Nutrition

Easy meal plans and grocery lists

Pick your calorie level and you get a full day of food — breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks — cooked in an air fryer, a microwave, or in ten minutes or less. Every meal is one of the repeatable ones people actually make at home, and every grocery item shows its calories so nothing is a mystery.

Air fryer, microwave or 10 min or less Protein at every meal Grocery list included

1. Choose your daily calories

Not sure which to pick? Use the calorie calculator first — it works out your number from your height, weight, age and activity.

2. Your 1800 calorie day

Day total: 1795 cal · 125 g protein (+5 to target)

You are about 5 calories short — add a piece of fruit, an extra spoon of peanut butter, or a little more rice.

Air fryer breakfast burrito plated and ready to eat
BreakfastAir fryer10 min415 cal30 g protein

Air fryer breakfast burrito

Make five on Sunday, freeze them, air fry one each morning — a staple of meal-prep videos.

Portion for this plan: 0.9× the recipe (make it smaller)

What you need (base recipe 460 cal · 33 g protein)

  • 1 each large tortilla140 cal · 4 g
  • 2 large eggs140 cal · 12 g
  • 2 oz sliced turkey60 cal · 10 g
  • 0.25 cup shredded cheddar110 cal · 7 g
  • 2 tbsp salsa10 cal · 0 g

Want more protein?

  • Add a seasoned chicken packet to the filling +16 g protein (+90 cal)
  • Use a high-protein tortilla instead of a plain one +8 g protein (+0 cal)

How to make it

  1. Scramble the eggs in the microwave for 60–90 seconds, stirring halfway.
  2. Fill the tortilla with egg, turkey, cheese and salsa, then roll it tight.
  3. Air fry seam-side down at 375°F / 190°C for 6–8 minutes until crisp.
Cottage cheese flatbread pizza plated and ready to eat
LunchAir fryer8 min355 cal24 g protein

Cottage cheese flatbread pizza

Blended cottage cheese as the base — the high-protein pizza that took over food feeds.

Portion for this plan: 0.9× the recipe (make it smaller)

What you need (base recipe 395 cal · 27 g protein)

  • 1 each flatbread180 cal · 6 g
  • 0.5 cup cottage cheese90 cal · 12 g
  • 3 tbsp pizza sauce25 cal · 1 g
  • 0.33 cup shredded mozzarella100 cal · 8 g

Want more protein?

  • Top with 3 oz of shredded chicken before it goes in +26 g protein (+140 cal)
  • Add 2 oz of turkey pepperoni +10 g protein (+80 cal)

How to make it

  1. Blend the cottage cheese smooth (or mash it well with a fork).
  2. Spread sauce then cottage cheese over the flatbread and add mozzarella.
  3. Air fry at 350°F / 175°C for 6–8 minutes, then top with basil.
Garlic butter shrimp and rice plated and ready to eat
Dinner10 minutes or less8 min415 cal33 g protein

Garlic butter shrimp and rice

Frozen shrimp cook in four minutes — the fastest real dinner on the internet.

Portion for this plan: 0.9× the recipe (make it smaller)

What you need (base recipe 460 cal · 37 g protein)

  • 6 oz raw shrimp170 cal · 34 g
  • 1 tbsp butter100 cal · 0 g
  • 2 clove garlic10 cal · 0 g
  • 0.5 pouch microwave rice pouch180 cal · 3 g

Want more protein?

  • Scramble an egg through the rice, fried-rice style +6 g protein (+70 cal)
  • Add ½ cup of edamame to the pan +9 g protein (+95 cal)

How to make it

  1. Melt the butter with the garlic in a pan.
  2. Add the thawed shrimp and cook 3–4 minutes until pink.
  3. Microwave the rice for 90 seconds and spoon the shrimp over it.
Apple, peanut butter and cheese plate plated and ready to eat
Snack10 minutes or less3 min305 cal13 g protein

Apple, peanut butter and cheese plate

The snack plate, built so it actually holds you until the next meal.

Portion for this plan: 0.9× the recipe (make it smaller)

What you need (base recipe 340 cal · 14 g protein)

  • 1 each apple95 cal · 0 g
  • 1 tbsp peanut butter95 cal · 4 g
  • 1 each string cheese80 cal · 7 g
  • 10 each almonds70 cal · 3 g

Want more protein?

