Most UK weight loss meal plans are either too restrictive, too expensive, or built around foods you can't find in a normal supermarket. This 7-day plan is built around real Tesco, Aldi, and Lidl ingredients at realistic prices — targeting approximately 1,600–1,800 calories per day with 130–150g protein to preserve muscle while losing fat.
Before You Start: Get Your Actual Calorie Target
1,600–1,800 calories is a common range for weight loss, but your number depends on your TDEE. A 5ft 4in woman doing light exercise might have a TDEE of 1,850 kcal — meaning a 1,500 kcal intake gives her a 350 kcal deficit. A 6ft man doing moderate exercise might have a TDEE of 2,600 kcal — meaning 1,800 kcal gives him an 800 kcal deficit. Same plan, very different outcomes.
Find your TDEE first using our TDEE calculator. Then set a deficit of 300–500 kcal below that — not from a template, from your actual numbers. The plan below is a framework; adjust quantities to match your target.
The 7-Day Plan
Monday
- Breakfast: Greek yoghurt (200g) with oats (40g) and frozen berries — 380 kcal, 20g protein
- Lunch: Tuna salad (1 tin tuna in brine, mixed leaves, cucumber, tomato, light dressing) with 2 rye crackers — 320 kcal, 30g protein
- Dinner: Chicken thigh (150g cooked) with roasted sweet potato (200g) and green beans — 480 kcal, 38g protein
- Snack: 2 hard-boiled eggs — 140 kcal, 12g protein
- Daily total: ~1,320 kcal, 100g protein — adjust portions up or down to match your target
Tuesday
- Breakfast: 3 scrambled eggs on wholemeal toast (1 slice) — 350 kcal, 24g protein
- Lunch: Red lentil soup (homemade, 350ml) with wholemeal roll — 390 kcal, 20g protein
- Dinner: Minced beef chilli (150g mince, kidney beans, tinned tomatoes) with cauliflower rice — 460 kcal, 36g protein
- Snack: Cottage cheese (150g) with cucumber — 130 kcal, 16g protein
Wednesday
- Breakfast: Overnight oats (50g) with skimmed milk and a banana — 400 kcal, 15g protein
- Lunch: Chicken and rice bowl (120g cooked chicken thigh, 120g cooked brown rice, frozen peas) — 440 kcal, 38g protein
- Dinner: Baked salmon fillet (130g) with courgette ribbons and lemon — 380 kcal, 34g protein
- Snack: Apple with 1 tablespoon peanut butter — 170 kcal, 4g protein
Thursday
- Breakfast: 2-egg omelette with spinach and low-fat cheddar — 300 kcal, 22g protein
- Lunch: Chickpea and spinach salad (tin chickpeas, spinach, roasted red pepper, feta, lemon) — 380 kcal, 18g protein
- Dinner: Turkey mince (150g) stir fry with broccoli, soy sauce, and egg noodles (60g dry) — 480 kcal, 42g protein
- Snack: Greek yoghurt (150g) — 110 kcal, 13g protein
Friday
- Breakfast: Protein oats — 60g oats cooked in skimmed milk, topped with 1 tablespoon peanut butter — 440 kcal, 20g protein
- Lunch: Tuna and cottage cheese wrap (1 tin tuna, 100g cottage cheese, spinach in a wholemeal wrap) — 390 kcal, 44g protein
- Dinner: Chicken thigh (150g) with lentil dal (100g dry red lentils cooked with tinned tomatoes and spices) — 520 kcal, 52g protein
- Snack: Hard-boiled egg and a handful of almonds — 200 kcal, 9g protein
Saturday
- Breakfast: Full protein breakfast — 3 eggs, 2 back bacon rashers, grilled mushrooms, tinned tomatoes — 480 kcal, 40g protein
- Lunch: Leftover lentil dal (from Friday) with a handful of rocket — 280 kcal, 18g protein
- Dinner: Prawn stir fry (150g cooked prawns, pak choi, noodles, oyster sauce) — 420 kcal, 28g protein
- Snack: Sliced apple with cottage cheese — 160 kcal, 12g protein
Sunday
- Breakfast: Pancakes (2 eggs blended with 50g oats and banana) — 380 kcal, 18g protein
- Lunch: Chicken Caesar salad (cooked chicken from batch prep, romaine, parmesan, light dressing) — 360 kcal, 34g protein
- Dinner: Baked cod with sweet potato wedges and broccoli — 440 kcal, 36g protein
- Snack: Greek yoghurt with seeds — 180 kcal, 14g protein
Sunday Batch Prep Saves the Week
This plan requires approximately 90 minutes of Sunday preparation:
- Roast 800g chicken thighs (40 minutes, enough for Monday dinner + Wednesday lunch + Friday dinner)
- Cook a large batch of red lentil dal (30 minutes, covers Tuesday lunch + Friday dinner leftover)
- Hard-boil 8 eggs (12 minutes)
- Cook rice (20 minutes — make extra for the week)
With this done on Sunday, every meal from Monday through Friday becomes assembly rather than cooking. Weekday prep time drops to under 10 minutes per meal.
Make It Yours
This plan is a starting point. To get a personalised version based on your actual calorie target, dietary preferences, and the specific recipes in our database, use our meal planner — it generates a full 7-day plan automatically, with a shopping list optimised around your targets and UK supermarket availability. Browse our recipe directory for the specific nutritional breakdown of each meal option.