Monday
1500 kcal - 109g protein- Breakfast: Light Full English Breakfast (500 kcal, 36g protein)
- Lunch: Cottage Cheese and Roasted Vegetable Bowl (452 kcal, 33g protein)
- Dinner: Quorn Mince Bolognese with Wholemeal Pasta (548 kcal, 40g protein)
Work Lunch Weekly Low Effort Plan — 1,500 kcal
Free printable UK low effort meal plan for UK supermarkets: 7 days at ~1,500 kcal/day, £20–30/week estimate, macros and shopping list.
SupermarketAny UK supermarket
Calorie target~1500 kcal/day
Weekly budget£20–30
Prep difficultyLow (10–20 min/day)
Best forSimple meals with minimal cooking
DietAll diets
Estimated daily macros
Plan Quick Facts
Best forSimple meals with minimal cooking
Calories~1500 kcal/day
Budget£20–30/week estimate
Prep styleLow (10–20 min/day)
Includes7 days, recipes, macros, PDF export and shopping list
DietAll diets
Export This Meal Plan as a PDF
Print this 7-day meal plan or save it as a PDF. The printable meal plan summary includes every meal, daily calories, protein totals and the full weekly shopping list.
Printable meal plan PDF
Work Lunch Weekly Low Effort Plan — 1,500 kcal
A 7-day UK meal plan summary for saving as a PDF or printing, including every meal, daily calories, protein totals and the weekly shopping list.
7-day meal plan
Tuesday
1500 kcal - 104g protein- Breakfast: Light Full English Breakfast (467 kcal, 33g protein)
- Lunch: Red Lentil and Vegetable Soup with Wholemeal Roll (444 kcal, 20g protein)
- Dinner: Chicken Tagine with Wholemeal Couscous (589 kcal, 51g protein)
Wednesday
1500 kcal - 99g protein- Breakfast: Light Full English Breakfast (460 kcal, 33g protein)
- Lunch: Baked Cod with Sweet Potato Wedges (525 kcal, 46g protein)
- Dinner: Mushroom and Pea Brown Rice Risotto (515 kcal, 20g protein)
Thursday
1500 kcal - 93g protein- Breakfast: Light Full English Breakfast (525 kcal, 38g protein)
- Lunch: Cannellini Bean and Tomato Soup (400 kcal, 20g protein)
- Dinner: Tofu and Vegetable Curry with Brown Rice (575 kcal, 35g protein)
Friday
1500 kcal - 110g protein- Breakfast: Light Full English Breakfast (492 kcal, 35g protein)
- Lunch: Tiger Prawn and Mango Salad (399 kcal, 33g protein)
- Dinner: Grilled Mackerel with Warm Potato Salad (609 kcal, 42g protein)
Saturday
1500 kcal - 104g protein- Breakfast: Oat Porridge with Berries (338 kcal, 12g protein)
- Lunch: Grilled Chicken, Brown Rice and Roasted Peppers (549 kcal, 48g protein)
- Dinner: Baked Salmon, Sweet Potato Wedges and Broccoli (613 kcal, 44g protein)
Sunday
1500 kcal - 106g protein- Breakfast: Oat Porridge with Berries (336 kcal, 12g protein)
- Lunch: Lean Beef Stir-Fry with Brown Rice (577 kcal, 46g protein)
- Dinner: Slow-Cooked Lamb and Red Lentil Stew (587 kcal, 48g protein)
Weekly shopping list
Protein
- Eggs 2
- Quorn mince 240g
- Red lentils 110g
- Chicken thighs 245g
- Tinned chickpeas 110g
- Cod fillet 195g
- Firm tofu 250g
- King prawns 175g
- Mackerel fillet 210g
- Chicken breast 190g
- Salmon fillet 190g
- Lean beef strips 190g
Carbs & Grains
- Wholemeal bread 1 slice
- Wholemeal pitta 1
- Wholemeal pasta 105g dry
- Wholemeal roll 1
- Brown rice 110g dry
- New potatoes 290g
- Rolled oats 85g
Vegetables
- Mushrooms 95g
- Courgette 1 roasted
- Red pepper 1 roasted
- Cherry tomatoes 10
- Tinned tomatoes 480g
- Onion 1
- Carrot 1
- Celery 2 stalks
- Sweet potato 220g
- Frozen peas 110g
- Red onion quarter
- Spring onion 4
- Mixed peppers 160g
- Broccoli 210g
Dairy & Eggs
- Cottage cheese 240g
- Tinned coconut milk light 250ml
- Oat milk 320ml
Extras & Condiments
- Back bacon rashers 2
- Reduced-sugar baked beans 120g
- Olive oil spray
- Mixed herbs 1.25 tsp
- Garlic 4 cloves
- Vegetable stock 550ml
- Wholemeal couscous 90g dry
- Ras el hanout 2.25 tsp
- Lemon 1
- Olive oil 1 tsp
- Paprika 1 tsp
- Parmesan 20g
- Cannellini beans tinned 250g
- Basil
- Mixed frozen veg 250g
- Curry paste 40g
- Mango half
- Mixed leaves 95g
- Lime juice
- Chilli flakes pinch
- Coriander fresh
- Lemon juice
- Mustard dressing 25g
- Watercress 45g
- Frozen mixed berries 85g
- Dill 1 tsp
- Frozen stir-fry veg 155g
- Soy sauce 2 tbsp
- Sesame oil 1 tsp
- Lean lamb shoulder 210g
- Cinnamon 1 tsp
- Cumin 1 tsp
Your 7-Day Meal Plan
Monday
1500 kcal109g protein
Breakfast500 kcal · 36g protein · 15 min
Light Full English Breakfast
Made with back bacon rashers, eggs, reduced-sugar baked beans. Ready in 15 min — 500 kcal, 36g protein.
