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

FAQs

How do I calculate my macros for meal prep? ›

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.

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2020–2025 suggests the following daily macronutrient ratios: Protein: 10–30% for people ages 4 to 18 years; 10–35% for people older than age 18 years. Fats: 20–35% for people ages 4 years and older. Carbohydrates: 45–65% for everyone.

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.

Eat your vegetables first, wherever possible. Then, eat the protein and/or fats. Finally, eat the carbs. As a bonus tip: don't eat carbs on their own (e.g. a big bowl of chips or a thick slice of sourdough).

What foods should I avoid on the macro diet? No foods are off limits, as long as they fit within your macro targets.

Now on a full frame, I shoot with a 90mm macro lens, but anything from 90-105mm is great for food photography. In these two photos, I shot the same scene at the same angle with a 90mm macro lens, and a 55mm non macro lens, so you can see the effect the different focal lengths have on the photo.

How do I choose my macros for food? ›

Most people who have 20 grams or more of a macro remaining should look for a macro-dense food because it's more feasible to eat that quantity of food in a single meal. If you have less than 5-10 grams of a macro left to eat you may want to pick from the lower density list instead.

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.

Balance your meals.

If you do this three times a day, you'll eat well without counting macros. Eat some protein-rich foods, some vegetables and some high-fiber grains, starchy vegetables or legumes. For details and a meal planning template, check out the simple plate method way to balance your meals.

Calculate Your Macros

Since each gram of carbohydrate and protein contains 4 calories, and each gram of fat contains 9 calories, you can calculate your macro needs as follows: Carbohydrates: Daily calories * 0.40 / 4 = grams of carbs per day. Proteins: Daily calories * 0.30 / 4 = grams of proteins per day.

Macros—short for macronutrients—include carbs, proteins, and fats. Simply put, counting macros involves tallying up how many grams of each macronutrient type you consume each day, aiming for specific targets. The method is a key component of eating plans like the keto diet.

40/40/20 - 40 per cent protein, 40 per cent carbs and 20 per cent fat. 50/30/20 - 50 per cent from carbs, 30 per cent from protein and 20 per cent fat.