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If you’re considering following a 1600 calorie meal plan, there’s a right way to do it.
First, we need to look at the reason you’d like to follow this sort of diet.
In my experience as a Registered Dietitian, there are three main groups of people that might want to follow a 1600 calorie meal plan:
- Very active women who want to lose weight but maintain muscle mass.
- Women who want to stay on their maintenance calories.
- Some men who want to lose weight.
Ultimately, a meal plan is a great way to achieve any of the above. Knowing what you are going to eat for a week or even a month can save time and money, as well as prevent unhealthy, impulsive choices.
To make things easier for you, here are several 1,600-calorie meal plans to help you get started. You can download the PDFs for free to get the recipes and grocery lists of each meal plan.
However, before we begin, keep in mind that successful weight loss comes from personalized meal plans. Restricting your calories too much can cause metabolic problems and nutrient deficiencies. On the other hand, too many calories might not lead to the results you want.
With that in mind, make sure you check with a healthcare professional to understand how many calories and macros you need daily.
What is a 1600 calorie meal plan?
Related: 1300 Calorie Meal Plan PDF
A 1,600-calorie meal plan is a diet where you eat 1,600 calories daily. Typically, such meal plans are going to have the three main meals (breakfast, lunch, and dinner), plus two snacks in between.
Remember that you can make slight adjustments to the meal plan. For example, you can replace a vegetable for another vegetable.
Benefits and Drawbacks of 1600 Calorie Meal Plan
Related: 1700 Calorie Meal Plan PDF
Who wouldn’t want to have all their meals fully planned, complete with a shopping list? It takes away much of the effort and lets you focus on other important things.
However, there are also some drawbacks to following a 1,600 calorie meal plan.
Benefits
- It can lead to effective weight loss, meaning you lose fat mass, not muscle mass.
- With high satiating meals, it can prevent you from going hungry all day.
- It can provide enough essential nutrients to support total health.
- Planning ahead can make it easier to stick with it and save money.
- For some people, it can provide just enough calories to maintain weight.
Drawbacks
- For some men, it can mean a too aggressive caloric restriction which can lead to muscle loss and nutrient deficiency.
- Some people don’t have enough time to cook meals.
- Not everybody needs a 1,600-calorie meal plan.
List of Available Dietary 1600 Calorie Meal Plans for Free Download
Related: 25 Healthy High Calorie, Low Carb Foods
There are different ways you can accomplish a 1,600 calorie meal plan, such as with different macros and recipes.
Here is a list of the meal plans you can download for free in this article:
- 7-Day Balanced 1600 Calorie Meal Plan PDF
- 21-Day Balanced 1600 Calorie Meal Plan PDF
- 30-Day Balanced 1600 Calorie Meal Plan PDF
- 1600 Calorie Meal Plan 40/30/30 PDF
- 1600 Calorie Meal Plan 40/40/20 PDF
- 1600 Calorie Meal Plan 50/30/20 PDF
3 Tips for Following the 1600 Calorie Meal Plan
Related: 1800 Calorie Meal Plan PDF
If you’ve never really dieted before, I know following a meal plan might be overwhelming – at first. However, understanding the importance of meal prep and knowing which foods to have and which ones to avoid will make it easier.
So, let’s talk about each one.
Meal Prepping Tips
Meal prep means preparing meals or ingredients in advance.
While meal prepping might sound labor-intensive or intimidating, let me assure you that it is not. The beauty of meal prep is that there’s no one right way to do it.
You can plan as many meals in advance as you want. You can also just prep certain ingredients, like chopped veggies and baked tofu, for meals you’ll prepare as needed.
Benefits
Here are some of the benefits of meal prepping:
- Allows you to have better portion control.
- Prevents you from eating unhealthy food.
- Reduces stress, since you don’t need to figure out what to eat.
- Saves you time and money.
- Makes it easier to go grocery shopping.
How to meal prep
- Know your needs. Figure out what you want to prep. It can be making all the meals in advance, or just preparing certain items (like rice, pasta, or vegetables). It can also mean having the snacks ready to eat.
- Set a date. To make sure you stay consistent, choose a day and time to begin and stick to the plan.
- Get groceries. Once you pick a time, go to the grocery store to stock up your pantry, getting all the ingredients you need.
- Prepare the meals. When you have everything on your grocery list, it is time to start putting the meals together or prepping the ingredients for use throughout the week.
- Weigh and portion the food. When the food is ready, grab a container (preferably glass), and weigh the portions. This way, you only need to grab and reheat it.
