Healthy eating does not need to be boring! I repeat: You are not required to dine on cooked chicken and broccoli in order to track macros and reach your goals. If you previously held this belief, this is going to be the best news you heard all day.
Better yet, this list of easy macro-friendly recipes that I’m about to share is going to have you re-thinking your whole approach to eating a healthy, balanced diet that’s also conducive to hitting your goals. Many of these recipes can be done in 30 minutes or less!
Nutrition and fitness play a big role in my lifestyle, but learning the nutrition component, specifically macros, is where things really started to fall into place for me and have since driven my desire to share healthy, protein-packed, and delicious meals!
Here are 35 of our BEST macro & family-friendly recipes that will have you rethinking what it means to eat a balanced, nutrient-dense diet.
What Constitutes as Macro-Friendly?
The term “macro-friendly” is open to interpretation, but here’s my definition: macro-friendly refers to a meal that’s high in protein and balanced with carbs and fats. Will there be some variance here? Of course, but this is the general concept.
So why is it beneficial to eat meals that contain balanced macros? Because it allows us to hit our goals easily. For example, if we’re eating meals that prioritize protein, we know that we’re going to hit our daily protein goal without needing to cram in protein shakes and protein bars. We get to enjoy healthy, whole foods that contain the nutrients we need to hit our goals.
FHM Macro-Friendly Meal Criterium
Here at FHM, we have some standards when it comes to our macro recipes, and these were developed mostly out of our frustration with what so many other recipe creators were doing: over-complicating recipes!
Here are our main guidelines for our macro-friendly recipes:
- They must be simple - no fancy ingredients, no laundry list of ingredients. SIMPLE.
- They have to be delicious and enjoyable to eat. Sounds like a no-brainer, but it’s not always the case.
- We want your whole family to eat them. Who has time to cook multiple meals for every person at the dinner table?
- We’re open to customizations - make swaps, additions, substitutions, etc. to make these recipes your very own.
- Budget-friendly - You don’t need to be a millionaire or own every fancy kitchen appliance to make our meals, your average kitchen and grocery budget will get the job done just fine.
Macro-Friendly Breakfast Recipes
Eating a healthy, nutrient-dense breakfast that’s high in protein is one of the best ways to start your day. But most of us are pinched for time in the mornings, so we need quick, simple, and easy ideas. Here are our popular macro friendly breakfast recipes:
1. 3 Ingredient Protein Pancakes With Diet Soda
With 3 ingredients, 15 minutes, and totally meal-prepable, these delicious pancakes will quickly become one of your go-to breakfasts for busy mornings. Add a side of fruit and a cup of Greek yogurt and you have yourself a full breakfast that’s both filling and fueling.
2. High Protein Egg White Breakfast Bake
Our High-Protein Egg White Breakfast Bake is the perfect make-ahead breakfast for the week! Bake a batch on Sunday and enjoy an easy and delicious breakfast for days.
3. Cottage Cheese Scrambled Eggs
Cottage cheese is having a moment right now and I hope it never fades. It’s so high in protein and versatile that we can use it to beef up everything from cookies to eggs! Our Cottage Cheese Scrambled Eggs are quick to make, full of protein, and the perfect start to your day.
4. PB&J Overnight Oats
It’s hard to find a flavor combination as classic as peanut butter and jelly, and while a good old-fashioned PB&J sandwich might get the job done for breakfast, our PB&J Overnight Oats are a much more solid choice. Meal prep a few containers, stick them in the fridge and enjoy the ease of a ready-made breakfast.
5. Meal Prep Breakfast Sandwiches
Take the stress out of busy mornings by spending a few minutes meal prepping some deliciously filling, high-protein breakfast sandwiches for the week. Don’t worry, these won’t get soggy! If you like to frequent the drive-thru on your way to work, save yourself some time, money, and calories by making these hearty sandwiches at home instead.
6. High Protein Blueberry Muffins (Without Protein Powder!)
If you find yourself grabbing a calorie-dense, nutritionally inefficient muffin from the drive-through every morning with your coffee, then it’s time to make a healthier swap and give our High Protein Blueberry Muffins a go! Packed with protein & flavor, you can meal prep a batch and enjoy a nourishing breakfast on the go all week long.
