blog-cooking Weight LossHealthy 1500 Calorie Meal Plan for Weight Loss

Healthy 1500 Calorie Meal Plan for Weight Loss

10 mins read

Mariia Roza is a weight loss and fitness writer at Unimeal. She is an expert in nutrition, wellness, longevity, and sports.

on December 09, 2021

Medically reviewed by Dr. Olena Avdiievska, MD, RDN

Dr. Olena Avdiievska is a nutritional and medical expert at Unimeal. She is an MD and RDN in Dietology and nutrition and a university professor with 76 scientific publications.

Unimeal provides articles with trustworthy and experts-proved information. Our health content is reviewed by professional nutritionists and trainers to extract for users the most verified and medically checked data.

To slim down and not to start overeating again is quite real. A well-thought-out proper nutrition and a menu for a week for weight loss will help! It all implies a diet of 1500 kcal per day. Check out our 7-day sample meal plan for weight loss!

One of the great challenges of any diet is that at some point, you don’t know what to eat. Now, when you’ve cut off all your favorite junkies like pizzas, donuts, hamburgers, alcohol, and soda, what should you put on your plate instead? Fortunately, Unimeal dietitians know what to cook. Take a look at our free sample meal plan, and be sure to try out our recipes.

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How to make a healthy meal plan for weight loss?

There are two main approaches to meal planning. Some people do meal prepping. They cook large batches of several dishes once a week and divide them into containers. This method might work for you if you can dedicate the whole Sunday to cooking and you’re okay with eating the same dish over the entire week.

Meal planning is another approach. It means that you decide what you will cook during the week beforehand and cook three times a day to make yourself breakfasts, lunches, and dinners. This method will work for you if you can spend 20-30 minutes per one meal every day and like the variety on your plate.

The most efficient way of making a diet plan is the combination of these two approaches. Choose the recipe you like, take twice the ingredients, and make yourself lunches for two days. Cook toasts or salads just before eating them, and make larger batches of baked or grilled dishes two to three times a week.

Sample meal plan composed by Unimeal experts: What’s on your plate?

We believe that the Mediterranean diet is one of the best ones for weight loss and overall health. That’s why we have used its main principles to compose this meal plan:

We have chosen easy-to-follow recipes filled with vitamins and minerals. Thanks to step-by-step instructions, you can prep these meals even if you’re a newbie in the kitchen. One meal takes 20-30 minutes to cook.
We minimized the amount of red meat but ensured that this plan contained other high-quality protein sources. Protein is highly satiating and is vital for muscle growth and maintenance. This is why every meal we offer contains some protein source.
Every meal has a well-balanced ratio of protein, fats, and carbs.

Each day includes meals for about 1200-1500 calories. But we’re all different. Choose recipes and meal days according to your needs in calories.

Recipes for a 7-day weight loss meal plan

Here is an example of a 7-day meal plan. There are three square meals a day: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Before using them, calculate your TDEE to determine how many calories you should be eating. Amend our meal plan so you can be in a 300-500 calorie deficit every day. Such a deficit will help you lose one pound a week, which is considered a great speed for weight loss and weight maintenance.

Day 1

Breakfast: Omelet and cheese sandwich

753 calories for 2 sandwiches

Protein, fat, and carbs in %: 19.0 / 34.2 / 46.6

Ingredients:

2 eggs
2 teaspoons of olives
½ teaspoon of oil
250 g of tomatoes
170 g of bell peppers
½ of a small onion
100 g of mushrooms
Spices to taste: black pepper, dried basil, herbs
2 pieces or 150 g of whole grain bread
Several leaves of lettuce
10 g of Brie cheese

How to make an Omelet and cheese sandwich?

Preheat a pan.
Dice tomatoes, peppers, and mushrooms into random-sized cubes.
Cut onion into half rings.
Cut olives in half.
Pour oil into the pan.
Put vegetables and mushrooms in the frying pan and cook covered for 5-7 minutes over medium heat.
Whisk eggs in a deep bowl. Season with salt and spice to taste.
Pour the egg mixture over the vegetables. Add olives. Cook covered over low heat for 5-6 minutes.
Cut a slice of bread. Place lettuce and cheese on top of it.
Transfer the finished omelet to the slice of bread, garnish with chopped herbs and serve the sandwich.

