oats, dry 35 g (about ½ cup); Blueberries 100 g (about ¾ cup); Walnuts 20 g | 468 | 34 g |
| Lunch | Tuna and avocado wrap with an apple: Tuna, canned in water, drained 160 g; Whole-wheat tortilla 1½ tortillas; Salad greens 40 g (about 1 cup); Tomato 80 g; Avocado 65 g; Apple 1 medium | 552 | 40 g |
| Dinner | Chicken stir-fry with rice: Chicken breast (cooked) 110 g; White rice (cooked) 110 g (about ¾ cup); Mixed vegetables (cooked) 150 g (about ¾ cup); Olive oil 3 tsp (15 g) | 555 | 41 g |
| Snack | Apple with peanut butter, plus Greek yogurt: Apple 1 medium; Peanut butter 15 g; Greek yogurt, plain nonfat 160 g | 279 | 20 g |
| Total | 198 g carbs · 63 g fat | 1,853 | 136 g |
Example: a 2,000-calorie vegetarian day
| Meal | What to eat | Calories | Protein |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breakfast | Tofu scramble wrap with peppers and avocado: Firm tofu 120 g; Whole-wheat tortilla 1½ tortillas; Red bell pepper 75 g; Spinach 30 g (about 1 cup); Olive oil 1 tsp (5 g); Avocado 30 g | 484 | 29 g |
| Lunch | Egg and black bean burrito bowl: Eggs 3 large; Black beans (cooked) 140 g (about ¾ cup); Brown rice (cooked) 80 g (about ½ cup); Red bell pepper 60 g; Avocado 30 g; Cheddar cheese 15 g | 624 | 38 g |
| Dinner | Tempeh and broccoli rice bowl: Tempeh 140 g; Brown rice (cooked) 210 g (about 1 cup); Broccoli (cooked) 120 g (about ¾ cup); Olive oil 1 tsp (5 g) | 613 | 37 g |
| Snack | Soy milk and a banana: Soy milk, unsweetened 500 g (about 2 cups); Banana 1½ medium | 323 | 16 g |
| Total | 223 g carbs · 83 g fat | 2,044 | 121 g |
Notice the small sides, such as Greek yogurt with a snack. When a meal can’t reach its share of protein on its own, the generator adds a protein side that suits the meal and your diet.
How much protein to eat at each meal
The plan spreads your protein across the day instead of saving most of it for dinner. For muscle building, a 2018 review suggests eating about 0.4 g of protein per kg of body weight at each of at least four meals (7). For a 75 kg (165 lb) person, that is about 30 g per meal. The authors call this a practical guideline, not a hard limit on what one meal can use. One of them sits on the scientific advisory board of a supplement company. If you choose three meals and a snack, your plan puts roughly a quarter to a third of your protein at each meal.
Vegetarian and vegan meal plans
Vegetarian plans get their protein from eggs, Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, beans and lentils. Vegan plans use tofu, tempeh, edamame, lentils, beans and soy milk. Plant proteins come packaged with more carbohydrate or fat, so two things happen when your protein target is high and your calories are low:
- Some vegan days may fall a little short on protein. The plan tells you when a day does, and how to close the gap: add a serving of tofu, tempeh, edamame or soy milk, or a scoop of soy or pea protein powder.
- Vegan weeks repeat meals more often, because fewer plant meals pack that much protein per calorie. Calories and protein stay on target, which matters more than variety.
You can switch between everything, vegetarian and vegan on your plan at any time, without answering the questions again.
How to follow your meal plan
- Weigh your food for the first week or two. After that, most people can judge portions well by eye.
- Read the amounts as cooked weights. Rice, pasta, grains, beans and meat are listed as eaten, so buy less of the dry grains and a little more raw meat than the shopping list shows.
- Swap foods within the same group. Chicken for turkey or fish, rice for potatoes or quinoa, one vegetable for another. Keep the portions about the same.
- Cook in batches. Lunches and dinners keep in the fridge for a few days, so two cooking sessions can cover most of the week.
- Adjust after two to three weeks. Every calorie formula can be off for one person. If your weight hasn’t moved the way you want, change your daily calories by about 100 to 200 and keep going.
- Pair it with strength training. Our free workout plan generator builds a weekly plan in about a minute, and links straight back here with your numbers filled in.
Who should get personal advice first
The generator is built for healthy adults. It changes or holds back its numbers in a few situations, and in each one a professional should guide what you eat:
- Pregnancy. The plan never sets a calorie deficit. The 2020 to 2025 US Dietary Guidelines estimate no extra calories in the first trimester, about 340 extra a day in the second and 452 in the third, for women who started pregnancy at a healthy weight (8). Your needs may differ, so follow your doctor’s or midwife’s advice.
