7-Day Protein-First Meal Plan: 150g Protein, ~2000 Calories

This plan applies the protein-first principle directly: every meal starts with a defined protein anchor, everything else fills in around it. The targets - 150g protein, ~2000 kcal - suit an active adult in a mild maintenance or very slight deficit. Adjust total calories up (add more rice, bread, or fruit) or down (reduce starch portions) while keeping the protein structure intact.

The plan is designed around a 90-minute Sunday batch cook session. Without the batch cook, the daily effort roughly triples. With it, most meals are 5-10 minutes of assembly.

Sunday Batch Cook: What to Prepare

Spend 90 minutes on Sunday to cover 80% of the week's protein needs. Here's the full prep list with active times:

• 1kg chicken breast - Brine 20 minutes (1 tbsp salt per 500ml water), pat dry, bake at 200°C for 22-25 minutes on a rack. Cool completely, slice into 200g portions, store in airtight containers with a splash of cooking juices. Keeps 4 days. Active time: 10 minutes.
• 700g 90% lean ground beef - Brown in a large pan over medium-high heat with garlic, salt, and pepper. Portion into 140g containers. Keeps 4 days, freezes 3 months. Active time: 12 minutes.
• 10 hard-boiled eggs - Cold water, bring to boil, simmer 12 minutes, ice bath, store in-shell. Keeps 7 days. Active time: 3 minutes.
• 4 x 150g salmon fillets - Bake at 200°C for 14 minutes with lemon and olive oil (the lemon-butter salmon technique). Cool uncovered before refrigerating. Keeps 3 days. Active time: 8 minutes.
• 3 jars of overnight oats - Use the blueberry chia overnight oatmeal base, adding 1 scoop of protein powder and 100g blended cottage cheese per jar in place of part of the liquid. Keeps 4 days. Active time: 10 minutes.

Total active kitchen time: ~45 minutes. The rest is baking and cooling.

Day 1 - Monday (~155g protein, 1985 kcal)

Breakfast (~37g protein, 340 kcal)

3 whole eggs scrambled with 150g low-fat cottage cheese stirred in at the end. Season with salt, pepper, and hot sauce. Serve with black coffee or tea. Prep time: 8 minutes. For the structured version of this build, see the egg and cottage cheese omelet.

Lunch (~50g protein, 490 kcal)

200g batch chicken (from Sunday) over 120g cooked white rice with 80g steamed broccoli. Dress with sriracha and a tablespoon of light mayo. Assemble cold and eat at room temperature or microwave 90 seconds. Prep: 3 minutes.

Dinner (~42g protein, 450 kcal)

Balsamic chicken and mushrooms made fresh or reheated if batch-cooked Sunday. Serve over 60g dry rice (cooked). One pan, 20 minutes.

Snacks (~26g protein, 310 kcal)

200g store-brand non-fat Greek yogurt + 30g granola (~20g protein, 250 kcal). 1 hard-boiled egg (~6g protein, 70 kcal).

Day 1 totals: ~155g protein, 1590 kcal from food + ~395 kcal from rice and granola additions. Total: ~1985 kcal.

Day 2 - Tuesday (~152g protein, 1960 kcal)

Breakfast (~46g protein, 460 kcal)

Jar 1 of overnight oats (blueberry chia base + protein powder + cottage cheese). Eat cold from the jar. Prep: 0 minutes.

Lunch (~44g protein, 380 kcal)

Tuna and white bean salad - 1 can drained tuna + 80g white beans (rinsed) + cherry tomatoes + olive oil + lemon juice. Make fresh in 5 minutes or eat from a batch made Sunday. No cooking required.

Dinner (~36g protein, 310 kcal)

Shrimp and peppers over cauliflower rice. Defrost shrimp under cold water, 5 minutes. Cook total: 12 minutes. Low calorie dinner - leaves room for larger snacks if needed.

Snacks (~28g protein, 370 kcal)

200g cottage cheese + cucumber slices, black pepper (~22g protein, 200 kcal). 2 hard-boiled eggs from batch (~12g protein, 140 kcal). Apple on the side.