Lunch: Creamy noodles with fish "Pesto"

480 calories

Protein, fat, and carbs in %: 27.1 / 27.3 / 45.5

Ingredients:

110 g of white fish
1 tsp of peanuts
Large handful of basil, oregano, and arugula
½ teaspoon of olive oil
70 g of noodles
30 ml of 10% cream
Dried basil, Italian herbs mix, lemon juice, and other spices to taste

How to make Creamy noodles with fish "Pesto"?

Preheat the oven to 180°C / 356°F. Bring water to a boil.
Rinse the fish with water, wrap it in foil, and bake it in the oven for 20 minutes.
In the meantime, prepare the peanut-basil sauce: combine the peanuts, olive oil, and fresh basil in a blender bowl. Add lemon juice, salt, and spices to taste. Whisk until smooth.
While the fish is baking, place the noodles in boiling water and cook for 5-7 minutes over high heat until al dente.
Pour the cream into the noodles and stir.
Transfer cooked noodles to a plate. Serve the fish next to it and top with the peanut-basil sauce. Garnish with arugula and serve.

Dinner: Shrimp and grapefruit salad

314 calories

Protein, fat, and carbs in %: 40.6 / 37.7 / 21.6

Ingredients:

150 g of shrimps
1 tsp of whole butter
½ of grapefruit (around 100 g)
50 ml of yogurt 2.5%-fat
Lemon juice, paprika, and Italian herbs mix to taste
A large handful of arugula
A large handful of lettuce
40 g of avocado

How to make a Shrimp and grapefruit salad?

Peel the shrimps.
Preheat a pan.
Put the shrimps in the buttered pan and fry them for 5-7 minutes.
Peel the avocado and cut into 1 X 1 cm cubes, peel the grapefruit and divide it into slices, and coarsely chop arugula and lettuce.
Assemble the salad: combine arugula, lettuce, avocado, shrimps, and grapefruit in a deep bowl. Season the salad with yogurt and lemon juice. Add salt and spices to taste, stir. Done!

Day 2

Breakfast: Peanut butter and berries toast

462 calories

Protein, fat, and carbs in %: 24.5 / 39.3 / 36.1

Ingredients:

2 pieces or about 60 g of whole grain bread
30 g of peanut butter with no sugar added
50 g of fresh berries
Cinnamon to taste
20 g of vegan protein powder
½ or 50 g of banana

How to make Peanut butter and berries toast?

Fry bread on both sides in a pan without oil (1 minute on each side) or use a toaster.
Spread peanut butter on the bread, lay the berries on top, and sprinkle cinnamon over it.

Lunch: Thai white curry

553 calories

Protein, fat, and carbs in %: 32.2 / 36.1 / 31.5

Ingredients:

200 g of white fish
100 g of pumpkin
40 g of rice
15 g of Curry paste
1 tsp of oil
½ of onion (about 30 g)
50 g of bell peppers
70 ml of coconut milk
A large handful of leafy greens
Spices to taste
10 g of lime zest

How to make Thai white curry?

Cook rice in a saucepan with cold water in a 1:3 ratio until tender (about 15 minutes after boiling). Add salt to taste.
Meanwhile, grate the fish fillet with half the curry paste and lime zest; cover and let sit while you cook the vegetables.
Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.
Cut the bell pepper and pumpkin into 1 X 1 cm cubes, and cut the onion into small cubes
Put pumpkin, onion, and bell peppers in a pan—season with salt and spices to taste. Cook, occasionally stirring until vegetables are tender (3-5 minutes).
Add remaining curry paste and coconut milk, and cook covered over medium heat for about 1-2 minutes more.
Add fish to the pan, cover, and simmer until tender for about 8 minutes.
Serve rice and fish with vegetables on one plate. Garnish the dish with chopped leafy greens.

