What this plan is for
A Generic UK supermarket cheap high protein plan at 1,800 calories is useful when someone wants a printable week before shopping, not just a generic diet article.
Lean-Protein Budget Plan — 1,800 kcal
Maximum protein on a tight budget. This 7-day plan targets 1,800 kcal/day and averages 143g of protein, built from ingredients stocked at any major UK supermarket for roughly £20–30/week. Both protein and carbohydrate run high in this plan — it is built for training performance and recovery, not calorie restriction, so there is no need to trade one macro off against the other.
Your week at a glance
1 personPlan summary
SupermarketGeneric UK supermarket
GoalCheap High Protein
Weekly cost£20–30 estimate
Daily average across the 7 days
1,803 kcal143g protein212g carbs45g fat31g fibre
Individual days vary around these figures.
Adjust Household PortionsCurrently 1 person · 1 cook portions
Your 7-Day Meal Plan
Monday
1799 kcal per person146g protein · 210g carbs per person
Breakfast566 kcal · 36g protein · 70g carbs · 15 min
Wholemeal Pancakes with Low-Fat Yogurt
Made with wholemeal flour, eggs, semi-skimmed milk. Ready in 15 min — 566 kcal, 36g protein, 70g carbs.
Recipe
Ingredients
- 80g wholemeal flour
- 2 eggs
- 150ml semi-skimmed milk
- 100g low-fat yogurt
- 50g blueberries
Allergens in this meal: Cereals containing gluten, Eggs, Milk. Worked out from generic ingredient names — always read the product label.
Method
- Whisk wholemeal flour, eggs and semi-skimmed milk into a smooth batter and leave it to stand for 2 minutes.
- Lightly grease a non-stick pan, then cook small pancakes for 1-2 minutes per side.
- Serve with low-fat yogurt and blueberries.
Lunch194 kcal · 29g protein · 21g carbs · 10 min
Tiger Prawn and Mango Salad
Made with king prawns, mango, mixed leaves. Ready in 10 min — 194 kcal, 29g protein, 21g carbs.
Recipe
Ingredients
- 150g king prawns
- ½ mango
- 3 generous handfuls mixed leaves (about 80g)
- ¼ red onion
- lime juice, to taste
- chilli flakes, to taste
- coriander fresh, to taste
Allergens in this meal: Crustaceans. Worked out from generic ingredient names — always read the product label.
Method
- Cook the king prawns in a non-stick pan over medium heat for 3-4 minutes, turning, until pink and opaque. Add red onion for the final minute and cook until fragrant.
- Rinse mixed leaves, then slice or chop red onion.
- Arrange king prawns, mango, mixed leaves, lime juice, chilli flakes and coriander fresh, to taste in a bowl.
Dinner744 kcal · 59g protein · 89g carbs · 20 min
Lean Beef Stir-Fry with Brown Rice and Frozen Veg
Made with lean beef strips, brown rice, frozen stir-fry veg. Ready in 20 min — 744 kcal, 59g protein, 89g carbs.
Recipe
Ingredients
- 200g lean beef strips
- 90g brown rice (dry weight)
- 200g frozen stir-fry veg
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 tsp ginger
Allergens in this meal: Cereals containing gluten, Soybeans. Worked out from generic ingredient names — always read the product label.
Method
- Cook the rice according to its packet instructions, then drain if needed.
- Heat a wok or large frying pan over high heat and stir-fry the lean beef strips for 3-4 minutes, until browned and cooked through.
- Add frozen stir-fry veg and stir-fry over high heat for 3-4 minutes, keeping everything moving so it stays crisp.
- Stir in soy sauce, toss to coat and serve with the rice.
Snack295 kcal · 22g protein · 30g carbs · 3 min
Sardines on Rye Crackers
Made with tinned sardines in spring water, rye crackers. Ready in 3 min — 295 kcal, 22g protein, 30g carbs.
Recipe
Ingredients
- ¾ of a standard tin of sardines, drained
- 4 rye crackers
Allergens in this meal: Cereals containing gluten, Fish. Worked out from generic ingredient names — always read the product label.
