Muscle building, at a higher daily calorie target. This 7-day plan targets 3,000 kcal/day and averages 178g of protein, built around Asda's Just Essentials (formerly Smartprice) for an estimated £70–115/week. Meals lean on lower-fat protein — chicken breast, white fish, egg whites, low-fat dairy — so each meal carries more protein for the calories it costs, leaving room to hit the day's target without relying on volume alone.
Adjust Household PortionsCurrently 1 person · 1 cook portions
Your 7-Day Meal Plan
Monday
3001 kcal per person186g protein · 375g carbs per person
Breakfast464 kcal · 20g protein · 78g carbs · 5 min
Bircher Muesli with Grated Apple and Cinnamon
Made with rolled oats, semi-skimmed milk, apple.
Recipe
Ingredients
70g rolled oats
175ml semi-skimmed milk
1 apple, grated
90g low-fat natural yogurt
½ tsp cinnamon
Allergens in this meal: Cereals containing gluten, Milk. Worked out from generic ingredient names — always read the product label.
Method
Stir rolled oats, semi-skimmed milk and low-fat natural yogurt 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 grated apple and cinnamon. Loosen with a splash of semi-skimmed milk if needed.
Lunch515 kcal · 44g protein · 58g carbs · 25 min
Lean Beef and Roasted Sweet Potato Salad
Made with lean beef strips, sweet potato, mixed leaves.
Recipe
Ingredients
175g lean beef strips
1 medium sweet potato
3 generous handfuls mixed leaves (about 90g)
½ red onion
1 tbsp balsamic dressing
Check the label for: Mustard, Sulphur dioxide and sulphites. Worked out from generic ingredient names — always read the product label.
Method
Cut the medium sweet potato into even chunks and roast at 200°C (180°C fan) until tender and browned, then cool slightly.
Cook the lean beef strips in a non-stick pan over medium heat until cooked through. Add red onion for the final minute and cook until fragrant. Rest briefly before slicing if needed.
Rinse and dry mixed leaves.
Arrange lean beef strips, medium sweet potato and mixed leaves in a bowl and finish with balsamic dressing. Keep the dressing separate if packing ahead.
Dinner1264 kcal · 52g protein · 182g carbs · 25 min
Chickpea and Spinach Coconut Curry
Made with tinned chickpeas, baby spinach, coconut milk light.
Recipe
Ingredients
1¾ standard tins of chickpeas, drained
6 generous handfuls baby spinach (about 175g)
225ml light coconut milk
½ of a standard tin of tomatoes
1 onion
2 tbsp plus 1 tsp curry paste
90g brown rice (dry weight)
Check the label for: Cereals containing gluten, Fish, Mustard, Tree nuts. 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 soften onion for 5-7 minutes.
Stir in light coconut milk and curry paste, then add chickpeas, baby spinach and tomatoes and simmer gently until tender and thickened.
Meanwhile, cook the rice according to its packet instructions, then drain and serve alongside.
Snack313 kcal · 28g protein · 9g carbs · 5 min
Light Mozzarella and Tomato
Made with light mozzarella, beef tomato, basil leaves, optional to taste (excluded from nutrition estimate).
Recipe
Ingredients
100g light mozzarella
1 beef tomato
basil leaves, to taste
1 tsp balsamic glaze
Allergens in this meal: Milk, Sulphur dioxide and sulphites. Worked out from generic ingredient names — always read the product label.
Method
Slice or portion light mozzarella and beef tomato as needed.
Combine light mozzarella, beef tomato and basil leaves, to taste in a bowl or lidded container, adding balsamic glaze just before eating.
Snack306 kcal · 29g protein · 32g carbs · 3 min
Turkey Breast and Cream Cheese Roll-Up
Made with turkey breast slices, light cream cheese, cucumber slices.
Recipe
Ingredients
100g turkey breast slices
30g light cream cheese
4½ cucumber slices
Allergens in this meal: Milk. Worked out from generic ingredient names — always read the product label.
Method
Lay the turkey breast slices flat and spread each one with light cream cheese.
Put a cucumber slice at one end of each and roll up tightly.
