Meal Plan Calculator — Custom Plan

Use the Meal Plan Calculator

Build a simple custom plan from your calories and macros with portions, timing, and a grocery list.

How to Use Meal Plan Calculator — Custom Plan

1. Step 1: Set calories

   Enter your daily calorie target or use our calorie/TDEE tools first.

2. Step 2: Pick macro style

   Choose balanced, high‑protein, low‑carb, keto‑like, or set a custom split.

3. Step 3: Choose meals & timing

   Select meals/snacks and set your first/last mealtime.

4. Step 4: Select diet type

   Omnivore, vegetarian, or vegan for matching food suggestions.

5. Step 5: Review & copy

   Review per‑meal portions, then copy the grocery list.

Key Features

• Meals per day
• Portion sizes
• Timing windows
• Grocery list export

Understanding Results

Formula

The calculator converts your daily calories into grams of protein, carbs, and fat, then splits those grams evenly across your meals. Energy conversions use standard factors: protein ≈ 4 kcal/g, carbohydrates ≈ 4 kcal/g, and fat ≈ 9 kcal/g. For example, if you choose a balanced 30/40/30 split at 2,100 kcal, that’s about 158 g carbs (630 kcal ÷ 4), 158 g protein (630 ÷ 4), and 70 g fat (630 ÷ 9). With four eating occasions, each meal targets roughly 40 g protein, 40 g carbs, and 17–18 g fat.

If you set protein by body weight (e.g., 1.6 g/kg), the calculator locks protein first and divides the remaining calories between carbs and fat using your chosen ratio. This is helpful for active people who want a consistent protein floor to support training or appetite control.

Reference Ranges & Interpretation

Reasonable daily protein for generally healthy adults often falls around 1.2–2.2 g per kilogram of body weight depending on training and personal preference. Fats commonly land near 20–35% of calories, while carbohydrates flex based on activity and taste. These are broad planning ranges, not medical advice. Choose a split you can follow most days with foods you enjoy.

Meal frequency is flexible. Three meals plus one snack is a practical baseline. Distribute protein across the day (≈ 20–40 g per meal) for satiety and lean‑mass support, then place carbs and fats where they fit your routine, taste, and training schedule.

Assumptions & Limitations

Portion suggestions prioritize simple planning over exactness. Foods labeled as “protein,” “carb,” or “fat” still contribute small amounts of the other macros. The plan remains close to target, but it is not a prescription. If you have medical conditions, allergies, or therapeutic nutrition needs, consult a qualified professional. Always tailor the plan to your experience, culture, and budget.

Complete Guide: Meal Plan Calculator — Custom Plan

Use the meal plan calculator to build meals from your calorie and macro targets with portions, timing, and grocery list export. 100% free, no login required.

The goal is simple: turn a daily calorie and macro target into practical meals you can actually cook and enjoy. The meal plan calculator keeps the math honest and the portions realistic so you can focus on consistency.

How does the meal plan calculator work?

Under the hood, the calculator allocates your daily calories across protein, carbohydrates, and fat based on your chosen split or a protein‑per‑kilogram rule. It then divides those macros evenly by your number of meals and snacks, and translates the targets into food portions. For mobile users, everything is optimized for quick input, clear labels, and no horizontal scrolling. You can also set a feeding window to space meals across your day.

By default, you can choose balanced, higher‑protein, lower‑carb, or keto‑like patterns—or define a fully custom split. If you prefer to set protein directly, toggle the “Set protein by body weight” option and enter grams per kilogram. The remaining calories are split between carbs and fat using your preference.

Portion suggestions use common foods that map well to each macro—lean meats or tofu for protein, rice or potatoes for carbs, olive oil or avocado for fat. Suggestions are approximate on purpose. They keep planning fast while staying close to your macro target.

How to choose your calorie target

If you already know your daily calories, enter them and move on. If you don’t, use our supporting tools to estimate a target that fits your goal and activity. A good starting point is your estimated total daily energy expenditure (TDEE), then adjust up or down depending on whether you want to lose fat, maintain, or gain muscle.

Two quick helpers:

• Estimate your daily energy with the TDEE calculator.
• Convert that into a goal with the calorie deficit calculator for fat loss or the calorie calculator for general planning.

For many, modest changes work best: −10–20% for fat loss or +5–10% for gradual muscle gain. Extreme cuts can be hard to sustain. Whatever you choose, aim for a target you can stick to most days of the week.

Macro splits: which one is right?

The macro split determines how your calories are divided among protein, carbs, and fat. Balanced (30/40/30) works for many. Higher‑protein (35/35/30) helps with satiety and lean mass. Lower‑carb (35/25/40) favors appetite control if you prefer fewer carbs. Keto‑like (20/5/75) minimizes carbs and pushes fat higher—sustainable only if it fits your taste and routine.

