Weekly Meal Planner
Generate a personalized 7-day meal plan with your daily calorie target, macro breakdown, and meal-by-meal suggestions. Based on your weight, activity level, goal, and diet preference — all for free.
What Is a Weekly Meal Planner?
A weekly meal planner is a tool that generates a 7-day menu tailored to your daily calorie and macronutrient targets. Instead of guessing what to eat each day, you get a structured plan that helps you stay consistent with your health and fitness goals — whether you want to lose fat, build muscle, or simply eat healthier.
This advanced calculator combines several factors to build your plan:
- Body weight, height, age, and gender: Used to estimate your basal metabolic rate (BMR).
- Activity level: Determines your total daily energy expenditure (TDEE).
- Goal: Adjusts your daily calorie target for fat loss, maintenance, or muscle gain.
- Diet preference: Sets the macronutrient split and the meal suggestions (balanced, high-protein, low-carb, Mediterranean, vegetarian, vegan, or keto).
- Meals per day: Determines how your daily calories are split between breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks.
How Does the Weekly Meal Planner Work?
The calculator works in four steps:
Step 1 — Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR):
Mifflin-St Jeor (men): BMR = 10 × weight(kg) + 6.25 × height(cm) − 5 × age + 5
Mifflin-St Jeor (women): BMR = 10 × weight(kg) + 6.25 × height(cm) − 5 × age − 161
Katch-McArdle (if body fat % is given): BMR = 370 + 21.6 × lean body mass(kg)
Step 2 — Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE):
TDEE = BMR × activity multiplier (1.2 – 1.9)
Target calories = TDEE − 400 (lose fat) or TDEE + 400 (build muscle)
Step 3 — Macronutrient Split:
Protein (g) = Target calories × protein% ÷ 4
Carbs (g) = Target calories × carbs% ÷ 4
Fat (g) = Target calories × fat% ÷ 9
Step 4 — 7-Day Plan:
Meals are selected from a curated bank for your chosen diet and rotated across the week. Per-meal calories are shown in the "Meal Calorie Split" row.
Macro Splits by Diet Preference
- Balanced: 30% protein, 40% carbs, 30% fat — the general-purpose default for most people.
- High-Protein: 40% protein, 30% carbs, 30% fat — great for muscle gain and preserving lean mass.
- Low-Carb: 35% protein, 20% carbs, 45% fat — helpful for appetite control and fat loss.
- Mediterranean: 25% protein, 45% carbs, 30% fat — emphasizes whole foods, olive oil, fish, and vegetables.
- Vegetarian: 25% protein, 50% carbs, 25% fat — plant-forward with dairy and eggs.
- Vegan: 20% protein, 55% carbs, 25% fat — 100% plant-based.
- Keto: 25% protein, 5% carbs, 70% fat — very-low-carb, high-fat approach.
Why Use a Weekly Meal Planner?
- Consistency: A plan removes daily decisions, making it easier to hit your calorie and macro targets.
- Less food waste: Planning a week's meals helps you shop with purpose and use ingredients efficiently.
- Better nutrition: Structured meals tend to include more variety and whole foods than ad-hoc eating.
- Time and money savings: Meal prep and bulk cooking become easier when you know what you'll eat.
- Goal tracking: Seeing your weekly plan helps you understand how daily choices add up.
How to Use the 7-Day Meal Plan
- Treat meals as templates: The names are suggestions, not strict recipes. Swap any meal for a similar one that fits your taste and budget.
- Scale portions: Use the "Meal Calorie Split" to know roughly how many calories each meal should provide, then adjust portion sizes accordingly.
- Prep in batches: Cook grains, proteins, and roasted vegetables in bulk on Sunday to streamline the week.
- Stay flexible: If you miss a planned meal, use the same calorie and macro principles to substitute something similar.
- Re-run the calculator whenever your weight, activity level, goal, or diet changes.
Understanding the Meal Plan Table
The 7-day table lists one row per day with columns for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and (if you selected 4 or 5 meals per day) snacks. Each meal is drawn from a curated bank that matches your diet preference. If you choose 5 meals per day, the snacks column shows two snacks per day. Calories per meal are not listed in the table because they depend on portion size — use the "Meal Calorie Split" row above to know your target for each meal.
❓ Weekly Meal Planner FAQ
How many calories should I eat per day?
It depends on your age, gender, height, weight, and activity level. The calculator first estimates your TDEE (maintenance calories) and then adjusts it by ±400 kcal for fat loss or muscle gain. Use the "Daily Calorie Target" card as your planning number.
How do I use the 7-day meal plan?
Treat the plan as a template. Follow it loosely, swapping meals you don't like for similar options from the same diet category. Adjust portions so each meal roughly matches its share of your daily calorie target (shown in the "Meal Calorie Split" row).
Are the calories in the meal plan exact?
No. The meal names are suggestions, and the actual calories depend on your portions, ingredients, and cooking method. Use the daily calorie target and per-meal split as your guide, and adjust portions to match.
Can I swap meals I don't like?
Yes — the plan is a starting point. Swap any meal for another from the same category (e.g., another breakfast) or a similar meal that fits the diet style. The goal is to keep daily calories and macros in range.
How many meals per day should I eat?
There's no single best number. 3 meals suits most people; 4 or 5 smaller meals can help with appetite control or blood sugar stability. The calculator splits your calories accordingly, so pick what fits your lifestyle.
Can I use this meal planner for weight loss?
Yes. Select "Lose fat" as your goal and the calculator will set a daily calorie target ~400 kcal below maintenance. Combine the plan with regular activity for best results.
Can I use it to build muscle?
Yes. Select "Build muscle" and the plan will set a daily calorie target ~400 kcal above maintenance. Choose "High-Protein" or "Balanced" as your diet to emphasize protein intake, which is key for muscle growth.
Do I have to eat exactly what's on the plan?
No. The plan is meant to reduce decision fatigue, not to be restrictive. Use it as inspiration, swap meals freely, and stay within your daily calorie and macro targets.
Is meal prep necessary?
Not necessary, but helpful. Batch-cooking grains, proteins, and vegetables on one or two days of the week makes it easier to stick to the plan and reduces food waste.
What if I have food allergies or intolerances?
Simply skip meals that contain allergens and substitute a similar meal from the same category. The meal names are generic enough to adapt (e.g., swap dairy-based yogurt for a plant-based alternative).
Can I use this calculator if I'm vegetarian or vegan?
Yes. Select "Vegetarian" or "Vegan" as your diet preference. The calculator adjusts both the macro split and the meal bank to provide plant-forward or 100% plant-based meal suggestions.
How often should I recalculate my meal plan?
Recalculate whenever your weight changes significantly (more than 2–3 kg), your activity level changes, your goals change, or you switch diets. For most people, reviewing every 4–8 weeks is sufficient.
Does the meal planner replace a dietitian?
No. It's an educational tool. For medical conditions, pregnancy, or specialized diets, consult a registered dietitian or your healthcare provider.
Can I use this calculator if I'm pregnant?
This calculator is not designed for pregnant or breastfeeding women. Pregnancy and lactation significantly change calorie and nutrient needs. Consult your healthcare provider for appropriate nutrition guidance.