Most people signing up for meal prep delivery for the first time default to the biggest plan, assuming more meals means better value, or the smallest plan, worried about wasting food they will not eat. Neither is usually right. The correct number depends on three things: how many days a week you actually eat at home, how many of those meals you currently cook yourself, and how many training sessions you have that need a dedicated recovery meal.
Start with your actual week, not your ideal week
The most common mistake is planning around an idealised version of the week rather than what actually happens. If you are honest, most people eat out or grab something on the go two or three times a week regardless of intentions, whether that is a work lunch, a weekend brunch, or a takeaway after a late session. Ordering meals to cover days you will not actually eat them on is the single biggest cause of waste.
Before choosing a plan, count backwards over the last seven days and note how many meals you genuinely cooked and ate at home. That number, not the number of days in a week, is your real starting point.
Match meals to training days first
Recovery nutrition matters most on the days your body needs it most. If you train four times a week, those four post-training meals should be the first ones locked in, since consistent protein and carbohydrate intake after training has the biggest impact on recovery and progress. Everything else is secondary to that.
A simple rule: meals needed = training days (guaranteed) + weekday meals not already covered by your own cooking. Round up if you are bulking, round down slightly if you are cutting and naturally eating less.
A quick reference by weekly schedule
| Your Week | Recommended Plan |
|---|---|
| Train 2-3 times, cook the rest yourself | 5 meals |
| Train 3-4 times, busy on weekdays, cook on weekends | 7 meals |
| Train 4-5 times, limited time to cook most days | 10 meals |
| Train daily, minimal time for cooking, bulking phase | 14 meals |
It is easier to move up than to waste meals
If you are unsure between two plan sizes, the lower one is usually the safer starting point. Every Munch Now plan can be changed week to week with no lock-in, so it costs nothing to start smaller and increase once you have a clearer sense of your actual weekly rhythm. Starting too large and having meals go unused is the more expensive mistake, both financially and in terms of food waste.
Frequently asked questions
Is a 5 meal plan enough for one week?
A 5 meal plan covers one meal a day across a working week, typically Monday to Friday, leaving weekends free for eating out or cooking yourself. It works well if you already cook one meal a day at home and just need weekday cover.
How many meals should I order if I train 4 times a week?
Most people training 4 times a week find 7 to 10 meals per week strikes the right balance, covering post-training meals on training days plus a few standard weekday meals, without over-ordering on rest days.
Should I order more meals if I am bulking?
Yes, typically one more meal slot per week than you would order on a cut or maintenance phase, since a bulk requires a consistent calorie surplus and skipped meals work against that goal.
Not sure which plan fits your week? Start with your goal and we will suggest a starting point — you can change it anytime.
Choose Your Goal →