Method
- Drain sardines.
- Top rye crackers with sardines and serve.
Weekly Shopping List
Need containers for this batch? Compare meal prep containers →
Estimated cost: £20–30/week for 1 person from Generic UK supermarket. Calories and macros stay shown per person; ingredients and shopping quantities are scaled for the household.
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Protein
Carbs & Grains
Vegetables
Dairy & Eggs
Fruit
Herbs & Spices
Condiments & Oils
Extras
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Container setup for this plan
This plan has about 21 prep-friendly meals. Start with 11 main containers, 5 small sauce or snack tubs, and 2 freezer tubs.
Choose a reusable multipack containing at least 11 main containers, then add the separate small tubs shown above.
RecommendedBudget plastic setup
Best when low cost, freezer portions, student cooking, or a first meal-prep attempt matters most.
- Material
- Reusable plastic
- Last checked
- 13 July 2026
This plan includes saucy or reheated meals, so glass bases and reliable lids are worth prioritising.
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Plan Details And Assumptions
Generic UK Supermarket Shopping Evidence Notes
These basket notes explain why this plan is shaped around certain ingredients and swaps before you open the shopping list.
- Use common UK staples first: oats, rice, potatoes, pasta, eggs, tins, frozen vegetables, yogurt and lean protein.
- Keep branded products optional so the plan still works at Tesco, Aldi, Lidl, Asda, Sainsbury's, Morrisons, Iceland, Waitrose, Ocado, M&S or Co-op.
- Check cupboard items before shopping because sauces, oil, spices, oats and rice are often already at home.
Why This Exact Plan Exists
This page is not only a title-and-macros variant. The calorie target, supermarket, diet type, budget and prep style all change the meals, shopping-list assumptions and swaps.
Shopping Logic
The list favours repeatable UK supermarket staples, grouped by protein, carbs, vegetables, dairy and extras so the basket can be checked before buying.
Practical Swaps
The swap section keeps the page usable if a product is out of stock, too expensive, or not right for the reader's diet.
| Decision | This plan uses | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Calorie target | Built around roughly 1,800 kcal per day | Moderate targets balance breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks without extreme restriction. |
| Supermarket | Generic UK supermarket | Generic UK pages use widely available supermarket ingredients and average-price assumptions. |
| Budget | £20–30/week estimate | Very cheap plans repeat staples and avoid niche products. |
| Prep style | Standard (20–30 min/day) | Standard-prep plans balance variety, fresh meals and realistic weekday cooking. |
Printable meal plan PDF
Lean-Protein Budget Plan — 1,800 kcal
A 7-day UK meal plan summary for saving as a PDF or printing, including every meal, daily macros and the weekly shopping list.
7-day meal plan
Monday
1799 kcal - 146g protein, 210g carbs, 42g fat, 27g fibre- Breakfast: Wholemeal Pancakes with Low-Fat Yogurt (566 kcal, 36g protein, 70g carbs, 17g fat, 10g fibre per person)
- Lunch: Tiger Prawn and Mango Salad (194 kcal, 29g protein, 21g carbs, 2g fat, 3g fibre per person)
- Dinner: Lean Beef Stir-Fry with Brown Rice and Frozen Veg (744 kcal, 59g protein, 89g carbs, 14g fat, 8g fibre per person)
- Snack: Sardines on Rye Crackers (295 kcal, 22g protein, 30g carbs, 9g fat, 6g fibre per person)
Tuesday
