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Bodybuilding Meals

Bodybuilding Meals

We’ve gathered Australia’s best bodybuilding meals and compared providers to provide insights into your next meal service! We’ve sourced the information needed to compare muscle building meals and help you find the right meal provider for you and your muscle building goals.

By
Alex Hamlin

Written by

Alex Hamlin
Certified Nutritionist

Alex Joy Nutrition supports busy individuals with health goals, offering holistic nutrition guidance to reduce stress and foster balanced, healthy habits. Specialising in empowering high achievers, Alex emphasises a preventative and management-focused approach to health. As a clinical nutritionist, Alex provides individuals with tools and education for taking control of their health. She advocates for optimal nutrition as the cornerstone of wellness, employing a food-first approach complemented by holistic treatments. With evidence-based practices, Alex offers personalised guidance to help individuals reach their health goals, prioritising health at the forefront. In health content creation, Alex delivers concise, informative, and engaging material rooted in evidence-based practices, educating, inspiring and guiding others on their wellness journey.

Updated October 1, 2024
Fact checked Fully qualified and expert nutritionists have reviewed and checked this content to ensure it is as accurate as possible at the time of writing.

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What are bodybuilding meals?

Bodybuilding meals are specifically designed to fuel muscle growth, enhance recovery, and support overall physical performance. These meals prioritise a balance of macronutrients—protein, carbohydrates, and fats—to meet the nutritional demands of individuals focused on building strength and improving body composition.

Key Features of Bodybuilding Meals:

  • High Protein Content: Protein is essential for muscle repair and growth. Bodybuilding meals typically include lean sources such as chicken, fish and eggs.
  • Optimised Macronutrient Ratios: The right balance of carbs, fats, and protein ensures sustained energy for workouts and proper recovery afterward.
  • Portion Control: Meals are portioned to align with specific caloric and macronutrient goals, whether you’re bulking, cutting, or maintaining.

It is important to note that bodybuilding emphasises leanness and muscularity, which may not directly reflect overall health or athletic performance. Before making significant dietary or training changes, consult with a trusted health professional

Bodybuilding

Best bodybuilding meal delivery service

Our Nutrition experts have sampled a variety of brands, evaluating them on key criteria such as nutritional value, protein content, variety, and overall quality. By far, the most popular meal delivery service is MACROS. MACROS consistently excels in delivering meals that align with the needs of those with active lifestyles, including bodybuilders.

MACROS Gain meal plan provides ready-made meals, designed to help you build muscle. Each 450g meal is made primarily with whole food ingredients and emphasises carbohydrates to help you increase muscle mass. Meals start at $11.95 and the menu changes weekly to ensure you never get sick of eating the same meals!

Best for High Protein Meals

YouFoodz range of FUEL’D ready-made meals are high in protein and  30% larger than the standard Youfoodz meals making them a great option for those looking to build muscle mass.

Best for Customisation

My Muscle Chef’s Muscle Gain plan is a popular option for those looking for balanced ready-made meals and takes the guess work out of choosing meals. Their 5-day meal plan can be customised to suit your needs, simply swap out meals and snacks to suit your preferences. You can also add additional items to ensure you reach your calorie goals.

macros paleo meals
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Cheapest bodybuilding meal delivery service

My Muscle Chef is the most competitive meal provider. Their Gain Plan 5-day meal package includes 30 main meals and snacks at $7.70 per serve.

To learn more about My Muscle Chef meals, read our Nutritionist’s expert review here.

My Muscle Chef meals
Check out My Muscle Chef here

How to choose the best bodybuilding meal plan for you

Selecting the right bodybuilding meal plan can make all the difference in reaching your fitness goals. Here are some key factors to consider when deciding on the best option for your needs:

1. Assess Your Protein and Calorie Needs

  • Understand Your Goals: Are you bulking, cutting, or maintaining? Your calorie and protein requirements will differ based on whether you aim to gain muscle, lose fat, or stay in your current body composition. When making any changes to your diet, it is recommended that you speak to your healthcare practitioner. 
  • Calculate Your Macros: There are a range of calculators available online to help you determine your daily needs for protein, carbohydrates, and fats based on your weight, activity level, and fitness objectives. According to Helms et al. (2014), most bodybuilders will meet their protein requirements when consuming 2.3-3.1g/kg of body weight per day of protein. They highlight that 15-30% of calories should come from fat, with the remaining calories allocated to carbohydrates.

