Tesco Vegetarian Workweek Prep Busy Professional Plan — 1,800 kcal
Minimal daily cooking, batch prep. This 7-day plan targets 1,800 kcal/day and averages 80g of protein, built around Tesco's Stockwell & Co (cupboard staples: tins, cereals, tea, baking) for an estimated £25–45/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
1801 kcal per person84g protein · 291g carbs per person
Breakfast498 kcal · 15g protein · 73g carbs · 5 min
Peanut Butter Overnight Oats
Made with rolled oats, oat milk, peanut butter.
Recipe
Ingredients
70g rolled oats
175ml oat milk
¾ tbsp peanut butter
1 banana
¾ tsp chia seeds
Allergens in this meal: Cereals containing gluten, Peanuts. Worked out from generic ingredient names — always read the product label.
Method
Stir rolled oats, oat milk 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 peanut butter and banana. Loosen with a splash of oat milk if needed.
Lunch490 kcal · 28g protein · 84g carbs · 15 min
Red Lentil and Vegetable Soup with Wholemeal Roll
Made with red lentils, carrot, onion.
Recipe
Ingredients
80g red lentils
1 carrot
¾ onion
2 celery stalks
1 wholemeal roll
400ml vegetable stock
Allergens in this meal: Celery, Cereals containing gluten. Check the label for: Sesame, Soybeans. Worked out from generic ingredient names — always read the product label.
Method
Peel and chop carrot, onion and celery into even pieces.
Heat a large non-stick pan over medium heat and soften carrot, onion and celery for 5-7 minutes, adding a splash of water if the pan starts to stick.
Stir in vegetable stock, then add red lentils and simmer gently until tender and thickened.
Taste, season and serve with wholemeal roll on the side.
Dinner547 kcal · 24g protein · 94g carbs · 50 min
Mushroom and Pea Brown Rice Risotto
Made with brown rice, mushrooms, frozen peas.
Recipe
Ingredients
80g brown rice (dry weight)
175g mushrooms
80g frozen peas
¾ onion
500ml vegetable stock
15g parmesan
2 garlic cloves
Allergens in this meal: Milk. Check the label for: Celery, Cereals containing gluten, Soybeans. Worked out from generic ingredient names — always read the product label.
Method
Soften the onion and garlic in a wide pan over medium heat for 3-4 minutes, then add the sliced mushrooms and cook until golden.
Stir in the brown rice and cook for 1 minute so the grains are coated.
Add the hot vegetable stock a ladleful at a time, stirring often and letting each addition be absorbed before adding the next. Brown rice takes about 35-40 minutes to become tender and creamy.
Stir in the frozen peas for the last 3-4 minutes, then take the pan off the heat, stir through the parmesan and season to taste.
Snack266 kcal · 17g protein · 40g carbs · 5 min
Mini Protein Overnight Oats
Made with rolled oats, skyr, semi-skimmed milk.
Recipe
Ingredients
30g rolled oats
80g skyr
80ml semi-skimmed milk
1 banana
Allergens in this meal: Cereals containing gluten, Milk. Worked out from generic ingredient names — always read the product label.
Method
Stir rolled oats and semi-skimmed 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 skyr and banana. Loosen with a splash of semi-skimmed milk if needed.
Estimated cost: £25–45/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
Plant-Based Milks & Alternatives
Dairy & Eggs
Fruit
Herbs & Spices
Condiments & Oils
Extras
Sponsored #ad - container setup
Container setup for this plan
This plan has about 21 prep-friendly meals. Start with 17 main containers, 5 small sauce or snack tubs, and 2 freezer tubs.
Use 2 10-container sets to provide at least 17 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 Peanut Butter Overnight Oats for quick breakfasts.
Cook and portion 3 portions of Red Lentil and Vegetable Soup with Wholemeal Roll and 2 portions of Cottage Cheese and Roasted Vegetable Bowl.
Batch cook Mushroom and Pea Brown Rice Risotto and Chickpea and Spinach Coconut Curry as the main dinner bases, then alternate them Monday to Friday.
Portion snacks in advance: Mini Protein Overnight Oats, Protein Yogurt with Low-Sugar Granola, Frozen Edamame Beans with Sea Salt, Light Mozzarella and Tomato, and Almonds and Dried Cranberries.
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.
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
Compare Tesco's own-brand versions of the ingredients on this shopping list
Compare the price per 100g or 100ml when choosing pack sizes for this week’s quantities
Plan another use for any unused pack contents before buying extra ingredients
Compare dried pulses with the tinned pulses on this list if you have time to soak and cook them
💪 Increase protein
Add tinned beans or lentils to a batch-cooked chilli or curry for extra protein at low cost
Add a couple of eggs or a portion of cottage cheese as a whole-food protein top-up
Use 0% fat Greek yogurt or quark in place of standard yogurt — same volume, far more protein
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does this busy professional plan cost per week?
This plan is designed for Tesco and is estimated at £25–45 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 80g 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 vegetarian eaters?
Yes. Every meal in this plan is vegetarian, using ingredients readily available from Tesco.
