Last Updated on January 17, 2022 by TheMealPrepNinja
Meal prep for weight gain on a budget
While there are plenty of diet plans for weight loss, there are very few meal plans available that will help you to gain weight. Do you want to learn how to meal prep for weight gain on a budget? This guide will help you identify which foods will help you gain weight without breaking the bank.
Balancing Macronutrients
Many of us struggle to gain weight and achieve that perfect looking body. While fats and proteins are essential for weight gain, it is important to have an overall balanced diet rich in macronutrients and micronutrients for a healthy weight gain routine.
Slow and Steady Wins the Race
Do not go for crash diets that promise instant weight gains as the results may not sustain for a long time, and you may bounce back to your initial weight after you stop following these diets or just put on a lot of extra unwanted weight. You want to be able to add healthy gains over time.
Meal prep for Weight Gain without breaking the Bank
Not all of us can afford to take protein supplements and medicinal drugs that help in weight gain, so here is our guide with meal plans that will help you to gain weight on a budget. There are many ways to do this on a budget. All you have to do is understand which foods will pack on the weight without breaking the bank.
How many calories do I need to eat to gain weight?
The first step in starting a weight gaining diet is to calculate the number of calories that need to be consumed daily to gain weight. To do this, you need to use standardized equations that calculate your calorie need using fixed parameters like weight, height, age, and sex. These equations are available online and depending upon your daily physical activity level, you can modify them to get your required calorie consumption.
Macro Calorie Calculator
We have a Macro Calorie Calculator that you can determine your maintenance calories. Depending on your daily activity you should be eating a surplus of around 400 to 500 calories per day. It may take a few days to get a better idea of what your maintenance calories are. You might have to weigh yourself a few times a week to see if your weight is going up or down.
Weigh Yourself Daily
When you first start off you should be weighing yourself daily. Having a Bathroom Weight Scale that you can check your weight daily is a must. They make some pretty awesome weight scales now that track your BMI and are also Bluetooth.
Increase Your Calorie Consumption
Now since your goal is to gain weight, you need to increase this calorie consumption by 20 to 25% for positive results. Accordingly, you have to monitor if you are able to achieve your daily calorie consumption targets. You can use mobile phone-based apps to monitor your calorie intake and record your meal plans. You can also follow fixed meal plans that are available online and stick to them for constant calorie consumption.
What type of foods do I need to eat?
In order to gain weight, it is essential that you consume the three basic macronutrients that are carbohydrates, proteins, and fats in abundant quantities and spread your calorie consumption across these macronutrients. Here are some of the sources of these macronutrients that will help you in attaining your weight goals.
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates: Carbohydrates are rich in calories and provide energy to your body, they are incredibly essential to put on weight. The rich sources of carbohydrates are rice, pasta, potatoes, bananas, sweets, and bread.
Fats
Fats: fats contain 9 calories per gm and are essential for weight gain, along with the consumption of carbohydrates and proteins. Although fats are considered unhealthy, here are some superfoods that contain healthy fats and will help you to gain weight without getting you sick- Avocado, olive oil, peanut butter, eggs, cheese, dark chocolate, fatty fish like salmon, trout or mackerel, chia seeds, nuts, full-fat yogurt, coconut, and coconut oil.
Protein
Protein: Protein makes up for 15% of our body weight and is essential for building muscle mass. The food sources rich in protein are chicken, beef, turkey, egg whites, almonds, cottage cheese, greek yogurt, oats, milk, broccoli, tuna, quinoa, lentils, brussels sprouts, peanuts.
What supplements should I take?
When it is not possible for you to cook a meal or you are in a rush, protein supplements can help you to sustain your weight gain efforts. You can choose from weight gain supplements like protein and creatine or choose high-calorie products by weight-gainers that contain large amounts of carbohydrates and proteins.
Where To Buy Supplements?
A great website to buy all your supplements is www.bodybuilding.com Bodybuilding has its own Signature brand that is high quality and is less expensive than most name brand supplements.
You can also have protein shakes for breakfast and in between your meals for achieving effective results. It is recommended that you consume 1.4-2 gm of protein powder per Kg to achieve your weight goals. You can also try out other supplements like caffeine, citrulline, and beta-alanine that boost you for a better exercise routine if you are gyming hard to attain your weight goals.