1820 kcal - 152g protein, 185g carbs, 49g fat, 31g fibre- Breakfast: Wholemeal Pancakes with Low-Fat Yogurt (492 kcal, 31g protein, 61g carbs, 14g fat, 9g fibre per person)
- Lunch: Tuna Niçoise Salad (419 kcal, 46g protein, 33g carbs, 13g fat, 6g fibre per person)
- Dinner: Turkey Mince Bolognese with Wholemeal Pasta (656 kcal, 53g protein, 83g carbs, 11g fat, 15g fibre per person)
- Snack: Light Mozzarella and Tomato (253 kcal, 22g protein, 8g carbs, 11g fat, 1g fibre per person)
Wednesday
1800 kcal - 126g protein, 238g carbs, 41g fat, 36g fibre- Breakfast: Wholemeal Pancakes with Low-Fat Yogurt (516 kcal, 32g protein, 65g carbs, 15g fat, 9g fibre per person)
- Lunch: Miso Tofu and Edamame Bowl (527 kcal, 27g protein, 73g carbs, 13g fat, 8g fibre per person)
- Dinner: Turkey Mince and Sweet Potato Bake (623 kcal, 52g protein, 87g carbs, 10g fat, 17g fibre per person)
- Snack: Low-Fat Greek Yogurt with Berries (134 kcal, 15g protein, 13g carbs, 3g fat, 2g fibre per person)
Thursday
1801 kcal - 164g protein, 217g carbs, 38g fat, 32g fibre- Breakfast: Wholemeal Pancakes with Low-Fat Yogurt (748 kcal, 48g protein, 91g carbs, 22g fat, 13g fibre per person)
- Lunch: Tiger Prawn and Mango Salad (261 kcal, 38g protein, 29g carbs, 3g fat, 5g fibre per person)
- Dinner: Baked Cod with New Potatoes and Green Beans (587 kcal, 58g protein, 74g carbs, 9g fat, 12g fibre per person)
- Snack: Frozen Greek Yogurt and Berry Bark (205 kcal, 20g protein, 23g carbs, 4g fat, 2g fibre per person)
Friday
1798 kcal - 135g protein, 243g carbs, 37g fat, 49g fibre- Breakfast: Wholemeal Pancakes with Low-Fat Yogurt (563 kcal, 36g protein, 69g carbs, 17g fat, 10g fibre per person)
- Lunch: Tuna Niçoise Salad (468 kcal, 51g protein, 37g carbs, 14g fat, 7g fibre per person)
- Dinner: Mushroom and Lentil Shepherd's Pie (610 kcal, 32g protein, 119g carbs, 3g fat, 30g fibre per person)
- Snack: Frozen Greek Yogurt and Berry Bark (157 kcal, 16g protein, 18g carbs, 3g fat, 2g fibre per person)
Saturday
1802 kcal - 130g protein, 219g carbs, 49g fat, 22g fibre- Breakfast: Turmeric Scrambled Eggs on Rye Toast (549 kcal, 31g protein, 52g carbs, 24g fat, 7g fibre per person)
- Lunch: Miso Tofu and Edamame Bowl (566 kcal, 29g protein, 79g carbs, 14g fat, 9g fibre per person)
- Dinner: Thai-Style Prawn and Noodle Stir-Fry (521 kcal, 51g protein, 80g carbs, 4g fat, 5g fibre per person)
- Snack: Cottage Cheese with Cucumber (166 kcal, 19g protein, 8g carbs, 7g fat, 1g fibre per person)
Sunday
1800 kcal - 147g protein, 175g carbs, 59g fat, 18g fibre- Breakfast: Turmeric Scrambled Eggs on Rye Toast (603 kcal, 34g protein, 58g carbs, 26g fat, 8g fibre per person)
- Lunch: Tiger Prawn and Mango Salad (204 kcal, 32g protein, 21g carbs, 2g fat, 4g fibre per person)
- Dinner: Grilled Lean Sirloin Steak with Brown Rice and Roasted Veg (890 kcal, 63g protein, 89g carbs, 31g fat, 6g fibre per person)
- Snack: Skyr High-Protein Yogurt (103 kcal, 18g protein, 7g carbs, 0g fat, 0g fibre per person)
Weekly shopping list
Protein
- Eggs 19
- King prawns 725g
- Lean beef strips 210g
- Tinned sardines in spring water 95g
- Tinned tuna in spring water 280g
- Turkey mince lean 370g
- Beef tomato 1
- Silken tofu 300g
- Cod fillet 270g
- Green lentils 210g
- Lean sirloin steak 240g
Carbs & Grains
- Wholemeal flour 420g
- Brown rice 350g
- New potatoes 625g
- Wholemeal pasta 80g
- Rye bread 5 slices
- Wholewheat noodles 95g
Vegetables
- Mixed leaves 280g
- Red onion 1
- Green beans 350g
- Cherry tomatoes 1 x 300g pack (255g required)
- Tinned tomatoes 2 x 400g tins (725g required)
- Onion 3
- Edamame beans 200g
- Sweet potato 240g