Foods To Eat
For those reducing their caloric intake, it is essential to add foods that are highly satiating. Proteins and vegetables take longer to digest, meaning they will help prevent hunger.
On top of that, protein can slightly increase the metabolism, meaning it helps you burn more calories without any extra work.
Also, instead of processed starches like white rice or pasta, make sure you choose whole grain pasta or brown rice. They are higher in fiber and provide more essential nutrients.
If you are still hungry after eating, you can always add more vegetables, as long as they aren’t covered in olive oil or dressing.
Foods To Avoid
As for the foods you want to avoid, processed foods are high in salt, sugar, and fats. Not only are they going to increase your calories without you noticing, but they are also highly inflammatory. This can make it more challenging to lose weight.
So, instead of having that can of soda or those sugary cookies, try to opt for natural options like water infused with fruit or homemade cookies made with whole wheat flour.
Macro Calculator
Sometimes, eating 1,600 calories might not be enough.
As I’ve recommended, it is always helpful to have a healthcare professional determine how many calories and macros you need.
However, if you don’t have access to one just yet, a calorie and macro calculator can give you an accurate number.
Our macro calculator is one of the best and easiest to use:
- Input your experience with nutrition and training: Beginner, moderate, or expert.
- Tell us your experience with macro tracking: Beginner, moderate, or expert.
- Write down your weight, height, age, and body fat percentage (optional).
- Select your activity levels: Sedentary, lightly active, moderately active, heavily active, or athlete active.
- Share your name and email to get your results.
7-Day Balanced 1600 Calorie Meal Plan
Related: 1900 Calorie Meal Plan PDF
Starting us off, here we have a 1,600-calorie meal plan free to download. This balanced meal plan is made with 50% carbs, 20% protein, and 30% fats.
Monday
- Breakfast: Banana and zucchini protein baked oatmeal
- Snack: Roasted red pepper hummus and crackers
- Lunch: Ground turkey, rice, and broccoli
- Snack: Post-workout green smoothie
- Dinner: Coconut cod tacos
Tuesday
- Breakfast: Banana and zucchini protein baked oatmeal
- Snack: Roasted red pepper hummus and crackers
- Lunch: Coconut cod tacos
- Snack: Post-workout green smoothie
- Dinner: Falafel wrap
Wednesday
- Breakfast: Banana and zucchini protein baked oatmeal
- Snack: Roasted red pepper hummus and crackers
- Lunch: Falafel wrap
- Snack: Post-workout green smoothie
- Dinner: Chili lime tempeh bowl
Thursday
- Breakfast: Mango mint smoothie
- Snack: Waffle, egg, fruit breakfast box
- Lunch: Chili lime tempeh bowl
- Snack: Peach cobbler smoothie
- Dinner: Lebanese stuffed onions
Friday
- Breakfast: Mango mint smoothie
- Snack: Waffle, egg, fruit breakfast box
- Lunch: Lebanese stuffed onions
- Snack: Peach cobbler smoothie
- Dinner: Meal prep Greek chicken bowl
Saturday
- Breakfast: Super simple French Toast
- Snack: Waffle, egg, fruit breakfast box
- Lunch: Meal prep Greek chicken bowl
- Snack: Peach cobbler smoothie
- Dinner: Ground beef, broccoli, and rice
Sunday
- Breakfast: Super simple French Toast
- Snack: Waffle, egg, fruit breakfast box
- Lunch: Ground beef, broccoli, and rice
- Snack: Peach cobbler smoothie
- Dinner: Thai basil turkey with bok choy and rice
If you like the recipes you’ve seen, click on the following link to download all the recipes and grocery list.
7-Day Balanced 1600 Calorie Meal Plan PDF
21-Day Balanced 1600 Calorie Meal Plan
Seven days might not be enough. In this case, a 21-day, 1,600-calorie meal plan might help you get better results.
Just like the meal plan before, it is a balanced approach, so you get 50% of the calories coming from carbs, 20% proteins, and 30% fats.
Check the following meal plan to get more delicious recipes I know you are going to enjoy.
