Minimal daily cooking, batch prep. This 7-day plan targets 1,800 kcal/day and averages 126g of protein, built around Tesco's Stockwell & Co (cupboard staples: tins, cereals, tea, baking) for an estimated £40–75/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
1802 kcal per person127g protein · 210g carbs per person
Breakfast207 kcal · 9g protein · 25g carbs · 3 min
Kefir with Berries and Chia Seeds
Made with plain kefir, frozen mixed berries, chia seeds.
Recipe
Ingredients
175ml plain kefir
90g frozen mixed berries
1 tbsp chia seeds
1 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.
Lunch497 kcal · 36g protein · 56g carbs · 15 min
Sardine and Wholemeal Pasta Salad
Made with tinned sardines, wholemeal pasta, cherry tomatoes.
Recipe
Ingredients
¾ of a standard tin of sardines, drained
80g wholemeal pasta (dry weight)
9 cherry tomatoes
1 generous handful baby spinach (about 40g)
1 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.
Dinner744 kcal · 74g protein · 89g carbs · 35 min
Chicken and Lentil One-Pot Stew
Made with chicken thighs, green lentils, tinned tomatoes.
Recipe
Ingredients
200g chicken thighs
90g green lentils
1 standard tin of tomatoes
1 onion
3 garlic cloves
1¾ tsp paprika
3 generous handfuls spinach (about 90g)
Method
Peel and chop onion and garlic into even pieces.
Heat a large pan over medium heat and brown the chicken thighs with onion and garlic for 5-7 minutes.
Stir in paprika, then add green lentils, tomatoes and spinach with enough water to cover and simmer gently until tender and thickened.
Taste, season and portion for serving.
Snack354 kcal · 8g protein · 40g carbs · 2 min
Oat Biscuits with Peanut Butter
Made with oat biscuits, peanut butter.
Recipe
Ingredients
4 oat biscuits
1 tbsp peanut butter
Allergens in this meal: Cereals containing gluten, Peanuts. Check the label for: Milk. Worked out from generic ingredient names — always read the product label.
Method
Slice or portion oat biscuits as needed.
Combine oat biscuits and peanut butter in a bowl or lidded container.
Estimated cost: £40–75/week for 1 person from Tesco. 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 Chicken and Lentil One-Pot Stew and Lentil and Turkey Sausage Casserole as the main dinner bases, then alternate them Monday to Friday.
Portion snacks in advance: Oat Biscuits with Peanut Butter, Smoked Salmon with Cream Cheese Crackers, Rice Cakes with Cottage Cheese, Tuna on Rye Crackers, 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.
The largest UK grocer. Widest range of the mainstream stores, with Clubcard pricing doing much of the value work.
Value rangeStockwell & Co (cupboard staples: tins, cereals, tea, baking)
Loyalty pricingClubcard Prices
What Tesco is good for here
Deepest own-brand range across price tiers, so most recipes can be built up or down in cost.
Strong free-from and speciality shelves for gluten-free, dairy-free and vegan weeks.
Clubcard Prices frequently cover chicken, mince and dairy — the high-cost items in a protein-led plan.
Worth knowing before you shop
Non-Clubcard prices are noticeably higher; the card is effectively required to hit the budget estimate.
The Stockwell & Co economy tier has been shrinking, so some value lines have moved up a tier.
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 Tesco's Stockwell & Co (cupboard staples: tins, cereals, tea, baking) 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 Tesco'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
Cook an extra portion of mince or beans into the weekly batch — cheap to add, keeps well
Add tinned beans or lentils to a batch-cooked chilli or curry for extra protein at low cost
Portion cooked chicken thighs into the freezer in 100g bags to add to any meal without extra cooking
🥦 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 busy professional plan cost per week?
This plan is designed for Tesco and is estimated at £40–75 per week for one person at typical UK prices, depending on what you already have at home. Clubcard Prices can reduce this further.
How much protein does this plan provide per day?
This plan averages 126g of protein per day across the week, based on the meals actually selected — in line with general UK guidance of roughly 0.8–1.6g per kg of bodyweight for active adults.
How is this different from a generic busy professional plan?
Plenty of busy professional plans share the same 1,800 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 busy professional 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 1,800 kcal/day, the Tesco 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 Tesco — no specialist equipment or advanced technique is needed.
