Short answerAn 800 calorie meal is a full, generous plate: about 4 to 6 oz of protein, 1 to 2 cups of grains or starchy vegetables, vegetables, and 1 to 4 teaspoons of oil or another fat. A 700 calorie meal is the same idea with a little less starch or fat. Below are 12 counted examples with 33 to 60 g of protein each. Note that these are single meals; an 800 calorie a day diet is something different and needs medical supervision.
In this article
Who 700 and 800 calorie meals suit
A single meal of 700 or 800 calories is large but not unusual. It fits well if:
- you eat two main meals a day, for example with a fasting window,
- your daily needs are high, say 2,200 calories or more, because you're tall or active,
- you're eating more to gain weight or muscle, or
- you want one big, relaxed dinner and keep breakfast and lunch light.
On a 2,000-calorie day, an 800 calorie dinner leaves 1,200 for everything else. On 1,500, it leaves only 700, which is tight; smaller meals usually work better. The TDEE calculator shows your daily number.
Protein in one big meal
Every one of these 700 calorie meals and 800 calorie meals has 33 to 60 g of protein. The International Society of Sports Nutrition suggests 20 to 40 g of protein per meal, or about 0.25 g per kg of body weight, spread every 3 to 4 hours, so a single large meal covers one of those doses well. If you eat only two meals a day, aim for the higher-protein options here, such as the steak plate, chicken pasta or pita plate, so your daily total still reaches your target.
How to build an 800 calorie meal
Every one of these 800 calorie meals follows the same plate pattern. Build it in this order and you'll land close to 700 to 800 calories without weighing every bite:
| Part | Examples | Calories |
|---|---|---|
| Protein, 4–6 oz cooked | Chicken breast, sirloin, salmon, cod, shrimp, tofu | 140–350 |
| Starch, 1–2 cups | Brown rice, quinoa, whole-wheat pasta, sweet potatoes | 200–375 |
| Vegetables, 1–2 cups | Broccoli, spinach, peppers, green beans, salad | 15–60 |
| Fat, 1–4 tsp or a few slices | Olive oil, avocado, cheese, hummus | 40–160 |
| Optional extra | Fruit, milk, yogurt | 40–120 |
Oil and starch are where calories move most. One tablespoon of olive oil is 119 calories, and a cup of cooked brown rice is 248, so adding or removing either is the easiest way to hit your target.
6 meals at 800 calories
1. Steak, sweet potato and salad 814 calories · 60 g protein · 15 g fiber
- Protein6 oz grilled sirloin320
- Starch2 medium baked sweet potatoes205
- Salad2 cups romaine, 1 tomato, ½ cup cucumber, 4 tsp olive oil with vinegar205
- Dessert1 cup blueberries84
2. Chicken pasta with spinach 801 calories · 59 g protein · 12 g fiber
- Protein4 oz chicken breast186
- Pasta2 cups cooked whole-wheat pasta349
- Vegetables1 chopped tomato, 2 cups spinach wilted in 4 tsp olive oil195
- Cheese1 oz mozzarella71
3. Chicken burrito bowl 802 calories · 58 g protein · 17 g fiber
- Protein4 oz chicken breast186
- Base1 cup brown rice, ½ cup black beans362
- Toppings½ cup avocado, 1 oz cheddar, 2 tbsp salsa, 1 cup lettuce254
4. Salmon rice bowl 800 calories · 53 g protein · 10 g fiber
- Protein6 oz baked salmon350
- Base1 cup brown rice248
- Toppings½ cup edamame, ½ cup cucumber, ¼ avocado, 1 tsp oil202
5. Big oatmeal breakfast 803 calories · 33 g protein · 13 g fiber
- Oats1 cup dry oats cooked in 1 cup milk429
- Toppings1 sliced banana, 2 tbsp peanut butter296
- Side1 boiled egg78
6. Turkey wraps and fruit 790 calories · 46 g protein · 20 g fiber
- Protein4 oz ground turkey229
- Wraps2 whole-wheat tortillas, 4 tbsp hummus, ½ cup red pepper, 1 cup lettuce424
- Fruit1 apple, ½ cup blueberries137
Totals from USDA FoodData Central for the amounts listed. Cooked weights for meat, fish and grains.
An 800 calorie dinner like these is a lot of food. The steak plate, for example, includes 6 oz of meat, two sweet potatoes, a large salad and a cup of berries. That's the point of building meals from whole foods: 800 calories goes a long way. Whole foods with plenty of vegetables and lean protein give you a lot more on the plate for the same calories.
700 calorie meals: 6 dinner ideas
These 700 calorie meal ideas trim a little starch or fat. They work well as a 700 calorie dinner on a 1,800 to 2,200 calorie day.