Eat straight away, or pack into a lidded container and keep chilled.
Snack139 kcal · 13g protein · 16g carbs · 5 min
Tzatziki with Vegetable Dippers
Made with low-fat greek yogurt, cucumber, garlic clove.
Recipe
Ingredients
100g low-fat Greek yogurt
¼ cucumber, grated
1 garlic clove
1 carrot
2 celery sticks
1 tsp dill
Allergens in this meal: Celery, Milk. Worked out from generic ingredient names — always read the product label.
Method
Squeeze the grated cucumber in a clean tea towel to remove the excess water.
Crush or finely grate the garlic, then stir it into the low-fat Greek yogurt with the cucumber and dill. Season to taste.
Cut the carrot and celery sticks into batons and serve them with the tzatziki for dipping.
Estimated cost: £70–115/week for 1 person from Asda. Calories and macros remain per person, while shopping quantities are scaled for the household.
0 of 72 items tickedSaved on this device
Protein
Carbs & Grains
Vegetables
Dairy & Eggs
Fruit
Herbs & Spices
Condiments & Oils
Extras
Sponsored #ad - container setup
Container setup for this plan
This plan has about 14 prep-friendly meals. Start with 12 main containers, 3 small sauce or snack tubs, and 2 freezer tubs.
Use 3 five-container glass packs to provide at least 12 main meal spaces, then add the separate small tubs shown above.
RecommendedMid-range glass setup
Best for regular weekday lunches, reheating at work, curry, chilli, pasta, and repeat washing.
Material
Glass
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 Bircher Muesli with Grated Apple and Cinnamon for quick breakfasts.
Cook and portion five lunches of Lean Beef and Roasted Sweet Potato Salad.
Batch cook Chickpea and Spinach Coconut Curry and Teriyaki Tofu with Brown Rice and Broccoli as the main dinner bases, then alternate them Monday to Friday.
Portion snacks in advance: Light Mozzarella and Tomato, Turkey Breast and Cream Cheese Roll-Up, Tzatziki with Vegetable Dippers, Sliced Cooked Chicken Breast, Hard-Boiled Eggs, Frozen Edamame Beans with Sea Salt, Dark Chocolate and Almonds, Carrot Sticks with Hummus, Peanut Butter with Celery Sticks, Tuna on Rye Crackers, Cottage Cheese with Cucumber, Banana and Peanut Butter on Rice Cakes, Rice Cakes with Cottage Cheese, Apple with Walnuts, and Apple and Peanut Butter.
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.
Typically the cheapest of the big four on a like-for-like basket, with a genuinely low economy tier.
Value rangeJust Essentials (formerly Smartprice)
Loyalty pricingAsda Rewards (cashback to a wallet rather than instant discounts)
What Asda is good for here
Just Essentials is usually the lowest-priced option in its category, which suits very cheap weeks.
Large multipack meat and frozen ranges that suit bulk batch cooking.
Good value on rice, pasta, oats and tinned pulses — the backbone of a budget prep plan.
Worth knowing before you shop
Just Essentials lines sell out quickly and availability is inconsistent.
Rewards pays into a wallet rather than reducing the shop at the till, so it will not lower this week's bill.
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 Asda's Just Essentials (formerly Smartprice) 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
Add extra egg whites (3–4) to a breakfast instead of whole eggs — protein without the extra fat
Swap a carb portion for extra chicken breast or white fish on higher-hunger days
Use 0% fat Greek yogurt or quark instead of standard yogurt for the same volume, far more protein
🥦 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 muscle gain plan cost per week?
This plan is designed for Asda and is estimated at £70–115 per week for one person at typical UK prices, depending on what you already have at home. Asda Rewards (cashback to a wallet rather than instant discounts) can reduce this further.
How much protein does this plan provide per day?
This plan averages 178g 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 muscle gain plan?
Plenty of muscle gain plans share the same 3,000 kcal target — the difference here is that the meal selection is biased toward lower-fat protein sources rather than just hitting a protein number however it can.
Can I print this muscle gain 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 3,000 kcal/day, the Asda 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 Asda — no specialist equipment or advanced technique is needed.