  • Add a protein bar or a stick of jerky +12 g protein (+150 cal)
  • Swap the almonds for a small pot of Greek yogurt +8 g protein (+20 cal)

How to make it

  1. Slice the apple.
  2. Add the peanut butter, string cheese and almonds to the plate.
Edamame and egg snack box plated and ready to eat
SnackMicrowave4 min305 cal25 g protein

Edamame and egg snack box

The grab-and-go box: steam the edamame, add eggs you boiled earlier, done.

On GLP-1: Easy to graze on in small bites across an afternoon when a full meal feels like too much.

Portion for this plan: 0.9× the recipe (make it smaller)

What you need (base recipe 340 cal · 28 g protein)

  • 0.75 cup frozen edamame150 cal · 14 g
  • 2 large eggs140 cal · 12 g
  • 0.5 cup cherry tomatoes15 cal · 1 g
  • 1 each clementine35 cal · 1 g

Want more protein?

  • Add a stick of light string cheese +7 g protein (+80 cal)
  • Add a tuna packet +16 g protein (+70 cal)

How to make it

  1. Microwave the frozen edamame for 3 minutes and salt lightly.
  2. Pack with halved boiled eggs, tomatoes and a clementine.

3. Your grocery list

Everything you need to repeat this 1800 calorie day for a week. Buy the nearest normal pack size — the numbers are a guide, not a rule.

Protein

  • Sliced turkey 12.6 oz378 cal · 63 g

Dairy & eggs

  • Butter 6.3 tbsp630 cal · 0 g
  • Cottage cheese 3.2 cup567 cal · 76 g
  • Eggs 25.2 large1764 cal · 151 g
  • Shredded cheddar 1.6 cup693 cal · 44 g
  • Shredded mozzarella 2.1 cup630 cal · 50 g
  • String cheese 6.3 each504 cal · 44 g

Produce

  • Apple 6.3 each599 cal · 0 g
  • Cherry tomatoes 3.2 cup95 cal · 6 g
  • Clementine 6.3 each221 cal · 6 g
  • Garlic 12.6 clove63 cal · 0 g

Pantry

  • Almonds 63 each441 cal · 19 g
  • Flatbread 6.3 each1134 cal · 38 g
  • Large tortilla 6.3 each882 cal · 25 g
  • Microwave rice pouch 3.2 pouch1134 cal · 19 g
  • Peanut butter 6.3 tbsp599 cal · 25 g
  • Pizza sauce 18.9 tbsp158 cal · 6 g
  • Salsa 12.6 tbsp63 cal · 0 g

Freezer

  • Frozen edamame 4.7 cup945 cal · 88 g
  • Raw shrimp 37.8 oz1071 cal · 214 g

Whole list: 12,571 calories and 874 g protein across seven days of food.

Protein salads — ready in 5 minutes

Four no-fuss salads that follow the same rules as everything else here: 30+ grams of protein, everyday ingredients, and nothing that takes longer than a microwave pouch. Swap any of them in for lunch on your plan.

Chicken Caesar protein salad served in a bowl
Lunch10 minutes or less5 min370 cal50 g protein

Chicken Caesar protein salad

The high-protein Caesar hack: light dressing swapped for a Greek yogurt blend.

What you need

  • 5 oz cooked chicken breast230 cal · 43 g
  • 3 cup romaine lettuce25 cal · 2 g
  • 2 tbsp light caesar dressing70 cal · 1 g
  • 2 tbsp shaved parmesan45 cal · 4 g

Want more protein?

  • Stir 2 tbsp of Greek yogurt into the dressing+4 g protein (+20 cal)
  • Add 2 chopped hard-boiled eggs+12 g protein (+140 cal)

How to make it

  1. Toss the romaine with the dressing and half the parmesan.
  2. Slice the cooked chicken and lay it over the top.
  3. Finish with the rest of the parmesan and a squeeze of lemon.
Tuna and white bean salad served in a bowl
Lunch10 minutes or less5 min377 cal36 g protein

Tuna and white bean salad

The no-cook Mediterranean tuna bowl — beans double the protein and keep you full.

What you need

  • 1 pouch tuna creation packet100 cal · 22 g
  • 0.75 cup white beans (canned)180 cal · 12 g
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes27 cal · 1 g
  • 2 cup salad greens15 cal · 1 g
  • 0.25 cup red onion15 cal · 0 g
  • 1 tsp olive oil40 cal · 0 g

Want more protein?

  • Add a second tuna packet+22 g protein (+100 cal)
  • Crumble ¼ cup of feta over the top+5 g protein (+100 cal)

How to make it

  1. Rinse and drain the beans, then add them to a bowl with the tuna.
  2. Add the tomatoes, onion and greens.
  3. Dress with olive oil and lemon, season well and toss.
Salmon, quinoa and edamame salad served in a bowl
LunchMicrowave5 min616 cal42 g protein

Salmon, quinoa and edamame salad

Microwave-grain salad bowls — the work-lunch formula all over meal-prep feeds.

