1,800 Calorie Meal Plan: 7-Day Printable PDF (Free)
1,800 Calorie Meal Plan: 7-Day Printable PDF (Free)
This 1800 calorie meal plan gives you seven days of filling, ordinary food. Each day has three meals and two snacks, and every meal lists its calories and grams of protein. Days land between 1,795 and 1,815 calories and average about 129 grams of protein.
At this level the portions are noticeably bigger than in our 1,200 to 1,500 calorie plans, with more oats, rice, bread, nuts and avocado. For the printable PDF with ingredient amounts, a grocery list and a swaps sheet, enter your email and we will send it for free.
Who an 1,800 calorie plan fits
An 1,800 calorie day is a common starting point for taller or more active adults who want to lose weight at a steady pace. Weight loss guidance from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute has long used a starting range of about 1,500 to 1,800 calories a day for men and 1,200 to 1,500 for women, so 1,800 is the top of the range for men and above it for women.
Men with a desk job or a moderate routine often fit here, and so do taller or more active women. Some smaller or less active adults will find 1,800 is close to the amount they burn, which makes it a maintenance level for them and not a deficit. Check with the calorie calculator. If you burn much more, try the 2,000 calorie plan. If you burn much less, the 1,500 plan may suit you better.
How the 1,800 calorie meal plan is built
The dishes are the same ones used across our plans, and only the portions change. Compared with the 1,500 calorie plan, you get more oats at breakfast, more rice and quinoa with dinner, an extra slice of toast on several days and bigger handfuls of almonds in the snacks.
Breakfast runs 400 to 520 calories, lunch 430 to 555 and dinner 470 to 570. The two snacks together add 320 to 440. Protein is roughly 29 percent of the calories and tends to keep people full longer than carbs or fat.
Meat, fish, rice, quinoa, pasta, beans and lentils are measured cooked. Vegetables and fruit are measured as listed in the PDF, and oil is a level teaspoon. Water, plain tea and black coffee are not counted. Calories and protein come from USDA FoodData Central and standard references, rounded to the nearest 5, so treat them as close estimates.
The 7-day 1,800 calorie meal plan at a glance
| Day | Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner | Calories | Protein |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Spinach and tomato scramble with toast and avocado | Grilled chicken salad with chickpeas | Baked salmon with broccoli and brown rice | ~1,815 | 124 g |
| Day 2 | Overnight oats with blueberries and chia | Turkey and avocado wrap with carrot sticks | Chicken and vegetable stir-fry with brown rice | ~1,800 | 128 g |
| Day 3 | Greek yogurt parfait with oats and almonds | Lentil and vegetable soup with toast | Baked cod with roasted vegetables and quinoa | ~1,810 | 118 g |
| Day 4 | Mushroom and feta omelet with toast | Tuna and chickpea salad bowl | Chicken and zucchini pasta with tomato sauce | ~1,805 | 147 g |
| Day 5 | Oatmeal with banana and peanut butter | Quinoa and black bean bowl with avocado | Shrimp and asparagus sheet pan with sweet potato | ~1,800 | 107 g |
| Day 6 | Avocado egg toast | Chicken burrito bowl | Baked cod with green beans and sweet potato | ~1,795 | 130 g |
| Day 7 | Berry banana yogurt smoothie with chia | Chicken Caesar-style salad | Turkey and black bean chili with brown rice | ~1,805 | 147 g |
Day-by-day 1,800 calorie meal plan
Day 1about 1,815 calories, 124 g protein
- Breakfast Spinach and tomato scramble with toast and avocado~450
- Snack Greek yogurt with blueberries and almonds~215
- Lunch Grilled chicken salad with chickpeas~430
- Snack Apple with almonds~225
- Dinner Baked salmon with broccoli and brown rice~495
Cook extra rice tonight. You will use about three cups across the week.
