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How I Shop and Meal Prep to Actually Track Calories

AI GENERATED / JEREMY CURATED

August 9, 2026

I developed this system after failing to lose fat despite training hard — until I saw a guy come out of a coma on TV so much lighter his own dog didn't recognize him, and realized movement barely matters if the calorie math is exact. This is that system: buy exact portions once a week, weigh and log the entire day's food each morning before eating, then eat only what's prepped.

Weekly shopping list

Proteins

• Chicken breast (or preferred cut) — 2.1 kg / ~4.6 lbs (for seven 300 g portions)
• Eggs — 21 large (3 per day)
• Peanut butter — 1 large jar (for 2 sandwiches daily; weigh every portion)
• Peanuts (or preferred nuts) — 1 bag (weigh out a daily baggie as a snack alongside the sandwiches)
• Protein powder — 1 container (whey, casein, or plant-based)
• Optional: Great Value Peanut Butter and Dark Chocolate Protein Bars, 21.1 oz / 15 count (10 g protein per bar, individually wrapped, gluten-free) — grab-and-go snack for on-the-go breakfasts, lunchboxes, or post-workout

Carbs / Grains

• White rice (or preferred) — enough for 7 microwave cups
• Bread — 2 loaves (28 slices for 2 sandwiches per day)
• Oatmeal (rolled or quick oats) — 1 large container (½ cup dry per day)

Dairy / Cheese

• Mozzarella cheese — 1 block or bag (enough for daily weighed portions with eggs)
• Optional: Greek yogurt (protein style) if using as a snack

Produce

• Bananas — 14 medium (2 per day)
• Salad ingredients (enough for daily salads):
  • Mixed greens or spinach (several large bags/tubs)
  • Cucumber
  • Tomatoes (or cherry tomatoes)
  • Any other preferred salad add-ins (carrot, onion, etc.)

Sauces & Condiments

• Sweet and sour sauce (or your preferred sauces for the chicken/rice)
• Splenda (or preferred zero-calorie sweetener)

Drinks / Juice

• V8 Deliciously Green (or preferred V8 green juice) — enough for 1 serving daily

Supplements

• Fiber powder (psyllium or preferred blend)
• Multivitamin
• Omega-3 pills (fish oil or algae oil — aim for at least 500 mg EPA+DHA per day)

Meal Prep Supplies

• Freezer bags or containers (for the 7 chicken portions)
• Meal prep containers (for daily chicken + rice / second container)
• Measuring tools / kitchen scale (for cheese, oats, peanut butter, etc.)

Weekly prep (do once)

1. Weigh out seven 300 g portions of raw chicken.
2. Place each portion in a freezer bag or container.
3. Freeze all seven.
4. Move one bag to the refrigerator so it's ready for the next day (repeat this nightly or as needed).
5. Check that you have enough of everything else for the week: rice, bread, peanut butter, eggs, mozzarella, oatmeal, bananas, V8 Green, salad ingredients, protein powder, fiber powder, multivitamin, and omega-3 pills.

Each morning — full day setup & calorie logging

Do this before you eat anything.

1. Log everything in your calorie app before cooking (use the weighed amounts so the numbers stay accurate).
2. Chicken
   • Take the thawed 300 g bag from the fridge.
   • Cook it in a pan.
   • Split the cooked chicken into two containers.
     • Container 1: Add one microwave rice cup + sweet-and-sour (or chosen) sauce.
     • Container 2: Add whatever side you prefer (or leave plain).
3. Eggs
   • Cook 3 eggs.
   • Weigh out your mozzarella portion and mix it in (or put it on the side).
4. Peanut Butter Sandwiches
   • Make two peanut butter sandwiches.
   • Weigh the peanut butter for each sandwich — easiest place for calories to creep up.
5. Oatmeal
   • Measure ½ cup dry oats, cook with water, and sprinkle with Splenda.
6. Add-ons for the day
   • 2 bananas
   • 1 serving V8 Green juice
   • Salad (mixed greens + cucumber, tomato, etc.)
   • Protein powder — weigh a scoop into a baggie for later, or mix it in with breakfast now, whichever you'll stick to
   • Peanuts or preferred nuts — weigh out a small baggie (~1 oz / 28 g) as a snack alongside the sandwiches
   • Fiber powder (take as directed)
   • Multivitamin
   • Omega-3 pill(s)
7. Put everything away
   • Place the two chicken containers, eggs, sandwiches, oatmeal, bananas, and salad in the fridge or lunchbox.
8. Clean up
   • Throw all dishes and pans in the dishwasher or sink immediately, and all dishes for the day are done to reset.

Sample day: breakfast, lunch, snack, dinner

How the prepped set gets eaten across a normal day.

Calories & macros

Based on standard USDA values for the listed items — your actual numbers will match whatever you weigh. Optional extras (Greek yogurt, cereal + milk, extra peanuts, protein bars) aren't in the total below.

Breakdown by item (reasonable defaults)

Adjust portions to your own goals — the table is a starting point, your scale is the real number.

Notes on variability and accuracy

• Peanut butter is the biggest swing factor. The table uses a moderate 2 tbsp total for the two sandwiches. If you use a more generous 2 tbsp per sandwich (4 tbsp / 64 g), add roughly +188 kcal / +8 g protein / +6 g carbs / +16 g fat.
• Mozzarella, sauce, and salad aren't pinned to an exact weight — scale to what you measure. A larger salad or oily dressing adds calories fast.
• Rice and bread vary by brand and thickness — log your specific package.
• Protein powder assumes one standard scoop — adjust for your actual serving.
• Chicken and egg numbers assume no added oil or butter — log any cooking fat separately.
• Fiber runs 15–20+ g from oats, bananas, salad, and bread alone, plus your fiber powder.
• Supplements (fiber powder, multivitamin, omega-3) contribute negligible calories.