2. Considering Macros and Meal Timing

  • Macro-Friendly Meals: Look for plans that offer high-protein options with complex carbohydrates and healthy fats to support energy and recovery.
  • Flexible Timing: If you have specific meal timing strategies (e.g., pre- or post-workout meals), choose a plan that allows customisation or includes meals designed for different parts of your day. My Muscle Chef’s Muscle Gain plan provides a range of meals and snacks that can be incorporated throughout the day to sustain your goals. 

3. What to Look For in a Meal Delivery Service

  • Macronutrient Breakdown: Ensure the provider lists detailed nutritional information for each meal, including protein, fat and carbs, to ensure the meals meet your targets.
  • Customisation Options: If you have additional requirements such as allergen considerations or need additional meals to fulfil your macronutrient targets, it is worth investigating whether the meal delivery service provides customisation.
  • Variety and Freshness: Choose a service that offers diverse meal options and uses fresh, high-quality ingredients to keep you motivated and satisfied.
  • Budget and Convenience: Consider pricing and delivery schedules to find a plan that aligns with your lifestyle and budget.

Nutrition for bodybuilding

Achieving muscle growth goals requires more than just hitting the gym—it requires nutrition that supports strength, recovery, and performance. 

Understanding Macronutrient Balance for Bodybuilders:

  • Protein: The cornerstone of muscle building, protein repairs and rebuilds muscle fibres after workouts. Aim for 1.6–2.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight daily. Include lean sources like chicken, fish, eggs, tofu, or supplement with a protein powder.
  • Carbohydrates: Carbs fuel your workouts and replenish glycogen stores, preventing fatigue. Opt for complex carbs like oats, brown rice, sweet potatoes, and quinoa to sustain energy.
  • Healthy Fats: Essential fats support hormone production and overall health. Include sources like avocados, nuts, seeds, and olive oil in your diet.

Foods That Promote Muscle Recovery:

  • Amino Acid-Rich Foods: Lean meats, eggs, and beans provide essential amino acids needed for muscle repair.
  • Anti-Inflammatory Foods: Include foods like berries, leafy greens, and fatty fish (salmon, mackerel) to reduce inflammation and aid recovery.

Sample bodybuilding meal plan:

  • Breakfast: Egg whites, spinach, and oats with almond butter
  • Lunch: Grilled chicken, quinoa, and roasted vegetables
  • Dinner: Salmon, sweet potato, and steamed broccoli
  • Snacks: Cottage cheese with berries, or a protein smoothie

Calorie intake:

Ensuring adequate calorie intake is critical for bodybuilding. To promote muscle growth, research suggests a slight caloric surplus, with protein intake paired with adequate carbohydrates to fuel intense workouts and support recovery (Phillips & Van Loon, 2011). For fat loss while preserving lean muscle, a moderate caloric deficit with balanced macronutrient distribution is recommended (Helms et al., 2014).

Everyone’s needs and goals differ from person to person and this should be considered before changing your diet and training. To correctly identify what ingredients and amounts of protein are in your meals use our “How to read a food label in Australia” guide to assist you. 

A Nutritionists experience of bodybuilding meals

There are a number of providers on the market who offer bodybuilding meal options. When choosing a bodybuilding meal provider, you can typically choose from a range of meal plans or individual meals. 

I reviewed MACROS ready-made meals, and was impressed by how well they cater to those with specific fitness goals, including bodybuilding. Their meals are fresh, nutritionally balanced, and conveniently delivered to your door, which is a huge plus for busy individuals. 

They offer good variety in their menu, and offer the ability to filter for dietary preferences and allergens. For anyone focused on muscle growth, the meals are a standout – most contain over 25g of protein, which supports recovery and satiety. I also like that they use complex carbohydrates and a good mix of vegetables to enhance overall nutrition. While some meals do include preservatives from secondary ingredients, I found the quality to be consistently high. MACROS makes it easy to see exactly what you’re eating with clear labeling of calories, protein, and carbohydrates, which is so helpful when tracking your intake. For anyone looking to simplify meal prep and support their fitness goals, MACROS Gain Plan is a fantastic meal plan option to consider. To read my full review of MACROS click here.

