Meal Prep Calculator

Meal Prep Calculator. Plan your weekly meals with the Meal Prep Calculator. Enter your number of people, meals per day, prep days per week, and serving size preferences to get back your total servings needed, number of containers required, and a handy daily calorie target based on your age, weight, height, and activity level. Perfect for batch cooking and staying on track with your nutrition goals. Also try the find Better Choice for Your Goal with Serving Size Comparison Calculator.

Results

Containers Needed

Total Servings to Prep

Daily Calorie Target (per person)

Calories Per Meal

Total Weekly Calories (all people)

Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR)

Results Table

How does the Meal Prep Calculator determine how many containers I need?

The calculator multiplies your number of people by your meals per day and the number of days you're prepping for to get total servings. It then divides that by the servings per container you specify, rounding up to ensure you always have enough containers for your batch cook. See also our Annual Money Wasted on Food — Food Waste.

What is BMR and why does it matter for meal prep?

BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) is the number of calories your body burns at complete rest just to maintain basic functions like breathing and circulation. Knowing your BMR helps you understand your minimum calorie floor, which then gets multiplied by an activity factor to give you your total daily calorie target — the number you should be prepping food to hit each day.

Which calorie formula does this calculator use?

This calculator uses the Mifflin-St Jeor equation, widely considered the most accurate formula for estimating BMR. For men: BMR = (10 × weight in kg) + (6.25 × height in cm) − (5 × age) + 5. For women: the same formula but −161 instead of +5. The result is then multiplied by an activity multiplier (TDEE).

How many calories should each meal contain?

This depends on your total daily calorie target and how many meals you eat per day. The calculator divides your daily calorie goal by your meals per day to give you a per-meal calorie target. For example, if your goal is 2,100 kcal and you eat 3 meals, each meal should be approximately 700 kcal.

Can I use this calculator if I'm prepping for a family?

Yes — simply enter the total number of people you're prepping for. The calculator scales up total servings and containers accordingly. Note that the calorie calculation reflects one person's stats, so if family members have very different calorie needs, you may want to run the calculator separately for each person and adjust portion sizes.

How many days worth of meals should I prep at once?

Most meal preppers batch cook for 4–5 days at a time, as most cooked proteins and vegetables stay fresh in the refrigerator for 3–5 days. If you want to prep for a full week, consider freezing meals for days 5–7 and thawing them the night before. The calculator lets you choose 1–7 days of prep.

What size containers should I use for meal prep?

For main meals (lunch and dinner), 2–3 cup containers work well for a single serving. Snacks and breakfasts often fit in 1–2 cup containers. Glass containers are microwave-safe and more durable; BPA-free plastic containers are lighter for on-the-go. The 'servings per container' field lets you account for larger containers that hold multiple servings.

How do I adjust my calorie goal for weight loss vs. muscle gain?

A calorie deficit is required for fat loss — roughly 500 kcal/day below your TDEE leads to about 1 lb of fat loss per week. For muscle gain, a modest surplus of 250–500 kcal/day is recommended. This calculator offers easy, moderate, and aggressive options for both goals, and adjusts your daily calorie target accordingly so your prepped meals hit the right number. You might also find our Portion Size Calculator useful.