1500 Calorie Meal Plan: 7-Day Sample With Macros & Shopping List

Quick Answer: A 1500-calorie meal plan is most appropriate for women with a maintenance TDEE between 1800 and 2200, producing a moderate 300–500 kcal deficit and a sustainable 0.5–1 lb/week fat loss. The plan below is built around 130 g protein/day to preserve muscle and 25+ g fiber for satiety.

First check your TDEE. A 1500-calorie diet is only the right deficit if your maintenance is roughly 1800–2200. Run the TDEE calculator to confirm before starting any plan.

Who is 1500 calories right for?

If you're a man, see the TDEE for men chart for a more realistic deficit range. If you're losing more than 1.5 lb/week consistently, your deficit is too aggressive — increase calories by 200/day.

Daily macro target at 1500 calories

Protein at 130 g (~1 g/lb for a 130-lb woman) is the muscle-preservation floor. Don't go below this.

7-day 1500-calorie meal plan

Each day lands within ±50 kcal of 1500. Macros vary by ±5 g per macro across days for variety.

Day 1

• Breakfast (380 kcal): 2 scrambled eggs + 2 egg whites, 1 slice whole-grain toast, 1 cup berries, black coffee
• Lunch (440 kcal): Grilled chicken salad — 5 oz chicken breast, mixed greens, cherry tomato, cucumber, ¼ avocado, 1 tbsp olive-oil vinaigrette
• Snack (170 kcal): ¾ cup Greek yogurt + ½ cup raspberries
• Dinner (510 kcal): 5 oz baked salmon, ¾ cup quinoa, 1.5 cups roasted broccoli with 1 tsp olive oil
• Macros: 138 g P / 130 g C / 48 g F

Day 2

• Breakfast (370 kcal): ½ cup oats with 1 scoop whey protein, ½ banana sliced, 1 tbsp peanut butter, cinnamon
• Lunch (450 kcal): Turkey wrap — whole-grain low-carb wrap, 4 oz turkey, 1 tbsp hummus, lettuce, tomato + 1 small apple
• Snack (180 kcal): 1 string cheese + 12 baby carrots + 2 tbsp hummus
• Dinner (500 kcal): 5 oz lean ground turkey, 1 cup cauliflower rice, 1 cup zucchini, marinara, 2 tbsp parmesan
• Macros: 132 g P / 145 g C / 44 g F

Day 3

• Breakfast (390 kcal): Greek-yogurt parfait — 1 cup nonfat Greek yogurt, ⅓ cup granola, ½ cup berries, 1 tbsp honey
• Lunch (430 kcal): Tuna sandwich — 4 oz tuna mixed with 1 tbsp light mayo, 2 slices whole-grain bread, lettuce + 1 cup grapes
• Snack (160 kcal): 1 oz almonds (~22)
• Dinner (520 kcal): 5 oz pork tenderloin, 1 medium roasted sweet potato, 1.5 cups asparagus
• Macros: 125 g P / 152 g C / 46 g F

Day 4

• Breakfast (350 kcal): Protein smoothie — 1 scoop whey, 1 cup unsweetened almond milk, 1 cup spinach, 1 banana, ½ tbsp peanut butter, ice
• Lunch (470 kcal): Burrito bowl — 4 oz chicken, ¾ cup brown rice, ½ cup black beans, salsa, 2 tbsp cheese, lettuce
• Snack (160 kcal): 1 hard-boiled egg + 1 small apple
• Dinner (520 kcal): 5 oz lean steak, 1 medium baked potato (no butter), 1.5 cups green beans, 1 tsp olive oil
• Macros: 140 g P / 138 g C / 47 g F

Day 5

• Breakfast (380 kcal): Avocado toast + egg — 1 slice whole-grain toast, ¼ avocado, 2 large eggs, ½ cup berries
• Lunch (440 kcal): Mediterranean bowl — 4 oz chicken, ½ cup quinoa, ½ cup cucumber, ½ cup tomato, 2 tbsp tzatziki, 4 olives
• Snack (170 kcal): ¾ cup cottage cheese + ½ cup pineapple
• Dinner (510 kcal): 5 oz shrimp stir-fry, 1 cup rice noodles, 2 cups vegetables, 1 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tsp sesame oil
• Macros: 134 g P / 148 g C / 45 g F

Day 6 (higher carb / training day)