Dinner: Garlic fried shrimps with spinach

460 calories

Protein, fat, and carbs in %: 40.5 / 31.5 / 27.9

Ingredients:

200 g of shrimp
1 tsp of whole butter
Lemon juice, lemon zest, dried basil, soy sauce, garlic, black pepper, and coriander to taste
150 g of spinach
10 g of pine nuts
1 tsp of olive oil
1 piece or 50 g of thin flatbread

How to make Garlic fried shrimps with spinach

Preheat two pans.
Peel the shrimp and coarsely chop the spinach.
Put the shrimp in a buttered pan and fry over medium heat for 2 minutes. Then add salt and spices to taste, 1/2 the portion of minced garlic, soy sauce, lemon juice, and lemon zest, and bring to a boil (the liquid should thicken a little).
Put the nuts in a second frying pan without oil and fry them until golden brown for 2 minutes. Then add fresh spinach, the second portion of the minced garlic, salt, and spices to taste—fry for 5 minutes covered over medium heat
Serve shrimp in sauce and spinach on one plate with thin lavash. Bon Appetit!

Day 3

Breakfast: Mango-chia pudding

520 calories

Protein, fat, and carbs in %: 15.4 / 32.4 / 52.0

Ingredients:

250 g sugar-free plant-based yogurt
20 g chia seeds
100 of mango
20 of agave syrup
100 of fresh berries
½ tsp of coconut flakes

How to make Mango-chia pudding

Pour plant-based (coconut or almond) yogurt into a glass or dessert cup, add chia seeds, mix and leave for 10-15 minutes.
Add agave syrup and fresh berries, and stir gently.
Cut mango into thin slices and put it on top. Garnish with coconut flakes.

Lunch: Potato casserole with white fish

505 calories

Protein, fat, and carbs in %: 27.1 / 28.5 / 44.2

Ingredients:

250 g of potatoes
100 g of white fish
50 g of carrots
150 g of tomatoes
30 ml of 10% cream
Spices and herbs to taste
25 g of Mozzarella cheese

How to make Potato casserole with white fish

Preheat the oven to 200-220°C / 400-430°F.
Peel and cut potatoes and carrots into thin slices. Cut tomatoes into half rings or rings.
Cut fish fillets into cubes (1x1 cm).
Cut the mozzarella into thin slices.
Add salt and spices to the cream to taste.
Place a layer of potatoes in a baking dish, then add the carrots and fish on top. Season with salt and sprinkle with herbs; brush with cream. Then add the tomatoes and brush them with cream as well.
Place cheese as the last layer on top to completely cover the entire surface of the casserole. Pour the remaining cream over the top and place in the oven for 25-30 minutes.
Remove the cooked dish from the oven, transfer to a plate, and garnish with the rest of the chopped herbs.

Dinner: Mussels and purple salad

450 calories

Protein, fat, and carbs in %: 33.2 / 35.0 / 31.6

Ingredients:

200 g of mussels
Garlic and soy sauce to taste
1 tsp of whole butter
1 tsp of pine nuts
100 g of red cabbage
100 g of cherry tomatoes
30 g of lettuce
50 g of green peas
50 g of bell peppers
1 tsp of olive oil
Italian herbs mix, marjoram, dried basil, and oregano to taste

How to make Mussels and purple salad?

Preheat a pan.
Rinse the mussels. Place them in the buttered pan. Add chopped garlic, soy sauce, salt, and spices to taste, and cook over medium heat for 7-10 minutes.
In the meantime, prepare the salad: Finely chop the cabbage, bell peppers, and tomatoes. Coarsely tear the lettuce leaves.
Combine green peas, bell pepper, tomato, cabbage, and lettuce in a deep plate. Season the salad with olive oil. Add salt and spices to taste, and stir.
Serve the mussels and salad on one plate. Decorate the cooked dish with pine nuts. Enjoy your dinner!

Day 4

Breakfast: Quinoa morning bowl

486 calories

Protein, fat, and carbs in %: 15.1 / 43.6 / 41.1

Ingredients:

70 g of quinoa
40 g of avocado
50 g of mushrooms
A large handful of spinach
50 g of cherry tomatoes
A handful of arugula
1 tsp of olive oil
1 tsp of pumpkin seeds
½ tsp of sesame seeds
Spices, black pepper, dried basil to taste

How to make Quinoa morning bowl?