What you need

  • 4 oz cooked salmon230 cal · 25 g
  • 0.5 pouch microwave quinoa pouch140 cal · 5 g
  • 0.5 cup frozen edamame95 cal · 9 g
  • 1 cup cucumber16 cal · 1 g
  • 0.5 each avocado120 cal · 1 g
  • 2 cup salad greens15 cal · 1 g

Want more protein?

  • Use a 6 oz salmon portion instead of 4 oz+12 g protein (+115 cal)
  • Add ½ cup of extra edamame+9 g protein (+95 cal)

How to make it

  1. Microwave the quinoa pouch and the frozen edamame for 90 seconds.
  2. Tip into a bowl over the greens with the cucumber and avocado.
  3. Flake the salmon over the top and squeeze over the lemon.
Greek cottage cheese protein salad served in a bowl
Lunch10 minutes or less5 min488 cal38 g protein

Greek cottage cheese protein salad

The cottage cheese bowl trend done Greek-style — salty, crunchy and 30+ grams of protein.

What you need

  • 1 cup cottage cheese180 cal · 24 g
  • 0.5 cup chickpeas (canned)130 cal · 7 g
  • 1 cup cucumber16 cal · 1 g
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes27 cal · 1 g
  • 0.25 cup feta100 cal · 5 g
  • 6 each olives35 cal · 0 g

Want more protein?

  • Add 3 oz of shredded rotisserie chicken+25 g protein (+140 cal)
  • Add 2 chopped hard-boiled eggs+12 g protein (+140 cal)

How to make it

  1. Spoon the cottage cheese into a bowl as the base.
  2. Pile the chickpeas, cucumber, tomatoes and olives on top.
  3. Crumble over the feta and finish with olive oil and herbs.

All 31 meals, by how you cook them

Swap any meal in your day for another one in the same row — the calories are close enough for a beginner plan.

