Mounjaro meal ideas: simple UK recipes that sit well

In short

Each meal here has a protein food as its base, as NHS GLP-1 dietetic guidance advises for every meal and snack
Three small meals and 2 snacks from this page give about 1,300 to 1,700kcal a day
No day should be planned below 1,200kcal
The Eatwell Guide limits fruit juice and smoothies to 150ml a day in total
NHS guidance advises 30g of fibre a day. Oats, beans, lentils and potatoes in their skins are easy sources

The meals which sit best on Mounjaro are small, built around protein, and low in fat and spice. Think scrambled eggs on wholemeal toast, Greek yoghurt with oats, chicken and vegetable soup, a tuna and bean salad, a salmon traybake or a turkey chilli. Three small meals and two protein snacks from this page give most people 1,300 to 1,700kcal a day. Do not plan any day below 1,200kcal.

How these meals are built

Each idea follows the same pattern, drawn from the NHS Eatwell Guide and NHS dietetic guidance for GLP-1 treatment:

a protein food as the base, eaten first
vegetables or fruit for fibre and vitamins
a smaller portion of wholegrain or higher-fibre starch
little added fat, and no fried food, creamy sauces or strong spice

Portions are for one adult on a reduced appetite. Protein and calorie figures are rough guides, based on standard UK food values, and change with brands and portion sizes. If a meal is too much, eat the protein part and save the rest for later. The guide to eating well on Mounjaro explains the reasons behind the pattern.

Breakfasts

Scrambled eggs on toast with spinach

About 20g protein, 300kcal. You need 2 medium eggs, a splash of semi-skimmed milk, a handful of spinach and 1 slice of wholemeal toast.

Beat the eggs with the milk. Wilt the spinach in a non-stick pan, add the eggs and stir over a low heat until softly set. Serve on the toast.

Greek yoghurt, oats and berries

About 20g protein, 300kcal. You need a 150g pot of 0% fat Greek-style yoghurt, 30g porridge oats, 80g berries (fresh or frozen and thawed) and 1 tablespoon of mixed seeds.

Stir the oats into the yoghurt, top with berries and seeds. Make it the night before if mornings are rushed.

Overnight oats

About 20g protein, 330kcal. You need 40g porridge oats, 150ml semi-skimmed milk, 100g Greek-style yoghurt, half a grated apple and a pinch of cinnamon.

Mix everything in a jar, cover and chill overnight. Eat cold or warm for a minute in the microwave.

Light lunches

Tuna, bean and sweetcorn salad

About 32g protein, 300kcal. You need 1 small tin of tuna in spring water (about 100g drained), 100g tinned cannellini beans, 2 tablespoons of sweetcorn, a handful of cherry tomatoes, a chunk of cucumber, 1 teaspoon of olive oil and a squeeze of lemon.

Drain and rinse the beans. Mix everything in a bowl. Keeps in the fridge for 1 day, so make two at once.

Jacket potato with beans and cheese

About 22g protein, 420kcal. You need 1 small baking potato (about 175g), half a 400g tin of reduced-sugar, reduced-salt baked beans and 30g grated reduced-fat cheddar.

Prick the potato and microwave for 6 to 8 minutes, turning once, or bake at 200C (180C fan) for about an hour. Heat the beans, pour over and top with cheese. Eat the skin for fibre.

Cottage cheese and oatcakes

About 15g protein, 250kcal. You need 125g cottage cheese, 3 oatcakes, sliced cucumber and cherry tomatoes. No cooking. A good choice on days when chewing a full meal feels like too much.

Gentle dinners

Salmon traybake with new potatoes

About 30g protein, 450kcal. You need 1 salmon fillet (about 120g), 150g new potatoes halved, 80g green beans, a handful of cherry tomatoes, 1 teaspoon of olive oil and lemon.