Rinse quinoa thoroughly under cold running water. Put into a pot and cover with water. Proportions should be 1:3. Put over medium heat.
Bring to a boil and cook over medium heat for 15-20 minutes until done, stirring occasionally.
While the quinoa is boiling, heat a pan and fry sliced mushrooms for 5 minutes over medium heat with vegetable oil, stirring occasionally.
Then add fresh spinach leaves to the mushrooms, cover the pan with a lid, and leave for another 1-2 minutes.
Put the boiled quinoa into a deep plate, add mushrooms with spinach, add salt, peppers, and dried herbs (e.g., basil) to taste, and mix.
Cut tomatoes into quarters, peel and slice avocado, and arrange it all on top of the porridge
Put the arugula on top and sprinkle with pumpkin and sesame seeds.

Lunch: Warm salad with seafood pasta

476 calories

Protein, fat, and carbs in %: 22.4 / 28.8 / 48.7

Ingredients:

150 g of seafood cocktail
70 g of spaghetti
200 g of asparagus
A large handful of spinach
Garlic, balsamic vinegar, spices, Italian herbs mix to taste
½ tsp of cooking oil
1 tsp of olive oil

How to make Warm salad with seafood pasta?

Boil water, add salt. Put pasta in boiling water and cook for 5-7 minutes or as indicated on the packaging.
While the spaghetti is boiling, put the seafood in another pot of water, salt and cook for 10-12 minutes.
Preheat a frying pan with vegetable oil.
Chop asparagus and spinach; chop garlic.
Place the asparagus in the skillet. Season with salt and spices to taste and cook covered for 5-7 minutes. Add garlic to asparagus before turning off. Stir.
Assemble salad: combine seafood, pasta, asparagus, and spinach. Season with balsamic vinegar and olive oil, and stir again. Bon appétit!

Dinner: Atlantic-style fish with grilled mushrooms

482 calories

Protein, fat, and carbs in %: 36.8 / 37.1 / 26.0

Ingredients:

200 g white fish
80 g mushrooms
80 g eggplant
50 g zucchini
2 tsp olive oil
Lemon, spices, black pepper, and marjoram to taste
1 piece or 60 g of thin flatbread

How to make Atlantic-style fish with grilled mushrooms?

Preheat the oven to 200°C/ 390°F.
Cut the lemon into thin slices.
Place fish on the foil, top with lemon slices, and add salt and spices to taste. Wrap the fish in foil and place in the oven for 15-20 minutes.
Preheat a pan.
Meanwhile, cut the mushrooms, eggplant, and zucchini into thin slices (3-4 mm).
Place the chopped vegetables in the oiled pan, fry for 5-10 minutes over medium heat until golden brown, and add salt and spices to taste.
Serve the cooked fish on the same plate as the vegetables and thin lavash.

Day 5

Breakfast: Amaranth-veggie breakfast

485 calories

Protein, fat, and carbs in %: 22.4 / 36.5 / 41.0

Ingredients:

60 g of amaranth
1 tsp of whole butter
1 tsp of pine nuts
20 g of dried tomatoes
80 g of cucumbers
80 g of tomatoes
Spices to taste
25 g of Camembert cheese
60 g of fat-free cottage cheese

How to make Amaranth-veggie breakfast?

Rinse the amaranth under running water, put it into a small saucepan, cover with cold water (in a ratio of 1:3), and cook over medium heat for 15-20 minutes. Instead of amaranth, you can cook quinoa, bulgur, rice, or any of your favorite whole grains. Add salt to taste.
Cut the Camembert cheese while the porridge is being cooked.
Transfer the cooked porridge to a deep plate, add butter and Camembert, mix gently.
Top the porridge with sun-dried tomatoes, cottage cheese, and pine nuts.
Cut the cucumber and tomato into thin slices, then serve them with the porridge.