- Breastfeeding. The same guidelines estimate about 330 extra calories a day in the first six months (8). If you want to lose weight, the plan limits the deficit to about 300 calories a day and keeps you above 1,800.
- Kidney disease. High-protein targets aren’t suitable. The 2024 KDIGO guideline suggests about 0.8 g of protein per kg a day for adults with chronic kidney disease stages 3 to 5 who are not on dialysis, and advises avoiding more than 1.3 g per kg for people whose kidney disease could progress (9). The plan uses 0.8 g if you tell it you have kidney disease.
- Diabetes. Carbohydrate amounts affect your blood sugar and your medication, so check the plan with your doctor or diabetes educator first.
- Eating disorders. If you have, or have had, an eating disorder, the generator won’t show calorie numbers or set portions. Support from your doctor or a specialist dietitian is a better place to start.
- Under 18. Teens are still growing and shouldn’t diet without a doctor’s guidance.
This tool is educational and isn’t medical or dietetic advice. See our medical disclaimer.
Sources
- Mifflin MD, St Jeor ST, Hill LA, Scott BJ, Daugherty SA, Koh YO. A new predictive equation for resting energy expenditure in healthy individuals. Am J Clin Nutr. 1990;51(2):241-247. PubMed 2305711
- Frankenfield D, Roth-Yousey L, Compher C. Comparison of predictive equations for resting metabolic rate in healthy nonobese and obese adults: a systematic review. J Am Diet Assoc. 2005;105(5):775-789. PubMed 15883556
- Helms ER, Aragon AA, Fitschen PJ. Evidence-based recommendations for natural bodybuilding contest preparation: nutrition and supplementation. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2014;11:20. PubMed 24864135
- US Department of Agriculture and US Department of Health and Human Services. Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2025-2030. 2026. dietaryguidelines.gov
- Morton RW, Murphy KT, McKellar SR, et al. A systematic review, meta-analysis and meta-regression of the effect of protein supplementation on resistance training-induced gains in muscle mass and strength in healthy adults. Br J Sports Med. 2018;52(6):376-384. PubMed 28698222
- Bauer J, Biolo G, Cederholm T, et al. Evidence-based recommendations for optimal dietary protein intake in older people: a position paper from the PROT-AGE Study Group. J Am Med Dir Assoc. 2013;14(8):542-559. PubMed 23867520
- Schoenfeld BJ, Aragon AA. How much protein can the body use in a single meal for muscle-building? Implications for daily protein distribution. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2018;15:10. PubMed 29497353
- US Department of Agriculture and US Department of Health and Human Services. Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025, Table 5-2. 2020. PDF
- Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) CKD Work Group. KDIGO 2024 clinical practice guideline for the evaluation and management of chronic kidney disease. Kidney Int. 2024;105(4S):S117-S314. PubMed 38490803
- US Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central. fdc.nal.usda.gov
This article is for informational purposes only and is not medical advice. See our Medical Disclaimer before changing your exercise, diet, or supplement routine.
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Frequently asked questions
Is this meal plan generator free?
Yes. It is completely free, there is no sign-up, and your answers are not saved on our servers. You can save or share your plan with a link, or print it.
How many calories should I eat to lose weight?
Most people lose about 1 lb (0.5 kg) a week by eating about 500 calories a day below their maintenance calories. The generator works out your maintenance with the Mifflin-St Jeor equation, keeps the deficit to no more than about 1% of your body weight a week, and never goes below 1,200 calories for women or 1,500 for men.
How much protein do I need a day?
The 2025 to 2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans set a goal of 1.2 to 1.6 g of protein per kg of body weight a day. The generator uses 1.2 to 2.0 g depending on your goal and activity, at least 1.2 g if you are 65 or older, and 0.8 g if you have kidney disease.
Can I get a vegetarian or vegan meal plan?
Yes. Choose vegetarian or vegan before you build your plan, or switch on the plan itself. Vegan plans use tofu, tempeh, edamame, lentils, beans and soy milk, and the plan tells you if a day falls short of your protein target.
How accurate are the calories in the plan?
Food values come from USDA FoodData Central, and each day is scaled to within a few percent of your calorie target. Your own calorie needs are an estimate, though, so weigh yourself for 2 to 3 weeks and adjust by about 100 to 200 calories a day if needed.
Can I swap foods in my meal plan?
Yes. Swap foods within the same group, such as chicken for turkey or fish, rice for potatoes or quinoa, or one vegetable for another, and keep the portions about the same.