Recipe
- Prepare the ingredients: Back bacon rashers 2, Eggs 2, Reduced-sugar baked beans 120g, Mushrooms 95g, Wholemeal bread 1 slice, Olive oil spray.
- Cook the main protein or vegetables in a pan over medium heat until cooked through.
- Add the remaining ingredients, heat until piping hot, season to taste, and serve.
Lunch452 kcal · 33g protein · 20 min
Cottage Cheese and Roasted Vegetable Bowl
Made with cottage cheese, courgette, red pepper. Ready in 20 min — 452 kcal, 33g protein.
Recipe
- Wash and chop the salad or vegetable ingredients: Cottage cheese 240g, Courgette 1 roasted, Red pepper 1 roasted, Cherry tomatoes 10, Mixed herbs 1.25 tsp, Wholemeal pitta 1.
- Cook or warm any protein or grains listed, then let them cool slightly.
- Combine everything in a bowl, season, and pack dressing separately if meal prepping.
Dinner548 kcal · 40g protein · 25 min
Quorn Mince Bolognese with Wholemeal Pasta
Made with quorn mince, wholemeal pasta, tinned tomatoes. Ready in 25 min — 548 kcal, 40g protein.
Recipe
- Cook the pasta, rice, or noodles according to the packet instructions.
- Meanwhile, prepare the remaining ingredients: Quorn mince 240g, Wholemeal pasta 105g dry, Tinned tomatoes 480g, Onion 1, Garlic 4 cloves, Mixed herbs 1.25 tsp.
- Combine in a pan or bowl, heat through, season, and portion into containers if needed.
Weekly Shopping List
Estimated cost: £20–30/week for one person from Any UK supermarket.
Protein
- Eggs 2
- Quorn mince 240g
- Red lentils 110g
- Chicken thighs 245g
- Tinned chickpeas 110g
- Cod fillet 195g
- Firm tofu 250g
- King prawns 175g
- Mackerel fillet 210g
- Chicken breast 190g
- Salmon fillet 190g
- Lean beef strips 190g
Carbs & Grains
- Wholemeal bread 1 slice
- Wholemeal pitta 1
- Wholemeal pasta 105g dry
- Wholemeal roll 1
- Brown rice 110g dry
- New potatoes 290g
- Rolled oats 85g
Vegetables
- Mushrooms 95g
- Courgette 1 roasted
- Red pepper 1 roasted
- Cherry tomatoes 10
- Tinned tomatoes 480g
- Onion 1
- Carrot 1
- Celery 2 stalks
- Sweet potato 220g
- Frozen peas 110g
- Red onion quarter
- Spring onion 4
- Mixed peppers 160g
- Broccoli 210g
Dairy & Eggs
- Cottage cheese 240g
- Tinned coconut milk light 250ml
- Oat milk 320ml
Extras & Condiments
- Back bacon rashers 2
- Reduced-sugar baked beans 120g
- Olive oil spray
- Mixed herbs 1.25 tsp
- Garlic 4 cloves
- Vegetable stock 550ml
- Wholemeal couscous 90g dry
- Ras el hanout 2.25 tsp
- Lemon 1
- Olive oil 1 tsp
- Paprika 1 tsp
- Parmesan 20g
- Cannellini beans tinned 250g
- Basil
- Mixed frozen veg 250g
- Curry paste 40g
- Mango half
- Mixed leaves 95g
- Lime juice
- Chilli flakes pinch
- Coriander fresh
- Lemon juice
- Mustard dressing 25g
- Watercress 45g
- Frozen mixed berries 85g
- Dill 1 tsp
- Frozen stir-fry veg 155g
- Soy sauce 2 tbsp
- Sesame oil 1 tsp
- Lean lamb shoulder 210g
- Cinnamon 1 tsp
- Cumin 1 tsp
Containers for this meal prep plan
Batch cooking this week? Compare meal prep boxes, tubs and glass containers before you portion the shopping list into lunches and dinners.
Swaps & Suggestions
💰 Make it cheaper
- Replace fresh salmon with tinned mackerel or sardines in brine (saves ~£2–3/week)
- Buy store-brand rolled oats, rice, and pasta — nutritionally identical to branded
- 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)
- Buy pulses (lentils, chickpeas, black beans) dried and cook in bulk
💪 Increase protein
- Add a scoop of unflavoured whey or plant protein to porridge or smoothies
- Replace rice or pasta with extra protein (an additional chicken breast or 2 boiled eggs)
- Use Skyr or Quark instead of standard yogurt (roughly 2× the protein)
- Add a hard-boiled egg as an afternoon snack on rest days
- Swap rice cakes or crackers for a protein bar (aim for 20g+ protein, under 200 kcal)
🥦 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 low effort plan cost per week?
This plan is designed for any UK supermarket and typically costs £20–30 per week for one person, depending on what you already have at home. Buying in bulk, choosing own-brand items, and batch cooking can reduce the cost further.
How much protein does this plan provide per day?
Protein is balanced across the week. Most days provide 100–130g, which meets general UK dietary guidelines for active adults.
Can I swap meals I don't like?
Yes. Use the AI edit button on any meal to swap it out. Common requests include swapping chicken for turkey, replacing salmon with tinned tuna, or making a day vegetarian. The shopping list updates automatically.
Can I print this low effort meal plan or save it as a PDF?
Yes. Use the export / print PDF button on the plan page. The printable version summarises the full 7-day meal plan and includes the weekly shopping list.
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. The meals use widely available ingredients and straightforward cooking methods. No specialist equipment or culinary experience is needed.
Feedback
Seen something off with this plan? Send a quick note and we will review it.