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

This week's Sainsbury's list comes to £58.75 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 £37.71, or £5.39 a day.

Is this meal plan cheaper at Tesco?

The same meals at Tesco come to £52.59 for the items to buy, £6.16 less 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 vegetarian meal plan?

The days run from 121 to 128 g of protein, 125 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.

Is every meal vegetarian?

Yes. Susten planned the week with the vegetarian diet set, so it picked only vegetarian recipes and snacks. Check each product's label if you avoid an ingredient for an allergy.

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 vegetarian 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 £58.75 at Sainsbury's prices, and the food the meals use costs £5.39 a day.

7 days, 35 meals, 10 recipes
2,494 to 2,618 kcal a day
£58.75 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 2,494 and 2,618 kcal, within 10% of the 2,500 kcal target. Protein runs from 121 to 128 g a day.

Day	Calories	Protein	Carbs	Fat
Day 1	2,544 kcal	128 g	255 g	101 g
Day 2	2,551 kcal	128 g	267 g	99 g
Day 3	2,494 kcal	121 g	289 g	91 g
Day 4	2,502 kcal	125 g	256 g	101 g
Day 5	2,504 kcal	122 g	284 g	93 g
Day 6	2,499 kcal	124 g	273 g	98 g
Day 7	2,618 kcal	126 g	281 g	101 g
Average	2,530 kcal	125 g	272 g	98 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 60 products. The items to buy come to £58.75 at Sainsbury's prices listed between 22 and 26 October 2026. The same meals at Tesco come to £52.59, £6.16 less. The food the meals use comes to £37.71, or £5.39 a day. The rest of each pack stays in your cupboard and fridge for next week.

sustenYour Sainsbury's list · 60 items

To buy · 43£58.75

With Nectar prices£56.65

Bananas

3×Sainsbury's Bananas Loose on Sainsbury's, opens in a new tab · 1pcs£0.45

Celery

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

Lettuce

1×Sainsbury's Little Gem Lettuce on Sainsbury's, opens in a new tab · 2pcs£0.77

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
2×Sainsbury's Baking Potatoes (Loose) on Sainsbury's, opens in a new tab · 1pcs£0.58

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
1×Sainsbury's Root Ginger Loose on Sainsbury's, opens in a new tab · 1 root£0.56

Root Vegetables

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

Onions

2×Sainsbury's Onions Loose on Sainsbury's, opens in a new tab · 1pcs£0.20
2×Sainsbury's Red Onions Loose on Sainsbury's, opens in a new tab · 1pcs£0.20

Peppers

1×Sainsbury's Red Pepper on Sainsbury's, opens in a new tab · 1pcs£0.80

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

1×Sainsbury's Lighter Cypriot Cheese 225g on Sainsbury's, opens in a new tab£1.99

Cheddar

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

Houmous and dips

1×Sainsbury's Houmous 200g on Sainsbury's, opens in a new tab£1.35

Natural, organic & greek yogurt

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

Wraps

1×Stamford Street Co. Plain Tortilla Wraps x8 on Sainsbury's, opens in a new tab · 8pcs£0.99

Tinned tomatoes

2×Napolina Chopped Tomatoes 400g on Sainsbury's, opens in a new tab£0.75/ea with Nectar until 3 Nov£2.10
1×Sainsbury's Passata 500g on Sainsbury's, opens in a new tab£0.60

Pulses and beans

Speciality ingredients

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

Nuts & seeds

1×Sainsbury's Chia Seeds 150g on Sainsbury's, opens in a new tab£1.85

Asian

1×KTC Coconut Oil 500ml on Sainsbury's, opens in a new tab£3.00/ea with Nectar until 8 Nov£3.50

Eastern European

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

Vegan food

2×Cauldron 200g Extra Firm Tofu on Sainsbury's, opens in a new tab£1.25/ea with Nectar until 27 Oct£3.50

Nuts

1×KP Roasted Peanuts, Unsalted 250g on Sainsbury's, opens in a new tab£3.25

Peas, beans & sweetcorn

1×Stamford Street Co. Peas 850g on Sainsbury's, opens in a new tab£1.03

Uncategorised

1×Sainsbury's Fresh Packed Basil 30g on Sainsbury's, opens in a new tab£0.50
1×Sainsbury's Fresh Packed Bunch Coriander 30g on Sainsbury's, opens in a new tab · 1pcs£0.55
1×Sainsbury's Large Garlic on Sainsbury's, opens in a new tab · 1pcs£0.50
1×Sainsbury's Limes on Sainsbury's, opens in a new tab · 1pcs£0.25
1×Stamford Street Co. 1kg Wholegrain Rolled Oats on Sainsbury's, opens in a new tab · 1000g£0.85
1×Stamford Street Co. Ground Black Pepper 55g on Sainsbury's, opens in a new tab£0.87

Might already have · 17Show£26.98

Stuffings

1×Marigold Health Foods Engevita B12 Nutritional Yeast Flakes 100g on Sainsbury's, opens in a new tab£4.40

Chilli and curry powder

1×Rajah 85g Garam Masala Spice Blend on Sainsbury's, opens in a new tab£1.00/ea with Nectar until 8 Nov£1.10
1×Stamford Street Co. Medium Curry Powder 55g on Sainsbury's, opens in a new tab£0.54

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

Vegetable oil

1×Sainsbury's Vegetable Oil 1L on Sainsbury's, opens in a new tab · 1000ml£1.45

Spices

Salt

1×Sainsbury's Table Salt Bottle 750g on Sainsbury's, opens in a new tab£0.75

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

Basmati

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

Granulated sugar

1×Sainsbury's White Granulated Sugar 500g on Sainsbury's, opens in a new tab£0.75

Every item, cupboard included£85.73

Nectar prices take £2.10 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. Vegetarian: no meat or fish. Calories split 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 vegetarian 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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