How much does a 2,500 calorie meal plan cost at Sainsbury's?

This week's Sainsbury's list comes to £63.36 for the items to buy, at Sainsbury's prices listed between 22 and 26 October 2026. It leaves out the cupboard items you might already have and delivery. Whole packs cost more than the week uses: the food in the meals comes to £39.45, or £5.64 a day.

Is this meal plan cheaper at Tesco?

The same meals at Tesco come to £67.39 for the items to buy, £4.03 more than at Sainsbury's. Each shop's list picks its own products and pack sizes, so the totals differ.

How much protein is in this 2,500 calorie meal plan?

The days run from 119 to 129 g of protein, 123 g on average. Each gram of protein has 4 kcal.

Is 2,500 calories a day right for me?

It depends on your body and how active you are. The NHS says an average man needs 2,500 kcal a day and an average woman needs 2,000 kcal. Susten's macro calculator works out your own number. If you have a medical condition, talk to your GP or a registered dietitian first.

Can I change the meals?

In Susten, yes. Lock the meals you want to keep and rebuild the plan: Susten plans the rest of the week around them and writes the list again.

meal plan

2,500 calorie meal plan for Sainsbury's

A week of meals at 2,500 kcal a day, planned to keep the cost low, and the Sainsbury's shopping list for it. Susten's planner made the week on 26 October 2026. The items to buy come to £63.36 at Sainsbury's prices, and the food the meals use costs £5.64 a day.

7 days, 35 meals, 10 recipes
2,465 to 2,586 kcal a day
£63.36 to buy at Sainsbury's

The week

Breakfast, lunch and dinner every day, with snacks where the calories call for them. Some meals are leftovers from the night before, so the week cooks 10 recipes for 35 meals. Each meal links to its recipe, with the calories, macros and cost of one portion.

Susten planned this week on 26 October 2026 for one person. The numbers are for your portion of each meal.

How each day adds up

Every day lands between 2,465 and 2,586 kcal, within 10% of the 2,500 kcal target. Protein runs from 119 to 129 g a day.

Day	Calories	Protein	Carbs	Fat
Day 1	2,521 kcal	124 g	300 g	85 g
Day 2	2,551 kcal	126 g	286 g	97 g
Day 3	2,586 kcal	129 g	301 g	89 g
Day 4	2,537 kcal	121 g	262 g	104 g
Day 5	2,520 kcal	119 g	281 g	95 g
Day 6	2,465 kcal	122 g	287 g	89 g
Day 7	2,546 kcal	121 g	282 g	97 g
Average	2,532 kcal	123 g	286 g	94 g
Target	2,500 kcal	125 g	281 g	97 g

The Sainsbury's list, and the same week at Tesco

Susten adds up each ingredient across the week, rounds up to whole packs and matches each one to a Sainsbury's product. The list has 53 products. The items to buy come to £63.36 at Sainsbury's prices listed between 22 and 26 October 2026. The same meals at Tesco come to £67.39, £4.03 more. The food the meals use comes to £39.45, or £5.64 a day. The rest of each pack stays in your cupboard and fridge for next week.

sustenYour Sainsbury's list · 53 items

To buy · 42£63.36

With Nectar prices£62.21

Celery

1×Sainsbury's Celery on Sainsbury's, opens in a new tab · 1pcs£0.74

Cucumber

1×Sainsbury's Small Whole Cucumber on Sainsbury's, opens in a new tab · 180g£0.80

Potatoes and sweet potatoes

1×Sainsbury's 1kg Baby Potatoes on Sainsbury's, opens in a new tab · 1000g£0.99

Mushrooms

1×Sainsbury's 300g Closed Cup Chestnut Mushrooms on Sainsbury's, opens in a new tab£1.29

Tomatoes

1×Sainsbury's 330g Cherry Tomatoes on Sainsbury's, opens in a new tab£1.00
1×Sainsbury's Tomatoes Loose on Sainsbury's, opens in a new tab · 1pcs£0.26

Exotic vegetables

1×Sainsbury's Butternut Squash Loose on Sainsbury's, opens in a new tab · 1pcs£1.39

Root Vegetables

1×Sainsbury's Loose Carrots on Sainsbury's, opens in a new tab · 1pcs£0.06

Onions

1×Sainsbury's Onions Loose on Sainsbury's, opens in a new tab · 1pcs£0.10
2×Sainsbury's Red Onions Loose on Sainsbury's, opens in a new tab · 1pcs£0.20
1×Sainsbury's Spring Onions Bunch 100g on Sainsbury's, opens in a new tab · 1pcs£0.65

