1,300 calorie meal plan, four meals a day.
1,300 calories is a low daily target, so this week leans on protein, vegetables and fiber to keep meals filling. Seven days, 28 meals, portions written out. Alma can fit it to your goal.
Built from Dietary Guidelines and Harvard advice.
The rules
Three habits do most of the work
Protein at the main meals
Build breakfast, lunch and dinner around a protein food.
Volume first
Vegetables and broth fill the plate for very few calories.
Fiber from beans and fruit
Beans, vegetables and fruit carry most of the fiber.
Sample week
Seven days at 1,300 calories
1,270 to 1,340 calories a day. Scale portions to your needs. Find your number
1,300 calories is low for most adults. Check with your clinician first if you take diabetes medicine, are pregnant or breastfeeding, are under 18, or have a history of disordered eating.
Day 1Monday
BreakfastEggs with spinach and tomato2 eggs scrambled in 1 tsp olive oil, 1 cup spinach, 1 tomato, 1 slice whole wheat toast
LunchChicken salad with lentils4 oz cooked chicken breast, ½ cup cooked lentils, cucumber, tomato, 2 tsp olive oil, lemon
SnackSliced pear with almond butter1 small pear, 1 tbsp almond butter
DinnerShrimp with zucchini and couscous4 oz shrimp, ¾ cup cooked couscous, 1½ cups zucchini and peppers, 2 tsp olive oil
About 1,270 kcal96 g protein25 g fiber
Day 2Tuesday
- BreakfastCottage cheese with chia and peaches¾ cup cottage cheese, 1 cup sliced peaches, 1 tbsp chia seeds, cinnamon
- LunchTuna salad sandwich1 can tuna in water, 2 slices whole wheat bread, 1 tbsp light mayonnaise, lettuce, tomato, 1 clementine
- SnackBell pepper with hummus1 cup bell pepper strips, ¼ cup hummus
- DinnerChicken and cauliflower rice bowl4 oz cooked chicken, 1½ cups cauliflower rice, ½ cup black beans, salsa, 2 tsp olive oil
About 1,290 kcal107 g protein31 g fiber
Day 3Wednesday
- BreakfastScrambled egg and black bean bowl2 eggs, ½ cup black beans, salsa, 1 tsp olive oil
- LunchTurkey and cannellini soup4 oz cooked turkey breast, ½ cup cannellini beans, carrots, celery, 1 slice sourdough
- SnackSmoked turkey roll-ups2 oz smoked turkey, ½ cup cucumber, 1 tbsp cream cheese
- DinnerBaked salmon with broccoli4 oz salmon, 1½ cups roasted broccoli, ½ cup cooked quinoa, 1 tsp olive oil
About 1,310 kcal115 g protein26 g fiber
Day 4Thursday
- BreakfastMushroom and feta omelet with toast2 eggs, 1 cup mushrooms, 1 oz feta, 1 slice whole wheat toast, 1 tsp olive oil
- LunchChicken rice bowl with broccoli4 oz cooked chicken, ½ cup cooked brown rice, 1 cup broccoli, 2 tsp olive oil
- SnackApple with peanuts1 small apple, 2 tbsp peanuts
- DinnerPork tenderloin with potatoes and green beans4 oz cooked pork tenderloin, 4 oz potatoes, 1½ cups green beans, 1 tsp olive oil
About 1,300 kcal101 g protein22 g fiber
Day 5Friday
- BreakfastEggs with cottage cheese and tomatoes2 eggs, ½ cup cottage cheese, 1 cup tomatoes, 1 slice whole wheat toast
- LunchQuinoa salad with white beans¾ cup cooked quinoa, ½ cup white beans, cucumber, tomato, parsley, 2 tsp olive oil
- SnackPeppers with guacamole1 cup bell pepper strips, ¼ cup guacamole
- DinnerTuna steak with couscous and asparagus5 oz tuna steak, ¾ cup cooked couscous, 1 cup asparagus, 2 tsp olive oil
About 1,310 kcal96 g protein29 g fiber
Day 6Saturday
- BreakfastSweet potato and egg hash2 eggs, ½ cup sweet potato, onion and pepper, 1 tsp olive oil
- LunchChicken lettuce cups with rice4 oz cooked chicken, 2 cups lettuce, ½ cup cooked brown rice, 1 tsp sesame oil, soy sauce
- SnackPear and cheddar1 pear, 1 oz cheddar
- DinnerBaked cod with peas and mash5 oz cooked cod, ¾ cup mashed potato, 1 cup peas, 1 tsp butter
About 1,340 kcal107 g protein28 g fiber
Day 7Sunday
- BreakfastBerry smoothie with yogurt¾ cup Greek yogurt, 1 cup strawberries, ½ banana, ½ cup milk, 1 slice whole wheat toast
- LunchTurkey, hummus and cucumber sandwich2 slices whole wheat bread, 2 oz turkey, 2 tbsp hummus, cucumber, tomato, mustard
- SnackEdamame with cucumber½ cup shelled edamame, 1 cup cucumber, lemon, salt
- DinnerRoast chicken with rice and spinach5 oz cooked chicken breast, 1 cup cooked brown rice, 3 cups spinach, 2 tsp olive oil
About 1,310 kcal113 g protein26 g fiber
Shopping list
What to buy
Most days
ProteinChicken breast, shrimp, cod, tuna, turkey, eggschicken breastegg
DairyGreek yogurt, cottage cheese, milk, cheddar, fetagreek yogurtcottage cheese
Now and then
Chicken, fish, eggs and yogurt carry most of the protein this week.
Make it yours
This week is a sample. Alma builds yours.
- Meals fit to your goal and the foods you like
- Log a meal by photo, voice or text in about 10 seconds
- Every meal gets an Alma Score from 0 to 100
Questions
What people ask
How many calories is this meal plan?
It runs 1,270 to 1,340 calories a day, with 96 to 115 grams of protein and 22 to 31 grams of fiber. Every meal lists its own numbers, so you can scale a portion up or down and stay near 1,300.
Is 1,300 calories a day enough?
For many adults it is low. The Dietary Guidelines say the calories you need depend on your age, sex, height, weight and activity. Think of this as a short-term level, and check with your clinician first if you are unsure.
What can I eat at 1,300 calories?
Four meals a day: eggs or yogurt and fruit at breakfast, a protein and vegetable lunch, a planned snack, and a dinner with 4 to 5 oz of protein, a starch and vegetables. Nothing is off the list, the portions are just smaller.
Can I follow this plan if I work out?
You can, but you may need more food on training days. Add a slice of toast, a banana or a cup of milk around the session. Keep protein in every main meal.
Why are there four meals and not three?
A snack keeps the gap between lunch and dinner shorter, which helps at a lower calorie level. If you prefer three meals, fold the snack into lunch and dinner and keep the daily total the same.
Do I have to count calories?
No. The portions are already written out, so cooking the week as listed lands near 1,300 a day. Counting helps if you swap meals or eat out, and Alma can log a meal by photo, voice or text in about 10 seconds.
How does Alma help with a 1,300 calorie plan?
Tell Alma your goal and the foods you like, and it builds a plan around them. Log a meal by photo, voice or text in about 10 seconds and each one gets an Alma Score from 0 to 100, which draws on Harvard's Alternate Healthy Eating Index.
Sources
Written by Alma from the sources below and reviewed October 28, 2026. Calories and protein are estimates. This is general information, not medical advice. If you manage a health condition or take medication, check changes with your clinician. Editorial standards
Get a week built around you.
Tell Alma your goal and the foods you like. It plans the meals and scores each one.