Easy 2000 Calorie High Protein Meal Plan!

Figuring out your macros, cooking, and cleaning up can be a lot of work. 

It’s hard to know where to start with meal planning, especially if you’re trying to hit a specific macronutrient goal like protein or carbs.

This high-protein 2000-calorie meal plan takes the guesswork out of cooking, cleaning, and meal planning. 

With three different days of recipes that provide 2000 calories and 175 grams of protein, this plan makes it easy for you to hit your target macros each day.

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About this 2000-calorie meal plan:

This plan outlines three sample days of eating at 2000 calories. Each day includes breakfast, lunch, dinner, and two snacks.

Not only will we cover the ingredients and recipes, but we will also provide the macros for each meal so that you can easily track your intake.

Calories 

This meal plan provides 2000 calories, of which 35%, 35%, and 30% are dedicated to protein, carbohydrates, and fat. 

• Percentage of calories from protein 35 %
• Percentage of calories from carbohydrates 35%
• Percentage of calories from dietary fat 30%

Protein

This 2000-calorie meal plan provides 35% of the daily caloric intake in the form of protein. This meal plan provides 175 grams of protein which is 700 calories from protein. 

• Percentage of calories: 35% Protein 
• Number of calories: 700 calories 
• Number of grams: 175 grams of protein

Carbohydrate  

This 2000-calorie meal plan provides 35% of the daily caloric intake in the form of carbohydrates. This meal plan provides 175 grams of carbohydrates which is 700 calories from carbohydrates.

• Percentage of calories: 35% carbohydrate 
• Number of calories: 595 calories 
• Number of grams: 175 grams of carbohydrate

Fat 

This 2000-calorie meal plan provides 30% of the daily caloric intake in the form of dietary fat. This meal plan provides 67 grams of fat which is 600 calories from fat. 

• Percentage of calories: 30% fats 
• Number of calories: 600 calories 
• Number of grams: 67 grams of fat

Fiber

Is an important part of any diet. As general guidance for fiber intake, women should strive for 21-26 grams per day, and men should shoot for 31-38 grams per day. 

This 2000-calorie meal plan, on average, provides 38 grams of fiber per day.

It is important to note that while I am a dietitian, I am not your dietitian. Please speak to your doctor or another registered dietitian to identify how many calories, grams of protein, fat, carbohydrates, and fiber you need per day. 

Tracking Macros 

If you’re looking for a better handle on your nutrition and want to start tracking your macros, I recommend using the Cronometer app. I developed this 2000-calorie meal plan using the app, which makes tracking your macros a breeze. 

The app is free to download and use, and it’s a great way to ensure you’re getting all the nutrients you need. Plus, it can help you stick to your calorie goals. So if you’re serious about eating healthy and achieving your fitness goals, give Cronometer a try.

Sign up today and get 10% off a gold subscription. 

Day One:

Breakfast: Chocolate Baked Oats

Ingredients

• 1/2 Cup of oatmeal (Amazon Link)
• 1/4 Cup Fage, Total 2% Greek Yogurt (Amazon Link)
• 1/4 Cup Fairlife, Fat-Free Ultra-Filtered Milk (Amazon Link)
• 1 tbsp Honey (Amazon Link)
• 1 scoop Whey Protein Powder (Link)
• 1 Egg (Amazon Link)
• 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract (Amazon Link)
• 1/2 tsp Cinnamon, Ground (Amazon Link)
• 1/2 tsp Baking Powder (Amazon Link)
• 1/2 ounce Milk Chocolate Chips 

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 375F. Next, add all ingredients into the blender and blend for 1 minute. I find it easiest to use a personal blender like the ninja…
• You can either bake this batter in 2-3 small ramekins or pour it into a large 9×13 casserole dish. I like to make little personal-sized Chocolate Baked Oats because then I don’t have to share.
• Top with chocolate chips and bake for 25-30 min. 
• Enjoy Warm!

Nutrition

Calories	Protein	Carbs	Fats	Fiber
517	43	61	11	5

Snacks: Greek Yogurt, Apple, and String Cheese

Ingredients

• 1 container of Greek Yogurt (Amazon Link) 
• 1 medium Apple (Amazon Link) 
• 1 oz String Cheese – Low-fat (Amazon Link) 

Nutrition Facts

Calories	Protein	Carbs	Fats	Fiber
289	23	29	6	10

Need more snack options, be sure to read the 65 Macro Friendly Snacks blog post. 

