Are you looking for a 1600-calorie meal plan high in protein? If so, you have come to the right place.
This blog post will cover the following topics:
- Macro goals for a 1600-calorie, high-protein meal plan
- A sample day of eating on this plan
- Recipes that fit
This 1600-calorie meal plan is designed to be high in protein and fiber while staying within 1600 calories.
While this article was written by Noah Quezada RDN, a registered dietitian nutritionist, it is for information purposes only and should not be taken as medical advice. Before making any diet alterations, please consult an experienced healthcare provider about the best options!
Macro’s for the 1600-calorie meal plan high protein
The macro distribution for this 1600-calorie meal plan is 44.75% of calories from carbohydrates, 20.25% of calories from fat, and 38.75% of calories from protein.
This meal plan is high in protein at 38.75% of 1600 calories or about 612 calories from protein.
The Acceptable Macronutrient Distribution Range (AMDR) for protein is 15% to 35% of calorie intake, so this meal plan meets the AMDR for protein.
It’s important to note that everyone has different calorie and macronutrient needs so that you may need more or less than 1600 calories per day. Use the Custom Macro Guide to help you identify your macro needs.
Sample days of eating on the 1600-calorie meal plan high protein
Sample Day Number One
Breakfast – High protein french toast
Snack – Dannon Greek Yogurt 1/2 cup of blueberries
Lunch – Cowboy Chicken Salad
Snack – FairLife ready-to-drink protein shake and apple
Dinner – Fish Tacos
Nutrition
Calories | Protein | Carbs | Fats | Fiber |
1600 | 153 g | 179 g | 36 g | 38 g |
Sample Day Number Two
Breakfast – Breakfast Sandwich
Snack – Roasted Chickpeas
Lunch – Turkey Chili
Snack – Turkey Roll Up
Dinner – Shrimp Fajita Bowl
Nutrition
Calories | Protein | Carbs | Fats | Fiber |
1590 | 149 g | 162 g | 41 g | 38 g |
Recipes for the 1600-calorie meal plan high protein
Breakfast
High protein french toast
Ingredients
- One loaf of whole grain bread sprouted bread
- Seven whole eggs
- 700 grams of eggs whites
- 1/4 teaspoon of salt
- Two teaspoons of vanilla extract
- 1-2 teaspoons of cinnamon
- Cooking spray
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Coat a large casserole dish with cooking spray.
- Whisk together eggs, egg whites, salt, vanilla extract, and cinnamon in a large bowl.
- In a large casserole dish, place one slice of bread at a time and coat it with the egg mixture.
- Bake for 15-25 minutes or until golden brown.
- Place the bread on the baking sheet.
- Bake for about 15-20 minutes until the bread is golden brown and cooked through.
- Serve with your favorite toppings, and enjoy!
Nutrition
Calories | Protein | Carbs | Fats | Fiber |
401 | 38 g | 45g | 8 g | 10 g |
Breakfast Sandwich
Ingredients
- Two Slices of Daves Killer Bread thin sliced
- Two Slices of Turkey Bacon
- 2 Whole Eggs
- One Slice of Fat-Free Swiss Cheese
Instructions
- Over medium heat, cook the turkey bacon once done, cook eggs to your desired doneness in a small skillet. I like mine sunny side up.
- While the egg is cooking, toast the bread.
- Add the turkey bacon, egg, and cheese to the toasted bread, and enjoy!
Nutrition
Calories | Protein | Carbs | Fats | Fiber |
406 | 35 g | 29 g | 17 g | 6 g |
Snacks
Greek Yogurt and fruit
Ingredients
- Dannon Triple Zero vanilla greek yogurt 5.3 oz (150 g)
- 1/2 cup of blueberries
Nutrition
Calories | Protein | Carbs | Fats | Fiber |
161 | 16 g | 27 g | 1 g | 8 g |
Roasted Chickpeas
Ingredients
- 90 grams of roasted chickpeas
Nutrition
Calories | Protein | Carbs | Fats | Fiber |
150 | 9 g | 24 g | 3 g | 4 g |
Lunch
Cowboy Chicken Salad
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup (123 g) Wild rice
- 1/4 cup of canned corn
- 3 oz (85 g) Chicken breast
- 1 cup spinach
- 1/4 cup of chopped bell pepper
- 1/4 of an avocado
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Season chicken breast with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Bake for 25 minutes or until cooked through.
