Asda Pescatarian Batch-Friendly Weekly Muscle Gain Plan — 3,000 kcal
Muscle building, at a higher daily calorie target. This 7-day plan targets 3,000 kcal/day and averages 208g of protein, built around Asda's Just Essentials (formerly Smartprice) for an estimated £90–140/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
2995 kcal per person209g protein · 336g carbs per person
Breakfast337 kcal · 15g protein · 40g carbs · 3 min
Kefir with Berries and Chia Seeds
Made with plain kefir, frozen mixed berries, chia seeds.
Recipe
Ingredients
300ml plain kefir
150g frozen mixed berries
1½ tbsp chia seeds
1½ tsp honey
Allergens in this meal: Milk. Worked out from generic ingredient names — always read the product label.
Method
Stir plain kefir and chia seeds 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 frozen mixed berries and honey. Loosen with a splash of plain kefir if needed.
Lunch812 kcal · 59g protein · 92g carbs · 15 min
Sardine and Wholemeal Pasta Salad
Made with tinned sardines, wholemeal pasta, cherry tomatoes.
Recipe
Ingredients
1½ standard tins of sardines, drained
125g wholemeal pasta (dry weight)
15 cherry tomatoes
2 generous handfuls baby spinach (about 60g)
1½ tbsp lemon juice
Allergens in this meal: Cereals containing gluten, Fish. Check the label for: Eggs. Worked out from generic ingredient names — always read the product label.
Method
Cook the pasta according to its packet instructions, then drain and cool slightly.
Drain sardines.
Rinse baby spinach, then slice or chop cherry tomatoes.
Arrange sardines, the cooked wholemeal pasta, cherry tomatoes and baby spinach in a bowl and finish with lemon juice.
Dinner845 kcal · 88g protein · 105g carbs · 25 min
Cod and Chickpea Stew
Made with cod fillet, tinned chickpeas, tinned tomatoes.
Recipe
Ingredients
300g cod fillet
1¼ standard tins of chickpeas, drained
1½ standard tins of tomatoes
1½ onions
5 garlic cloves
1½ tsp paprika
parsley fresh, to taste
Allergens in this meal: Fish. Worked out from generic ingredient names — always read the product label.
Method
Peel and chop the onion and garlic. Drain and rinse the chickpeas.
Soften the onion and garlic in a large pan over medium heat for 5 minutes, then stir in the paprika.
Add the tomatoes and chickpeas with a splash of water and simmer for 10 minutes, until thickened.
Nestle the cod fillet into the sauce, cover and simmer gently for 8-10 minutes, until it flakes easily. Break it into chunks, season to taste and scatter over the parsley.
Snack349 kcal · 6g protein · 27g carbs · 1 min
Walnuts and Dried Blueberries
Made with walnuts, dried blueberries.
Recipe
Ingredients
40g walnuts
30g dried blueberries
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 walnuts and dried blueberries in a bowl or lidded container.
Snack321 kcal · 8g protein · 27g carbs · 1 min
Almonds and Dried Cranberries
Made with almonds, dried cranberries.
Recipe
Ingredients
40g almonds
30g 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.
Snack331 kcal · 33g protein · 45g carbs · 5 min
Tuna on Rye Crackers
Made with tinned tuna in spring water, rye crackers, lemon juice.
Recipe
Ingredients
1¼ standard tins of tuna, drained
6 rye crackers
1½ tsp lemon juice
Allergens in this meal: Cereals containing gluten, Fish. Worked out from generic ingredient names — always read the product label.
Method
Drain tuna.
Top rye crackers with tuna and lemon juice and serve.
Estimated cost: £90–140/week for 1 person from Asda. Calories and macros remain per person, while shopping quantities are scaled for the household.
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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 16 prep-friendly meals. Start with 13 main containers, 4 small sauce or snack tubs, and 2 freezer tubs.
Use 3 five-container glass packs to provide at least 13 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 Kefir with Berries and Chia Seeds for quick breakfasts.
Cook and portion five lunches of Sardine and Wholemeal Pasta Salad.
Batch cook Cod and Chickpea Stew and Smoked Haddock and Potato Bake as the main dinner bases, then alternate them Monday to Friday.
Portion snacks in advance: Walnuts and Dried Blueberries, Almonds and Dried Cranberries, Tuna on Rye Crackers, Chocolate Protein Shake, Peanut Butter with Celery Sticks, Roasted Spiced Chickpeas, Hard-Boiled Eggs, Pea Protein Green Smoothie, Banana and Almonds, Pumpkin Seeds with Dark Chocolate Chips, Prawn Cocktail in Lettuce Cups, Smoked Salmon with Cream Cheese Crackers, Oat Biscuits with Peanut Butter, Frozen Edamame Beans with Sea Salt, and Low-Fat Greek Yogurt with Berries.
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.
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
Swap fresh berries for frozen mixed berries (same nutrients, fraction of the cost)
Keep tinned tuna, mackerel or sardines in for a fast protein top-up with no cooking
💪 Increase protein
Add tinned beans or lentils to a batch-cooked chilli or curry for extra protein at low cost
Keep tinned tuna, mackerel or sardines in for a fast protein top-up with no cooking
Add extra white fish or prawns to a bowl, curry or pasta dish
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does this muscle gain plan cost per week?
This plan is designed for Asda and is estimated at £90–140 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 208g 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 meals are filtered for how well they hold up over several days, not just for taste on day one.
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 pescatarian eaters?
Yes. Every meal in this plan is pescatarian, using ingredients readily available from Asda.