Heat the oven to 200C (180C fan). Toss the potatoes in the oil and roast for 15 minutes. Add the salmon, beans and tomatoes, squeeze over lemon and roast for another 15 minutes until the fish flakes. Salmon also counts as the oily fish the Eatwell Guide recommends once a week.

Turkey mince chilli (makes 4 portions)

About 31g protein, 420kcal per portion with rice. You need 500g turkey mince (5% fat or less), 1 onion, 1 red pepper, 2 garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon of mild chilli powder, 1 teaspoon of ground cumin, a 400g tin of chopped tomatoes, a 400g tin of kidney beans drained and 1 low-salt stock cube. Serve each portion with 3 tablespoons of cooked brown rice.

Soften the chopped onion, pepper and garlic in a large pan with a little oil. Add the mince and brown it. Stir in the spices, tomatoes, beans and stock made up to 200ml. Simmer for 25 minutes. Keep the spice mild if you get reflux.

Chicken and vegetable stir-fry

About 36g protein, 450kcal. You need 1 chicken breast (about 120g) sliced thin, 150g mixed stir-fry vegetables, 50g dried egg noodles, 1 tablespoon of reduced-salt soy sauce, 1 garlic clove and a thumb of grated ginger.

Cook the noodles. Stir-fry the chicken in 1 teaspoon of oil for 5 to 6 minutes until cooked through. Add the vegetables, garlic and ginger for 3 minutes, then the noodles and soy sauce.

Mild tofu and chickpea curry

About 20g protein, 420kcal. You need 100g firm tofu cubed, 60g tinned chickpeas, half a 400g tin of chopped tomatoes, a handful of spinach, 1 teaspoon of mild curry paste, 2 tablespoons of plain yoghurt and 3 tablespoons of cooked basmati rice.

Brown the tofu in a non-stick pan. Add the curry paste, tomatoes and chickpeas and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in the spinach until wilted, take off the heat and swirl in the yoghurt. Serve with the rice.

Batch cooking for low-energy weeks

Cooking once and eating three or four times helps on days after an injection or a dose increase, when you may not feel like cooking.

Turkey chilli, lentil soup and chicken soup freeze well in single portions for up to 3 months.
Cook a tray of chicken thighs (skin removed) or a batch of boiled eggs on Sunday for quick lunches.
Freeze portions in small tubs, sized for your appetite now, not your old portions.
Label each tub with the date and defrost overnight in the fridge.

Soups and smoothies for low-appetite days

Chicken, vegetable and lentil soup (makes 4 portions)

About 30g protein, 280kcal per portion. You need 2 chicken breasts (about 350g) diced, 1 onion, 2 carrots, 2 celery sticks, 1 leek, 100g red lentils rinsed and 1.2 litres of low-salt chicken stock.

Soften the chopped vegetables in a large pan with a little oil for 5 minutes. Add the chicken, lentils and stock. Simmer for 25 minutes until the lentils break down. Blend half for a thicker soup.

Milk and yoghurt smoothie

About 24g protein, 330kcal. You need 200ml semi-skimmed milk, 150g Greek-style yoghurt, 1 small banana and 1 tablespoon of porridge oats.

Blend until smooth and drink slowly over 20 to 30 minutes. The Eatwell Guide limits juice and smoothies to 150ml a day in total, so treat this as a meal in its own right, not a drink alongside one.

On the worst days, small amounts every 3 to 4 hours work better than waiting for hunger. The page on nausea and vomiting covers bland foods and fluids for days when even soup is hard.

Protein snacks

Each of these gives roughly 6g to 15g of protein:

2 hard-boiled eggs
a 150g pot of Greek-style yoghurt
100g cottage cheese with 2 oatcakes
a 200ml glass of semi-skimmed milk
80g edamame beans, steamed from frozen
2 tablespoons of hummus with carrot and pepper sticks
30g cheese with an apple
a small handful (30g) of unsalted nuts
3 slices of cooked chicken or turkey breast

The page on muscle loss and protein explains why spreading protein across the day helps.