Air fryer cottage cheese egg bites served

Breakfast

Air fryer cottage cheese egg bites

Air fryer · 12 min · 410 cal · 37 g protein

60-second microwave protein oats served

Breakfast

60-second microwave protein oats

Microwave · 3 min · 480 cal · 40 g protein

Greek yogurt crunch bowl served

Breakfast

Greek yogurt crunch bowl

10 minutes or less · 3 min · 370 cal · 25 g protein

Air fryer breakfast burrito served

Breakfast

Air fryer breakfast burrito

Air fryer · 10 min · 460 cal · 33 g protein

Chicken and rice protein bowl served

Lunch

Chicken and rice protein bowl

Microwave · 5 min · 478 cal · 50 g protein

Tuna crunch wrap served

Lunch

Tuna crunch wrap

10 minutes or less · 5 min · 375 cal · 28 g protein

Air fryer chicken tenders and salad served

Lunch

Air fryer chicken tenders and salad

Air fryer · 12 min · 400 cal · 27 g protein

Cottage cheese flatbread pizza served

Lunch

Cottage cheese flatbread pizza

Air fryer · 8 min · 395 cal · 27 g protein

Chicken Caesar protein salad served

Lunch

Chicken Caesar protein salad

10 minutes or less · 5 min · 370 cal · 50 g protein

Tuna and white bean salad served

Lunch

Tuna and white bean salad

10 minutes or less · 5 min · 377 cal · 36 g protein

Salmon, quinoa and edamame salad served

Lunch

Salmon, quinoa and edamame salad

Microwave · 5 min · 616 cal · 42 g protein

Greek cottage cheese protein salad served

Lunch

Greek cottage cheese protein salad

10 minutes or less · 5 min · 488 cal · 38 g protein

Air fryer salmon and broccoli served

Dinner

Air fryer salmon and broccoli

Air fryer · 12 min · 455 cal · 39 g protein

Air fryer chicken strips and sweet potato fries served

Dinner

Air fryer chicken strips and sweet potato fries

Air fryer · 10 min · 415 cal · 47 g protein

10-minute turkey taco bowl served

Dinner

10-minute turkey taco bowl

10 minutes or less · 10 min · 620 cal · 47 g protein

Garlic butter shrimp and rice served

Dinner

Garlic butter shrimp and rice

10 minutes or less · 8 min · 460 cal · 37 g protein

Protein shake and banana served

Snack

Protein shake and banana

10 minutes or less · 2 min · 325 cal · 34 g protein

Cottage cheese and pineapple bowl served

Snack

Cottage cheese and pineapple bowl

10 minutes or less · 2 min · 200 cal · 19 g protein

Air fryer crispy chickpeas served

Snack

Air fryer crispy chickpeas

Air fryer · 14 min · 240 cal · 11 g protein

Apple, peanut butter and cheese plate served

Snack

Apple, peanut butter and cheese plate

10 minutes or less · 3 min · 340 cal · 14 g protein

Microwave egg white, spinach and feta mug served

Breakfast

Microwave egg white, spinach and feta mug

Microwave · 4 min · 300 cal · 35 g protein

Air fryer turkey sausage and pepper hash served

Breakfast

Air fryer turkey sausage and pepper hash

Air fryer · 15 min · 380 cal · 28 g protein

Microwave lentil and chicken soup served

Lunch

Microwave lentil and chicken soup

Microwave · 6 min · 280 cal · 33 g protein

Chicken packet cucumber crunch bowl served

Lunch

Chicken packet cucumber crunch bowl

10 minutes or less · 7 min · 325 cal · 34 g protein

Air fryer turkey meatballs in marinara served

Lunch

Air fryer turkey meatballs in marinara

Air fryer · 14 min · 415 cal · 36 g protein

Microwave black bean and cheese quesadilla served

Lunch

Microwave black bean and cheese quesadilla

Microwave · 5 min · 360 cal · 29 g protein

Air fryer cod with green beans and lemon served

Dinner

Air fryer cod with green beans and lemon

Air fryer · 14 min · 390 cal · 38 g protein

20-minute beef and broccoli bowl served

Dinner

20-minute beef and broccoli bowl

20 minutes or less · 20 min · 500 cal · 46 g protein

Air fryer tofu and edamame rice bowl served

Dinner

Air fryer tofu and edamame rice bowl

Air fryer · 18 min · 515 cal · 39 g protein

Whipped cottage cheese chocolate mousse served

Snack

Whipped cottage cheese chocolate mousse

10 minutes or less · 5 min · 250 cal · 33 g protein

Edamame and egg snack box served

Snack

Edamame and egg snack box

Microwave · 4 min · 340 cal · 28 g protein

PDF download

Take your 1800 calorie plan with you

Your chosen calorie level as a printable, fillable plan: every meal with calories, protein grams, ingredients, steps and two protein boosts, plus a tick-off grocery list and a 14-day protein and calorie tracker. The download follows the calorie level and list length you picked above — right now that is 1800 calories a day with a seven-day shop.

Protein shortcuts you can add to anything

Every meal above already has a protein source, and each one lists two ways to push the grams higher. These are the easiest things to keep in the house — shakes, packets, powders, dairy, meat and plants.

Tuna or chicken creation packets

Ready to eat, no cooking

16–22 g per pouch

Protein powder (whey or plant)

Shakes, oats, yogurt, pancakes

20–25 g per scoop

Cottage cheese

Sweet bowls, pizza base, dips

12–18 g per ½–¾ cup

Plain Greek yogurt

Breakfast, sauces, sour-cream swap

20 g per cup

Eggs and liquid egg whites

Air fryer bites, burritos, fried rice

6 g per egg

Rotisserie or frozen grilled chicken

Bowls, wraps, pizza topping

25 g per 3 oz

Shrimp, salmon and white fish

Air fryer in 8–12 minutes

20–34 g per serving

Edamame, lentils, beans, chickpeas

Plant protein you can microwave

7–11 g per ½ cup

High-protein tortillas, bread and milk

Same meal, more grams

+6–10 g per swap

Jerky and protein bars

Glovebox and desk-drawer snacks

11–20 g each

New to this? Start here

  • Pick one number and stay with it for two weeks. Jumping between calorie levels every few days tells you nothing.
  • Repeat meals on purpose. Eating the same breakfast and lunch most days is the single easiest way to stay on track.
  • Protein at every meal. Eggs, chicken, tuna, shrimp, turkey, yogurt, cottage cheese — it keeps you full and protects muscle while you lose weight.
  • Measure the calorie-dense things. Oil, peanut butter, cheese, dressing and granola are where most people go over without noticing.
  • Close enough is fine. Being within about 100 calories of your target is a good day.

Educational only. These plans are general information from The Modern Health Report, not medical or dietary advice for any individual. Calorie figures are typical values for common ingredients and will vary by brand and portion. Speak with a clinician or registered dietitian before making changes if you are pregnant, managing a health condition, or taking medication that affects appetite or blood sugar.