7. Shrimp stir-fry 707 calories · 47 g protein · 12 g fiber
- Protein5 oz shrimp141
- Base1½ cups brown rice373
- Vegetables1 cup broccoli, ½ cup red pepper, 1 tbsp oil194
8. Baked cod with sweet potatoes 711 calories · 48 g protein · 13 g fiber
- Protein6 oz baked cod178
- Starch2 sweet potatoes, ½ cup brown rice329
- Vegetables1 cup green beans, 4 tsp olive oil203
9. Chicken pita plate 702 calories · 54 g protein · 13 g fiber
- Protein4 oz chicken breast186
- Pitas2 whole-wheat pitas, 4 tbsp hummus477
- Salad1 tomato, 1 cup cucumber38
10. Lentil and spinach rice bowl 708 calories · 42 g protein · 22 g fiber
- Lentils1 cup lentils with ½ cup canned tomatoes and 2 cups spinach, cooked in 4 tsp olive oil422
- Base¾ cup brown rice186
- ToppingPlain Greek yogurt100
11. Cheese omelet with toast 721 calories · 46 g protein · 8 g fiber
- Omelet3 eggs, 1 cup spinach, 1 cup mushrooms, 1 oz cheddar369
- Toast2 slices whole-wheat toast161
- Sides1 orange, 1 cup milk191
12. Tofu quinoa bowl 700 calories · 50 g protein · 18 g fiber
- Protein¾ cup firm tofu, ¼ cup edamame319
- Base1 cup quinoa222
- Vegetables1 cup broccoli, 2 tsp oil135
- Fruit½ cup strawberries24
Totals from USDA FoodData Central for the amounts listed.
Lower-carb, higher-protein and vegetarian versions
Each of these 800 calorie meals is a template, so it's easy to shift the balance without changing the total much. Three examples, recounted with USDA data:
| Version | Change | Calories | Protein | Carbs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steak plate, lower-carb | Swap the 2 sweet potatoes for 2 cups broccoli and ½ cup avocado | 838 | 64 g | 60 g (was 78 g) |
| Chicken pasta, higher-protein | Use 6 oz chicken and 1½ cups pasta instead of 4 oz and 2 cups | 807 | 73 g (was 59 g) | 60 g |
| Burrito bowl, vegetarian | Swap the chicken for ½ cup firm tofu | 797 | 44 g | 87 g |
The same moves work on any meal: trade starch for non-starchy vegetables and some fat to cut carbs, trade starch for extra protein to raise protein, or replace meat with tofu, lentils or edamame to make it vegetarian. The macro calculator shows how much protein, carbs and fat suit your goal, so you can decide which version fits.
Cooking these meals for the week
Most of these 800 calorie meals share ingredients, so a little prep covers several dinners:
- Cook grains in a batch. A pot of brown rice covers the burrito bowl, salmon bowl, stir-fry, cod plate and lentil bowl. Quinoa covers the tofu bowl.
- Cook chicken once. Roast about a pound of chicken breast and use it in the pasta, burrito bowl and pita plate.
- Bake sweet potatoes together. The steak and cod plates use two each.
- Measure the oil. It's the ingredient that changes the totals most. Use a teaspoon, not a pour.
- Prep vegetables. Wash lettuce and spinach, slice peppers and cucumbers, and cut broccoli into florets for the first few days.
With those done, most 700 calorie dinner ideas here come together quickly on the night: cook the fish, shrimp or eggs, reheat the grain, and assemble.
All 12 meals compared
| Meal | Calories | Protein | Fiber | Sodium |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steak, sweet potato and salad | 814 | 60 g | 15 g | 206 mg |
| Chicken pasta with spinach | 801 | 59 g | 12 g | 320 mg |
| Chicken burrito bowl | 802 | 58 g | 17 g | 538 mg |
| Salmon rice bowl | 800 | 53 g | 10 g | 120 mg |
| Big oatmeal breakfast | 803 | 33 g | 13 g | 188 mg |
| Turkey wraps and fruit | 790 | 46 g | 20 g | 859 mg |
| Shrimp stir-fry | 707 | 47 g | 12 g | 237 mg |
| Baked cod with sweet potatoes | 711 | 48 g | 13 g | 220 mg |
| Chicken pita plate | 702 | 54 g | 13 g | 886 mg |
| Lentil and spinach rice bowl | 708 | 42 g | 22 g | 257 mg |
| Cheese omelet with toast | 721 | 46 g | 8 g | 801 mg |
| Tofu quinoa bowl | 700 | 50 g | 18 g | 107 mg |
Sodium in these 700 calorie meals is shown before any salt you add. The meals with bread, tortillas, pitas, hummus and cheese are higher, because those foods contain salt already; the pita plate and turkey wraps are each over a third of the 2,300 mg daily limit. If you're watching sodium, the salmon bowl, tofu bowl and steak plate are the lowest. Our heart-healthy diet guide has a full sodium chart.