Lunch: Greek-style fish with potato

452 g

Protein, fat, and carbs in %: 23.8 / 24.9 / 51.1

Ingredients:

100 g of white fish
270 g of potatoes
2 medium tomatoes
1 medium onion
1 tsp of olive oil
Lemon, garlic, herbs, oregano, spices to taste

How to make Greek-style fish with potato?

Preheat the oven to 180°C / 360°F.
Peel and cut the potatoes into wedges, cut the lemon (together with the zest) and the tomato into slices, cut the onion into half rings.
Put the potatoes and onions in a baking dish. Add minced garlic, half of the oil specified in the recipe, salt, and spices to taste, toss by hand until each piece is covered with oil.
Put the potatoes in the oven for 15 minutes.
Place the fish fillet slices on top of the potatoes and place the lemon and tomatoes on top. Sprinkle the remaining oil on top of the fish, add salt and spices to taste, and place in the oven for another 10-15 minutes.
Transfer the baked fish and potatoes to a plate and sprinkle with finely chopped fresh herbs before serving.

Dinner: Mexican seafood cocktail

327 calories

Protein, fat, and carbs in %: 33.7 / 34.9 / 31.3

Ingredients:

150 g of seafood cocktail
200 g of frozen Mexican vegetable mix
1 ½ tsp of oil
Soy sauce, lemon juice, Italian herbs mix, oregano, and black pepper to taste

How to make Mexican seafood cocktail?

Place the seafood in boiling water for 2-3 minutes (if you overcook it, it will taste "rubbery"). Get it out of the water.
Heat a pan with oil; put the vegetable mix in it and cook over medium heat for approximately 5 minutes with the lid open.
Add seafood to the vegetables. Add soy sauce, lemon juice, salt, and spices to taste (it tastes good with oregano or Italian herbs mix), cook for another 7-10 minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
Transfer the cooked dish to a plate and garnish it with herbs.

Day 6

Breakfast: Bulgur with pumpkin and dried apricots

480 calories

Protein, fat, and carbs in %: 20.9 / 31.3 / 47.6

Ingredients:

50 g of pumpkin
60 g of bulgur
20 g of dried apricots
1 tsp of agave syrup
Cinnamon and fresh mint to taste
20 g of vegan protein powder
15 g of pine nuts
1 tsp of oil

How to make Bulgur with pumpkin and dried apricots?

Peel and cut the pumpkin into 1x1 cm cubes and finely chop dried apricots.
Rinse bulgur under running water, put it into a small saucepan, cover with cold water (in a ratio of 1:3), and cook over medium heat.
Add pumpkin and dried apricots, bring to a boil and cook over low heat for 15-20 minutes while stirring (if necessary, add water as it boils away).
5 minutes before the porridge is done, add powder, oil, and a little salt and remove from heat.
Put porridge in a bowl, pour agave syrup, and stir. Sprinkle the porridge with nuts and cinnamon; garnish with mint leaves and serve.

Lunch: Noodles with shrimp and asparagus

410 calories

Protein, fat, and carbs in %: 27.0 / 21.2 / 51.6

Ingredients:

140 g of shrimp
40 g of glass noodles
70 g of bell peppers
30 g of onions
50 g of asparagus
Cilantro and soy sauce to taste
1 tsp of honey
1 tsp of sesame seeds
1 tsp of ghee butter
70 g of tomatoes

How to make Noodles with shrimp and asparagus?

Prepare the marinade: combine soy sauce, honey, and sesame seeds in a deep bowl.
Rinse and peel the shrimp. Marinate prepared shrimp in sauce and let them rest for 5 minutes.
Wash all vegetables (tomato, pepper, onion) and cut into half rings; cut the asparagus into pieces 2-3 cm in length.
Preheat a pan.
Put the shrimp and marinade in the oiled skillet and fry them over medium heat for 3-4 minutes.
Add all vegetables to shrimp and sauté over medium heat for 2-3 minutes. Then add water (in a 1: 2 ratio) and simmer covered for 3-4 minutes—season with salt and spices to taste.
Put the glass noodles in a frying pan with the shrimps and vegetables and simmer covered for another 5 minutes (until the noodles are soft).
Transfer the cooked dish to a plate and garnish it with chopped cilantro.

