Muscle building, at a higher daily calorie target. This 7-day plan targets 3,500 kcal/day and averages 230g of protein, built around Asda's Just Essentials (formerly Smartprice) for an estimated £95–145/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
3501 kcal per person257g protein · 380g carbs per person
Breakfast575 kcal · 17g protein · 85g carbs · 5 min
Chia and Oat Overnight Pot with Berries
Made with rolled oats, chia seeds, oat milk.
Recipe
Ingredients
80g rolled oats
2¾ tsp chia seeds
275ml oat milk
100g frozen mixed berries
1¼ tsp maple syrup
Allergens in this meal: Cereals containing gluten. Worked out from generic ingredient names — always read the product label.
Method
Stir rolled oats, chia seeds and oat 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 frozen mixed berries and maple syrup. Loosen with a splash of oat milk if needed.
Lunch630 kcal · 48g protein · 85g carbs · 20 min
Cottage Cheese and Roasted Vegetable Bowl
Made with cottage cheese, courgette, red pepper.
Recipe
Ingredients
275g cottage cheese
1 courgette, roasted
1 red pepper, roasted
11 cherry tomatoes
1¼ tsp mixed herbs
1 wholemeal pitta
Allergens in this meal: Cereals containing gluten, Milk. Worked out from generic ingredient names — always read the product label.
Method
Warm the roasted courgette and roasted red pepper through, or use them cold. Halve the cherry tomatoes.
Put the vegetables in a bowl, top with the cottage cheese and sprinkle over the mixed herbs.
Toast the wholemeal pitta, cut it into strips and serve alongside.
Dinner1157 kcal · 101g protein · 105g carbs · 35 min
Chicken, Broccoli and Wholemeal Pasta Bake
Made with chicken breast, wholemeal pasta, broccoli.
Recipe
Ingredients
275g chicken breast
125g wholemeal pasta (dry weight)
1 small head of broccoli (about 275g)
100g reduced-fat crème fraîche
40g reduced-fat cheddar
3 garlic cloves
Allergens in this meal: Cereals containing gluten, Milk. 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 if needed.
Meanwhile, cook the chicken breast in a non-stick pan over medium heat until cooked through. Add a small head of broccoli and garlic and cook until tender.
Fold the cooked pasta through the pan with reduced-fat crème fraîche, then tip everything into an ovenproof dish. Scatter reduced-fat cheddar evenly over the top. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until bubbling and golden on top.
Snack248 kcal · 23g protein · 18g carbs · 5 min
Frozen Edamame Beans with Sea Salt
Made with frozen edamame beans, sea salt, optional to taste (excluded from nutrition estimate).
Recipe
Ingredients
200g frozen edamame beans
sea salt, to taste
Allergens in this meal: Soybeans. Worked out from generic ingredient names — always read the product label.
Method
Cook the frozen edamame beans in boiling water for 3-4 minutes, then drain.
Sprinkle with sea salt to taste and eat warm, or cool and chill for later.
Snack375 kcal · 35g protein · 40g 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
40g light cream cheese
5½ 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.
Snack288 kcal · 7g protein · 35g carbs · 1 min
Banana and Almonds
Made with banana, almonds.
Recipe
Ingredients
1 banana
30g almonds
Allergens in this meal: Tree nuts. Worked out from generic ingredient names — always read the product label.
Method
Slice or portion banana as needed.
Combine banana and almonds in a bowl or lidded container.
Snack228 kcal · 26g protein · 12g carbs · 3 min
Cottage Cheese with Cucumber
Made with cottage cheese, cucumber.
Recipe
Ingredients
200g cottage cheese
¾ cucumber
Allergens in this meal: Milk. Worked out from generic ingredient names — always read the product label.
Method
Slice or portion cucumber as needed.
Put cucumber in a bowl or lidded container, adding cottage cheese just before eating.
Estimated cost: £95–145/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
Tins & Jars
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 and Oat Overnight Pot with Berries for quick breakfasts.
Cook and portion five lunches of Cottage Cheese and Roasted Vegetable Bowl.
Batch cook Chicken, Broccoli and Wholemeal Pasta Bake and Mushroom and Pea Brown Rice Risotto as the main dinner bases, then alternate them Monday to Friday.
Portion snacks in advance: Frozen Edamame Beans with Sea Salt, Turkey Breast and Cream Cheese Roll-Up, Banana and Almonds, Cottage Cheese with Cucumber, Pumpkin Seeds with Dark Chocolate Chips, Frozen Greek Yogurt and Berry Bark, Apple with Walnuts, Dark Chocolate and Almonds, Tzatziki with Vegetable Dippers, No-Bake Peanut Butter Oat Protein Balls, Smoked Salmon on Cucumber Slices, Hard-Boiled Eggs, Light Mozzarella and Tomato, Peanut Butter with Celery Sticks, Chocolate Protein Shake, Pea Protein Green Smoothie, Banana and Peanut Butter on Rice Cakes, Smoked Mackerel Pâté on Oatcakes, Lean Beef Jerky, and Reduced-Fat Cheddar on Oatcakes.
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)
Switch to Asda's value range across the board rather than mid-tier lines
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 £95–145 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 230g 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 3,500 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 3,500 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.