Making a 900 calorie meal
Need a 900 calorie meal, for example on a training day or when eating to gain weight? Take any 800 calorie meal above and add about 100 calories:
- 1 cup of 2% milk: 122 calories, 8 g protein
- 1 medium banana: 105 calories
- ½ oz almonds: 82 calories, 3 g protein
- 1 more teaspoon of olive oil: 40 calories
- ½ cup more brown rice: 124 calories
For full days at higher calorie levels, see the 3000 calorie meal plan.
Fitting a 700 or 800 calorie meal into your day
One 800 calorie dinner only works if the rest of the day makes room for it. Here's how the calories split at different daily targets:
| Daily target | After an 800 calorie meal | After a 700 calorie meal |
|---|---|---|
| 1,600 | 800 left (two meals of about 400) | 900 left |
| 1,800 | 1,000 left | 1,100 left |
| 2,000 | 1,200 left | 1,300 left |
| 2,500 | 1,700 left | 1,800 left |
At 1,600 calories, an 800 calorie meal leaves two meals of about 400 each, which is workable if breakfast and lunch are high in protein, like Greek yogurt with fruit or a chicken salad. At 2,000 or more, it's easy. Log the day in the calorie counter to check, and use the recipe nutrition calculator if you cook your own versions of these meals.
If you'd rather have the whole day planned, the 1800 calorie meal plan and 1700 calorie meal plan spread calories more evenly across four meals.
A full 1,800 calorie day with an 800 calorie dinner
Here's one way to build the rest of the day around a big dinner, using meals from our 14-day no sugar plan, all counted with USDA data:
| Meal | Food | Calories |
|---|---|---|
| Breakfast | Plain Greek yogurt with 1 cup blueberries, ½ oz chia seeds and ½ oz almonds | 334 |
| Lunch | Tuna chickpea salad with ½ cup quinoa and 2 tsp olive oil | 445 |
| Snack | Plain Greek yogurt and 1 kiwi | 142 |
| Dinner | Chicken burrito bowl (meal 3) | 802 |
| Total | 1,723 |
That leaves about 75 calories of room, enough for a piece of fruit or a coffee with milk, and the day reaches roughly 130 g of protein because every meal has some. Swap the lunch for a smaller salad if you'd rather keep a bigger snack, or move the 800 calorie meal to lunch if that's when you're hungriest. The order doesn't change the total, so plan the big meal for the time of day you most want it.
Eating out: what 800 calories looks like at a restaurant
Restaurant meals often land in this range or above, but with fewer vegetables and more sodium. Sandwiches are a good example: a club sandwich on white bread has about 289 calories and about 1,000 mg of sodium in USDA survey data, before any chips or fries on the side. See sandwich calories for more.
To keep a restaurant meal near 800 calories, pick grilled protein, ask for a side salad or vegetables instead of fries, and have dressings and sauces on the side. For meat, our steak nutrition and chicken breast nutrition pages give calories by the ounce, so you can estimate a 6 oz or 8 oz portion.
800 calorie meals FAQ
What does an 800 calorie meal look like?
A full plate: for example, 6 oz of grilled sirloin with two baked sweet potatoes, a big salad with 4 tsp of olive oil, and a cup of blueberries comes to about 814 calories and 60 g of protein.
Is an 800 calorie meal too much?
Not if it's your main meal of the day and fits your total. On a 2,000-calorie day, an 800-calorie dinner leaves 1,200 for breakfast, lunch and snacks. On a 1,500-calorie day, it leaves only 700, so 500 to 600 calories per meal usually fits better.
Is this the same as an 800 calorie diet?
No. These are single meals of 700 or 800 calories. An 800 calorie a day diet is a very low calorie diet that should only be done with medical supervision.
What is a good 700 calorie dinner?
Shrimp stir-fry with 1½ cups of brown rice, broccoli and peppers (707 calories, 47 g protein), baked cod with sweet potatoes and green beans (711), or a tofu and quinoa bowl (700) are all balanced options.
How do I make a 900 calorie meal?
Take any 800 calorie meal here and add about 100 calories: a cup of milk (122), a medium banana (105) or half an ounce of almonds (82).
Sources
- U.S. Department of Agriculture. FoodData Central (every ingredient in the meals; sandwich values from FNDDS survey data).
- Jäger R, et al. International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: protein and exercise. J Int Soc Sports Nutr, 2017 (protein per meal).
- U.S. Departments of Health and Human Services and Agriculture. Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2025–2030, January 2026 (sodium limit).