Dinner: Paprikash

573 calories

Protein, fat, and carbs in %: 40.1 / 30.2 / 29.5

Ingredients:

150 g of chicken breasts
50 g of tomatoes
70 g of bell peppers
1 onion
50 ml of 15% sour cream
30 g of whole-wheat flour
1 tsp of oil
Nutmeg, paprika, and other spices to taste

How to make Paprikash?

Peel onion, chop it finely, and fry in oil until transparent (about 3-5 minutes).
Meanwhile, cut the chicken fillet into medium-sized cubes (2-3 cm).
Add paprika, nutmeg, and fillet to the pan with the onion, stir.
While the meat is cooking, combine the flour with sour cream; mix well and add to the fillet, simmer for about 5 minutes.
Cut the tomatoes into slices and pepper into strips.
Put vegetables in the skillet, season with salt and pepper to taste, and let simmer for about 8 minutes. Turn off and let the dish sit with the lid closed for about 10 minutes.

Day 7

Breakfast: Barley-pumpkin porridge

632 calories

Protein, fat, and carbs in %: 24.9 / 28.0 / 47.0

Ingredients:

60 g of pearl barley
100 g of pumpkin
2 tsp of maple syrup
Cinnamon and other spices to taste
1 tsp of chia seeds
2 tsp of pumpkin seeds
100 g of apple
1 tsp of oil
Vegan protein powder: 25 g

How to make Barley-pumpkin porridge?

Place the pearl barley in a saucepan, cover it with cold water (in proportions 1:3), and cook at medium heat.
When the water boils, add the peeled and diced pumpkin to the barley, add salt to taste, cook over low heat for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally. When the porridge is done, add oil and stir.
Put the boiled pumpkin porridge in a bowl, add maple syrup, apple cut into 1x1 cm cubes, protein, and cinnamon, and mix.
Sprinkle chia and pumpkin seeds on top. Enjoy your meal!

Lunch: Rice with mussels

587 calories

Protein, fat, and carbs in %: 20.3 / 28.9 / 50.6

Ingredients:

60 g of rice
130 g of mussels
40 g of onions
Turmeric, black pepper, and other spices to taste
70 g of mushrooms
70 g of green peas
2 tsp of oil

How to make Rice with mussels?

Dice onion.
Cut mushrooms into thin slices.
Combine rice, onion, and mushrooms. Place in a saucepan and cover with cold water in a 1:2 ratio. Cook, covered, for about 10-15 minutes.
Add mussels, oil, peas, as well as salt, and spices to taste. Cook for another 7–10 minutes.
Transfer the cooked meal to a plate and serve.

Dinner: Shrimp zucchini pasta

280 calories

Protein, fat, and carbs in %: 45.5 / 32.6 / 21.7

Ingredients:

250 g of zucchini
2 tsp of oil
100 g of shrimp
1 tsp of soy sauce
15 g of olives
15 ml of lemon juice
Basil, marjoram, oregano, dried mint, and other spices to taste

How to make Shrimp zucchini pasta?

Preheat the oven to 180°C / 360°F.
While the oven is heating up, prepare the required ingredients: Peel shrimps, cut zucchini into thin strips (you can use a vegetable cutter or just grate it with a coarse grater). If necessary, squeeze out the excess fluid.
Grease an ovenware dish with vegetable oil, put zucchini into it, and arrange peeled shrimp (not frozen!) on top, drizzle with soy sauce and sprinkle with dried herbs (marjoram, mint, oregano, basil, or your favorites).
Bake for 12-15 minutes.
Put the meal on plates, sprinkle with lemon juice, add olives, and decorate with fresh basil.

Summing up

We hope that this complete detailed meal plan will come in handy on your weight-loss journey. Use it as a tool, not as a personalized guide: Remember that some days are too low in calories. In case you’re vegan, vegetarian, intolerant to specific products, or simply don’t like some food, with Unimeal you can get a personalized meal plan. It will contain only products you like and will exclude food you don’t want to see on your plate. If you need a customized meal plan that will consider your likes and dislikes, take our quiz and get a plan that our dietitians will compose just for you.