These moderate-calorie meal prep recipes hit the sweet spot between flavor, fullness, and smart nutrition. Whether you’re maintaining, reverse dieting, or just want a break from extremes, this tag is all about balance—without sacrificing performance or taste.
You’ll find creamy pastas, bold global bowls, satisfying skillet builds, and macro-friendly comfort foods—all landing in the 600–800 calorie range per serving. These meals give you enough fuel to train hard, build muscle, and stay energized, without tipping the scale or underfeeding yourself.
Want to explore by protein or calorie target? Check out these pages:
Full Recipe Filter | Cutting Recipes | Bulking Recipes
Need a little help with strategy? Check out these posts:
My Meal Prep Strategy Guide | How to Maintain Weight
Every recipe includes full calorie and macro breakdowns, realistic portions, and meal prep instructions designed for people who live in the real world. These meals reheat well, store easily, and actually taste better on day two.
Moderate doesn’t mean boring. These meals bring structure, satisfaction, and just the right amount of indulgence to keep your prep exciting and your goals in sight.
Every once in a while, a recipe sneaks up on you and completely changes your definition of meal prep. Cajun Chicken Orzo is that recipe. Creamy, spicy, and absolutely dripping with personality, this is one of those dishes that makes you forget you’re eating out of a Tupperware. With juicy, Cajun-spiced chicken, velvety orzo, and…
Let it be known: when you buy a quarter cow, you don’t just eat beef—you become it. And in my case, that means turning every delicious pound of ground chuck into meatball masterpieces, like these Greek Meatballs right here. These aren’t just any meatballs. No, my friend—these are feta-stuffed, herb-loaded, Mediterranean-spiced bombs of flavor that’ll…
Let’s be real for a second. Pasta Primavera has historically gotten a bad rap in the meal prep world—bland veggies, sad noodles, and not nearly enough protein to justify anything beyond “light lunch” status. But not on my watch. This Pasta Primavera flips the whole script. We’re talking perfectly roasted vegetables, rich garlic-parmesan flavor, and…
Let’s say—hypothetically—that you’ve been eating chicken breast and steamed broccoli for the past six months. And let’s also say—again, for the sake of argument—that your taste buds have filed a class action lawsuit against you for cruel and unusual punishment. Now, given these premises, what is the rational response? Simple. You make Sweet & Spicy…
Shrimp Pesto Mushroom Pasta is one of those meals that makes you question everything you thought you knew about flavor balance. It’s rich but not heavy, savory but still bright, creamy but also fresh. You’ve got seared shrimp, sautéed mushrooms, and a garlicky pesto cream sauce all tangled up with tender pasta. It’s a full-on…
I’m not gonna sugarcoat it—eating half a pound of ground beef straight out of a Tupperware is a primal experience. You feel like a caveman. A very macro-aware, dairy-loving caveman. There’s something about this Southwest Beef & Sweet Potato Skillet that hits deep—like, “I lift heavy things and fuel my body like a legend” deep….
Beef Lo Mein is one of those recipes that just never lets you down. It’s been in my rotation for years, and every time I make it, I’m reminded why. Savory noodles. Tender beef. Crisp veggies. A sauce that’s just the right amount of salty-sweet with a kick of umami. It’s the meal prep equivalent…
There are no words that can fully prepare you for the flavor bomb that is this Salmon with Mango Salsa. I could sit here and try to describe the perfect sear on that flaky, omega-3-packed filet. I could ramble about the sweet heat, the citrus zing, the way that cold salsa crashes into warm salmon…
Alright, full transparency time: the macros on this one are solid—but not savage. We’re talking 46g of protein per serving, which is still objectively great, but maybe not the “break the macro calculator” kind of stats you’ve come to expect from the rest of my meal preps. And honestly? I’m okay with that. Because this…
Look, I’m not saying this Tandoori Salmon will change your life… but I’m also not not saying that. There’s something almost mystical about Indian-inspired meal prep—it’s like the spices marinate overnight and then wake up ready to slap. The tandoori marinade is bold, tangy, and beautifully charred when baked, turning simple salmon fillets into straight-up…