- Spinach 95g
- Mushrooms 210g
- Carrot 2
- Sweet potato mash 260g
- Baby spinach 65g
- Pak choi 160g
- Cucumber 1 (150g required)
- Courgette 1
- Red pepper 1
Dairy & Eggs
- Semi-skimmed milk 1 x 1L carton (771ml required)
- Low-fat yogurt 525g
- Light mozzarella 90g
- Low-fat Greek yogurt 490g
- Butter 10g
- Cottage cheese 160g
- Skyr 170g
Fruit
- Blueberries 260g
- Mango 2
- mixed berries 75g
- berries 140g
Herbs & Spices
- Chilli flakes, optional to taste x3
- Coriander, optional to taste x3
- Garlic 8 cloves
- Ginger 1 tsp
- Mixed herbs 1 tsp
- Basil, optional to taste
- Paprika 1 tsp
- Parsley, optional to taste
- Turmeric 1.25 tsp
- Black pepper, optional to taste x2
Condiments & Oils
- Soy sauce 5 tbsp
- Miso paste 2 tbsp
- Olive oil 1.75 tbsp
- Honey 2.5 tsp
- Vegetable stock 1 cube (makes 500ml; 201ml required)
- Sweet chilli sauce 20g
Extras
- Lime juice, optional to taste x4
- stir-fry veg 210g
- Rye 4 crackers
- Olives 1 x 300g jar (75g required)
- Balsamic glaze 1 tsp
- Sesame seeds 2 tsp
- Lemon 2
Shopping This Plan At Generic UK supermarket
Built from ingredients stocked by every major UK supermarket, using average UK pricing rather than one retailer.
Value rangeOwn-brand equivalents at any major retailer
What Generic UK supermarket is good for here
- Ingredients are chosen from staples that most UK supermarkets carry, so the plan should work wherever you shop, though ranges still vary by store.
- Easy to swap to a specific retailer later without changing the meals.
- Costs reflect a mid-market average rather than the cheapest or priciest store.
Worth knowing before you shop
- Shopping entirely at a discounter will usually come in below the estimate; a premium store above it.
- No loyalty-scheme pricing is assumed.
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 own-brand rolled oats, rice, pasta and tins — nutritionally identical to branded, at any supermarket
- 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
- Add a post-workout combination of fast carbs and protein (banana and whey, or chocolate milk) after harder sessions
- Use an extra portion of chicken, fish or tofu on higher-training days rather than cutting carbs to make room
- Greek yogurt with fruit and granola covers both protein and carb needs in one snack
🥦 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 cheap high protein plan cost per week?
This plan is designed for a generic UK supermarket and typically costs £20–30 per week for one person, 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 143g of protein per day across the week, based on the meals actually selected — well above general UK guidance of roughly 0.8–1.6g per kg of bodyweight for active adults.
How is this different from a generic cheap high protein plan?
Plenty of cheap high protein plans share the same 1,800 kcal target — the difference here is that both protein and carbs are set high together, rather than trading one off against the other.
Can I print this cheap high protein 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 1,800 kcal/day, the generic UK supermarket shopping list, and your chosen household portion sizes.
Is this plan suitable for meal prep?
Most recipes in this plan scale well and reheat easily. Soups, stews, and grain dishes are ideal for making in larger batches to save time midweek.
Is this plan suitable for beginners?
Yes. Recipes are rated Standard (20–30 min/day) and use ingredients available at a generic UK supermarket — no specialist equipment or advanced technique is needed.
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