7-Day High-Protein Meal Plan to Build Muscle

A free, 7-day high-protein diet meal plan with breakfast, lunch and dinner ideas plus a complete shopping list. Each recipe includes macros and Weight Watchers points to help you track calories and protein across the week.

7 Day High Protein Diet Meal Plan

Wishing you and your family a healthy and joyful holiday season. Whether you’re celebrating Christmas, Hanukkah, or Kwanzaa, this plan offers dishes to bring to gatherings or to serve at home — from roast beef and latkes to breakfast casseroles, pancakes, mocktails and desserts. It’s designed to make healthy, protein-forward eating simple during busy weeks.

Why High Protein?

I’ve followed a high-protein approach for several years to build muscle and improve satiety. Eating higher protein meals helps me feel stronger and reduces cravings for sweets and snacks between meals. This meal plan is intended to help you reach daily protein targets by distributing protein across meals and snacks. For example, if your daily goal is 120 grams, aim for roughly 30 grams per main meal and 10–30 grams across snacks.

If you’re unsure about how much protein you need, consult a reliable nutrition resource or your healthcare provider. This plan is a helpful guide, but individual needs vary by age, activity level, and health goals.

How the Plan Works

These meal plans are intended as a flexible guide. There’s plenty of room to add coffee, beverages, fruit, snacks, dessert, or additional sides. Swap meals to suit your taste or dietary needs. Aim for at least 1,500 calories per day as a baseline for many women, adjusting up or down based on your personal goals and guidance from a nutrition professional.

Important Health Note

If you have kidney or liver disease, gout, certain metabolic disorders, or reduced kidney function, you may need to limit protein intake. Always consult your healthcare provider or a registered dietitian before significantly increasing protein in your diet, especially if you have underlying conditions.

High Protein Meal Plan Overview

Breakfasts and lunches Monday through Friday are portioned for one, while dinners and weekend meals are scaled for a family of four. Some recipes yield leftovers suitable for a second night or a packed lunch. The shopping list below covers all ingredients needed for the full plan. Add high-protein snacks between meals to hit your daily protein targets.

MONDAY
B: Savory Cottage Cheese Bowls
L: Tuna Egg Salad with 2 thin slices whole grain bread
D: Sheet Pan Balsamic-Herb Chicken and Vegetables with Mashed Sweet Potatoes
Total Calories: 1,079* Protein: 92.5g

TUESDAY
B: Bacon Spinach Breakfast Casserole with Gruyere and Apple & Grape Fruit Salad
L: Shrimp Ceviche and Hot Spinach Artichoke Dip with 12 tortilla chips; Stuffed Mushrooms with Broccoli Rabe and Sausage
D: Homemade Spinach Manicotti with Kale & Brussels Sprouts Salad with Parmesan and Pecans
Total Calories: 1,271* Protein: 95g

WEDNESDAY
B: Bacon Spinach Breakfast Casserole with Gruyere and Apple & Grape Fruit Salad
L: Dirty Martini Dip with pretzel crisps, Oysters Rockefeller, and Air Fryer Chicken Wings
D: Honey Baked Spiral Ham with Scalloped Potato Gratin and Mixed Baby Greens with Pomegranate, Gorgonzola and Pecans
Total Calories: 1,578* Protein: 99g

THURSDAY
B: Savory Cottage Cheese Bowls
L: Tuna Egg Salad with 2 thin slices whole grain bread
D: Split Pea Soup with Ham and Lemony Hearts of Palm Salad with Avocado
Total Calories: 1,216* Protein: 90.5g

FRIDAY
B: Savory Cottage Cheese Bowls
L: Leftover Split Pea Soup with Ham
D: Shrimp and Andouille Sheet Pan Dinner with ¾ cup brown rice**
Total Calories: 1,153* Protein: 93g

SATURDAY
B: Sausage, Cheese and Veggie Breakfast Casserole
L: Cajun Fried Rice
D: Dinner out
Total Calories: 731* Protein: 56.5g

SUNDAY
B: Leftover Sausage, Cheese and Veggie Breakfast Casserole
L: Air Fryer Chicken Milanese with Mediterranean Salad
D: Braised Brisket with Potatoes and Carrots plus Spiralized Sweet Potato Latkes
Total Calories: 1,210* Protein: 115.5g

*These calorie estimates are a guideline; many women may aim for around 1,500 calories per day depending on goals. Adjust portions, snacks and beverages as needed. **Make an extra 3 cups cooked brown rice to use for Saturday lunch.

