Aldi Cook-Once Weekly Maintenance Plan — 2,000 kcal
Steady, balanced eating around a ~2,000 kcal/day target. This 7-day plan targets 2,000 kcal/day and averages 119g of protein, built around Aldi's Everyday Essentials for an estimated £45–80/week. Meals are chosen to hold up after a few days in the fridge or freezer — stews, chillies, tray bakes and grain bowls — rather than anything that goes soggy or dries out on reheating.
Adjust Household PortionsCurrently 1 person · 1 cook portions
Your 7-Day Meal Plan
Monday
2014 kcal per person125g protein · 179g carbs per person
Breakfast512 kcal · 9g protein · 20g carbs · 5 min
Chia Seed Pudding with Mango
Made with chia seeds, coconut milk, mango chunks.
Recipe
Ingredients
30g chia seeds
175ml coconut milk
90g mango chunks
vanilla extract, to taste
Method
Stir chia seeds and coconut milk together in a lidded jar or container.
Stir well, cover and chill for at least 4 hours or overnight.
Stir again before eating, then add mango chunks and vanilla extract, to taste. Loosen with a splash of coconut milk if needed.
Lunch464 kcal · 39g protein · 41g carbs · 30 min
Pork Tenderloin with Roasted Root Vegetables
Made with pork tenderloin, parsnip, carrot.
Recipe
Ingredients
150g pork tenderloin
1 medium parsnip
1 medium carrot
½ medium sweet potato
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp mixed herbs
Method
Heat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan).
Cut the parsnip, carrot and sweet potato into even chunks, toss with the olive oil and mixed herbs, and roast for 30-35 minutes, turning halfway.
Meanwhile, brown the pork tenderloin all over in a hot non-stick pan, then add it to the tray for the final 15-20 minutes, until cooked through with no pink juices.
Rest the pork for 5 minutes, then slice and serve with the roasted vegetables.
Dinner707 kcal · 59g protein · 101g carbs · 35 min
Chicken Tagine with Wholemeal Couscous
Made with chicken thighs, wholemeal couscous, tinned tomatoes.
Recipe
Ingredients
200g chicken thighs
70g wholemeal couscous (dry weight)
½ of a standard tin of tomatoes
90g chickpeas, drained
1 onion
1¾ tsp ras el hanout
1 lemon
Allergens in this meal: Cereals containing gluten. Worked out from generic ingredient names — always read the product label.
Method
Peel and chop onion into even pieces. Drain and rinse chickpeas.
Heat a large pan over medium heat and brown the chicken thighs with onion for 5-7 minutes.
Stir in ras el hanout, then add tomatoes, chickpeas and the juice of the lemon with enough water to cover and simmer gently until tender and thickened.
Meanwhile, cook the couscous according to its packet instructions, then drain and serve alongside.
Snack186 kcal · 5g protein · 16g carbs · 1 min
Almonds and Dried Cranberries
Made with almonds, dried cranberries.
Recipe
Ingredients
20g almonds
20g dried cranberries
Allergens in this meal: Tree nuts. Check the label for: Sulphur dioxide and sulphites. Worked out from generic ingredient names — always read the product label.
Method
Combine almonds and dried cranberries in a bowl or lidded container.
Snack145 kcal · 13g protein · 1g carbs · 10 min
Hard-Boiled Eggs
Made with eggs.
Recipe
Ingredients
2 eggs
Allergens in this meal: Eggs. Worked out from generic ingredient names — always read the product label.
Method
Bring a small pan of water to a gentle simmer.
Lower whole eggs into the water and simmer for 9-12 minutes, until the yolk is fully set, then cool under cold water and peel.
Estimated cost: £45–80/week for 1 person from Aldi. Calories and macros remain per person, while shopping quantities are scaled for the household.
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Carbs & Grains
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Dairy & Eggs
Fruit
Herbs & Spices
Condiments & Oils
Extras
Sponsored #ad - container setup
Container setup for this plan
This plan has about 19 prep-friendly meals. Start with 16 main containers, 4 small sauce or snack tubs, and 2 freezer tubs.
Use 2 10-container sets to provide at least 16 main meal spaces, then add the separate small tubs shown above.
RecommendedFull glass batch setup
Best when you already prep most weeks, cook lunches and dinners, or want a longer-term storage system.
Material
Glass or premium leak-resistant sets
Price and availability
Check Amazon UK before buying
This plan includes saucy or reheated meals, so choose containers with secure, leak-resistant lids. If using plastic, check that it is suitable for reheating and follow the product instructions.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Product prices and availability can change on Amazon UK.
