How does the meal plan builder work?
- Answer a short health check. Four questions decide whether the plan should change how much you eat at all, or simply show regular meals.
- Tell it about you: age, height, weight, sex and how active a typical day is. These estimate your daily energy and protein needs.
- Tell it how you eat: your goal, whether you eat meat, fish or no animal foods, foods to leave out, how many snacks you want and how long you like to cook.
- Get your plan. You see your daily targets, a 7-day plan with breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks, and a shopping list grouped by aisle. Swap any meal you do not fancy, then print it or save it as a PDF.
Your answers are not sent anywhere. The finished plan is kept in your browser so it is still there when you come back, until you press Start again.
How many calories do you need a day?
It depends mostly on your size and how active you are. The builder first estimates the energy your body uses at rest with the Mifflin-St Jeor equation, which uses your weight, height, age and sex. It then multiplies that by a physical activity level, or PAL, from the joint FAO, WHO and UNU report on human energy requirements:
| Lifestyle in the report | PAL range | Choice in the builder |
|---|---|---|
| Sedentary or light activity | 1.40–1.69 | Mostly sitting |
| Active or moderately active | 1.70–1.99 | Active |
| Vigorous or vigorously active | 2.00–2.40 | Very active |
Because each lifestyle covers a range, your result is a range too. Equations like this are estimates from averages, so treat the numbers as a starting point and watch how your weight and energy respond over a few weeks.
How much less should you eat to lose weight?
A modest, steady cut works better than a crash diet. The 2013 AHA, ACC and The Obesity Society guideline on managing overweight and obesity describes prescribing an energy deficit of 500 or 750 kcal a day, or a daily intake of 1,200 to 1,500 kcal for women and 1,500 to 1,800 kcal for men.
The builder takes the gentler of those approaches: about 500 kcal a day below your estimated needs, and never below 1,200 kcal a day for women or 1,500 for men. The same guideline keeps very low calorie diets, under 800 kcal a day, for medically supervised settings only.
Weight loss is not offered if your BMI is under 18.5, which the World Health Organization classes as underweight, or if you answer yes to any health check question.
How much protein do you need a day?
The current US guidance aims higher than older advice. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2025–2030 set a goal of "1.2–1.6 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day". For a 70 kg adult that is about 85 to 110 g a day.
If you are very active or want to build muscle, the builder uses the range from the International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand on protein and exercise, which says 1.4 to 2.0 g per kilogram a day "is sufficient for most exercising individuals". The same paper suggests spreading it out, with "an absolute dose of 20–40 g" at a time, so the plan shows a per-meal amount as well.
If you live with kidney disease or another long-term condition, protein needs can be quite different, so the builder does not set a target. Ask your doctor or a registered dietitian instead.
What should every day of eating include?
Whatever your calorie number, the WHO healthy diet fact sheet sets the same daily markers for adults:
| Marker | WHO advice | At 2,000 kcal a day |
|---|---|---|
| Fruit and vegetables | At least 400 g a day | At least 400 g |
| Fiber | At least 25 g a day, from foods | At least 25 g |
| Free sugars | Under 10% of energy, with extra benefit at 5% or less | Under 50 g, ideally under 25 g |
| Salt | Under 5 g a day (2 g sodium) | Under 5 g |
| Saturated fat | No more than 10% of energy | Under about 22 g |
The builder works out the sugar and saturated fat limits for your own energy range. Free sugars are those added to food and drink, plus the sugars in honey, syrups and fruit juice. The sugar in whole fruit, vegetables and milk does not count. For how to spot them on labels, see how much added sugar and salt you are actually eating.
How is each meal in the plan built?
Every meal follows one simple plate: half vegetables or fruit, a quarter protein such as fish, eggs, beans, tofu or chicken, a quarter whole grains or starchy vegetables, and a little healthy fat such as olive oil. It is the same plate described in the anti-inflammatory plate, and it keeps vegetables, fiber and protein in every meal without weighing anything.
To eat a little less, keep the vegetable half generous and trim the starchy quarter first. To eat more, add the snacks and larger portions of grains and protein.
Can you follow a vegetarian or vegan meal plan?
Yes. MedlinePlus, from the US National Library of Medicine, notes that "It is easy to get plenty of protein even if you do not eat any animal products." Beans, lentils, tofu, tempeh, nuts, seeds and whole grains all count.
Vitamin B12 is the one to plan for. Eggs and dairy are the main vegetarian sources, so MedlinePlus warns that people who follow a vegan diet "may have a hard time getting enough". Fortified foods help, and a pharmacist or doctor can tell you whether a supplement suits you. The builder adds this reminder to every vegan plan and switches milk and yogurt to fortified plant versions.
Who should not rely on this meal planner?
- Anyone pregnant or breastfeeding. Energy and nutrient needs change. Your midwife or doctor can guide you.
- People with diabetes, kidney, heart or other long-term conditions, or anyone on a diet a doctor has set. The builder will still make a plan, but without a calorie cut or protein target, to take to your doctor or dietitian.
- Anyone with an eating disorder, past or present. The builder shows meals with no numbers at all, and a doctor or registered dietitian can help you build a plan that feels safe.
- Children and teenagers, who are still growing and have different needs. The builder is for adults aged 18 and over.
- People with food allergies, who should still check every label. The plan leaves out meals with the foods you choose, but it cannot know about traces in packaged foods.
To go with your plan, the water intake calculator shows how much to drink, and the workout plan builder adds a matching exercise week. For more on the thinking behind the plan, read how many calories you need a day, how much protein you need a day, how to plan a week of healthy meals and vegetarian and vegan meal planning. The full guide to nutrition covers the rest.