Shopping List

Produce

• 1 lb seedless green grapes
• 1½ lb Gala apples
• 1 medium orange
• 4 lemons (1 small + 3 medium)
• 9 limes
• 1 medium pomegranate or a small container of pomegranate arils
• 1 medium Hass avocado (6 oz)
• 6 Persian cucumbers
• 1 medium zucchini
• 2 heads garlic
• 5 shallots (3 medium + 2 large)
• 2 jalapeños
• 4 red bell peppers (3 medium + 1 large)
• 5 oz sliced shiitake mushrooms
• 1 lb + 5 oz baby bella or cremini mushrooms
• ½ lb asparagus
• 1 small bunch celery
• 5 large carrots
• 1 lb broccoli florets
• 1 small head or medium bag cauliflower
• 1 small package riced cauliflower (or frozen)
• ½ lb Brussels sprouts (or 4 cups pre-shredded)
• 2½ lb Yukon Gold potatoes (about 6 medium)
• 2 lb red potatoes (about 8 medium)
• 4 medium + 1 large sweet potatoes (about 2¾ lb total)
• 1 large bunch broccoli rabe (you need about 3 cups)
• 1 large bunch scallions (about 12)
• 1 small bunch chives
• 1 small bunch oregano (or 1 tsp dried for substitutions)
• 1 small bunch basil
• 1 small bunch thyme
• 1 small bunch cilantro
• 1 small bunch Italian parsley
• 1 large head romaine lettuce
• 1 lb baby spinach (clamshell)
• 1 lb baby arugula (clamshell)
• 5 oz baby kale (clamshell)
• 5 oz mixed greens (clamshell)
• 2 medium heirloom tomatoes
• 1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes
• 3 red onions (small, medium, large)
• 5 white onions (1 medium + 4 large)
• 3 yellow onions (1 small + 2 medium)

Meat, Poultry & Fish

• 3 oz Nova lox (serves 2)
• 1 package center-cut bacon
• 1½ lb chicken andouille sausage
• 2 lb sweet Italian chicken sausage
• 1 spiral bone-in ham (6–8 lb)
• 1 5-lb beef brisket
• 24 medium oysters in shell
• 2¼ lb peeled and deveined large or jumbo shrimp
• 20 chicken wingettes and drummettes
• 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 2 lb thin-sliced chicken breast cutlets (about 8)

Condiments & Spices

• Extra virgin olive oil
• Vegetable or grapeseed oil
• Cooking spray
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Pure maple syrup
• Honey
• Vanilla extract
• Mayonnaise (regular or light)
• Crushed red pepper flakes
• Garlic powder, onion powder, paprika
• Dried oregano, thyme, ground sage
• Reduced sodium soy sauce
• Sriracha or Louisiana-style hot sauce
• Red wine, balsamic and apple cider vinegars
• Champagne vinegar, Dijon mustard, bay leaves, nutmeg
• Creole and low-sodium Cajun seasonings, cayenne

Dairy & Refrigerated

• Pineapple juice (small carton)
• Pomegranate juice (small bottle)
• 3 dozen large eggs
• 1 pint liquid egg whites
• 32 oz low-fat cottage cheese
• 15 oz part-skim ricotta
• 16 oz nonfat plain Greek yogurt
• 16 oz whole milk plain Greek yogurt
• 8 oz light sour cream
• 8 oz reduced-fat cream cheese
• Unsalted butter and light butter
• 1 quart nonfat milk, 1 pint 1% milk
• 8 oz half and half
• Shredded part-skim mozzarella (8 oz + 16 oz bags)
• 8 oz shredded Gruyere, 8 oz reduced-fat sharp cheddar
• Large wedge Parmesan or Parmigiano Reggiano
• Small wedge Pecorino Romano (or extra Parmesan)
• 8 oz feta and 8 oz gorgonzola

Grains

• Thin-sliced whole grain bread
• Large bag tortilla chips
• Pretzel crisps
• Plain breadcrumbs and plain panko
• White whole wheat flour (small package)
• Dry brown rice (or 6 cups cooked)

Canned & Jarred

• 12 oz jar roasted red bell peppers
• 14 oz can hearts of palm
• 13.75 oz jar artichoke hearts in water
• Small jar martini olives
• 2 cans light tuna in water (2.6 oz each)
• Large jar marinara or ingredients to make your own
• Two 32-oz cartons low-sodium chicken broth
• 32-oz carton beef broth
• 4-oz can tomato paste

Frozen

• Two 10-oz packages chopped spinach

Dry Goods & Misc.

• Small package brown sugar
• Mini bottle white wine
• Mini bottle gin or vodka (for specific recipes)
• Baking powder
• Roasted shelled pistachios (or bulk amount for 3 Tbsp)
• 6-oz package pecan halves
• 16-oz bag dry split peas

You can substitute gluten-free options where indicated. For holiday gatherings, scale ingredient quantities to your guest count; the grocery list reflects the serving sizes used in each recipe.