Lunch: Tex-Mex Chopped Chicken Salad

Ingredients

• 1 cup chopped lettuce (Amazon Link) 
• 1/3 cup Black Beans, Canned, Drained (Amazon Link) 
• 1/3 cup Corn, Canned, Drained (Amazon Link) 
• 3 oz Rotisserie Chicken (Amazon Link) 
• 1/2 cup Tomato Diced (Amazon Link) 
• 1/2 tbsp Jalapeno Diced (Amazon Link) 
• 2 tbsp Onion chopped (Amazon Link) 
• 1 tbsp Ranch Dressing (Amazon Link) 
• 1 tbsp Salsa, Ready-to-Serve (Amazon Link) 
• 1 oz Mild Cheddar Shredded Cheese (Amazon Link) 
• 1 tbsp Tortilla Strips (Amazon Link) 

Instructions

1. Start by chopping and preparing the lettuce, tomato, and jalapeno onion, and drain the black beans and corn. Set these ingredients aside. 
2. Next, shred the chicken into bite-size pieces. I like to use rotisserie chicken to make this salad easier and quicker, but you can certainly cook your chicken breasts if you prefer.
3. Mix the prepared lettuce, black beans, corn, chicken, tomato, and jalapeno in a large bowl.
4. To make the dressing, whisk together 1 tbsp each of ranch dressing and salsa. If you want a little more heat in your salad, add more salsa to taste. 
5. Pour the prepared dressing over the salad and mix everything until coated. 
6. Top with tortilla chips and shredded cheese. 

Nutrition Facts

Ingredients and Nutritionals for one serving of the Tex-Mex Chopped Salad 

Calories	Protein	Carbs	Fats	Fiber
465	39 g	36 g	20 g	10 g

Snacks: Rx Bar and Hard Boiled Egg

Ingredients

• Rx Bar – Any flavor (Amazon Link) 
• One Hard-boiled egg (Amazon Link)

Nutrition Facts

Calories	Protein	Carbs	Fats	Fiber
278	18 g	19 g	14 g	5 g

Dinner: 4-ingredient Crockpot Chicken Tacos

Ingredients

• 2 lb. Chicken Breast (Amazon Link) 
• 10 oz Chicken Broth (Amazon Link) 
• 1 can Rotel tomatoes and jalapenos (Amazon Link) 
• 1 packet of Taco seasoning (Amazon Link) 

Instructions

1. In a large crock pot. Add chicken breast, broth, canned tomatoes, green chilis, and taco seasoning.  Cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours. 
2. Once the chicken is cooked and easily shredded, please remove it from the crock pot and place it on a cutting board. Using 2 forks, shred the chicken. 
3. Serve immediately in tacos, burritos, enchiladas, or over rice. 

Nutrition Facts

The nutrition information is based on ~170 grams of shredded chicken and three 6″ corn tortillas, served with 1 tbsp cheese and salsa.

Calories	Protein	Carbs	Fats	Fiber
439	49 g	35 g	11 g	5 g

Day Two: 

Breakfast: Meal Prep Breakfast Burritos

Ingredients

• Eggs 10 eggs (500.0 g) (Amazon Link)
• Egg Whites 25oz (708.7 g) (Amazon Link) 
• Onion 1.5cup (291.2 g) (Amazon Link) 
• Red Bell Peppers 1.5cup, chopped (223.5 g) (Amazon Link) 
• Green Chili 10oz (283.5 g) (Amazon Link) 
• Applegate Organics, Turkey Bacon 10 Slice (280.0 g) (Amazon Link) 
• Sweet Potato, Baked 2 medium – 2″ diameter x 5″ (300.0 g) (Amazon Link) 
• Olé, Extreme Wellness Tortillas(45.0 g) (Amazon Link) 
• Mexican Cheese Blend, Shredded 3oz (85.0 g) (Amazon Link) 

Instructions

1. In a large pan, heat and spray with nonstick spray. Add the eggs, egg whites, onion, bell peppers, and chili sauce. Cook on medium-high heat until the eggs are scrambled and the veggies are cooked to your preference.
2. Cook turkey bacon in a separate pan.
3. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
4. Wrap each burrito by adding 1/6 of the egg mixture to the tortilla and 1/2 tablespoon of Mexican blend shredded cheese. 
5. Wrap the burritos in foil and refrigerate them for 3-5 days.
6. When ready to eat, reheat in the microwave for 2-3 minutes until warm.
7. Enjoy!

