What does 1,800 calories look like?

1,800 calories suits many men and active women who want to lose weight steadily. You can eat three full meals plus two snacks.

1,200 1,500 1,800 2,000

1,800calories

110 gprotein

225 gcarbs

55 gfat

24 gfiber

Breakfast

450 kcal

Oats (dry)⅔ cup (dry) · 50 g190kcal Banana1 medium banana · 118 g105kcal Peanut butter1 tablespoon · 16 g95kcal 2% milk½ cup · 120 g60kcal

Lunch

520 kcal

Ground turkey (cooked)4 oz · 113 g230kcal Flour tortilla1 tortilla · 49 g150kcal Salsa2¾ tablespoons · 52 g15kcal Romaine lettuce1¼ cups (shredded) · 59 g10kcal Cheddar cheese1 slice (1 oz) · 28 g115kcal

Snack

170 kcal

Cottage cheese (low-fat)½ cup · 111 g90kcal Pineapple1 cup (chunks) · 160 g80kcal

Dinner

460 kcal

Pasta (cooked)1¼ cups (spaghetti) · 158 g250kcal Ground beef 93% lean (cooked)3 3-oz patties · 83 g160kcal Spinach (raw)1½ cups · 43 g10kcal Parmesan cheese2 tablespoons · 10 g40kcal

Snack 2

200 kcal

Popcorn (air-popped)3¼ cups · 26 g100kcal Grapes30 grapes · 145 g100kcal

How to use this menu

Treat it as a template, not a rulebook. Swap foods within a meal for others with similar calories: every food page on this site shows exactly how much 100, 200 or 500 calories is. Not sure 1,800 is right for you? Calculate your own target.

Calorie targets below 1,200 (women) or 1,500 (men) a day should only be followed with medical supervision. Totals are calculated from USDA FoodData Central.

Free printable

One page with 300+ foods and their exact 100-calorie portions. Stick it on the fridge.