Three thousand calories a day is hard to eat well without help. This plan gives you four weight gain mains a day instead of three, so the calories come from chicken, beef, pork and proper carbohydrates rather than from whatever is nearest at 9pm.
Who the 3,000 calorie plan suits
Hard-training men in a growth phase, rugby, HYROX and strength athletes, manual workers on long shifts, and anyone who has been under-eating for years and needs a structure that forces the calories in. If you are not sure which target is yours, the calculator on the plans page takes your height, weight, age and activity and recommends the two closest plans.
What is in the week
- Five breakfasts, one for each day, chosen from our high-protein breakfast range: overnight oats in eight flavours, protein pancakes, protein waffles, oats and pro, or honey glazed granola yoghurt.
- 4 mains a day, 20 in total, each one built from a protein, a carbohydrate and a vegetable. 28 proteins including Chicken Tikka, Peri Peri Chicken, Beef Bolognese, Seasoned Pork Tenderloin and Sweet Chilli Steak Strips, with rice, pasta, potato or noodle options and peas and carrots, green veg or salad. On this plan the mains are the weight gain portion, around 470 calories each.
- 1 snack a day, 5 in total: low calorie cheesecake, honey glazed granola yoghurt or protein pancakes.
A sample day on 3,000 calories
Oats and pro for breakfast, four weight gain mains spread across the day, such as Maple and Chilli Chicken with rice, Chicken Gyros with roasted potatoes, Smoky BBQ Chicken with sweet potato, and American Meatballs with pasta, and a snack whenever the gap is longest. Every day can be different, or you can repeat the meals you like. The builder adds up the calories for each day as you go and shows the total for the week before you pay, so the plan is exactly as accurate as you want it to be.
How to build it
- Choose your delivery: our own van across every TS postcode, collection from our kitchen at 33 Metcalfe Road, Middlesbrough TS6 6PT, or DPD elsewhere in mainland UK (not the Scottish Highlands and Islands).
- Pick your day or days. One order can be split across two delivery days at no extra cost, so the second half of the week is as fresh as the first.
- Work through Day 1 to Day 5, choosing a breakfast, your mains and your snack for each.
- Review the week, with calories and macros shown for every item and every day, then add it to your basket.
Delivery and storage
Local orders go out on our own van on Sunday evening, Monday or Thursday. Order by Sunday 12 noon for Sunday evening, Sunday 6pm for Monday, or Wednesday 6pm for Thursday. National orders travel with DPD on Wednesday, wrapped and packed with ice packs in a keep-cool liner; order by Sunday 6pm. Most people split the week across two deliveries so the food is always fresh, and you can freeze meals on the day they arrive. Then just heat and eat.
Questions about the 3,000 calorie plan
Is it exactly 3,000 calories a day?
It is built around 3,000. Because you choose every dish, the real total depends on your choices, and the builder shows it for each day before you order. Pick lighter carbohydrates and vegetables to come in under, or richer proteins and mash to come in over.
Can I change the meals each week?
Yes. Every order is built from scratch, so the dishes, the breakfasts and the snacks can be different every time.
What if I want a different calorie target?
The same five-day structure is available at 1500 calories, 1800 calories, 2000 calories, 2200 calories, 2500 calories. The portion size of the mains changes with the target, so the price per day does too.
Is this cheaper than building my own meals?
It is the simplest way to buy a whole week. If you only want mains, the meal builder lets you choose as many meals as you need, from 5, at £4.85, £5.40 or £5.95 each depending on portion size, and add breakfasts and snacks separately.
Every online order earns 5% back in Meal Money towards your next one, and if you refer a friend you both get £5. Macro Based Diet has cooked in Middlesbrough since 2018, is family run, and is rated 4.9 on Google from nearly 200 reviews.