Day 2about 1,800 calories, 128 g protein
- Breakfast Overnight oats with blueberries and chia~410
- Snack Cottage cheese with strawberries and almonds~260
- Lunch Turkey and avocado wrap with carrot sticks~460
- Snack Edamame with orange~155
- Dinner Chicken and vegetable stir-fry with brown rice~515
Make the overnight oats the evening before.
Day 3about 1,810 calories, 118 g protein
- Breakfast Greek yogurt parfait with oats and almonds~410
- Snack Apple with string cheese~185
- Lunch Lentil and vegetable soup with toast~510
- Snack Carrot sticks with hummus~135
- Dinner Baked cod with roasted vegetables and quinoa~570
Dinner is the biggest meal of the day. Cook extra quinoa for Day 5.
Day 4about 1,805 calories, 147 g protein
- Breakfast Mushroom and feta omelet with toast~425
- Snack Banana with peanut butter~255
- Lunch Tuna and chickpea salad bowl~470
- Snack Greek yogurt with strawberries~150
- Dinner Chicken and zucchini pasta with tomato sauce~505
One of the two highest-protein days of the week.
Day 5about 1,800 calories, 107 g protein
- Breakfast Oatmeal with banana and peanut butter~520
- Snack Cottage cheese with orange and almonds~195
- Lunch Quinoa and black bean bowl with avocado~460
- Snack Popcorn with dark chocolate~155
- Dinner Shrimp and asparagus sheet pan with sweet potato~470
The lowest-protein day, because breakfast and lunch are plant based.
Day 6about 1,795 calories, 130 g protein
- Breakfast Avocado egg toast~410
- Snack Greek yogurt with raspberries and almonds~185
- Lunch Chicken burrito bowl~555
- Snack Edamame with orange~155
- Dinner Baked cod with green beans and sweet potato~490
The burrito bowl is the biggest lunch of the plan.
Day 7about 1,805 calories, 147 g protein
- Breakfast Berry banana yogurt smoothie with chia~400
- Snack Apple with string cheese and almonds~265
- Lunch Chicken Caesar-style salad~460
- Snack Carrot sticks with hummus~135
- Dinner Turkey and black bean chili with brown rice~545
One of the two highest-protein days. The chili freezes well.
Get the printable PDF
Ingredient amounts for every meal, a one-page grocery list and a swaps sheet.
Grocery list for the week
Meat and fish are listed as cooked weight. Buy roughly a quarter more raw weight, because they lose water when they cook.
Protein
- Egg: 6 large
- Egg white: 2 large
- Chicken breast (cooked): 20 oz
- Turkey breast (cooked): 7 oz
- Salmon (baked): 4 oz
- Cod (cooked): 11 oz
- Shrimp (cooked): 6 oz
- Tuna (canned in water): 4 oz
- Edamame (shelled): 1 cup
Dairy
- Nonfat plain Greek yogurt: 4 cups
- 2% cottage cheese: 1 cup
- Skim milk: 2 cups
- Unsweetened almond milk: 1 cup
- String cheese: 2 sticks
- Feta cheese: 1 oz
- Grated Parmesan: 3 tbsp
Vegetables
- Spinach: 5 cups
- Romaine lettuce: 10 cups
- Cherry tomatoes: 3 cups
- Cucumber: 1 cup
- Bell pepper: 4 cups
- Zucchini: 3 cups
- Carrot: 6 medium
- Broccoli (cooked): 2 cups
- Mushrooms: 2 cups
- Onion: 1 cup
- Green beans (cooked): 1 cup
- Asparagus: 1 cup
- Sweet potato (baked): 4 small
- Garlic: 4 cloves
Fruit
- Banana: 3 medium
- Apple: 3 medium
- Orange: 4 medium
- Blueberries: 1 cup
- Strawberries: 4 cups
- Raspberries: 1 cup
- Avocado: 1 1/4 medium
Grains, beans and bread
- Rolled oats (dry): 1 3/4 cups
- Brown rice (cooked): 3 cups
- Quinoa (cooked): 1 3/4 cups
- Whole-wheat pasta (cooked): 1 cup
- Whole-wheat bread: 11 slices
- Whole-wheat tortilla (8 in): 1
- Lentils (cooked): 1 cup
- Canned chickpeas (rinsed): 1 cup
- Black beans (cooked): 1 1/2 cups
- Air-popped popcorn: 3 cups
Pantry
- Olive oil: 14 tsp
- Almonds: 80 almonds
- Peanut butter: 2 1/2 tbsp
- Chia seeds: 2 tbsp
- Hummus: 6 tbsp
- Honey: 1 tsp
- Dark chocolate (70-85%): 1 square
- Vegetable broth: 2 cups
- Canned diced tomatoes: 2 1/2 cups
- Salsa: 6 tbsp
- Low-sodium soy sauce: 1 tbsp
- Lemon juice: 7 tbsp
Turn the plan up or down by about 100 calories
At this level it is easy to fine-tune a day. A tablespoon of peanut butter adds about 95 calories, ten almonds about 80, a slice of whole-wheat bread about 70 and half a cup of cooked brown rice about 110. A teaspoon of olive oil adds 40. To trim a day by about 100 calories, take out the same amounts. Change one or two items at a time and keep the protein foods where they are.