Day 2 totals: ~152g protein, ~1960 kcal.

Day 3 - Wednesday (~150g protein, 2010 kcal)

Breakfast (~40g protein, 370 kcal)

3 egg, spinach and bacon muffins from a Sunday batch (if made) or bake 12 fresh this morning (35 minutes). Eat 3 muffins cold (~28g protein, 250 kcal) + 150g Greek yogurt on the side (~15g protein, 90 kcal). Prep: 0 minutes if batch-cooked.

Lunch (~38g protein, 470 kcal)

Batch salmon fillet (from Sunday) served cold over 100g cooked quinoa with a large mixed salad and lemon-herb dressing. The salmon meal prep guide covers the full approach including flavour variations to keep it interesting across the week.

Dinner (~46g protein, 480 kcal)

Ground beef taco bowl - 140g batch beef reheated with cumin and chilli, over 60g cooked rice with black beans, salsa, cheese, and shredded cabbage. Assembly: 5 minutes.

Snacks (~22g protein, 200 kcal)

Smoked salmon and cottage cheese bowl (half portion - 100g cottage cheese + 50g smoked salmon). ~22g protein, ~200 kcal. No prep required.

Day 3 totals: ~146g protein, ~1520 kcal base. Add rice, bread, or fruit to reach 2010 kcal.

Day 4 - Thursday (~153g protein, 1990 kcal)

Breakfast (~34g protein, 300 kcal)

Egg and cottage cheese omelet - 2 whole eggs + 2 whites + 150g cottage cheese. Serves as the higher-volume version of the Day 1 scramble. Prep: 10 minutes.

Lunch (~52g protein, 510 kcal)

200g batch chicken + coleslaw (100g shredded cabbage, light mayo, lemon) + 1 small wholegrain pitta. The pitta adds ~5g protein and ~160 kcal, making this a more substantial and satisfying meal for a high-activity day.

Dinner (~44g protein, 480 kcal)

Pan-roasted chicken thighs - cook 2 bone-in thighs fresh (25 minutes). Serve with roasted sweet potato and a green salad.

Snacks (~22g protein, 320 kcal)

200g non-fat Greek yogurt + small handful of almonds (~22g protein, ~320 kcal). Filling and protein-positive without requiring any prep.

Day 4 totals: ~152g protein, ~1610 kcal base + rice and sides to reach ~1990 kcal.

Day 5 - Friday (~150g protein, 1970 kcal)

Breakfast (~46g protein, 460 kcal)

Jar 2 of overnight oats. Zero effort morning.

Lunch (~44g protein, 430 kcal)

Ground beef Greek bowl - 140g batch beef warmed with oregano and lemon, over romaine with cucumber, tomato, red onion, and 2 tbsp tzatziki. A small wholegrain pitta on the side.

Dinner (~40g protein, 490 kcal)

Second batch salmon fillet + roasted asparagus (from Sunday, eaten cold or at room temperature) alongside 100g quinoa. Add 100g cottage cheese as a side to push protein toward 55g if the day's total needs a boost.

Snacks (~22g protein, 280 kcal)

2 hard-boiled eggs from the batch (~12g protein, 140 kcal). 100g cottage cheese with cucumber (~11g protein, 90 kcal). Light evening before the weekend.

Day 5 totals: ~150g protein, ~1660 kcal base + sides and additions to reach ~1970 kcal.

Day 6 - Saturday (~155g protein, 2020 kcal)

Breakfast (~36g protein, 420 kcal)

Weekend breakfast - 3 whole eggs + 3 egg whites scrambled, served on 2 slices of sourdough toast. The additional egg whites boost protein while keeping the yolk micronutrients from the 3 whole eggs. Add fried eggs and bacon on the side for a more complete weekend breakfast at slightly higher calorie cost.

Lunch (~40g protein, 350 kcal)

Microwave chicken with broccoli and cauliflower - the fast Saturday option when Sunday's batch has run out. 10 minutes total.

Dinner (~40g protein, 490 kcal)

Keto meatballs in creamy mustard-sour cream sauce - a more relaxed dinner for the weekend. Make fresh (20–25 minutes). Serve with a large green salad. Adds variety after a week of chicken-and-fish-heavy eating.

