Macro Friendly Recipes: The Best Meal Prep Recipes for Counting Macros - Smile Sandwich (2024)

These macro friendly recipes are the best meal prep recipes for counting macros because they’re well balanced between protein, carbs and fat!

Macro Friendly Recipes: The Best Meal Prep Recipes for Counting Macros - Smile Sandwich (1)

Have you heard of counting macros? My mom recently started and has raved about her results, so I’ve set out to learn more!

The reason I wanted to give this a try is because it does not restrict certain foods. You can eat whatever you love! You just have to try to reach certain goals for how much Protein, Carbs and Fat you’re eating every day.

The most difficult part about following a macro diet is that you have to log everything you eat. But in doing so, you learn SO MUCH about the nutritional value of what you’re eating. Rather than eating tiny amounts, the goal is to find foods with lots of volume but are low in calories and high in protein.

What Are Macros?

I can’t explain it as well as some others have, so here are some articles that explain it in more detail:

How to Calculate Macros

Here’s a macro calculator that will tell you how many grams of each macronutrient you should eat per day based on your weight, age and activity level.

Once you’ve figured out your macro goals, it’s time to start planning! I use the app MyFitnessPal to track everything I’m eating.

The Best Macro Friendly Recipes

I found it’s much easier to plan out your meals ahead of time so you know exactly how your food fits into your macros in advance. If I don’t plan, I sometimes find myself way out of balance halfway through the day and it’s hard to fix it.

That’s why these macro friendly meal prep recipes are here to help! Each one includes the macronutrient count so you can easily plan in advance.

Just make these meals a couple days in advance and refrigerate them for lunches or dinners.

By popular request, here’s the link to the Ello glass meal prep containers I use!

Macro Friendly Recipes: The Best Meal Prep Recipes for Counting Macros - Smile Sandwich (2)

Macro Friendly Recipes

Macro Friendly Recipes: The Best Meal Prep Recipes for Counting Macros - Smile Sandwich (3)

15-Minute Chicken Sausage Pasta Meal Prep Bowls

Use chickpea pasta for even more protein!

405 calories, 16F 49C 24P

Macro Friendly Recipes: The Best Meal Prep Recipes for Counting Macros - Smile Sandwich (4)

Mango Salsa Chicken Meal Prep Bowls

Mango Salsa Chicken Meal Prep Bowls is a healthy meal prep recipe with chicken, cilantro lime rice and mango avocado salsa.

541 calories, 18F 60C 39P

Macro Friendly Recipes: The Best Meal Prep Recipes for Counting Macros - Smile Sandwich (5)

Easy Cheesy Baked Pasta

This Easy Cheesy Baked Pasta is just like the Tik Tok feta baked pasta, but instead of feta it uses Laughing Cow Cheese, which is just a bit lighter!

304 calories, 16F 30C 15P

Macro Friendly Recipes: The Best Meal Prep Recipes for Counting Macros - Smile Sandwich (6)

Chicken Avocado Rice Meal Prep Bowls

These are great with Banza chickpea "rice" for more protein.

491 calories, 19F 40C 43P

Macro Friendly Recipes: The Best Meal Prep Recipes for Counting Macros - Smile Sandwich (7)

Easy Ground Turkey Meal Prep Bowls

These Easy Ground Turkey Meal Prep Bowls are the perfect healthy recipes to save time and stay on track during the week!

Macro Friendly Recipes: The Best Meal Prep Recipes for Counting Macros - Smile Sandwich (8)

Chicken Meal Prep Bowls: 4 Ways

These Chicken Meal Prep bowls are the perfect way to stay on track with well-balanced meals for lunch and dinner!

Macro Friendly Recipes: The Best Meal Prep Recipes for Counting Macros - Smile Sandwich (9)

Photo Credit:www.kitchensanctuary.com

Spicy Chicken Nourish Bowl

Love anything with a little spice because it helps motivate me to drink more water.

462 calories, F18 38C 36P

Macro Friendly Recipes: The Best Meal Prep Recipes for Counting Macros - Smile Sandwich (10)

Paleo Pancake Breakfast Meal Prep Bowls

Kodiak Cakes is my favorite brand of protein pancakes. I make these bowls once per week!

360 calories, 16F 34C 24P

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Make-Ahead Breakfast Meal Prep Bowls: 4 Ways

These are perfect if you're looking for macro friendly meal prep recipes for breakfast.