- While cooking the chicken, cook the wild rice, chop bell pepper and spinach.
- Mix wild rice, canned corn, chopped bell pepper, and spinach in a large bowl.
- Add in the cooked chicken breast and avocado. Toss to combine. Serve chilled or at room temperature. Top with a low-calorie dressing or reduced-fat feta cheese.
Nutrition
Calories | Protein | Carbs | Fats | Fiber |
401 | 35 | 45 g | 11 g | 9 g |
Crockpot Turkey Chili
Ingredients
- 1 lb (454 g) of lean ground turkey
- One can of black beans (15 oz)
- One can of diced tomatoes (15 oz)
- One can of tomato sauce (8 oz)
- One small onion
- One tablespoon of chili powder
- One tablespoon of cumin
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Over medium heat, cook the ground turkey until no longer pink in a large skillet. Drain any excess fat. – I Like to first sautee chopped garlic and diced white onion.
- Add the cooked turkey, black beans, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, onion, chili powder, cumin, salt, and pepper to a crockpot.
- Cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours. Serve with your favorite toppings, and enjoy!
Nutrition
Calories | Protein | Carbs | Fats | Fiber |
485 | 45 g | 39 g | 17 g | 12 g |
Snack
Protein shake and apple
Ingredients
- FairLife ready-to-drink protein shake
- One medium apple
Nutrition
Calories | Protein | Carbs | Fats | Fiber |
230 | 24 g | 31 g | 2 g | 5 g |
Turkey Roll Up
Ingredients
- Three slices of deli turkey (81 g)
- Two slices of Swiss cheese (40 g)
Nutrition
Calories | Protein | Carbs | Fats | Fiber |
152 | 23 g | 10 g | 1 g | 0 g |
Dinner
Fish Tacos
Ingredients
- 136 g of cod or tilapia fillets, cut into small strips
- One teaspoon of chili powder
- One teaspoon of cumin
- One teaspoon of Garlic powder
- Salt and pepper to taste
- One tablespoon of olive oil
- One large onion, diced
- Two tablespoons of fresh salsa
- Tortillas (70 g)
- 1/2 cup (60 g) of shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Season the fish strips with chili powder, cumin, salt, and pepper. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the fish strips and cook until browned and cooked through.
- Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Assemble the tacos by adding fish strips, onion, salsa, and cheese to the tortillas. Enjoy!
Serving size: 3 tacos
Nutrition
Calories | Protein | Carbs | Fats | Fiber |
411 | 39 g | 30 g | 15 g | 1 g |
Shrimp Fajita Bowl
Ingredients
- 1 Pound of peeled jumbo shrimp
- One cup of brown rice
- One cup of black beans (canned and rinsed) 15 oz can
- One can of sweet corn
- One red bell pepper sliced
- One packet of low sodium fajita seasoning
Instructions
- Preheat the stovetop to medium heat. In a large skillet, add shrimp olive oil and seasoning.
- While the shrimp is cooking, boil water and cook rice according to the packaged instructions.
- Add bell peppers and onion to the skillet and cook until tender.
- Once the fajita mixture and the rice are cooked, divide them into two portions and add black beans, corn salsa, and cheese.
- Serve with shredded cheese and salsa on top. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Calories | Protein | Carbs | Fats | Fiber |
397 | 37 g | 59 g | 3 g | 13 g |
Final thoughts on the the1600 calorie meal plan high protein
This meal plan is designed for those looking to increase their protein intake while still staying within 1600 calories.
We went through 2 different days of 1600 calorie meal plan high protein.
Both days were designed to include three main meals and two snacks. The meals are high in protein, and the snacks are meant to help keep you feeling full in between meals.
I hope you enjoyed this 1600-calorie meal plan with high protein. If you have any questions or comments, please leave them below.
Until next time, Noah.
Remember: this post is for informational purposes only and may not be the best fit for you and your personal situation. It shall not be construed as medical advice. The information and education provided here is not intended or implied to supplement or replace professional medical treatment, advice, and/or diagnosis. Always check with your own physician or medical professional before trying or implementing any information read here.
Noah Quezada is a registered dietitian nutritionist. Noah specializes in helping people develop lifelong habits and skills that lead to a long and productive healthy life. Noah’s goal is to provide evidence-based nutrition information through blogging, video, podcasting, and coaching.