Diet recipes: breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks

• 90 recipes, all with calories and macros calculated from grams, using USDA data.
• Breakfast 294-470 kcal, lunch 301-528 kcal, dinner 294-635 kcal, snacks 136-405 kcal.
• For a whole day: split your calorie target over 3-4 meals and a snack; the calculator gives you the number.

Diet breakfast: 16 recipes, 294-470 kcal

For breakfast, protein is the point: our median is 422 kcal and 33 g of protein. That keeps mid-morning hunger away much longer than a bakery breakfast. The quick ones (5 minutes) are the oats and bowls; the egg dishes take 10-25.

Most protein per calorie: Greek Yogurt Protein Bowl (352 kcal, 41 g protein); Turkey & Egg White Breakfast Burrito (453 kcal, 42 g protein); Smoked Salmon Cottage Toast (339 kcal, 31 g protein).

Breakfast · 5 minGreek Yogurt Protein Bowl352 kcal41 g proteinBreakfast · 15 minTurkey & Egg White Breakfast Burrito453 kcal42 g proteinBreakfast · 5 minSmoked Salmon Cottage Toast339 kcal31 g protein

Diet lunch: 22 recipes, 301-528 kcal

Most lunches suit meal prep: make the bowls and salads on Sunday and the first half of the week is done. Our median is 446 kcal and 38 g of protein.

Most protein per calorie: Garlic Prawn & Avocado Salad (301 kcal, 34 g protein); Turkey Taco Lettuce Boats (307 kcal, 33 g protein); Chicken Caesar Wrap (393 kcal, 41 g protein).

Lunch · 12 minGarlic Prawn & Avocado Salad301 kcal34 g proteinLunch · 15 minTurkey Taco Lettuce Boats307 kcal33 g proteinLunch · 15 minChicken Caesar Wrap393 kcal41 g protein

Diet dinner: 30 recipes, 294-635 kcal

Dinners have the widest choice and the widest calorie range too: from light, low-carb plates around 300 kcal to rice and sweet potato meals above 500. Our median is 403 kcal and 43 g of protein. Carbs eaten in the evening do not fatten on their own: the daily total counts.

Most protein per calorie: Tandoori-style Chicken Skewers (301 kcal, 48 g protein); Garlic Chilli Prawn Courgetti (311 kcal, 43 g protein); Parmesan Chicken & Asparagus (341 kcal, 47 g protein).

Dinner · 25 minTandoori-style Chicken Skewers301 kcal48 g proteinDinner · 15 minGarlic Chilli Prawn Courgetti311 kcal43 g proteinDinner · 25 minParmesan Chicken & Asparagus341 kcal47 g protein

Snacks and healthy nibbles: 22 recipes, 136-405 kcal

This group holds the snacks, shakes and desserts, and their calories span 136-405 kcal. Our median is 246 kcal and 24 g of protein. A snack works when the protein is in it, not just the calories.

Most protein per calorie: Tuna Rice Cakes (187 kcal, 25 g protein); Smoked Salmon Cucumber Bites (136 kcal, 18 g protein); Vanilla Berry Shake (287 kcal, 36 g protein).

Snack · 5 minTuna Rice Cakes187 kcal25 g proteinSnack · 8 minSmoked Salmon Cucumber Bites136 kcal18 g proteinSnack · 5 minVanilla Berry Shake287 kcal36 g protein

Diet recipes for weight loss: how to choose

• Calories: divide your daily target by the number of meals and pick to match. The tables above are sorted by calories.
• Protein per 100 kcal: the last column shows how efficient a recipe is. For weight loss, over 10 g is good.
• Fibre and vegetables: the bowls, salads and vegetable dinners are the most filling.
• Time: 10-15 minute recipes for weekdays, oven dishes for the weekend.
• Repetition: choose 2-3 breakfasts and 3-4 lunches and rotate them; simplicity makes it easier to stick to.

The most efficient, giving the most protein for few calories:

Dinner · 25 minTandoori-style Chicken Skewers301 kcal48 g proteinDinner · 15 minGarlic Chilli Prawn Courgetti311 kcal43 g proteinDinner · 25 minParmesan Chicken & Asparagus341 kcal47 g proteinSnack · 5 minTuna Rice Cakes187 kcal25 g proteinDinner · 20 minCreamy Spinach Chicken401 kcal52 g proteinSnack · 5 minVanilla Berry Shake287 kcal36 g protein

For chicken ideas see the chicken breast recipes. Ready-made weekly plans are on the meal plan page.