Is 400 calories ok for lunch?

Although every person's daily caloric intake is individual, based on their personal goals and needs, nutrition experts estimate that average daily consumption at each meal should be broken down as follows: 300 to 400 calories for breakfast, and 500 to 700 calories each for lunch and dinner .

Is 400 calories starving?

That 400 Calories is quite close to a fast for an adult . Fasting/starvation is quite interesting in that humans evolved to tolerate it on a seasonal basis. They could not have managed if they were really suffering for that entire time.

How many calories are in 2 eggs?

An average serving size of two eggs contains only 148 calories or 620 kilojoules – roughly the same as two apples.

How much weight can you lose in a week on 400 calories a day?

In general, a person can lose about 1-2 pounds per week by eating 400 calories per day. However, it is not recommended to eat such a low number of calories on a long-term basis as it can lead to nutrient deficiencies and other health problems.

What does 200 calories look like?

Fruits and Vegetables If apples aren't your thing, then two bananas, or about 8 oz. is what it'll take to get to 200 calories. This is another reason we love our bananas! However, dried fruits have more calories per ounce than fresh fruit. For example, just a ½ cup of raisins equals 200 calories.

How many calories are in one egg?

The calories in each size are based on a large egg containing 72 calories per 50 grams ( 1 ): Small egg (38 grams): 54 calories. Medium egg (44 grams): 63 calories. Large egg (50 grams): 72 calories.

What is 500 calories at McDonald's?

McDonald's has a decent amount of burgers for under 500 calories. You could order two regular hamburgers (250 calories a pop) while a cheeseburger and small fries will put you just over the top at 530 calories. Or at 500 calories even, you could have just a McRib.

How much pasta is 500 calories?

“Our suggested portion size for cooked pasta is 180g (254 calories) but, for example, when we looked at portion sizes for spaghetti, the most commonly consumed size was 230g (324 calories), and about 10% of the sample we looked at were consuming 350g as a portion , which would provide nearly 500 calories from the pasta ...

Is 400 calories per serving of any food considered high?

In general, as you think about the amount of calories in a food per serving, remember that for a 2,000-calorie diet: 40 calories per serving is considered low; 100 calories per serving is considered moderate; and 400 calories or more per serving is considered high .

Is 300 calories for lunch bad?

300 calories can be enough for a meal for some people, especially if they are trying to lose weight or maintain a lower calorie intake. However, for others with higher calorie needs or who engage in more physical activity, 300 calories may not be sufficient.

Is 300 calories too little for lunch?

Yes, 300 calories can definitely be enough for a meal, as long as you choose your ingredients wisely . 300 calorie meals for weight loss must include nutrient-dense foods that will keep you feeling satisfied.

Is 800 calories enough for lunch?

800 calories isn't a cheat meal, it's a regular meal or even a quite strict diet meal if your caloric consumption is slightly on the high side . Most women have two 800 calorie meals (lunch and dinner) and a 400 calorie breakfast as a maintenance in order not to gain weight.

Meal Prep Lunch Recipes Under 400 Calories (2024)

By: Denise Bustard7 Comments
Posted: 2/26/21Updated: 2/26/21

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.

Looking to keep your lunches light? These meal prep lunch recipes all clock in at under 400 calories, yet are still filling and satisfying.

Meal Prep Lunch Recipes Under 400 Calories (1)

For many of us, meal prep is all about sticking to our healthy eating goals: convenient healthy food that will keep from over-indulging.

But have you ever found a delicious looking meal prep recipe, only to find out it has over 650 calories per serving? I have. Yikes.

When I create a meal prep lunch recipe for this site, my goal is somewhere near 400 calories. I find that in this ballpark, you get the perfect intersection of a decent-sized portion that will actually fill you up, healthy grains, proteins, plenty of veggies, and you don't need to sacrifice on flavor, either!

Today I've rounded up 24 of my favorite meal prep lunch recipes under 400 calories! With vegetarian, low carb, and veggie-packed options, there are a variety of proteins and I'm sure there is something that will work for everyone.