Macro Friendly Recipes: The Best Meal Prep Recipes for Counting Macros - Smile Sandwich (12)

Fall Harvest Meal Prep Bowls

For fewer carbs, cut down a bit on the sweet potato and apples.

308 calories, 18F 14C 36P

Macro Friendly Recipes: The Best Meal Prep Recipes for Counting Macros - Smile Sandwich (13)

Veggie-Packed Chicken Salad Meal Prep

Use a low fat mayo or plain Greek yogurt to keep the fat count down on classic chicken salad.

403 calories, 14F 8C 65P

Macro Friendly Recipes: The Best Meal Prep Recipes for Counting Macros - Smile Sandwich (14)

Photo Credit:www.foodfaithfitness.com

Healthy Burger in a Bowl | Food Faith Fitness

If your family is having burger night, have a burger bowl instead!

423 calories, F19 30C 33P

Macro Friendly Recipes: The Best Meal Prep Recipes for Counting Macros - Smile Sandwich (15)

One Pan Sausage and Vegetables Meal Prep

This macro friendly recipe is SO easy.

162 calories, 7F 17C 10P

Macro Friendly Recipes: The Best Meal Prep Recipes for Counting Macros - Smile Sandwich (16)

Instant Pot Greek Chicken Power Bowls: Healthy Meal Prep Recipe

An Instant Pot is a must-have for macro counting. It makes prep so easy.

556 calories, F30 31C 43P

Zucchini noodles are perfect if you need a lower carb meal.

560 calories, F35 33C 34P

Plus don’t miss my list of the best macro friendly foods from Walmart. It’s a list of healthy groceries that are perfect for macro counting.

Items That Help Me with Macro Couting

Macro Friendly Recipes: The Best Meal Prep Recipes for Counting Macros - Smile Sandwich (18)

Digital Food Scale

Easiest way to make sure you're tracking correctly

Macro Friendly Recipes: The Best Meal Prep Recipes for Counting Macros - Smile Sandwich (19)

Souper Cubes 1-Cup Extra-Large Silicone Freezing Tray with Lid

Perfect for meal prepping sauces and soups to freeze in portions

Macro Friendly Recipes: The Best Meal Prep Recipes for Counting Macros - Smile Sandwich (20)

Ello Duraglass Glass Food Storage Meal Prep Containers

The best food storage containers for meal prep + leftovers

Macro Friendly Recipes: The Best Meal Prep Recipes for Counting Macros - Smile Sandwich (21)

Ninja Air Fryer

Lets you fry food without using any oil!

Macro Friendly Recipes: The Best Meal Prep Recipes for Counting Macros - Smile Sandwich (22)

Instant Pot Duo 7-in-1 Electric Pressure Cooker

Super easy to cook chicken from frozen when you're in a pinch.

Macro Friendly Recipes: The Best Meal Prep Recipes for Counting Macros - Smile Sandwich (23)

OXO Good Grips 3 Piece Squeeze & Pour Silicone Measuring Cup Set

Come clean super easily and perfect for pancake mix.

Macro Friendly Recipes: The Best Meal Prep Recipes for Counting Macros - Smile Sandwich (2024)

FAQs

What foods to eat when counting macros? ›

While all foods are allowed, it's easier to meet your macro goals with a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, high-quality proteins, nuts, seeds and whole grains.

How do I calculate my macros for meal prep? ›

How to Calculate Macros for any Homemade Dish
  1. Find the macro numbers for each ingredient in your dish. This is the tedious part, but it's not hard. ...
  2. Add everything up. Fat: 35g Protein: 29g Carbs: 96g.
  3. 3, Decide how much is a serving, and then divide by how many servings you have in the dish.
May 5, 2016

How do I make my own meal plan to match my macros? ›

A basic strategy would be to divide your total daily targets including calories, carbs, fat and protein by four. This would give you even macro targets for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks. Then, divide that 1/4 number by two to get the target macros for your two snacks.

What is considered a macro friendly meal? ›

A macro-friendly meal is one with a good balance of protein, carbs, and fat to make a balanced meal. Most will usually be high in protein with a moderate amount of carbs and fat. Not only does having a balanced meal help with having a variety of foods, but it is also beneficial for our bodies in many ways.