Macro-Friendly Lunch Recipes
If you’re like me, lunch can be hit or miss. Whether you’re packing up something from home to bring to the office or you’re always on the go and just grabbing whatever, lunch tends to be a meal that can quickly derail your plans.
Thankfully, we have a whole slew of healthy, quick, macro balanced lunches to share that will help you fuel up mid-day and keep it moving.
Check out our roundup post of our best macro friendly lunch recipes!
And make sure you check out our FHM+ App Members' best macro-friendly lunch recipes!
7. Macro-Friendly Thai Chicken Wrap
For this recipe, we utilize only a handful of ingredients, including pre-cooked chicken, making this one of the simplest meals you can get. It’s full of flavor, and protein, and will leave you feeling full all afternoon.
8. Greek Yogurt Chicken Salad
Chicken salad is a lunchtime classic, but infuse it with protein from pre-cooked chicken and Greek yogurt and you now have a meal that delivers as much convenience and taste as it does nutrients. We love to prepare a big batch of this Greek Yogurt Chicken Salad and eat it for a few days at a time.
9. Macro-Friendly Personal BBQ Chicken Pizza
Who says you can’t eat pizza and still hit your goals? Our high-protein BBQ chicken pizza is packed with 37g of protein and so much flavor! This quick and easy lunch will certainly become one of your go-to choices.
10. High-Protein Turkey Crunch Wrap
Ready in 5 minutes or less, packed with flavor, and boasting an impressive 34g of protein, our Turkey Crunch Wrap is a macro-friendly recipe that you’ll want to bookmark and make over and over again.
11. High Protein Taco Salad
Coming in with a whopping 43g of protein, this massive Taco Salad is everything you could want for your mid-day meal and then some. Schedule this macro-friendly meal into your calendar and enjoy a lunch that fills you up and keeps you full for hours!
12. Healthy Ham & Cheese Club Sandwich
If you’ve ever been under the impression that you can’t eat a sandwich with real bread while tracking macros, I have great news for you, you can! Yes, sandwiches can be a very macro-friendly lunch option so long as you pack them with protein. This Ham & Cheese Club has 34g of protein and a beautiful balance of nourishing carbs and fats to keep your body feeling its best all afternoon long.
13. DIY Pizza Lunchable
Do you know those pizza Lunchables that kids love? Well, we went ahead and made them into an adult version and they’re such a fun, easy way to enjoy a quick lunch without a lot of fuss and hassle. This macro-balanced recipe is perfect for adults and children alike.
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14. Chopped Italian Grinder Salad
There’s something undeniably delicious about the flavor medley that accompanies an Italian Grinder. The meats, cheese, and vegetables all wrapped up in a tangy dressing deliver a powerful punch of flavor and satisfaction. Make it macro-friendly, and you have yourself a winning dish!
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15. Blueberry Grilled Chicken Spinach Salad With Creamy Balsamic Dressing
This nutrient-dense salad is overflowing with flavors and contains an impressive 22g of protein per serving. Although the dressing is homemade, it’s quick and easy to put together and well worth the calorie savings when compared to a traditional dressing.
Macro-Friendly Dinner Recipes
Dinner tends to be the most recipe-dense meal of the day for most of us. Breakfast and lunch can sometimes be a little harried and chaotic, but dinner is the mealtime that more people have the time to cook at home. Below are some of our best-loved macro recipes for dinner time!
16. High Protein Hamburger Helper
Hamburger Helper is an American classic for quick and easy family dinners. We took the same comforting concept and elevated it to make it a lighter, healthier, and more protein-dense version. This Healthier Hamburger Helper is a family favorite!
17. Unstuffed Pepper Skillet
This dish is about as macro-friendly as they come. With 36g of protein per serving and very moderate carbs and fats, this delicious and filling recipe will leave you plenty of space for a luscious dessert in the evening.
18. Cottage Cheese Chicken Parm
Cottage cheese is finally getting the credit it deserves and is making its way into all kinds of recipes, including our Cottage Cheese Chicken Parm. Packed with 46g of protein, this comforting, powerhouse meal is perfect for a quick, single-serve meal on busy weeknights.
19. Asian Shrimp & Broccoli Sheetpan
Any meal that requires one cooking dish and contains a wealth of nutrients, sign me up! No fuss, no mess, just the delicious flavors of traditional Asian cuisine and plenty of room for customization to fit your macros.