Don't forget to pin this post to save it for later!

Disclaimer: nutritional information for these recipes are strictly estimates and not guaranteed to be accurate. See mynutritional disclaimerfor more information.

Korean-Inspired Turkey Meal Prep Bowls

These ground turkey meal prep bowls have a delicious Korean-inspired sauce! Packed with flavor and under 400 calories per bowl, you can prep this recipe on the weekend for healthy and delicious lunches through the week.

Check out this recipe

Low Carb Cheesy Chicken and Rice Meal Prep

Low carb cheesy chicken and rice is a delicious low carb lunch option! Pan-fried chicken breast and broccoli are smothered with cheese and served over cauliflower rice. Filling but light with only 5 g carbs and 43 g of protein.

Check out this recipe

Turkey Taco Meal Prep Bowls

These turkey taco meal prep bowls with turkey taco meat, corn, pico de gallo and brown rice are simple, but filling. Make them ahead for four delicious lunches.

Check out this recipe

Egg Roll in a Bowl (30 min, low carb)

Egg roll in a bowl tastes just like your favorite take out and comes together quickly using a single pan. With only 7 g net carbs, this recipe has slaw, ground pork, and a delicious sauce.

Check out this recipe

Slow Cooker Chipotle Honey Chicken Taco Salad Lunch Bowls

Make your meal prep hands off with this smoky chipotle honey twist on a taco salad. The chicken simmers in the slow cooker, with the sauce doubling as a dressing for the salad!

Check out this recipe

Perfect Egg Fried Rice (+ Variations)

Showing you how to cook perfect egg fried rice! Made with a simple ingredient list including rice, carrots, beans and eggs tossed in a simple soy and sesame oil sauce. It's kid-friendly, freezer-friendly, and perfect for using up what you have in your fridge and pantry.

Check out this recipe

Vegan Moroccan Chickpea Skillet

Meet Denise Bustard

Denise Bustard is the creator of Sweet Peas and Saffron, a meal prep-focussed food blog. With a PhD in biochemistry, Denise takes a scientific approach to perfecting her recipes. You can find Denise's work featured on Huffington Post, MSN, Self and more.

Reader Interactions

Julie says
Posted on 6/7/22 at Posted on 6/7/22
I want to thank you for these. I am struggling with weight and my glucose levels being astronomical and sometimes find all the information on the internet a little overwhelming. These are meals I absolutely can do and will enjoy. I appreciate the time and effort you took to do this.
Reply
- Ben | Sweet Peas & Saffron says
  Posted on 6/9/22 at Posted on 6/9/22
  Hi Julie,
  Thank you for your kind words. The appreciation is reciprocal.😀
  Reply
Julie says
Posted on 8/21/17 at Posted on 8/21/17
Thanks for this post. I'm really trying hard to get ahead each week and do more meal prep so this is great. I can't get the recipe for the teriyaki chicken and broccoli to come up, it looks so delicious but the link it takes me to the turkey taco lunch bowls. They all look amazing and wanted to pin the ones I thought would be good for me just can't get this one to work! Thanks again for sharing.
Reply
- Kim says
  Posted on 8/27/17 at Posted on 8/27/17
  I couldn't either, but I found the link:
  http://gimmedelicious.com/2017/01/23/meal-prep-terriyaki-chicken-and-broccoli/
  Reply
  - Denise says
    Posted on 8/28/17 at Posted on 8/28/17
    Thanks for the heads up, ladies, I've updated the link now 🙂
    Reply
Claire Elliott says
Posted on 8/21/17 at Posted on 8/21/17
What a brilliant post! Delicious looking recipes with minimal prep and perfectly portable too. Thanks so much for posting this 🙂
Reply
- Denise says
  Posted on 8/28/17 at Posted on 8/28/17
  Thank you so much, Claire!
  Reply

Meal Prep Lunch Recipes Under 400 Calories (2024)

Meet Denise Bustard

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