How to gain weight on a budget?
If you are willing to gain weight while running on a tight budget the easy way is to go for cheap food sources like banana, rice, and peanuts. You should plan your grocery trips and buy in bulk and look out for bundling discounts. Fresh fruits and vegetables are costlier than frozen foods, so go for frozen veggies and fruits. You can also go for canned food and frozen meat rather than fresh ones.
What Not To Add To Your Grocery List
Top ramen, refined sugars, tortilla chips, lard, and canola oil are some of the high-calorie foods that come with a cheap price tag. Try to stay away from items like this because they are not the type of calories you are looking for. Stick to healthier chooses.
Buying In Bulk
Buying from wholesale Grocery stores is a great way to get a low price per kg on your groceries. Stores like Costco and Sams Club are a good example of stores where you can buy in bulk and save on your budget. When you are at these stores you might be tempted to buy healthy products. Generally, the low-calorie food sources that are rich in vitamins and help in weight loss like quinoa and broccoli are costly, so avoid these foods if you are running on a budget.
How many times a day should I eat?
If you are on a weight gain diet, you should eat at least five times a day at equal intervals. These meal options can be breakfast, lunch, snacks, dinner, and dessert or breakfast, lunch, and dinner with two snack breaks between the regular meals. It’s good to have fixed meal timings for maintaining a healthy body. Here are some of the meal plans that you can try for a weight gain routine-
Breakfast
Breakfast– scrambled eggs, buttered wheat toast, a glass of orange juice / Peanut butter and bread, Jam, honey and nut oatmeal/ pancakes, banana, and honey syrup
Lunch
Lunch- cooked chicken breast, lean back bacon grilled, avocado, salad mix, tomatoes and cucumber with olive oil / canned salmon, pita bread, mayonnaise, and apple/tuna and beans salad, whole wheat roll, salad leaves, and olive oil
Snacks
Evening snacks- banana / peanuts / chia seeds / dried apricots / granola / rye crackers
Dinner
Dinner– meatloaf, mashed potatoes, peas and carrots/ chicken thighs, brown rice, roasted veggies like red onion, capsicum, zucchini and eggplant with olive oil/potato wedges, large fish fillet and mixed salad with olive oil
Desserts
Dessert– dark chocolate / full fat yogurt / chocolate brownie
Meal Prep On a Budget to Gain Weight
Meal prep for weight gain on a budget can easily be done by meal prepping healthy high-calorie dense foods. Meal prep is going to be the key to your success because you will be able to know exactly how many calories you are eating. And by making your own meal prep you will be able to get a larger volume of food compared to if you ate out at every meal.
What Do I Need to Meal Prep for Weight Gain?
There are a few kitchen accessories that can help you when it comes to meal prep. There are a few mandatory accessories like meal prep food containers and a kitchen food scale. When meal prepping for weight gain it is important to weigh and measure your food to track your calories.
You can also follow our 7 day meal plan for muscle gain.
Meal Prep Essentials
There are several meal prep essentials that make the job to meal prep for weight gain easier. I like to use multiple kitchen gadgets to make it easier when meal prepping. Here is a list of meal prep essentials.
You can always start with what you have but having the right essentials makes the process much easier. All you need to start are some meal prep containers to store your food.
Slow Cooker is one of my favorite kitchen essentials because you can set and forget it. Here are a few Slow Cooker recipes that you can try.
Instant Pot is another great kitchen essential because you can cook much faster than you could with a slow cooker. Here are a few Instant Pot recipes that you can try.
Meal Prep Guide for Weight Gain on a Budget
We hope our guide helps you in attaining your weight goals while staying well within your budget. This information should help you succeed with weight gain on a budget. Give it a try!
Jim Lopez, the founder and editor of The Meal Prep Ninja, shares his journey from a passionate bodybuilder and fitness enthusiast to a certified nutrition coach. Certified by Precision Nutrition, Jim aims to empower others with knowledge on meal prep and nutrition, offering resources for busy individuals to enjoy low-calorie, tasty foods. His blog is a community for sharing healthy eating habits and meal prep recipes