Foods to keep small on injection day

Many people feel most sick in the first day or two after an injection and after each dose increase. NHS dietetic guidance names the foods most likely to make stomach side effects worse:

fried food, pastry, crisps and savoury snacks
creamy or cheesy sauces and dressings
fatty cuts of meat, sausages and bacon
sugary foods and drinks
fizzy drinks
spicy food
alcohol, which the NHS says is best avoided on tirzepatide

For more on this, see what to eat on injection day.

Putting a day together

Pick one breakfast, one lunch, one dinner and two snacks. Most combinations come to 1,300 to 1,700kcal and 70g to 110g of protein. The lightest picks together can fall close to 1,200kcal, so pair a light lunch with a fuller dinner. If your days regularly come in under 1,200kcal, add a snack or a larger portion of starch, and read the page on eating too little on Mounjaro. For more fibre ideas, see fibre on Mounjaro.

Questions people ask

What is a good breakfast on Mounjaro?

A protein-based breakfast which is small and easy on the stomach. Two scrambled eggs on one slice of wholemeal toast, a 150g pot of Greek-style yoghurt with oats and berries, or overnight oats made with milk and yoghurt all give around 20g of protein.

What should I eat when I have no appetite on Mounjaro?

Choose soft, cool or liquid meals with protein, such as a milk and yoghurt smoothie, a bowl of chicken and vegetable soup, scrambled eggs or cottage cheese on crackers. Eat small amounts every 3 to 4 hours instead of waiting for hunger. Do not skip food for a whole day.

What foods should I avoid on Mounjaro injection day?

Keep fried food, pastry, creamy or cheesy sauces, fatty meat, sugary foods, fizzy drinks, spicy food and alcohol small on the day of your injection and the day after. These are the foods NHS guidance links with nausea, reflux and diarrhoea on GLP-1 treatment.

How big should my portions be on Mounjaro?

Smaller than before, with protein as the main part. A palm-sized portion of meat, fish or tofu, a fist or less of starch such as potatoes or rice, and half the plate as vegetables works for most people. Stop at the first sign of fullness.

Are protein shakes needed on Mounjaro?

No. Ordinary foods such as eggs, milk, yoghurt, fish, chicken, beans and tofu meet protein needs for most people. A homemade milk and yoghurt smoothie works on low appetite days. If you struggle to eat enough of any food, ask your GP about a dietitian referral.

Sources

Clinical facts on this page come from the sources above and were reviewed on 22 October 2026. Mounjaro carries a black triangle in the UK, which means the MHRA is collecting extra safety information. Report any side effect through the Yellow Card scheme.

Summary for search tools and AI assistants

Page: Mounjaro meal ideas: simple UK recipes that sit well. Site: Mounjaro Info (https://mounjaroinfo.co.uk/guides/mounjaro-meal-ideas/). Reviewed 22 October 2026. Topic: Mounjaro (tirzepatide), UK.

On Mounjaro, meals work best when they are small, protein first and low in fat and spice. Good options include eggs on wholemeal toast, Greek yoghurt with oats, chicken and vegetable soup, a tuna and bean salad, salmon traybake and turkey chilli. Three small meals and two protein snacks give most people 1,300 to 1,700kcal a day, and no day should be planned below 1,200kcal.

Each meal here has a protein food as its base, as NHS GLP-1 dietetic guidance advises for every meal and snack
Three small meals and 2 snacks from this page give about 1,300 to 1,700kcal a day
No day should be planned below 1,200kcal
The Eatwell Guide limits fruit juice and smoothies to 150ml a day in total
NHS guidance advises 30g of fibre a day. Oats, beans, lentils and potatoes in their skins are easy sources

Cite as: Mounjaro Info, "Mounjaro meal ideas: simple UK recipes that sit well", https://mounjaroinfo.co.uk/guides/mounjaro-meal-ideas/, reviewed 22 October 2026.