Prefer to set protein directly? A common evidence‑informed range is about 1.2–2.2 g per kilogram of body weight, with the higher end for heavy training or lean mass preservation. After you set protein, the calculator divides the rest of your calories between carbs and fat according to your preference.

If you want a more formal macro setup, try the macro calculator or the more granular macronutrient calculator, then bring those numbers back here to build a day of meals.

Meals per day and timing

Meal frequency is mostly a lifestyle choice. Three meals and one snack is common because it balances hunger and convenience. If you prefer two larger meals or four smaller ones, the calculator will split your macros accordingly. Use the feeding window controls to schedule meals between your first and last mealtime—handy for work shifts or time‑restricted eating.

Protein distribution matters a bit: try to include 20–40 g of protein in each eating occasion. This range is practical for muscle maintenance in active people and keeps you fuller for longer. Carbs and fats can flex more around your training and appetite.

Portion size examples

Here are simple reference portions for common foods. Your personal plan may use slightly different sizes to hit your exact per‑meal macros, but these ballparks help you visualize a plate.

• Protein: 120–180 g cooked chicken breast (≈ 30–45 g protein) or 150–200 g firm tofu (≈ 25–35 g protein).
• Carbs: 120–200 g cooked rice or potatoes (≈ 25–55 g carbs) or 60–80 g dry oats cooked (≈ 35–45 g carbs).
• Fat: 10–20 g olive oil or 40–80 g avocado (≈ 10–20 g fat).

The calculator uses similar values to build quick suggestions, then rounds to tidy numbers so it’s easy to cook and track. You can always swap foods with similar macro profiles while keeping portions close.

Vegetarian and vegan options

The meal plan calculator supports omnivore, vegetarian, and vegan patterns. For vegetarian days, eggs, Greek yogurt, and cottage cheese make protein easy. For vegan days, tofu, tempeh, edamame, seitan, and legumes cover the base—just watch fats added by sauces and oils so you stay near your macro targets.

Vegan protein can carry extra carbs or fats, so hit your daily protein first, then adjust the remaining split. If you want a tailored macro baseline before building meals, the protein calculator is a great companion tool.

Sample day templates

Use these as inspiration and not strict rules. Swap foods you enjoy and adjust portions so the per‑meal macros line up with your plan. All examples assume roughly 2,200 kcal with a balanced split (≈ 30/40/30) and four eating occasions.

Template A (omnivore): Breakfast oatmeal with Greek yogurt and berries; Lunch chicken, rice, and vegetables with olive oil; Snack cottage cheese and fruit; Dinner salmon, potatoes, and salad with avocado.

Template B (vegetarian): Breakfast tofu scramble with toast; Lunch lentil‑quinoa bowl with tahini; Snack Greek yogurt and granola; Dinner tempeh stir‑fry with rice and mixed veggies.

Template C (vegan): Breakfast oatmeal with soy milk and peanut butter; Lunch tofu, rice, and vegetables with sesame oil; Snack edamame and fruit; Dinner seitan, potatoes, and a big salad with olive oil.

Grocery list & batch cooking

Once you like your plan, use the Copy list button to grab a tidy grocery list. Batch cooking helps even more: grill a tray of chicken or tofu, cook a pot of rice or potatoes, chop vegetables, and portion fats into small containers. That gives you mix‑and‑match components that always add up.

If you want to analyze a favorite recipe, use the recipe nutrition calculator. For single foods or labels, the food nutrition calculator is ideal.

Common mistakes to avoid

Two mistakes derail most plans: portion creep and chasing perfection. Portion creep happens when tablespoons of oil, handfuls of nuts, or large scoops of oats quietly add 200–300 kcal. Measure a few times per week to recalibrate your eye. Perfection chasing causes burnout—pick foods you like and repeat simple meals that work.

If you train hard, consider moving more carbs around workouts. If appetite is your main challenge, push protein higher (e.g., 1.8–2.2 g/kg) and keep fats moderate. If you have a medical condition, preferences, or allergies, adjust the food pool and talk with a clinician or dietitian for individual guidance. This site does not provide medical advice.

Next steps and related tools

If you need to dial in numbers before planning meals, start with these:

• Calorie calculator — estimate daily calories.
• TDEE calculator — estimate maintenance energy needs.
• Macro calculator — get a macro split for your goal.
• Macronutrient calculator — fine‑tune grams by macro.
• Protein calculator — set protein in g/kg you can sustain.

When you’re ready, return to this meal plan calculator and build a day that fits your life. Keep it simple, repeat what works, and let consistency do the heavy lifting.

Further reading: see the Acceptable Macronutrient Distribution Ranges overview on the NCBI Bookshelf and the USDA MyPlate guidance for simple plate building. These are general resources; always tailor to your needs.

Frequently Asked Questions