The One Appliance This Plan Assumes
This is a batch plan built around slow-cooked meals — the kind of cooking a slow cooker does unattended while you are out. A 3.5L bowl suits the portion counts here. If you already own one, you need nothing else for this plan.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Product prices and availability can change on Amazon UK.
Slow cookerBudget-to-mid range
Crock-Pot Slow Cooker, 3.5L
The classic entry-level Crock-Pot: two heat settings, a removable ceramic bowl for easy cleaning, and a size that suits most households cooking 3-5 portions at once.
Best forA standard household batch cooking stews, curries and casseroles
Good to knowNo timer or digital display on this entry model, so you set it and check back manually.
This plan uses repeated weekday bases so the Sunday prep instruction matches the actual meals.
Prepare five portions of Chia Seed Pudding with Mango for quick breakfasts.
Cook and portion five lunches of Pork Tenderloin with Roasted Root Vegetables.
Batch cook Chicken Tagine with Wholemeal Couscous and Spinach and Ricotta Wholemeal Pasta as the main dinner bases, then alternate them Monday to Friday.
Portion snacks in advance: Almonds and Dried Cranberries, Hard-Boiled Eggs, Walnuts and Dried Blueberries, Low-Fat Greek Yogurt with Berries, Frozen Greek Yogurt and Berry Bark, Banana and Peanut Butter on Rice Cakes, Frozen Edamame Beans with Sea Salt, Sliced Cooked Chicken Breast, Sardines on Rye Crackers, and Light Mozzarella and Tomato.
Cool everything quickly and get it into the fridge within one to two hours.
Refrigerate only the portions you will eat within two days — freeze the rest straight away, and move each one to the fridge the night before you need it. Freezing the later part of the week is a food-safety step, not a freshness preference.
Ranges rotate and stock varies by store, so plan a fallback for any single named product.
Fewer speciality and free-from lines than the big four, which matters for restrictive diets.
Retailer details checked 2026-07-20. Ranges and loyalty schemes change — the weekly cost estimate above is based on the plan's budget tier, not on live prices at this store.
Swaps & Suggestions
💰 Make it cheaper
Buy Aldi's Everyday Essentials range for rice, pasta, oats and tins — nutritionally identical to standard lines, at the lowest price point in store
Replace fresh salmon with tinned mackerel or sardines in brine (saves ~£2–3/week)
Buy dried pulses (lentils, chickpeas, black beans) and cook in bulk rather than tinned — cheaper per portion
Use frozen chicken breast instead of fresh (saves ~£1.50/week, same protein)
Swap fresh berries for frozen mixed berries (same nutrients, fraction of the cost)
💪 Increase protein
Cook an extra portion of mince or beans into the weekly batch — cheap to add, keeps well
Add tinned beans or lentils to a batch-cooked chilli or curry for extra protein at low cost
Portion cooked chicken thighs into the freezer in 100g bags to add to any meal without extra cooking
🥦 Make it vegetarian
Replace chicken with Quorn fillets or diced firm tofu
Swap beef mince for tinned green lentils or plant-based mince
Use halloumi or feta instead of meat in lunch salads
Substitute eggs or cottage cheese for fish-based meals
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does this maintenance plan cost per week?
This plan is designed for Aldi and is estimated at £45–80 per week for one person at typical UK prices, depending on what you already have at home. Buying in bulk and choosing own-brand items can reduce this further.
How much protein does this plan provide per day?
This plan averages 119g of protein per day across the week, based on the meals actually selected — in line with general UK guidance of roughly 0.8–1.6g per kg of bodyweight for active adults.
How is this different from a generic maintenance plan?
Plenty of maintenance plans share the same 2,000 kcal target — the difference here is that meals are filtered for how well they hold up over several days, not just for taste on day one.
Can I print this maintenance meal plan or save it as a PDF?
Yes. Use the export / print PDF button on the plan page. The printable version summarises all 7 days at 2,000 kcal/day, the Aldi shopping list, and your chosen household portion sizes.
Is this plan suitable for meal prep?
Yes — this plan is specifically designed for batch cooking. Prep everything on Sunday in 60–90 minutes and portion into containers for the week ahead.
Is this plan suitable for beginners?
Yes. Recipes are rated Batch cook (prep on Sunday) and use ingredients available at Aldi — no specialist equipment or advanced technique is needed.