Monday
- Breakfast: Banana protein oats
- Snack: Chia oats with kiwi
- Lunch: Beef rice and carrots
- Snack: Chocolate strawberry chia pudding
- Dinner: Ginger beef sweet potato noodles
Tuesday
- Breakfast: Banana protein oats
- Snack: Chia oats with kiwi
- Lunch: Ginger beef sweet potato noodles
- Snack: Chocolate strawberry chia pudding
- Dinner: Cucumber tomato chickpea salad with sumac dressing
Wednesday
- Breakfast: Banana protein oats
- Snack: Chia oats with kiwi
- Lunch: Cucumber tomato chickpea salad with sumac dressing
- Snack: Chocolate strawberry chia pudding
- Dinner: Sardine and cherry tomato pasta
Thursday
- Breakfast: Soba breakfast bowl
- Snack: Watermelon and feta skewers
- Lunch: Sardine and cherry tomato pasta
- Snack: Blueberry cobbler smoothie
- Dinner: Avocado and tempeh sandwich
Friday
- Breakfast: Soba breakfast bowl
- Snack: Watermelon and feta skewers
- Lunch: Avocado and tempeh sandwich
- Snack: Blueberry cobbler smoothie
- Dinner: Grilled honey dijon with zucchini and quinoa
Saturday
- Breakfast: Apple turmeric smoothie
- Snack: Watermelon and feta skewers
- Lunch: Grilled honey dijon with zucchini and quinoa
- Snack: Blueberry cobbler smoothie
- Dinner: Ground turkey and veggie stir fry
Sunday
- Breakfast: Apple turmeric smoothie
- Snack: Watermelon and feta skewers
- Lunch: Ground turkey and veggie stir fry
- Snack: Blueberry cobbler smoothie
- Dinner: Dominican-style pork chops and rice
If you like the recipes you’ve seen, click on the following link to download all the recipes and grocery list.
Click the links below to download the free 21-Day 1600 calorie meal plans week by week.
- 21-Day Balanced 1600 Calorie Meal Plan Week 1 PDF
- 21-Day Balanced 1600 Calorie Meal Plan Week 2 PDF
- 21-Day Balanced 1600 Calorie Meal Plan Week 3 PDF
30-Day Balanced 1600 Calorie Meal Plan
Related: 21 Day Anti-Inflammatory Diet Meal Plan
Now, I know it is tedious having to think about what you are going to eat each day. Planning a full month’s worth of meals might be best for you. Here’s a 30-day 1,600-calorie meal plan to help you achieve your goals.
All of the meals below provide 1,600 calories with a breakdown of 50% carbs, 20% protein, and 30% fats.
Monday
- Breakfast: Creamy apple pie smoothie
- Snack: Waffle, egg, and fruit breakfast box
- Lunch: Creamy carrot and cumin pasta
- Snack: Kefir and granola bowl
- Dinner: Pork summer rolls with peanut sauce
Tuesday
- Breakfast: Creamy apple pie smoothie
- Snack: Waffle, egg, and fruit breakfast box
- Lunch: Pork summer rolls with peanut sauce
- Snack: Kefir and granola bowl
- Dinner: Fajita spiced tofu and rice
Wednesday
- Breakfast: Creamy apple pie smoothie
- Snack: Waffle, egg, and fruit breakfast box
- Lunch: Fajita spiced tofu and rice
- Snack: Kefir and granola bowl
- Dinner: Tempeh, brown rice, and tzatziki bowl
Thursday
- Breakfast: Quinoa green smoothie bowl
- Snack: Chickpea scramble box
- Lunch: Tempeh, brown rice, and tzatziki bowl
- Snack: Strawberry banana chia pudding
- Dinner: Pressure cooker cauliflower soup
Friday
- Breakfast: Quinoa green smoothie bowl
- Snack: Chickpea scramble box
- Lunch: Pressure cooker cauliflower soup
- Snack: Strawberry banana chia pudding
- Dinner: Soy glazed tofu and mushrooms
Saturday
- Breakfast: Vanilla cauliflower shake
- Snack: Chickpea scramble box
- Lunch: Soy glazed tofu and mushrooms
- Snack: Strawberry banana chia pudding
- Dinner: Lentil Masala soup
Sunday
- Breakfast: Vanilla cauliflower shake
- Snack: Chickpea scramble box
- Lunch: Lentil Masala soup
- Snack: Strawberry banana chia pudding
- Dinner: Beef ramen
If you like the recipes you’ve seen, click on the following link to download all the recipes and grocery list.
Click the links below to download the free 30-Day 1600 calorie meal plans week by week.
- 30-Day Balanced 1600 Calorie Meal Plan Week 1 PDF
- 30-Day Balanced 1600 Calorie Meal Plan Week 2 PDF
- 30-Day Balanced 1600 Calorie Meal Plan Week 3 PDF
- 30-Day Balanced 1600 Calorie Meal Plan Week 4 PDF
1600 Calorie Meal Plan 40/30/30
In this meal plan, you get a macro distribution of 40/30/30, meaning you get 40% carbs, 30% proteins, and 30% fats.