Snacks (~36g protein, 360 kcal)

200g Greek yogurt + 1 scoop protein powder stirred in (~36g protein, ~300 kcal). An unusually high-protein snack that pushes the Saturday total comfortably past 150g.

Day 6 totals: ~152g protein, ~1620 kcal base + additions to reach ~2020 kcal.

Day 7 - Sunday (~150g protein, 1940 kcal)

Breakfast (~30g protein, 400 kcal)

Oatmeal banana protein shake - blended and fast. The lower-preparation option for Sunday when the batch cook is coming up. Add an extra 100g Greek yogurt on the side to push protein past 40g.

Lunch (~40g protein, 350 kcal)

Full smoked salmon and cottage cheese bowl + rye crackers. Zero cooking. The highest-protein zero-cook lunch on this plan.

Dinner (~42g protein, 450 kcal)

Fresh balsamic chicken and mushrooms - a Sunday dinner worth making from scratch. Cook a double batch and the first Monday lunch is already handled.

Snacks (~22g protein, 200 kcal)

200g cottage cheese + berries. The casein evening protein dose. ~22g protein, ~180 kcal.

Day 7 totals: ~134g protein from above + add Jar 3 overnight oats at breakfast or extra Greek yogurt to clear 150g. ~1940 kcal total.

Complete Shopping List

Proteins (refrigerated/frozen):

• Chicken breast - 2kg (1kg batch cook + dinners)
• Lean ground beef (90%) - 700g
• Salmon fillets - 4 x 150g (fresh or frozen, individually packaged)
• Shrimp - 300g frozen
• Smoked salmon - 300g (for lunch and snack builds)
• Eggs - 15 (10 for hard-boiling, 5 for weekday breakfasts)
• Bacon - 4-6 rashers (for egg muffins and Saturday breakfast)

Dairy:

• Low-fat cottage cheese - 1kg tub
• Non-fat Greek yogurt - 1kg tub (store brand)
• Cheddar (grated) - small amount for taco bowl
• Mozzarella - 125g (for microwave chicken)

Pantry:

• Canned tuna in water - 4 cans
• Canned white beans (cannellini) - 2 x 400g
• Canned black beans - 1 x 400g
• Oats (rolled) - 250g
• Chia seeds - 60g
• Whey protein powder - 1 tub (vanilla or unflavoured)
• Quinoa - 200g
• White rice - 500g
• Wholegrain pitta - 4 (for lunches)
• Sourdough bread - 1 loaf
• Rye crackers - 1 pack

Produce:

• Broccoli - 400g
• Asparagus - 2 bunches
• Cauliflower - 1 head (for microwave dish and cauli rice)
• Cherry tomatoes - 300g
• Cucumber - 2
• Mixed peppers - 3
• Mushrooms - 400g
• Baby spinach - 200g
• Iceberg lettuce - 1 head
• Romaine lettuce - 1 head
• Sweet potato - 2
• Garlic - 1 bulb
• Lemons - 4
• Berries (fresh or frozen) - 300g
• Banana - 2 (for the Sunday shake)

Condiments and pantry extras: Olive oil, sriracha, light mayo, balsamic vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, cumin, smoked paprika, chilli powder, oregano, dill, salt, pepper, tzatziki (store-bought for speed).

Estimated Weekly Cost

Approximately $85-120 depending on location, store choice, and whether you buy organic. Using store-brand dairy, buying chicken in a 2kg pack, and sourcing tuna and canned beans in bulk reduces the total toward the lower end. The protein-specific cost is roughly $40-55 of the total. That works out to $12-17 per day for 150g protein and ~2000 kcal - competitive with any food approach that achieves the same nutritional outcome.

For the underlying framework behind this plan's structure, see the protein-first cooking method guide. For the science behind the daily protein targets, see the how much protein per day guide.

If you want this week planned around your specific numbers rather than the 150g/2000 kcal targets used here, Consillar's weekly meal prep planner generates a fully personalised week of recipes automatically.