Peppers

2×Sainsbury's Red Pepper on Sainsbury's, opens in a new tab · 1pcs£1.60

Broccoli and Cauliflower

1×Stamford Street Co. Cauliflower on Sainsbury's, opens in a new tab · 1pcs£1.00

Spreadable butter

1×Sainsbury's Buttersoft Spreadable 500g on Sainsbury's, opens in a new tab£2.40

Continental cheese

Cheddar

1×Stamford Street Co. Grated Cheddar 500g on Sainsbury's, opens in a new tab£2.85

Houmous and dips

2×Sainsbury's Mild Salsa 200g on Sainsbury's, opens in a new tab£2.70

Eggs

1×Stamford Street Co. 10 x Mixed Size British Free Range Eggs 536g on Sainsbury's, opens in a new tab · 10pcs£1.90

Natural, organic & greek yogurt

6×Lindahls Kvarg Vanilla High Protein Yogurt 150g on Sainsbury's, opens in a new tab£7.50

Fresh milk

1×Sainsbury's British Semi Skimmed Milk 1.13L (2 pint) on Sainsbury's, opens in a new tab · 1130ml£1.20

Wholemeal and brown bread

1×Sainsbury's Medium Sliced Wholemeal Bread 800g on Sainsbury's, opens in a new tab£0.75

Pulses and beans

Tinned tomatoes

1×Sainsbury's Passata 500g on Sainsbury's, opens in a new tab£0.60

Speciality ingredients

1×Sainsbury's Coconut Milk 400ml on Sainsbury's, opens in a new tab£0.75

Eastern European

1×Prymat Whole Dried Bay Leaves 6g on Sainsbury's, opens in a new tab£0.40

Vegan food

1×Cauldron Vegan Tofu Block 396g on Sainsbury's, opens in a new tab£1.75/ea with Nectar until 27 Oct£2.90

Peas, beans & sweetcorn

1×Stamford Street Co. Sweetcorn 950g on Sainsbury's, opens in a new tab£1.42

Uncategorised

Might already have · 11Show£17.37

Stocks

1×Sainsbury's Vegetable Stock Cubes 10 x 10g on Sainsbury's, opens in a new tab · 100g£1.10

Olive oil

1×Sainsbury's Olive Oil 1L on Sainsbury's, opens in a new tab · 1000ml£7.25

Seasoning

1×Old El Paso Mexican Taco Seasoning Mix Garlic & Paprika 25g on Sainsbury's, opens in a new tab£1.35

Spices

1×Sainsbury's Paprika 44g on Sainsbury's, opens in a new tab£1.15

Nut butter

1×Sainsbury's Peanut Butter Smooth 340g on Sainsbury's, opens in a new tab£1.10

Linguine and tagliatelle

1×Sainsbury's Tagliatelle Pasta 500g on Sainsbury's, opens in a new tab£0.75

Penne

1×Stamford Street Co. Penne Pasta 500g on Sainsbury's, opens in a new tab£0.41

Spaghetti

1×Stamford Street Co. Spaghetti 500g on Sainsbury's, opens in a new tab£0.28

Basmati

1×Sainsbury's Basmati Rice 500g on Sainsbury's, opens in a new tab£0.89

Vinegar

1×Aspall Classic Apple Cyder Vinegar 350ml on Sainsbury's, opens in a new tab£2.20

Salad cream and mayonnaise

1×Sainsbury's Mayonnaise, Thick & Creamy 500ml on Sainsbury's, opens in a new tab£0.89

Every item, cupboard included£80.73

Nectar prices take £1.15 off this shop.

Sainsbury's prices as listed on sainsburys.co.uk between 22 and 26 October 2026, with each Nectar price where Sainsbury's has one. Whole packs, without delivery. Each item links to its Sainsbury's page, which shows today's price.

How we set Susten up

Targets: 2,500 kcal a day. No diet. Calories split the app's default way: 20% protein, 45% carbs and 35% fat.
How you like to cook: most nights, with leftovers.
Budget: Keep it low. Susten then leaves out recipes that cost over £3 for a Medium portion, picks cheaper recipes and Sainsbury's value products where it can, and plans around the fresh food each pack leaves over.
How long: “Don't mind”, and the usual kitchen: oven, hob, microwave and kettle.
Shop: Sainsbury's. Susten planned the week from recipes Sainsbury's supplies every ingredient for.

Your week would differ. Susten plans to your own calories, protein, diet, allergies and the time you have. Work out your numbers with the macro calculator.

More meal plans

A 2,500 calorie meal plan planned at Tesco has its own week. Every Sainsbury's meal plan sits on one page, with the cheapest high-protein meals at Sainsbury's.

Questions about this Sainsbury's meal plan

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