• Breakfast (400 kcal): Overnight oats — ½ cup oats, ½ scoop whey, 1 cup unsweetened almond milk, 1 tbsp chia, ½ banana
• Lunch (460 kcal): Chicken & rice — 5 oz chicken breast, 1 cup brown rice, 1 cup roasted bell peppers, 1 tsp olive oil
• Snack (140 kcal): 1 medium apple + 1 tbsp peanut butter
• Dinner (500 kcal): 5 oz lean ground beef tacos — 2 corn tortillas, lettuce, salsa, 2 tbsp cheese, ¼ avocado
• Macros: 130 g P / 165 g C / 40 g F

Day 7 (lower carb / rest day)

• Breakfast (350 kcal): Veggie omelet — 3 eggs, 1 cup spinach, ¼ cup mushrooms, 1 tbsp feta + ½ grapefruit
• Lunch (460 kcal): Big salad — 5 oz grilled chicken, mixed greens, cherry tomato, cucumber, 2 tbsp goat cheese, ¼ avocado, 1 tbsp olive-oil vinaigrette
• Snack (180 kcal): 1.5 oz beef jerky + a few berries
• Dinner (520 kcal): 6 oz baked cod, 1 cup roasted Brussels sprouts, 2 cups cauliflower mash, 1 tsp olive oil
• Macros: 142 g P / 105 g C / 60 g F

Weekly shopping list (covers all 7 days)

Proteins

• Chicken breast (2 lb)
• Lean ground turkey (1 lb)
• Lean ground beef (1 lb)
• Salmon fillet (1 lb)
• Cod fillet (½ lb)
• Pork tenderloin (¾ lb)
• Lean steak (½ lb)
• Shrimp (½ lb)
• Eggs (1 dozen)
• Nonfat Greek yogurt (32 oz)
• Cottage cheese (16 oz)
• Whey protein (1 tub)
• Tuna (2 cans)
• Beef jerky (1 small bag)

Produce

• Mixed greens, spinach (large bag each)
• Cherry tomatoes, cucumber, bell peppers
• Broccoli, asparagus, green beans, Brussels sprouts, zucchini
• Cauliflower (1 head + 1 bag riced)
• Sweet potato (3 medium), russet potato (1 medium)
• Avocado (3)
• Berries (mixed, 2 lb), banana (4), apple (3), grapes (small bunch), grapefruit (1)
• Pineapple (small)

Pantry

• Old-fashioned oats
• Brown rice, quinoa, rice noodles
• Whole-grain bread (1 loaf), whole-grain wraps, corn tortillas
• Almonds, peanut butter, chia seeds
• Olive oil, sesame oil, soy sauce
• Marinara sauce, salsa, hummus, tzatziki
• Feta, goat cheese, parmesan, shredded cheese, string cheese

Meal-prep strategy (90 min on Sunday)

1. Roast proteins. Bake 1 lb chicken and the salmon at 400°F. Cook the ground turkey and ground beef in batches.
2. Cook grains. 2 cups brown rice and 1.5 cups quinoa, both unsalted. Refrigerate in glass containers.
3. Roast vegetables. 2 sheet pans — broccoli, peppers, asparagus, Brussels sprouts at 425°F for 20 min with 1 tbsp olive oil each.
4. Portion into containers. 5 ready-to-grab lunches by Tuesday; cook fresh dinners the rest of the week.

How to scale up or down

Frequently asked questions

Is 1500 calories a day enough?

For most adult women, yes — it produces a sustainable 300–500 kcal deficit below typical maintenance. For most men, no — a 1700–2000 kcal target is more appropriate. See calorie targets by TDEE for full ranges.

Will I lose muscle on a 1500 calorie diet?

Not if you hit ≥130 g protein, lift weights 3×/week, and don't drop calories further. Resistance training plus high protein is the muscle-preservation formula.

How long can I stay on 1500 calories?

Up to 12–16 weeks at a time. Past 16 weeks, take a 1–2 week diet break at maintenance to restore leptin, training intensity, and adherence. Reset and resume if you have more fat to lose. See diet breaks guide.

What if I'm hungry?

Audit protein and fiber first — most "hunger on 1500" issues come from <100 g protein or <20 g fiber. Add 1 cup of vegetables to lunch and dinner, swap refined grains for whole grains, and prioritize lean protein at every meal.

Can I do 1500 calories on keto?

Yes. Set macros to ~140 g protein, 30 g carbs, 105 g fat. Keep total calories at 1500 and replace grains with extra vegetables and healthy fats.

Want a different calorie target? See our other meal plans:

• 2000 Calorie Meal Plan
• TDEE-based meal planning — every common calorie target with macro breakdowns