So, who might benefit from this meal plan?
A 1,600-calorie meal plan 40-30-30 is ideal for people who want to tone, meaning decrease fat mass while maintaining muscle mass.
Monday
- Breakfast: Blueberry rhubarb ginger smoothie
- Snack: Vegan cream cheese toast with microgreens
- Lunch: Apple quinoa salad with roasted chicken
- Snack: Turkey and spinach wrap
- Dinner: Balsamic cod and cauliflower mash
Tuesday
- Breakfast: Blueberry rhubarb ginger smoothie
- Snack: Vegan cream cheese toast with microgreens
- Lunch: Balsamic cod and cauliflower mash
- Snack: Turkey and spinach wrap
- Dinner: Chicken, grapefruit, and avocado bowl
Wednesday
- Breakfast: Blueberry rhubarb ginger smoothie
- Snack: Vegan cream cheese toast with microgreens
- Lunch: Chicken, grapefruit, and avocado bowl
- Snack: Turkey and spinach wrap
- Dinner: Creamy dill chicken with rice
Thursday
- Breakfast: Lemony yogurt and ricotta cups
- Snack: Cottage cheese and blueberry sauce
- Lunch: Creamy dill chicken with rice
- Snack: Egg and spinach on toast
- Dinner: Spicy shrimp fried rice
Friday
- Breakfast: Lemony yogurt and ricotta cups
- Snack: Cottage cheese and blueberry sauce
- Lunch: Spicy shrimp fried rice
- Snack: Egg and spinach on toast
- Dinner: Salmon leek and potato casserole
Saturday
- Breakfast: Butternut squash smoothie
- Snack: Cottage cheese and blueberry sauce
- Lunch: Salmon leek and potato casserole
- Snack: Egg and spinach on toast
- Dinner: One pan tempeh and veggies
Sunday
- Breakfast: Butternut squash smoothie
- Snack: Cottage cheese and blueberry sauce
- Lunch: One pan tempeh and veggies
- Snack: Egg and spinach on toast
- Dinner: Mediterranean tuna salad
If you like the recipes you’ve seen, click on the following link to download all the recipes and grocery list.
1600 Calorie Meal Plan 40/30/30 PDF
1600 Calorie Meal Plan 40/40/20
A 1,600-calorie meal plan 40/40/20 is ideal for people who need a low-fat approach. Your doctor might recommend this meal plan if you have liver or heart problems.
Monday
- Breakfast: Mango banana smoothie
- Snack: Yogurt and pomegranate
- Lunch: Shrimp and kale quinoa bowl
- Snack: Cinnamon raisin protein cookies
- Dinner: One-pan lemon spiced chicken and potatoes
Tuesday
- Breakfast: Mango banana smoothie
- Snack: Yogurt and pomegranate
- Lunch: One-pan lemon spiced chicken and potatoes
- Snack: Cinnamon raisin protein cookies
- Dinner: Chicken fried rice
Wednesday
- Breakfast: Mango banana smoothie
- Snack: Yogurt and pomegranate
- Lunch: Chicken fried rice
- Snack: Cinnamon raisin protein cookies
- Dinner: Chili lime baked cod with rice
Thursday
- Breakfast: Banana cinnamon smoothie and toast with cottage cheese
- Snack: Peach, blackberry, and basil smoothie
- Lunch: Chili lime baked cod with rice
- Snack: Blueberry protein smoothie
- Dinner: Blackened chicken with rice and broccoli
Friday
- Breakfast: Banana cinnamon smoothie and toast with cottage cheese
- Snack: Peach, blackberry, and basil smoothie
- Lunch: Blackened chicken with rice and broccoli
- Snack: Blueberry protein smoothie
- Dinner: Orzo and shrimp pasta salad
Saturday
- Breakfast: Blueberry coconut smoothie with cauliflower hashbrown
- Snack: Peach, blackberry, and basil smoothie
- Lunch: Orzo and shrimp pasta salad
- Snack: Blueberry protein smoothie
- Dinner: Pressure cooker butter chicken
Sunday
- Breakfast: Blueberry coconut smoothie with cauliflower hashbrown
- Snack: Peach, blackberry, and basil smoothie
- Lunch: Pressure cooker butter chicken
- Snack: Blueberry protein smoothie
- Dinner: Shrimp and cabbage grain bowl with peanut sauce
If you like the recipes you’ve seen, click on the following link to download all the recipes and grocery list.
