Meal Calculator
Enter how many calories you want to eat, and the calculator shows what to eat and how much.
Optional. Use "at least" to reach a number, and "at most" for protein, fat or carbs you've already had enough of today.
This calculator provides estimates for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Results may vary based on individual factors. Consult a healthcare provider before making changes to your diet or exercise routine.
How the calculator picks a meal
It builds every option from the same list of everyday foods the meal plan generator uses, with values from USDA FoodData Central. Grams are chosen so the meal lands between 90% and 105% of the calories you entered: a little under is fine, a lot over is not.
Protein, fat and carbs are optional. "At least" makes sure the meal reaches the number. "At most" is for the evening when you have already eaten your fat or carbs for the day. If the numbers cannot work together, the calculator says so and shows the closest meals that still fit the calories.
Every cooked plate counts 5 g of oil for the pan. That's about 45 calories, and it's the part you miss when you log the chicken and not the pan. Cooking in an air fryer or eating it plain? Tick "No oil". To find out how many calories you need a day, use the Daily Calorie Calculator.
Frequently asked questions
What can I eat for 300 calories?
Greek yogurt with an apple, cottage cheese with a banana, or a ham sandwich on two slices of whole-wheat bread, and each has some protein in it. Enter 300 above and pick the meal to see the exact grams.
What can I eat for 500 calories with 40 g of protein?
About 160 g of cod or 170 g of sirloin with beans or chickpeas and a vegetable side comes to 48-50 g of protein. Without cooking: 200 g of canned tuna with three slices of whole-wheat bread and a salad gives 54 g.
Why are the weights raw?
The USDA values here are for raw and dry food, the same basis as most package labels. Cooked weight depends on the cooking: rice roughly triples, chicken loses about a quarter. Weigh before cooking and the numbers match.
Formulas and scientific references Each option is built from foods with USDA FoodData Central values per 100 g of raw or dry weight. Grams are chosen so the meal lands between 90% and 105% of the calories entered, every "at least" macro is reached and every "at most" macro is not exceeded. Cooked plates include 5 g of cooking oil unless it is switched off.
Sources
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central (SR Legacy and Foundation Foods). USDA FoodData Central
This calculator gives a general educational estimate, not medical or individualized nutrition advice.