CALCULATOR

Meal Prep Calculator

Turn your per-meal macros into a shopping list. Raw weights to buy, cooked weights for the container.

Batch quantities

–

Protein to buy–

Per meal, raw–

Per meal, cooked–

Carbs to buy–

Per meal, dry or raw–

Per meal, cooked–

Vegetables to buy–

Add 150 to 200 g of vegetables per meal for volume and fibre. Cook protein and carbs separately so you can adjust portions later.

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Turning macro targets into a shopping list

Meal prep fails most often at the shopping stage. People know they need 40 g of protein per meal but not how much chicken that is, buy roughly enough, and end up with portions that drift from their targets.

This calculator works backwards from your per-meal macros to raw ingredient weights, which is what you actually buy, and shows the cooked weight so you know what should end up in the container. The two differ substantially: chicken loses about 25 percent of its weight cooking, while rice roughly triples as it absorbs water.

Cook components separately rather than as a single mixed dish. It takes the same time, and it lets you adjust portions later when your targets change or you have a heavier training day.

Frequently asked questions

How much chicken for 40 g of protein?

About 130 g raw, which cooks down to roughly 97 g. Chicken breast is about 31 g of protein per 100 g raw.

Should I weigh food raw or cooked?

Raw where practical, since nutrition data is usually per raw weight and cooking losses vary with method and time.

How long does meal prep keep?

Cooked protein and grains generally keep three to four days refrigerated. Freeze anything beyond that.

How many meals should I prep at once?

Four to five days is the practical ceiling for refrigerated meals. Prepping twice a week beats one large batch.

Sources

US Department of Agriculture. FoodData Central and yield factors for cooked foods. fdc.nal.usda.gov
USDA Agricultural Research Service. Table of Cooking Yields for Meat and Poultry.
Jager R et al. ISSN Position Stand: protein and exercise. JISSN, 2017.
National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements. Nutrient fact sheets. ods.od.nih.gov
NHS. Nutrition and health guidance. nhs.uk
US Departments of Agriculture and Health and Human Services. Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2025-2030. dietaryguidelines.gov

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General information, not medical advice. Consult a qualified professional before changing your diet, especially with a medical condition.