Storage

If you are not going to eat the breakfast burritos right away, you can store them in the fridge for 3-5 days. 

To reheat, microwave them for 2-3 minutes or warm them up in a toaster oven. 

To freeze, wrap each burrito individually in foil and place them in a freezer bag. When ready to eat them, remove them from the freezer and thaw them overnight in the fridge. Then reheat as directed above.

Nutrition Facts

Calories	Protein	Carbs	Fats	Fiber
490	45 g	38 g	18 g	8 g

Snacks: High Protein Cereal 

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup of magic spoon cereal (Amazon Link)
• 1 cup of FairLife Fat-free milk (Amazon Link)

Nutrition Facts

Calories	Protein	Carbs	Fats	Fiber
258	28 g	19 g	11 g	2 g

Lunch: Turkey Avocado Sandwich

Ingredients

• 3 slices Sliced Turkey Breast ~83 g (Amazon Link) 
• 2 slices Dave’s Killer Bread, Organic, 21 Whole Grain and Seeds (Amazon Link) 
• 2 slices Tomato, Red, Raw (Amazon Link) 
• 1 leaf of Lettuce (Amazon Link) 
• 1 tbsp Mayo with Olive Oil, Reduced Fat (Amazon Link) 
• 2 slice Turkey Bacon (Amazon Link) 
• 1/4 sliced Avocado (Amazon Link) 

Instructions

1. Assemble the sandwiches by adding a layer of turkey, avocado, bacon, and cheese to each slice of bread.
2. Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts

Calories	Protein	Carbs	Fats	Fiber
487	40 g	55 g	15 g	14 g

Snacks: Cottage Cottage Cheese and Almonds 

Ingredients

• 1 cup of low-fat 1% cottage cheese (Amazon Link) 
• 25 grams of sliced almonds (Amazon Link) 

Nutrition Facts

Calories	Protein	Carbs	Fats	Fiber
304	33 g	8 g	15 g	3 g

Dinner: BBQ Chicken Sheet Pan Dinner

Ingredients

• 1 lb. Chicken Breast (Amazon Link) 
• 3 medium Sweet Potato (Amazon Link) 
• 2 tbsp Olive Oil 
• 2 cups Broccoli
• 4 tbsp BBQ Sauce

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. 
2. Place a piece of parchment paper on a sheet pan, then add your chicken breast.
3. Start boiling your chicken breasts for 3-4 minutes or just golden brown on each side.
4. Meanwhile, dice your sweet potatoes and chop your broccoli. 
5. Remove the sheet pan from the oven and add your sweet potato olive oil, salt, and pepper. Return the pan to the oven and roast until potatoes are tender, 20-25 minutes.
6. After the potatoes have cooked for 20 minutes, add your broccoli to the pan and cook for 5-10 min. 
7. Remove the pan from the oven, drizzle BBQ sauce across the chicken and serve immediately.

Nutrition Facts

Calories	Protein	Carbs	Fats	Fiber
446	40 g	45 g	13 g	7 g

Day Three:

Breakfast: Strawberry Blackberry Banana Smoothie 

Ingredients

• 1/2 of a medium banana (Amazon Link) 
• 1/2 cup of frozen strawberries (Amazon Link)
• 1/2 cup of frozen blackberries (Amazon Link)
• 1/3 cup of greek yogurt (Amazon Link)
• 3/4 cup milk (Amazon Link)
• 1 scope of protein powder (Link)
• 1 tbsp chia seeds (Amazon Link) 

Instructions

1. Add blackberries, bananas, and strawberries to the blender.
2. Add low-fat milk to the blender.
3. Add Greek yogurt, protein powder, and chia seeds to the blender and blend until smooth.
4. Blend until smooth
5. Pour the smoothie into a glass and enjoy!

Nutrition Facts

Calories	Protein	Carbs	Fats	Fiber
501	48 g	64 g	8 g	16 g

Read more about the Blackberry Banana Strawberry Smoothie recipe. 