Chicken breast and turkey breast trade places ounce for ounce, with turkey about 9 calories lower per ounce. Brown rice and quinoa swap at the same portion and differ by only a few calories. Cod and shrimp sit within a couple of calories per ounce of each other, while salmon has about twice as many, so swapping it for cod trims roughly 28 calories per ounce. Swap one food at a time and keep the portion the same.
Making the plan work in real life
The plan is easiest with a weekend prep session. Cook the rice, quinoa and chicken, chop the vegetables and pack the snacks, and most weekday meals take only a few minutes.
Because portions are larger, weighing food the same way each time matters more than at lower levels. A rice portion that drifts from half a cup to a full cup changes the day by over 100 calories.
On a day you eat out, pick the meal in the plan closest to what you ordered and keep the other meals as written.
1,800 calorie meal plan FAQ
Is 1,800 calories enough for weight loss?
For many men and for taller or more active women, 1,800 calories is below what they burn, so it works as a moderate deficit. For smaller or less active adults it may be close to maintenance. Use the calorie calculator for an estimate.
Is an 1,800 calorie meal plan good for men?
It is a common level for men with a desk job or moderate activity, and it sits at the top of the starting range used in weight loss guidance for men. Men who are tall or train hard often need more, and the 2,000 calorie plan may suit them better.
Can women follow an 1,800 calorie meal plan?
Yes, if their needs are higher than the usual starting range for women, which includes taller women and women who exercise a lot. A smaller, less active woman will often be better off at 1,400 or 1,500 calories.
How much weight can I lose on this meal plan?
It depends on how many calories you burn now. The CDC describes about 1 to 2 pounds a week as a gradual, steady rate. Some weeks the scale will not move, because body weight shifts with water. No plan can promise a specific result.
Is this a high protein meal plan?
Yes. It averages about 129 grams of protein a day, with days from 107 to 147 grams.
Can I use this plan if I exercise?
Yes. Hard training raises calorie needs, so if you feel low on energy, try the 2,000 calorie plan or use the calorie adjustments above.
Can I repeat the plan for more than a week?
Many people repeat the days they like. If you plan to follow it for longer than a few weeks, check in with a doctor or dietitian and recalculate your needs as your weight changes.
Sources
- USDA FoodData Central, Foundation Foods (nutrient values used for most ingredients).
- National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, Aim for a Healthy Weight (starting calorie ranges for weight loss).
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Healthy Weight, Nutrition, and Physical Activity: Losing Weight (rate of weight loss).
Reviewed by: [Name, credentials, date. Add only if a registered dietitian has actually reviewed the plan.]
This page is general nutrition information. It is not medical advice and does not replace advice from a doctor or registered dietitian. An 1,800 calorie plan does not suit everyone, and calorie needs vary widely between people. Calories and protein are estimates. Results vary from person to person.
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