1600 Calorie Meal Plan 40/40/20 PDF
1600 Calorie Meal Plan 50/30/20
Finally, if you are looking for a high-protein meal plan that doesn’t sacrifice the carbs, I’ve got you covered.
This meal plan might be ideal for endurance athletes who need more protein to support muscle mass, but still also need a good energy supply from carbs.
Monday
- Breakfast: Mango green smoothie bowl
- Snack: Peach, blackberry, and basil smoothie
- Lunch: Maple ginger stir fry bowl
- Snack: Yogurt and orange slices
- Dinner: Cold noodle salad with chicken
Tuesday
- Breakfast: Mango green smoothie bowl
- Snack: Peach, blackberry, and basil smoothie
- Lunch: Cold noodle salad with chicken
- Snack: Yogurt and orange slices
- Dinner: Shrimp and kale quinoa bowl
Wednesday
- Breakfast: Mango green smoothie bowl
- Snack: Peach, blackberry, and basil smoothie
- Lunch: Shrimp and kale quinoa bowl
- Snack: Yogurt and orange slices
- Dinner: Shrimp and smoked sausage spaghetti
Thursday
- Breakfast: Tempeh, lettuce, tomato sandwich
- Snack: Yogurt and pomegranate
- Lunch: Shrimp and smoked sausage spaghetti
- Snack: Stone fruit salad with cottage cheese
- Dinner: Italian chicken and rice meal prep bowl
Friday
- Breakfast: Tempeh, lettuce, tomato sandwich
- Snack: Yogurt and pomegranate
- Lunch: Italian chicken and rice meal prep bowl
- Snack: Stone fruit salad with cottage cheese
- Dinner: Chili lime baked cod with rice
Saturday
- Breakfast: Mango carrot smoothie
- Snack: Yogurt and pomegranate
- Lunch: Chili lime baked cod with rice
- Snack: Stone fruit salad with cottage cheese
- Dinner: Southwest chicken meal prep bowl
Sunday
- Breakfast: Mango carrot smoothie
- Snack: Yogurt and pomegranate
- Lunch: Southwest chicken meal prep bowl
- Snack: Stone fruit salad with cottage cheese
- Dinner: Pressure cooker butter chicken
If you like the recipes you’ve seen, click on the following link to download all the recipes and grocery list.
1600 Calorie Meal Plan 50/30/20 PDF
Conclusion
That’s all of the free, easy 1600 calorie meal plans I have for today.
Following a meal plan like this can be a great way for women with very active lifestyles (training four to six times per week) to lose weight. It might also be appropriate for men who want an aggressive weight loss plan.
It can also be ideal for women who want to maintain their current weight.
Now, even though 1,600 calories might be ideal for you, everyone has different needs. So, if you are not sure how many calories are right for you, turn to a healthcare professional or our calorie calculator for some guidance.
Which sample 1600 calorie meal plan are you thinking about following? Let us know in the comments.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you lose weight by eating 1,600 calories a day?
Yes, if you eat fewer calories than the body needs, you are going to lose weight. For example, if you need 2,000 calories for maintenance, consuming 1,600 calories a day will help you lose weight.
How to hit 1,600 calories a day?
To hit 1,600 calories try to eat 400-500 calories for bigger meals (breakfast, lunch, and dinner) with smaller snacks (100-200 calories). To make things easier, follow a meal plan and meal prep to help you stay on track.
How do I plan a 1600-calorie diet?
To plan a 1,600 calorie diet, determine how many grams of each macro you need, figure how much food you need based on those macros, and create a plan for the week.
If you find this too challenging, you can just download our free 1,600 calorie meal plan.
How much protein do I need for a 1600-calorie diet?
The amount of protein you need is based on your weight. Try to eat 1.2 to 2.2 grams of protein per kilogram of bodyweight to help support your muscle mass.
For example, if you weigh 70 kg (about 154 lbs.), you should be eating 84 to 154 g per day which represents 21-39% in a 1,600 calorie meal plan.
How can I feel full on 1600 calories a day?
Make sure you drink plenty of water, eat enough lean protein, and add as many vegetables as you want.
Can I buy a 1600-calorie meal plan?
Yes, you can buy a 1,600 calorie meal plan if you want it personalized, or get our free 1,600 calorie meal plan for you to use.
