Protein per Meal Calculator
Calculate protein per meal from daily target and meal count.
Returns grams per meal with food equivalents — chicken breast, eggs, Greek yogurt, and more.
Protein distribution across meals matters for muscle protein synthesis (MPS) — the biological process of building and repairing muscle tissue. Research from the University of Texas Medical Branch and others shows that MPS is maximized by consuming 20–40 grams of high-quality protein per meal, with additional protein providing diminishing returns at a single sitting.
Daily Protein Target formula:
Daily Protein = Body Weight (lbs) × 0.7 to 1.0 (grams; use upper end for athletes/muscle building)
or: Body Weight (kg) × 1.6 to 2.2 g/kg
Protein per Meal formula:
Protein per Meal = Daily Protein Target / Number of Meals
What each variable means:
- Daily Protein Target: total grams of protein needed per day based on body weight and activity level
- Number of Meals: total eating occasions per day where protein is consumed; 3–5 meals is optimal for MPS stimulation
- Leucine threshold: the amino acid leucine is the primary trigger for MPS; approximately 2.5–3.0 g of leucine is needed per meal to maximally stimulate MPS
- Chicken breast: ~2.8g leucine per 150g (∼37g protein)
- Whey protein: ~11g leucine per 100g protein → ~2.75g per 25g scoop
- Eggs: ~0.54g leucine per egg → 5 eggs needed to approach threshold
- Protein quality: complete proteins (animal sources, soy, quinoa) contain all 9 essential amino acids; incomplete proteins need combining
Worked example: Male athlete, 185 lbs (84 kg), goal: muscle building.
Daily protein = 185 × 0.9 = 166.5 g ≈ 167 g/day At 4 meals per day: 167 / 4 = 41.75 ≈ 42 g protein per meal At 5 meals per day: 167 / 5 = 33.4 ≈ 34 g protein per meal (optimal for MPS per meal)
Sample meal sources for 35g protein:
- 5 oz (142g) chicken breast = 44g protein ✓
- 1.5 cups (225g) cottage cheese = 36g protein ✓
- 1.25 scoops whey protein = 35g protein ✓
- 1 cup Greek yogurt + 2 eggs = 23g + 12g = 35g ✓
Timing: Research supports distributing protein evenly across meals. Consuming 80%+ of protein in one or two sittings leaves significant recovery potential on the table.
How we build and check this calculator
This calculator runs entirely in your browser, so the numbers you enter stay on your device. The math behind it is written by hand and tested against worked examples and standard references before the page goes live.
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