A 7-Day High-Protein Meal Plan (With Shopping List)
A realistic week of high-protein breakfasts, lunches, dinners and snacks at roughly 120–140 g protein a day, built on everyday supermarket food.
Quick answer: A simple high-protein week puts 30–40 g of protein at every meal plus one or two protein snacks. That lands most people at about 120–140 g a day without shakes. The plan below uses eggs, Greek yogurt, chicken, fish, lentils and tofu, and reuses ingredients so nothing goes to waste.
Most "high-protein meal plans" online are either bodybuilder menus of plain chicken and rice, or a list of expensive powders. This one is built from normal food you can buy in one shop, cooked in under 30 minutes on weeknights.
How much protein do you actually need?
The baseline reference for adults set by WHO and European bodies is about 0.83 g per kg of body weight (about 0.38 g per lb). People who train regularly, want to stay full while eating less, or are older often aim higher, commonly 1.2–1.6 g per kg (0.55–0.73 g per lb). For a 75 kg (165 lb) adult that is roughly 90–120 g a day.
If you have kidney disease or another medical condition, check with your doctor before raising your protein intake.
Protein per portion: a quick reference
| Food | Portion | Protein |
|---|---|---|
| Chicken breast, cooked | 150 g (5.3 oz) | ~45 g |
| Salmon fillet, cooked | 130 g (4.6 oz) | ~30 g |
| Greek yogurt (plain, 0–2%) | 200 g (7 oz) | ~20 g |
| Eggs | 3 large | ~19 g |
| Cottage cheese | 150 g (5.3 oz) | ~17 g |
| Canned tuna, drained | 1 can, 112 g (4 oz) | ~25 g |
| Lentils, cooked | 200 g (1 cup) | ~18 g |
| Firm tofu | 150 g (5.3 oz) | ~20 g |
The 7-day plan
Portions are for one adult. Scale them with our free recipe portion scaler.
Day 1
- Breakfast: 3-egg omelette with spinach and feta, 1 slice wholegrain toast (~30 g)
- Lunch: Chicken, quinoa and roasted pepper bowl (~40 g)
- Dinner: Baked salmon, potatoes and green beans (~35 g)
- Snack: 200 g Greek yogurt with berries (~20 g)
Day 2
- Breakfast: Overnight oats made with milk, Greek yogurt and chia (~30 g)
- Lunch: Leftover salmon flaked into a big salad with chickpeas (~35 g)
- Dinner: Turkey or beef chilli with kidney beans and rice (~40 g) — cook a double batch
- Snack: 2 hard-boiled eggs (~13 g)
Day 3
- Breakfast: Cottage cheese on toast with tomato and pepper (~25 g)
- Lunch: Leftover chilli in a baked potato (~35 g)
- Dinner: Tofu and vegetable stir-fry with edamame and noodles (~35 g)
- Snack: Handful of roasted chickpeas and an apple (~8 g)
Day 4
- Breakfast: Greek yogurt bowl with oats, nuts and banana (~28 g)
- Lunch: Tuna, white bean and red onion salad on wholegrain bread (~35 g)
- Dinner: Sheet-pan chicken thighs with sweet potato and broccoli (~40 g)
- Snack: Glass of milk or soy milk (~8 g)
Day 5
- Breakfast: Scrambled eggs with smoked salmon (~32 g)
- Lunch: Leftover chicken and sweet potato wrap with yogurt sauce (~38 g)
- Dinner: Red lentil and spinach dal with rice and a side of yogurt (~28 g)
- Snack: Cottage cheese with pineapple (~17 g)
Day 6
- Breakfast: Protein pancakes (oats, eggs, banana, yogurt) (~28 g)
- Lunch: Leftover dal with a fried egg on top (~24 g)
- Dinner: Homemade burgers (lean beef or lentil) with salad (~38 g)
- Snack: Edamame, 150 g (5.3 oz) (~17 g)
Day 7
- Breakfast: Shakshuka: eggs baked in spiced tomato sauce, with bread (~25 g)
- Lunch: Chicken and hummus grain bowl (~40 g)
- Dinner: Roast chicken with vegetables — save leftovers for Monday (~45 g)
- Snack: Greek yogurt with honey (~20 g)
Shopping list for the week
- Protein: 2 dozen eggs, 1 kg (2.2 lb) chicken breast, 600 g (1.3 lb) chicken thighs, 2 salmon fillets, 500 g (1.1 lb) minced turkey or beef, 1 block firm tofu, 2 cans tuna, small pack smoked salmon
- Dairy: 1.5 kg (3.3 lb) Greek yogurt, 500 g (1.1 lb) cottage cheese, milk, feta
- Pulses and grains: red lentils, canned chickpeas, kidney beans, white beans, frozen edamame, quinoa, rice, oats, wholegrain bread, wraps, noodles
- Vegetables and fruit: spinach, peppers, broccoli, green beans, sweet potatoes, potatoes, onions, garlic, tomatoes, berries, bananas, apples
- Pantry: canned tomatoes, hummus, chia seeds, nuts, spices (cumin, paprika, curry powder)
Prefer a printable version? Use our free weekly grocery list.
Prep in 60 minutes on Sunday
- Oven at 200°C (400°F): roast the chicken breasts and a tray of peppers and sweet potatoes.
- Cook a pot of quinoa and a pot of rice.
- Hard-boil 6 eggs.
- Make overnight oats for two mornings.
- Cool everything quickly and refrigerate within 2 hours. Cooked food keeps 3–4 days in the fridge at 5°C (41°F) or below — see our food storage chart.
Keeping it affordable
Eggs, lentils, canned tuna, milk and Greek yogurt are the cheapest protein per gram in most supermarkets. Swap salmon for canned mackerel or sardines and use chicken thighs instead of breasts to cut the bill. More ideas in Eat Well on a Budget and the 7-day budget meal plan.