Plan Overview
5 days, 3,200 calories daily, 200g protein, $54/week. This is the highest-cost plan on the site because calorie volume costs money — 3,200 calories from whole foods runs approximately $10–$12 per day. The structure targets a 350–500 calorie surplus above a 2,700 TDEE baseline (170 lb moderately active person). Scale calories up or down based on your actual TDEE.
Shopping List (~$54)
| Item | Cost (2026) | Provides | Calorie contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bone-in chicken thighs, 3 lbs | $5.97–$7.47 | 5 lunch + 5 dinner portions | 315 cal per 6oz |
| 80/20 ground beef, 1 lb | $4.49–$5.99 | 3 dinners (variation) | 240 cal per 3oz |
| Eggs, 18-count | $5.24 | Breakfast additions + snacks | 70 cal each |
| Brown rice, 5 lb bag | $3.98 | All week grain base (amortised $0.80) | 280 cal per 1.5 cups cooked |
| Rolled oats, 42oz (amortised) | $0.95/week | 5 bulking breakfasts | 300 cal per cup dry |
| Whole milk, ½ gallon | $2.49 | Breakfast oats (5 servings) | 150 cal per cup |
| Peanut butter, 16oz | $2.97 | Breakfast oats + snacks | 190 cal per 2 tbsp |
| Bananas, bunch of 6 | $1.10 | Breakfast + snacks | 105 cal each |
| Sweet potatoes, 3 lb bag | $3.49 | Carb addition to lunch containers | 90 cal per ½ cup cooked |
| Broccoli florets, 32oz frozen | $2.18 | Vegetable all week | 55 cal per cup |
| Olive oil, 16oz (amortised) | $1.20/week | Cooking + calorie addition | 240 cal per 2 tbsp |
| Greek yogurt 0%, 32oz | $4.48 | Snack + protein addition | 95 cal per ¾ cup |
| Shredded cheese, 8oz | $2.49 | Calorie addition to containers | 110 cal per ¼ cup |
| Pasta, 2 lbs | $2.49 | Thu–Fri variation base | 310 cal per 1.5 cups cooked |
| Spices and pantry amortised | $1.50/week | Seasoning | — |
| TOTAL | ~$48–$56 | 5 days all meals | ~3,200 cal/day |
Sunday Prep Timeline (100 Minutes)
- 0:00 — 3 cups dry brown rice on stovetop (40 min unattended).
- 0:05 — Oven to 425°F (220°C). Season 3 lbs chicken thighs. Into oven. Timer 38 min.
- 0:10 — Brown 1 lb 80/20 ground beef to 160°F (71°C) — USDA minimum for ground beef. Season as taco or Italian style for variety.
- 0:25 — Sheet pan sweet potato + broccoli. Into oven at 0:30. Timer 25 min.
- 0:30 — Make 5 bulking breakfast jars: 1 cup rolled oats + 2 tbsp peanut butter + 1 cup whole milk + 1 sliced banana + 1 tbsp honey. Seal. Refrigerate. Per jar: 720 cal, 22g protein.
- 0:44 — Chicken out at 175°F (79°C). Sweet potato + broccoli out at 0:55.
- 0:50 — Rice done. Spread all components to cool 20 minutes.
- 0:55 — Hard-boil 8 eggs (12 min boil, ice bath). These are your mid-morning protein additions.
- 1:10 — Portion lunch containers (5): 1.5 cups rice + 6oz chicken + vegetables. Portion dinner containers (5): 1.5 cups rice + ground beef OR remaining chicken + vegetables + cheese.
- 1:40 — Done.
Daily Meal Plan — 3,200 Calories
Monday–Wednesday
Breakfast (720 cal / 22g protein): Bulking oat jar (pre-made Sunday) + 2 hard-boiled eggs alongside (additional 140 cal / 12g protein) = 860 cal total.
Lunch (845 cal / 34g protein): Chicken thigh + rice + sweet potato + broccoli. Add 1 tbsp olive oil at serving (+120 cal). Add ¼ cup cheese (+110 cal).
Mid-afternoon (300 cal / 17g protein): ¾ cup Greek yogurt + 1oz nuts.
Dinner (780 cal / 42g protein): Ground beef bowl + 1.5 cups rice + broccoli + cheese.
Evening (200 cal / 20g protein): Greek yogurt or 3 hard-boiled eggs.
Daily total: ~2,985 cal, 125g protein from tracked sources. Background protein from grains and vegetables adds approximately 30–40g more = 155–165g total. Add 1 extra tbsp olive oil or 1oz nuts to reach 3,200 cal.
Thursday–Friday (pasta variation)
Swap brown rice for pasta at dinner (310 cal per 1.5 cups cooked vs rice 280 cal — minimal difference but different eating experience). The meal feels entirely different despite the same protein.
Storage Reference (USDA FoodKeeper)
| Component | Fridge Life | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Cooked chicken thighs | 4 days | Eat Mon–Thu. Freeze Fri portion on Sunday. |
| Cooked ground beef | 4 days | E. coli O157:H7 — cook to 160°F (71°C) minimum for ground beef. |
| Brown rice (cooked) | 4–6 days | Cool rapidly — Bacillus cereus risk in warm rice. Spread thin to cool before refrigerating. |
| Roasted sweet potato | 4–5 days | Texture softens — still safe all week. |
| Bulking oat jars | 3–4 days with banana | Make fresh oat jars Wed evening for Thu–Fri to prevent banana browning. |
| Hard-boiled eggs in shell | 7 days | Most storage-stable protein on this list. |