Vegetarian Meal Prep UK: High-Protein Weekly Plan

Best High-Protein Vegetarian Foods in UK Supermarkets

Vegetarian diets that include dairy and eggs have access to excellent protein sources. The best options by protein density:

• 0% Greek yogurt: 10 g protein per 100 g, 57 kcal. Tesco 500 g tub ~£1.20. Use as breakfast base, snack, and sauce thickener.
• Eggs (large): 6.3 g protein per egg, 78 kcal. Buy 12-pack free range at Aldi for ~£2.60.
• Low-fat cottage cheese: 12 g protein per 100 g, 80 kcal. Available at all major supermarkets for £1–1.20 per 300 g.
• Skyr (Icelandic-style yogurt): 11 g protein per 100 g. Lidl Milbona range is excellent value at ~£1–1.50 per 450 g.
• Reduced-fat feta: 14 g protein per 100 g. Great in omelettes and salads.
• Edamame beans (frozen): 11 g protein per 100 g. Best plant protein in any supermarket.
• Lentils (red or green, dried): 9 g protein per 100 g cooked.
• Tofu (firm): 8–10 g protein per 100 g. Widely available, versatile, and absorbs flavours well.
• Reduced-fat halloumi: 20 g protein per 100 g. Slightly higher calorie than Greek yogurt but excellent for adding variety to meal prep.
• Whey protein powder: 20–25 g protein per scoop. Stir into yogurt or oats for an easy protein boost.

A Sample Vegetarian Meal Prep Week

Sunday batch-cook plan (under 2 hours): Prepare 5 overnight oat jars (oats + skimmed milk + Greek yogurt + mixed berries). Hard-boil 10 eggs. Make a large roasted vegetable and chickpea tray bake (courgette, peppers, red onion, tinned chickpeas, olive oil, cumin — roast 35 min at 200°C, makes 5 portions). Cook 400 g dry brown rice. Slice and marinate firm tofu.

Daily structure: Breakfast — overnight oats with Greek yogurt and berries (~30 g protein, 400 kcal). Lunch — tray bake with 2 boiled eggs and a large salad (~35 g protein, 450 kcal). Dinner — scrambled tofu with brown rice, spinach, and turmeric (~28 g protein, 500 kcal). Snack — cottage cheese with cucumber and oatcakes (~22 g protein, 200 kcal). Total: ~115 g protein, ~1,550 kcal.

Keeping Vegetarian Meal Prep Affordable

The cheapest vegetarian protein sources in UK supermarkets are eggs (~£2.60 for 12), dried lentils (75p for 500 g at Aldi), tinned chickpeas (55p per 400 g tin at Aldi), and own-brand Greek yogurt (~£1.20 per 500 g). A week built primarily around these staples with supplementary tofu and halloumi for variety costs £25–30.

Reducing reliance on cheese (calorie-dense, expensive per gram of protein) and increasing eggs, yogurt, and legumes is the fastest way to cut the weekly food spend without reducing protein intake.

Making Vegetarian Meal Prep Less Boring

The biggest pitfall in vegetarian meal prep is eating the same meals every day. These strategies add variety without adding complexity: rotate between lentil dal, chickpea curry, bean chilli, and egg-based dinners across the week; use different spice profiles (Middle Eastern, Mexican, Indian, Italian) on the same base ingredients; and introduce one new recipe per week alongside reliable staples.

Halloumi, reduced-fat feta, and ricotta are excellent for adding variety — they cook quickly, taste very different from dairy-only options, and provide variety in texture. Use our free meal plan generator to browse vegetarian meal plans across all calorie levels.