Example week for Sam
Eat the protein part of each plate first. If a day goes off plan, use a rough-day swap and pick up again tomorrow. Protein figures are estimates from typical UK labels.
Week 1: gentle batch-cook basics
Monday
75g proteinTuesday
79g proteinWednesday
78g proteinThursday
78g proteinFriday
77g proteinSaturday
77g proteinSunday
81g proteinRecipes
R1. Overnight protein oats
5 min · makes 1 · about 18g protein each · 2 days in the fridge, so make two jars at a time
- 30g porridge oats
- 100g skyr or Icelandic-style yogurt
- 100ml semi-skimmed milk
- Handful of frozen berries
- Stir everything together in a jar.
- Leave in the fridge overnight.
- Eat cold, or warm for 1 minute if you prefer.
R2. Lemon chicken orzo with courgette
20 min · makes 4 · about 21g protein each · 3 days in the fridge; freeze extra single portions
- 300g chicken breast, diced
- 120g orzo
- 1 courgette, diced
- 1 chicken stock cube in 600ml water
- 1 lemon, zest and juice
- 1 tsp olive oil
- Brown the chicken in the oil for 5 minutes.
- Add the orzo, courgette and stock; simmer 10 minutes, stirring, until the orzo is soft.
- Stir in the lemon and season lightly.
R3. Mild beef and lentil ragu
20 min · makes 4 · about 24g protein each · 3 days in the fridge; freezes well
- 400g 5% fat beef mince
- 60g red lentils
- 500g passata
- 1 onion and 2 carrots, finely chopped
- 1 beef stock cube
- 1 tsp dried mixed herbs
- Brown the mince with the onion and carrot for 6 minutes.
- Add the lentils, passata, crumbled stock cube, herbs and 200ml water.
- Simmer 12 minutes until the lentils are soft. Serve each portion with 40g (dry weight) pasta.
R4. Egg and spinach mug muffins
20 min · makes 6 · about 9g protein each · 3 days in the fridge
- 6 medium eggs
- 60g grated mature cheddar
- 2 handfuls of spinach, chopped
- Pinch of black pepper
- Heat the oven to 180C (160C fan) and grease a 6-hole muffin tin.
- Whisk the eggs, stir in the cheese and spinach, and divide between the holes.
- Bake 15 minutes until set. Cool and keep in the fridge.
R5. Tuna and butter bean salad
5 min · makes 1 · about 16g protein each · Make fresh; keep the other half tin of tuna covered in the fridge for up to 2 days
- Half a 145g tin of tuna in spring water, drained
- 60g butter beans (from a tin), rinsed
- Quarter of a cucumber, diced
- Squeeze of lemon
- Mix everything in a bowl.
- Eat cold; it's good on rough days.
R6. Baked salmon, new potatoes and green beans
20 min · makes 2 · about 27g protein each · 2 days in the fridge
- 2 salmon fillets (about 120g each)
- 300g new potatoes, halved
- 200g green beans
- 1 lemon
- Boil the potatoes for 15 minutes, adding the beans for the last 4.
- Meanwhile bake the salmon at 200C (180C fan) for 12-15 minutes.
- Serve with lemon. Eat one portion now and keep one.
R7. Gentle chicken, carrot and potato soup
20 min · makes 4 · about 18g protein each · 3 days in the fridge; freezes well
- 300g chicken breast
- 2 carrots and 1 onion, chopped
- 250g potatoes, diced
- 1 chicken stock cube in 1 litre water
- Simmer the whole chicken breasts with the veg and stock for 15 minutes.
- Lift out the chicken, shred it with two forks and return it.
- Blend half the soup if you want it smoother.
Rough-day swaps
- Skyr pot, straight from the fridge (16g): Cold and bland, and easy to eat in small spoonfuls.
- Glass of cold milk, sipped slowly (7g): Counts toward protein when solid food feels like too much.
- One boiled egg and two plain crackers (8g): Dry, plain and quick.
- Cooked chicken slices rolled up (11g): No cooking smells, which often trigger nausea.
- Chilled edamame beans (9g): Something to pick at slowly.
Shopping list · Tesco
Fridge: Skyr or Icelandic-style yogurt, about 600g, 0% Greek yogurt, 170g pot, Cottage cheese, 300g tub, Semi-skimmed milk, 1 litre, Mature cheddar, 100g, Medium eggs, 12
Meat and fish: Chicken breast fillets, about 750g, 5% fat beef mince, 400g, Salmon fillets, 2, Cooked chicken slices, small pack
Fruit and veg: Courgette, 1, Carrots, 5, Onions, 2, Potatoes, about 600g, Green beans, 200g, Spinach, small bag, Cucumber, 1, Lemons, 2
Frozen: Mixed berries, Edamame beans
Cupboard: Porridge oats, Orzo, 120g, Pasta, 120g, Red lentils, 60g, Passata, 500g, Tuna in spring water, 145g tin, Butter beans, 1 tin, Chicken and beef stock cubes, Dried mixed herbs, Oatcakes, Plain crackers, Honey
Bakery: Wholemeal bread, small loaf
Tip: Cook the soup, ragu and orzo on Sunday or Monday, then freeze single portions. On low days, eat the protein part of the plate first.