A free, 7-day high protein diet meal plan featuring breakfast, lunch and dinner ideas plus a complete shopping list. Each recipe includes nutritional macros and Weight Watchers points where available to help you stay on track.
7 Day High Protein Diet Meal Plan
My thoughts are with everyone affected by the California wildfires. I hope communities stay safe and recover quickly.
This is another week of a focused high-protein meal plan — and January meal plans will all emphasize higher protein. Each day in this plan provides more than 100 grams of protein, helping support muscle maintenance, satiety and steady energy. If you’re dealing with cold weather, consider the soups and stews linked throughout for warming, satisfying meals. It’s also National Slow Cooker Month, so check out the slow cooker recipes for easy weeknight dinners.
Update About New WW Points Plan
Weight Watchers recently added new zero-point foods (including oatmeal). I’m updating my recipes to reflect the new plan—most entries from 2018 through 2025 are already updated. Each recipe on the site links to the WW recipe builder from your phone so you can view updated points automatically.
Why High Protein?
I’ve followed a high-protein approach for several years to support muscle gains and overall strength, and it has made a big difference. Eating more protein helps me feel full longer, reduces cravings for sweets and snacks, and supports recovery after workouts. Many people struggle to meet daily protein goals, so I designed this weekly high-protein meal plan to make reaching those targets more straightforward and enjoyable. If you like this format, I’ll share one or two high-protein plans each month. I’m also developing a high-protein cookbook—more on that soon.
Note
If you have kidney or liver disease, gout, certain metabolic disorders, or are an older adult with reduced kidney function, you may need to limit protein intake. Before making a substantial change to your protein consumption, consult your healthcare provider or a registered dietitian to ensure it’s safe for you.
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Ultimate Skinnytaste Meal Planner
The Skinnytaste Ultimate Meal Planner is a spiral-bound planner with weekly grids, a 12-week meal plan, 30 recipes (including 15 new ones) and tear-out grocery lists. It also includes space for weekly gratitude, affirmations and intentions to help you start each week intentionally.
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I created an exclusive 4-week high-protein meal plan series for Relish+ members. Each week includes high-protein breakfasts, lunches and dinners to help you meet protein goals, stay satisfied and maintain strength.
High Protein Diet Meal Plan:
Breakfast and lunch Monday through Friday are portioned for one person, while dinners and all weekend meals are scaled to feed a family of four. Several recipes yield leftovers that work well for additional dinners or next-day lunches. The grocery list below covers everything needed for the week. Add high-protein snacks if you want to boost your daily totals.
MONDAY (1/13)
B: High-Protein Egg Bagel sandwich with 2 eggs, 1 slice cheddar cheese, 2 ounces ham and an orange
L: Cranberry Chicken Salad on Apple Slices
D: Spicy Sriracha Tofu Rice Bowls (double batch)
Total Calories: 1,493* Protein: 103.5g
TUESDAY (1/14)
B: High-Protein Egg Bagel with eggs, cheese and ham plus an orange
L: Cranberry Chicken Salad on Apple Slices
D: Ground Turkey Tacos with Mexican Cauliflower “Rice”
Total Calories: 1,435* Protein: 107.5g
WEDNESDAY (1/15)
B: High-Protein Egg Bagel with 2 eggs, cheese, ham and ½ a grapefruit
L: White Chicken Chili**
D: Chicken Florentine with 1 cup cooked orzo
Total Calories: 1,390* Protein: 117.5g
THURSDAY (1/16)
B: High-Protein Egg Bagel with 2 eggs, cheese, ham and ½ a grapefruit
L: White Chicken Chili
D: Homemade Hamburger Helper with Garlic Broccolini
Total Calories: 1,398* Protein: 116g
FRIDAY (1/17)
B: Carrot Banana Protein Smoothie
L: White Chicken Chili
D: Korean Salmon Rice Bowls with ¾ cup shelled edamame
Total Calories: 1,238* Protein: 116.5g
SATURDAY (1/18)
B: Banana Nut Protein Oats (prepare batch for multiple servings)
L: Slow Cooker Chicken and Lentil Soup
D: Dinner out (flexible)
Total Calories: 738* Protein: 48g
SUNDAY (1/19)
B: Chorizo Breakfast Bowls
L: Leftover Slow Cooker Chicken and Lentil Soup
D: Crock Pot Pork Roast with Mushrooms and Parmesan Brussels Sprouts
Total Calories: 1,303* Protein: 100g
*This guide targets roughly 1,500 calories per day for women; adjust based on individual needs. I’ve left room in the totals for beverages, snacks, fruit and extras. For a personalized estimate of calorie needs, consult a calorie calculator or a registered dietitian. **Prep the White Chicken Chili the night before if desired, and freeze any extras for later.