How do I count my macros to lose belly fat? ›

The optimal ratios of macros for weight loss are generally accepted as:
  1. Carbohydrates: 40-50% of your daily calories.
  2. Protein: 25-35% of your daily calories.
  3. Fat: 20-30% of your daily calories.
Mar 11, 2024

What is the 30 30 30 macro split? ›

To put it simply, the 30 30 30 rule is a dieting guide that advises a balanced intake of proteins, carbohydrates, and fats in the ratio of 30:30:30, respectively. Each of these components plays a crucial part in achieving a successful fat loss. The first 30 in the 30 30 30 rule represents 30% protein intake.

What is the easiest way to count macros? ›

The most convenient way to track macros may be through a nutrition app like MyFitnessPal, Lose It!, or My Macros +. These apps are user-friendly and specifically designed to simplify tracking macros. In addition, a digital food scale may help you track your macros — though it isn't necessary.

What is the best macro split for fat loss? ›

Your perfect macronutrient ratio depends on your goals, activity level, age, health, and genetics. For weight loss purposes, a moderate carb (30%-40% of calories), moderate fat (20%-30% of calories), and high protein diet (25%-35% of calories) tends to work for most people.

How to start a macro diet? ›

People should follow several steps before starting a macro diet.
  1. Determine caloric needs. There are a few ways a person can figure out their daily calorie needs. ...
  2. Determine macronutrient ratio. Once a person has calculated their total daily calories, they can then determine their macronutrient ratio. ...
  3. Track macros.
Jul 23, 2021

What are the best carbs for meal prep? ›

Carbs from veggies: All leafy greens, cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, Brussel sprouts, vegetables like artichokes, swiss chard, sweet potato, green banana are all healthy carbs that pack plenty of fiber, vitamins and complex starch that keeps your meal prep nutritious.

Is there an app to enter macros and create a meal plan? ›

Prospre takes the guesswork out of meal planning by generating personalized target macros, offering a wide variety of simple yet delicious recipes, and tracking your progress seamlessly.

What is the best meal plan generator? ›

Compare the Best Meal-Planning Apps
CompanyCostRecipe Database
Prepear Best for Social Media FansFree recipes / upgrade featuresYes
MealPrepPro Best for Meal Preppers$3.99Yes
BigOven Best for Using Up LeftoversVaries from free to $25/yearYes
MealBoard Best if You're Budgeting$3.99No
4 more rows

What foods are easy to count macros? ›

Meat, poultry, and eggs: lean cuts of beef, lamb, goat, pork loin, skinless chicken and turkey, quail and duck. Fish and seafood: salmon, tuna, cod, shrimp, mackerel, lobster, catfish and crab. Low-fat or fat-free dairy foods: yogurt, milk, cheese and cottage cheese. Legumes: beans, split peas, lentils and soy.

What is the most macro friendly fruit? ›

Fresh Berries

This includes strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries, packed with antioxidants, vitamins, and fiber, making them the perfect macro friendly fruit option for most people. Nutrition per 1 Cup Serving (Mixed Berries): Protein: 1 gram. Fat: 0 grams.

What is the most macro friendly food? ›

Green Vegetables are the most macro friendly. They give you the most bang for your buck. These include: Broccoli, Kale, Spinach, Peppers, Green Beans, Asparagus, Cucumber, Zucchini, Lettuce, Mustard Greens, Celery, Brussel Sprouts, and many more.

Can you eat anything while counting macros? ›

The number one IIFYM rule is that all foods can fit into your macro plan, with no foods off-limits. In other words, it doesn't matter where those grams of carbohydrates, fat, or protein are coming from, as long as they add up to your recommended total grams by the end of the day.

How do you eat out while counting macros? ›

Look for items that are grilled or baked as opposed to fried to reduce extra unnecessary calories. Focus on a balanced plate consisting of a protein source (ex: grilled chicken or baked salmon), vegetables, a starchy carbohydrate, and some fats. If you're ordering a salad, be sure to ask for your dressing on the side!

How do I choose foods to fit my macros? ›

The most important steps in counting macros are setting a calorie goal and macronutrient range for carbs, protein, and fat that works best for you. Then, log your food intake and aim to stay within your macros by eating a diet rich in fresh produce, healthy fats, complex carbs, and protein sources.

What is the best way to count macros? ›

To track your macros accurately you should measure and weigh everything you eat. To do this, you can use measuring spoons, measuring cups, and measuring jugs. However, the most accurate way of measuring your food portions is using a food scale. If you want results, being precise with your nutrition is critical.

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