Snacks: Protein Bar and Almonds

Ingredients

• No Cow protein bar (Amazon Link) 
• 1 oz of almonds (Amazon Link)

Nutrition Facts

Calories	Protein	Carbs	Fats	Fiber
354	26 g	32 g	19 g	20 g

Lunch: Chipotle Chicken Avocado Melt

Ingredients

• 3 oz Shredded Chicken Breast (Amazon Link) 
• One Ciabatta Bread – cut in half (Amazon Link) 
• 1/4 Avocado – sliced (Amazon Link)
• 1 slice of Gouda Cheese (Amazon Link)
• 1 tbsp Light Chipotle Mayo (Amazon Link)
• 1/2 oz Fire-Roasted Red Pepper (Amazon Link)

Instructions

1. Cook chicken breast and shred. Season with chipotle seasoning. – You can also use rotisserie chicken or the shredded 4-ingredient Crockpot Chicken
2. Slice avocado, peppers, and toast bread.
3. Assemble the sandwich and enjoy. 

Nutrition Facts

Calories	Protein	Carbs	Fats	Fiber
515	34 g	30 g	25 g	4 g

Snacks: String Cheese and Roasted Edamame 

Ingredients

• 1 oz String Cheese (Amazon Link) 
• 1/3 cup of Roasted Edamame (Amazon Link) 

Nutrition Facts 

Calories	Protein	Carbs	Fats	Fiber
203	23 g	10 g	9 g	6 g

Dinner: Cod Sheet Pan Dinner

Ingredients

• 6 – 3 oz fillets of Cod (Amazon Link) 
• 2 large Sweet Potato (Amazon Link) 
• 2 cups of Broccoli (Amazon Link) 
• 3 tbsp Olive Oil (Amazon Link)
• Lemon Juice from one lemon (Amazon Link) 
• Dash of Lemon Pepper Seasoning (Amazon Link) 
• Dash of Salt
• Black Pepper

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees 
2. Cut sweet potatoes into small bite-sized pieces 
3. On a sheet pan, place parchment paper and add cod fillets and sweet potatoes. 
4. Mix olive oil, lemon juice, lemon pepper seasoning, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl. 
5. Pour mixture over cod fillets 
6. Bake for 15 minutes 
7. Add broccoli to a sheet pan and bake for an additional 10 minutes 
8. Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts

Calories	Protein	Carbs	Fats	Fiber
440	34 g	46 g	15 g	10 g

Frequently Asked Questions 

Can you lose weight on 2000 calories daily?

You can lose weight by eating 2000 calories daily, but it depends on other factors like your activity level and body size.

How much weight can you lose eating 2000 calories a day?

To lose weight, you must eat fewer calories than you burn. A daily caloric deficit of 500 calories can result in 1-2 pounds of weight loss per week. You would have to use more than 2500 calories daily to achieve this. 

What should I eat to get 2000 calories a day?

The USDA recommends that, when consuming 2000 calories daily, an individual focus on eating fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein, and dairy. It would help if you aimed to consume foods from all five food groups at each meal.

Is 2000 calories a day a lot?

2000 calories per day are the average amount of calories for an adult to consume in a day. Depending on age, gender, activity level, and body size, some people may require more or fewer calories than this. 

Can a man lose weight on 2000 calories a day?

According to the NHS, on average, men need about 2500 calories daily, so a man could lose weight by consuming 2000 calories daily.

How can I lose weight eating 2000 calories a day?

If you wish to lose weight while consuming 2000 calories daily, you must create a calorie deficit. This means you will need to burn more calories than you consume (>2000 calories). 

Disclaimer

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.

Conclusion

This 2000-calorie meal plan takes the guesswork out of dieting and provides healthy, satisfying meals.

With three different days of recipes, each includes instructions, ingredients (with links), calories, and macros.  

You’ll know exactly what to eat daily to reach your fitness goals, whether that’s weight loss, muscle gain, or improving your overall health. 

2000 calories a day may be more than you need, but this meal plan can easily be adjusted by adding or removing snacks and adjusting portion sizes. And if you have any questions, our team of Registered Dietitians is here to help! 

Other meal plans and diet plans

Calorie deficit meal plans: 1300 calorie meal plan, 1400 calorie meal plan, 1500 calorie meal plan, 1600 calorie meal plan, 1700 calorie meal plan, 1800 calorie meal plan, 1900 calorie meal plan, 2100 calorie meal plan, 2200 calorie meal plan, 2300 calorie meal plan, No-cook meal plan, and Calorie Deficit Diet.

Calorie surplus meal plans: 2400 calorie meal plan, 2500 calorie meal plan, 2600 calorie meal plan, 2700 calorie meal plan, 3000 calorie meal plan, 3100 calorie meal plan, 3200 calorie meal plan, 3300 calorie meal plan, 3500 calorie meal plan and 7-day meal plan for muscle gain.