*Shopping list below is also available as a downloadable Google doc for convenience.
Shopping list
Produce
- 2 medium oranges
- 1 large grapefruit
- 5 medium ripe bananas
- 2 medium red apples
- 1 small (5-ounce) Hass avocado
- 3 medium heads garlic
- 1 small shallot
- 1 (2-inch) piece fresh ginger
- 1 medium jalapeno
- 2 small poblano peppers
- 2 large cubanelle peppers
- 1 small plus 1 large red bell pepper
- 4 mini (Persian) cucumbers (or 1 large English cucumber)
- 1 small bunch celery
- 1 medium package baby carrots
- 1 pound baby gold or red potatoes
- 1 pound Brussels sprouts
- 2 bunches broccolini
- ½ pound sliced baby bella or cremini mushrooms
- 1 medium package riced cauliflower (about 4 cups)
- 1 small bunch scallions
- 1 large bunch cilantro
- 1 medium bunch culantro (optional for sofrito)
- 1 small bunch Italian parsley
- 1 (1-pound) bag or clamshell baby spinach
- 1 small head iceberg lettuce
- 1 small container pico de gallo (or ingredients to make your own)
- 2 medium plum tomatoes
- 1 small red onion
- 1 small plus 3 medium yellow onions
Meat, Poultry and Fish
- ½ pound sliced lean deli ham
- 1 rotisserie chicken breast
- 2 pounds 93% lean ground turkey
- ¾ pound 93% lean ground beef
- 1½ pounds (about 6) boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 2½ pounds (about 6) large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1¼ pounds (about 4) skinless salmon fillets
- 2 pounds lean boneless pork sirloin roast
Condiments and Spices
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Canola oil
- Cooking spray
- Olive oil spray or oil mister
- Kosher salt
- Pepper (grinder or fresh peppercorns)
- Optional bagel toppings: everything bagel seasoning, onion flakes, garlic flakes
- Turmeric, garlic powder, cumin, oregano, Italian seasoning
- Pure maple syrup, honey
- Hot sauce (e.g., Cholula), sriracha, gochujang, Thai sweet chili sauce
- Tamari or soy sauce, mirin, toasted sesame oil
- Sriracha, Worcestershire sauce, red wine vinegar, balsamic vinegar
- Bay leaves, smoked paprika, paprika, ancho chili powder, cayenne
- Taco seasoning or chili powder
- Black and white sesame seeds
- Crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
- Adobo seasoning, ground cloves
Dairy & Refrigerated
- 1 18-pack large eggs
- 1 pint liquid egg whites
- 2 (14-ounce) packages extra-firm tofu
- 1 (8-ounce) block reduced-fat cream cheese
- Unsweetened almond milk or milk of choice (8-ounce)
- 2% milk or preferred milk (8-ounce)
- Half-and-half (8-ounce)
- Nonfat plain Greek yogurt (16-ounce)
- 1 (8-ounce) package sliced cheddar cheese
- 1 (8-ounce) bag shredded cheddar
- Queso blanco or cotija (small package)
- Fresh Parmesan wedge
Grains*
- All-purpose flour (unbleached)
- Quick oats
- Corn tortillas (or a mix of soft and hard shells)
- 1 (1-pound) package orzo pasta
- 1 (1-pound) package short pasta (cavatappi, rotini or elbow)
- Dry brown rice or 5 cups cooked rice
- Stone-ground polenta (small package)
Canned & Jarred
- 1 (15-ounce) can white northern or navy beans
- 1 (10-ounce) can RoTel diced tomatoes
- 1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
- 1 (8-ounce) can tomato paste
- 1 (14-ounce) can plus 1 (32-ounce) carton low-sodium chicken broth
- Additional cartons of chicken broth as needed
Frozen
- Small package frozen corn kernels
- Large package shelled edamame (about 4 cups needed)
Misc. Dry Goods
- Baking powder, granulated sugar
- Ground flax or flax meal
- Unflavored pea or whey protein powder
- 2 (11-ounce) cartons liquid protein shakes (vanilla)
- Chopped walnuts (about 3 tablespoons if buying from bulk)
- Dried cranberries (about 1 tablespoon if from bulk)
- 1 (1-pound) package dried green or brown lentils
*Gluten-free options can be substituted where needed.