20. Egg Roll In a Bowl
One of our most popular recipes, this one-skillet Egg Roll In a Bowl is a fun way to enjoy the flavors of traditional egg rolls but without the extra calories. Each voluminous serving is ultra-filling thanks to the veggies and 26g of protein per serving.
21. Spicy Salmon Bowls
Love sushi rolls? Then you’re going to flip over our Spicy Salmon Bowls! With 37g of protein and a brilliant fusion of flavors, it’s easy to fit your favorite sushi-inspired meal into your macros.
22. Protein Pizza Sliders
When you get to eat your favorite foods and still hit your goals, it’s always a win. Our protein-packed pizza sliders are just as good as takeout, but a lot likely leave you feeling weighed down.
23. Macro-Friendly Sloppy Joes
Sloppy Joes are easy, convenient, and super popular with the whole family. But there’s a big difference in the quality between a can of Manwhich and our healthy turkey Sloppy Joes!
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24. Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas
Bright, vibrant flavors, nourishing veggies, and juicy chicken breast unite to create a simple yet delicious meal that will fit nicely into whatever your current macro goals are.
25. Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad
If you love the flavors of a good Caesar salad but hate the way a traditional salad can leave you feeling flat and unsatisfied, then you’re going to love our Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad! Packed with veggies, protein, and a nice dose of nourishing carbs via pasta, this is a perfectly balanced macro-friendly recipe that you’ll want to put on repeat.
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26. Restaurant-Style Taco Salad
If you’ve ever been to a Mexican restaurant and enjoyed a traditional taco salad, you know why this dish is so popular. We took that same delicious concept and put a macro-friendly twist on it so that you can enjoy a Restaurant-Style Taco Salad anytime, anywhere.
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Macro-Friendly Snacks & Desserts (High Protein!)
I will forever and always be a snack & dessert gal, which is why I’m always looking for easy, protein-packed snacks and desserts that I can enjoy throughout the day. We have dozens of macro-balanced snacks and desserts to choose from both on our blog and inside our app, but here are some of our favorites.
27. Coffee Protein Smoothie (PB Mocha!)
Slugging a plain old protein shake isn’t all that fun for most of us, but add in some coffee, peanut butter, and banana and we have ourselves a decadent treat that gives us energy in more ways than one.
28. Protein-Packed Cheesecake Bites
When your snacky cravings strike, it’s so helpful to have a balanced snack that not only curbs those cravings but also helps you to hit your daily macro goals. Our Protein Cheesecake Bites do just that and they’re so good that you don’t want to miss them!
29. Chocolate Chip Banana Bread (Made with Greek Yogurt!)
Who else chronically seems to have a handful of brown bananas always lying around? If you do, don’t let them go to waste, make this incredible Chocolate Chip Banana Bread instead! This recipe is so easy to make and is 100% satisfaction guaranteed.
30. Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Bites
Anytime you mix peanut butter and cooking dough together, you know you’re in for an epic treat. But make it protein-packed and you have yourself a macro-balanced snack that will not only taste good, but it’ll feel good, too!
31. Protein Banana Pudding
Banana pudding is such a delicious and underrated snack and this macro-friendly version truly couldn’t be any easier to make! Packed with protein and all the traditional flavors that you love from banana pudding, you’ll want to add this to your snack lineup ASAP.
32. Buffalo Ranch Dip
Craving something savory for a snack? Hosting a get-together or game day party? This Buffalo Ranch Dip is mind-blowingly easy to make and oh so delicious!
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33. Banana Bread Energy Balls
Another make-ahead snack that’s ideal for having on hand when hunger and cravings strike. Get yourself through the afternoon and beat the 3 p.m. slump by noshing on one of our epic Banana Bread Energy Balls.
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34. Wendy’s Protein Frosty (A Worthwhile Copycat Recipe)
If you’re a Wendy’s Frosty lover, prepare yourself because this copycat, protein-packed version is legitimately just as good, but contains a ton of protein and a lot fewer calories!
35. Key Lime Cheesecake Protein Bars
These light, fun Key Lime Cheesecake Protein Bars are perfect for a mid-day snack or an evening dessert. They’re bursting with fresh flavor and contain enough protein to help you reach your daily goal without consuming a ton of protein powder.
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Want More Macro-Friendly Recipes?
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