Muscle building, at a higher daily calorie target. This 7-day plan targets 2,500 kcal/day and averages 175g of protein, built around Sainsbury's's Stamford Street Co (consolidated value range since May 2023) for an estimated £80–115/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.
Individual days vary around these figures.
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We'll send: Sainsbury's Muscle Gain Plan — 2,500 kcal
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Made with reduced-sugar baked beans, wholemeal bread.
Allergens in this meal: Cereals containing gluten. Check the label for: Celery, Sesame, Soybeans. Worked out from generic ingredient names — always read the product label.
Made with black beans tinned, brown rice, sweetcorn.
Check the label for: Celery. Worked out from generic ingredient names — always read the product label.
Made with ricotta, wholemeal pasta, baby spinach.
Allergens in this meal: Cereals containing gluten, Milk. Check the label for: Eggs. Worked out from generic ingredient names — always read the product label.
Made with eggs.
Allergens in this meal: Eggs. Worked out from generic ingredient names — always read the product label.
Made with dark chocolate, almonds.
Allergens in this meal: Tree nuts. Check the label for: Milk, Soybeans. Worked out from generic ingredient names — always read the product label.
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Estimated cost: £80–115/week for 1 person from Sainsbury's. Calories and macros remain per person, while shopping quantities are scaled for the household.
This plan has about 16 prep-friendly meals. Start with 9 main containers, 4 small sauce or snack tubs, and 2 freezer tubs.
Use 2 five-container glass packs to provide at least 9 main meal spaces, then add the separate small tubs shown above.
Best for regular weekday lunches, reheating at work, curry, chilli, pasta, and repeat washing.
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.
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The protein and calorie figures on this plan are calculated from weighed portions. Estimating by eye is where most high-protein plans quietly drift, so a set of digital scales is the difference between following this plan and approximating it. Any scale works — this is simply a cheap, accurate one.
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A slim, add-and-weigh digital scale with a 3kg capacity, useful for portioning rice, protein and vegetables precisely rather than guessing by eye.
Best forWeighing portions accurately for calorie or macro tracking
Good to knowNo liquid measurement mode; for sauces and liquids, a scale with an Aquatronic function is more useful.
See Amazon price →These basket notes explain why this plan is shaped around certain ingredients and swaps before you open the shopping list.
Every plan is built on four decisions. If one of them does not match your week, that is the part to change - the swaps below cover the common cases.
| Decision | This plan uses | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Calorie target | Built around roughly 2,500 kcal per day | Higher targets leave more room for training fuel, snacks and larger carbohydrate portions. |
| Supermarket | Sainsbury's | Sainsbury's pages allow more prepared ingredients, vegetarian options and premium swaps where useful. |
| Budget | £80–115/week estimate | High-budget plans can use more varied proteins, higher-calorie extras and convenience foods. |
| Prep style | Standard (20–30 min/day) | Standard-prep plans balance variety, fresh meals and realistic weekday cooking. |
Mid-market: pricier than Asda or the discounters at list price, but Nectar Prices close much of the gap.
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.
This plan is designed for Sainsbury's and is estimated at £80–115 per week for one person at typical UK prices, depending on what you already have at home. Nectar Prices can reduce this further.
This plan averages 175g 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.
Plenty of muscle gain plans share the same 2,500 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.
Yes. Use the export / print PDF button on the plan page. The printable version summarises all 7 days at 2,500 kcal/day, the Sainsbury's shopping list, and your chosen household portion sizes.
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.
Yes. Recipes are rated Standard (20–30 min/day) and use ingredients available at Sainsbury's — no specialist equipment or advanced technique is needed.
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