A 1200 kcal daily menu: breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snack options

21.01.2026

Menu for 1200 kcal per day: ready-made meal plan with recipes and weights

Menu for 1200 kcal is usually searched for when you need to quickly organize your diet and start controlling calories. The main mistake is that people try to “cut everything at once” and end up hungry. The correct strategy is different: make portions clear, add protein to every meal, and don’t forget about vegetables. That way, it’s easier to stick to the plan, and the food diary in SYPB 30 becomes transparent and manageable.

1200 kcal per day: ready-made menu

Total per day: about 1200 kcal (calculated close to 1200).
Important: calorie content depends on product brands and the accuracy of weighing.

Day Plan

• Breakfast: oatmeal in milk with banana and peanut butter

• Snack 1: cottage cheese with berries

• Lunch: chicken breast, buckwheat, salad with olive oil

• Snack 2: apple and almonds

• Dinner: omelet with egg and egg whites, spinach and tomatoes

1) Breakfast. Oatmeal in milk with banana and peanut butter

Servings: 1
Time: 10-12 minutes

Ingredients

• Oat flakes 35 g

• Milk 1.5% 150 ml

• Banana 70 g

• Peanut butter 3 g

• Cinnamon to taste

• Sweetener (optional)

How to cook

1. Pour milk into a saucepan, heat to a hot temperature, but do not bring to a rapid boil.

2. Add the oats, cook over low heat for 4-6 minutes, stirring.

3. Mash the banana with a fork or cut into slices, add to the finished porridge.

4. Add the peanut butter (3 g) and cinnamon, mix.

5. Let sit for 1 minute to thicken the porridge.

Approximate calories and macros

• Calories: 275-285 kcal

• Protein: 10-12 g

• Fat: 6-7 g

• Carbohydrates: 45-50 g

2) Snack 1. Cottage cheese with berries

Servings: 1
Time: 3-5 minutes

Ingredients

• Cottage cheese 2% 150 g

• Berries (frozen or fresh) 80 g

• Sweetener (optional)

• Pinch of vanillin (optional)

How to make

1. If the berries are frozen, let them stand for 5-7 minutes or defrost quickly.

2. Mix cottage cheese with sweetener and vanillin.

3. Add the berries on top or carefully mix in.

Approximate calories and macros

• Calories: 155-170 kcal

• Protein: 25-30 g

• Fat: 2-4 g

• Carbohydrates: 10-15 g

3) Lunch. Chicken breast, buckwheat, and salad

Servings: 1
Time: 20-30 minutes (if chicken is already cooked, then 10 minutes)

Ingredients

Chicken and buckwheat

• Cooked chicken breast 120 g

• Cooked buckwheat 110 g

Salad

• Cucumber 150 g

• Tomatoes 150 g

• Greens 20 g

• Olive oil 5 g

• Salt, pepper

How to make

1. If the chicken is raw: bake the breast in the oven for 20-25 minutes at 200°C, or cook in a skillet under a lid until done. Then weigh out 120 g of the cooked product.

2. Pre-boil the buckwheat. Use 110 g of ready buckwheat per serving.

3. For the salad, slice cucumber and tomato, add greens.

4. Toss with 5 g oil, salt, and pepper.

5. Assemble the plate: chicken, buckwheat, salad.

Approximate calories and macros

• Calories: 400-430 kcal

• Protein: 40-50 g

• Fat: 10-13 g

• Carbohydrates: 30-40 g

4) Snack 2. Apple and almonds

Servings: 1
Time: 1 minute

Ingredients

• Apple 150 g

• Almonds 10 g

How to eat

It’s better to slice the apple, eat the almonds separately or together.

Approximate calories and macros

• Calories: 130-145 kcal

• Protein: 2-3 g

• Fat: 5-6 g

• Carbohydrates: 20-25 g

5) Dinner. Omelet with egg and whites, spinach and tomatoes

Servings: 1
Time: 10-12 minutes

Ingredients

• Egg 1 pc (about 50 g)

• Egg whites 120 g (from 3–4 eggs or pasteurized)

• Milk 1.5% 50 ml (optional, can use water instead)

• Spinach 60 g

• Tomatoes 150 g

• Oil for frying 2 g (or spray)

• Salt, pepper

How to make

1. In a bowl, mix the egg, whites, and milk, add salt and pepper.

2. Heat the pan, add 2 g oil and spread it around.

3. Add spinach, heat for 30–60 seconds until soft.

4. Pour in the egg mixture, cook covered over low heat for 4–6 minutes.

5. Serve the tomatoes fresh on the side or add to the omelet at the end.

Approximate calories and macros

• Calories: 200-230 kcal

• Protein: 22-28 g

• Fat: 7-10 g

• Carbohydrates: 6-12 g

Shopping list for the day

• Oatmeal, milk 1.5%, banana, peanut butter

• Cottage cheese 2%, berries

• Chicken breast, buckwheat

• Cucumbers, tomatoes, greens, spinach

• Eggs or pasteurized whites

• Apple, almonds

• Olive oil, spices

How to make this menu 1500 kcal (if needed)

The easiest way: add one more snack for 250-300 kcal without changing the core menu.
Examples:

• Kefir 1% 250 ml + banana 100 g

• Greek yogurt 200 g + muesli 30 g

• Whole grain bread 40 g + cream cheese 40 g + vegetables

Meal swap options (so you don’t get bored with the menu)

The idea: keep calories and meal structure the same.

Breakfast options for 250-300 kcal

• Greek yogurt 200 g + berries 100 g + nuts 5–7 g

• Omelet of 2 eggs (without oil) + vegetables 250 g

• Cottage cheese 200 g + apple 150 g

Lunch options for 400-450 kcal

• Cooked turkey 130 g + cooked rice 130 g + salad (no oil)

• White fish 170 g + baked potato 180 g + vegetables

• Stewed beans 250 g + vegetables + yogurt sauce

Dinner options for 200-300 kcal

• Tuna 120 g + salad 300 g + yogurt sauce

• Cottage cheese 250 g + cucumber 200 g + greens

• Chicken 100 g + vegetables 300 g (no oil or 3–5 g oil)

How to count calories so that 1200 kcal is “real”

• Weigh the oil separately. 5 g of oil can quietly add a significant share of calories.

• Always mark the product as “cooked” or “raw” consistently in all recipes, otherwise there will be discrepancies.

• Try to stick with the same brands if you want accuracy.

FAQ

Can everyone eat 1200 kcal?

This is a low-calorie meal plan and is not suitable for everyone. If you have illnesses, are pregnant, lactating, or have high physical activity, it’s better to coordinate calorie intake with a specialist.

Why do I crave sweets on 1200 kcal?

Most often there is not enough protein, fiber, and proper eating schedule. A protein breakfast and a snack based on cottage cheese or yogurt help.

How not to break down in the evening?

Make dinner protein-rich and filling with vegetables, and plan snacks in advance.

Also read in the SYPB 30 blog

• Calorie deficit: which to choose and why too little often gets in the way 

• How to count calories correctly: scales, portions, oil and drinks 

• Calorie norm for weight loss: calculation by the Mifflin San Jeor formula 

• Healthy cottage cheese desserts: 12 tasty recipes without sugar and extra calories