Waitrose Meal Prep Weight Loss Plan — 1,500 kcal
Anyone aiming for a sustainable calorie deficit. This 7-day plan targets 1,500 kcal/day and averages 98g of protein, built around Waitrose's Waitrose Essential (700+ lines; introduced 2009, relaunched 2020) for an estimated £55–70/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.
Plan summary
Individual days vary around these figures.
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Adjust Household PortionsCurrently 1 person · 1 cook portions
Your 7-Day Meal Plan
Monday
Peanut Butter Overnight Oats
Made with rolled oats, oat milk, peanut butter.
Recipe
Ingredients
- 70g rolled oats
- 175ml oat milk
- 1 tbsp peanut butter
- 1 banana
- 1 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.
Grilled Chicken and Chickpea Power Salad
Made with chicken breast, tinned chickpeas, mixed leaves.
Recipe
Ingredients
- 150g chicken breast
- ½ of a standard tin of chickpeas, drained
- 2 generous handfuls mixed leaves (about 70g)
- 7 cherry tomatoes
- 40g cucumber
- 1 tbsp lemon dressing
Check the label for: Mustard. Worked out from generic ingredient names — always read the product label.
Method
- Cook the chicken breast under a hot grill or on a hot griddle pan, turning once, until cooked through and lightly charred. Rest briefly before slicing if needed.
- Rinse mixed leaves, then slice or chop cherry tomatoes and cucumber.
- Arrange chicken breast, chickpeas, mixed leaves, cherry tomatoes and cucumber in a bowl and finish with lemon dressing. Keep the dressing separate if packing ahead.
Tuna and Sweetcorn Pasta Bake
Made with tinned tuna in spring water, wholemeal pasta, sweetcorn.
Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 standard tin of tuna, drained
- 90g wholemeal pasta (dry weight)
- 90g sweetcorn
- ½ of a standard tin of tomatoes
- 30g reduced-fat cheddar
Allergens in this meal: Cereals containing gluten, Fish, Milk. Check the label for: Eggs. Worked out from generic ingredient names — always read the product label.
Method
- Heat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan). Cook the pasta for 2 minutes less than its packet instructions, then drain.
- Drain the tuna, then mix it with the pasta, tomatoes and sweetcorn in an ovenproof dish.
- Scatter the reduced-fat cheddar over the top and bake for 20-25 minutes, until bubbling and golden.
Weekly Shopping List
Need containers for this batch? Compare meal prep containers →
Estimated cost: £55–70/week for 1 person from Waitrose. Calories and macros remain per person, while shopping quantities are scaled for the household.
Protein
Carbs & Grains
Vegetables
Dairy & Eggs
Fruit
Herbs & Spices
Condiments & Oils
Extras
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.
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.
Plan Details and Assumptions
Waitrose Shopping Evidence Notes
These basket notes explain why this plan is shaped around certain ingredients and swaps before you open the shopping list.
- Best for quality-focused shops using strong produce, higher-welfare proteins, fish, dairy and prepared vegetables.
- Use Waitrose own-label basics first, then reserve premium ingredients for meals where quality noticeably improves the week.
- Watch the basket total by keeping carbohydrates, tins, oats and freezer staples simple.
The Assumptions Behind This Plan
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 1,500 kcal per day | Lower-calorie days need protein, fibre and vegetables so the plan still feels like meals. |
| Supermarket | Waitrose | Waitrose pages suit quality-focused produce, fish, dairy, higher-welfare protein and premium but controlled shops. |
| Budget | £55–70/week estimate | Moderate plans allow more convenience items and variety without becoming premium-only. |
| Prep style | Batch cook (prep on Sunday) | Batch plans repeat weekday bases so Sunday prep genuinely saves time. |
Sunday Batch-Cook Plan
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 five lunches of Grilled Chicken and Chickpea Power Salad.
- Batch cook Tuna and Sweetcorn Pasta Bake and Mushroom and Lentil Shepherd's Pie as the main dinner bases, then alternate them Monday to Friday.
- 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.
Shopping This Plan At Waitrose
Premium positioning, but the Essential range is competitive on staples and keeps a plan viable without paying premium prices throughout.
What Waitrose is good for here
- Essential covers most core prep ingredients, so cost sits well below the headline Waitrose reputation.
- High produce and meat quality, which matters when food is cooked ahead and reheated later.
- Good free-from and speciality range for restrictive diets.
Worth knowing before you shop
- Straying outside Essential raises the weekly cost quickly.
- Fewer stores nationally, and a smaller convenience footprint than the big four.
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 Waitrose's Waitrose Essential (700+ lines; introduced 2009, relaunched 2020) 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 Waitrose'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 weight loss plan cost per week?
This plan is designed for Waitrose and is estimated at £55–70 per week for one person at typical UK prices, depending on what you already have at home. myWaitrose can reduce this further.
How much protein does this plan provide per day?
This plan averages 98g 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 weight loss plan?
Plenty of weight loss plans share the same 1,500 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 weight loss 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 1,500 kcal/day, the Waitrose 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 Waitrose — no specialist equipment or advanced technique is needed.
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