Meal Prep Calculator
Plan your weekly meal prep by calculating grocery amounts based on the number of people, meals per week, and calorie targets.
Meal prep portioning and cost per meal helps you plan a week’s worth of meals in advance — calculating exactly how much food to cook, how many servings it yields, and what each meal costs.
Core formulas: Total Servings Needed = Meals per Day × Days Prepped × People Ingredients per Batch = Recipe Ingredient × (Servings Needed ÷ Recipe Yield) Cost per Meal = Total Grocery Cost for Prep Session ÷ Total Meals Produced
Macronutrient portioning (general fitness guidelines):
| Goal | Protein | Carbs | Fat | Calories |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weight loss | 35% | 35% | 30% | 300–450 kcal/meal |
| Maintenance | 25% | 45% | 30% | 450–600 kcal/meal |
| Muscle gain | 30% | 45% | 25% | 500–700 kcal/meal |
Common meal prep foods and bulk cost estimates (2025 US prices):
| Food | Cost per lb | Servings per lb | Cost per serving |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken breast | $3.50–$5.00 | 3–4 | $0.90–$1.65 |
| Brown rice (dry) | $1.00–$1.50 | 8–10 (cooked) | $0.10–$0.18 |
| Broccoli (frozen) | $1.50–$2.00 | 4–5 | $0.30–$0.50 |
| Eggs (dozen) | $3.00–$5.00 | 12 | $0.25–$0.42 |
| Oats (rolled, dry) | $0.80–$1.20 | 14–16 | $0.05–$0.09 |
| Black beans (can) | $1.00–$1.50 | 3–4 | $0.25–$0.50 |
Worked example — 5-day lunch prep for 2 people: Meals needed = 1 meal × 5 days × 2 people = 10 meals
Chicken (3 lbs × $4.50) = $13.50 → 10–12 servings Brown rice (2 lbs × $1.20) = $2.40 → 18 servings Broccoli (2 lbs frozen × $1.75) = $3.50 → 10 servings Seasonings/oil: $2.00 Total: $21.40 | Cost per meal: $2.14
Compare to restaurant lunch: $12–$18 per person. Meal prep saves $100–$160/week for two people — over $5,000–$8,000 per year.