Macros dairy free meals

Best bodybuilding meal delivery Sydney

My Muscle Chef’s range of high protein, high calorie ready-made meals are designed to help you achieve your fitness goals. With meal plans that can be customised to meet your needs, their meals start from $10.95 and can purchased on their 5-day Gain meal plan for as little as $7.70 per serve.
My-Muscle-Chef
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Best bodybuilding meal delivery Victoria 

MACROS offers macronutrient-controlled and dietitian-approved ready-made meals. The MACROS Gain Plan includes single-serve meals that are high in calories, carbohydrates and protein to fuel muscle growth. Meals start from $11.95.
MACROS-blog post - featured image
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Best bodybuilding meal delivery Queensland

YouFoodz range of FUEL’D meals are high in protein and 30% larger than their standard meals, making them a great option for those looking to build muscle. You can purchase these meals on their High Protein meal plan with meals starting from $9.95.
youfoodz-Fueld-flatlay
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Pros and Cons of bodybuilding meal delivery

low carb meals pros and cons

Bodybuilding Meals Pros

  • Reduces overwhelm - Cooking the quantity of food to reach your individual muscle building goals can be overwhelming, especially those who don’t enjoy cooking. Using a meal service can help keep mealtimes easy and interesting.
  • Convenience - Cooking large quantities of meals frequently may not be a luxury many people have. Meal delivery services can be a convenient and necessary step to take for those trying to reach their goals.
  • Removes guess work - For those unsure how to cook or prepare for their dietary requirements a meal service can be a great introduction. It can introduce customers to new flavours and food pairings, as well as show you how big a portion of something looks i.e. how much 25g of protein of a chicken breast looks like versus 25g of sliced beef etc.

Bodybuilding Meals Cons

  • Repetitive meals - Relying on meals can become boring, especially if you are eating the same meals on rotation multiple times a day throughout the week. As bodybuilding requirements aren't a mainstream requirement, finding providers that offer a lot of rotating menu options may be difficult.
  • Relying on meal services can become expensive - Feeding yourself an increased quantity of anything can be costly, especially when eating up to 6 meals a day. Try to look for providers that offer cheaper meals per increased orders to make the buying journey more cost-effective.
  • Poor customisation - Some meal providers may not cater to snacks or add-ons and therefore may impact on your ability to hit your nutrient targets. if you're wanting to take the thought out of snacks and drinks try to find a meal provider that offers extras or snack options. If you have any dietary restrictions you may find it challenging to find a service that caters to this on top of the bodybuilding requirements.

Key factors when comparing bodybuilding delivery services

When choosing the right option for you, consider the following factors:

Protein

Building muscle mass requires adequate protein intakes, ensure you read product outlines to make sure they meet your needs per meal.

As a general rule aiming between 20-30g protein per meal can be enough to meet your muscle-building goals.

Calorie/ Energy Density

Ensure you check calories per meal to calculate your daily needs and intakes. Each meal will be different and you must assess each meal per your dietary plan and training schedule.

Value for Volume

Assess if the meals you’re buying or looking into match your expectations of cost for the volume and quality you’re receiving.

Do they appear to be satiating and does the value match the cost you’re paying?

Vegetables

Even though vegetables are typically quite low in calories it doesn’t mean you should skip out on including these in your meals. Check to see if you’re meeting your daily requirements for vegetable intakes and if the meals you order include a range of different vegetables throughout their meals.

Bodybuilding Meal FAQS

There are a few high protein meal prep and snack options you can consider in your meal prep from 

  • Hard-boiled eggs 
  • Trail mixes with nuts and seeds 
  • Greek yoghurt, berries and nuts 
  • Can of Tuna with brown rice or veggies
  • Mexican bowls w/ protein source, brown rice, veges etc.
  • Omelette or scrambled eggs with mixed veges etc.
  • Protein shakes

There are a few providers that cater to dietary requirements such as

  • Workout meals: no gluten, no peanuts, no eggs, no dairy, no sesame, no soy.
  • My Muscle Chef: no added dairy, no added eggs, no added gluten, no added nuts, no added seafood.

It depends on what the meal is, the size of an individual meal may appear a similar size as to what you have been ordering previously, however, the ingredients may be far more calorie-dense in comparison to what you’re used to eating. These high-calorie meals you may find cause you to feel fuller quicker and for longer which may take a little while to adjust to.

Relying on meal services for every mealtime, every day can stack up! However, many meal providers offer competitive prices with incentivised packs with cheaper individual meal costs with larger quantities being ordered. Check out the providers listed above to discover their pack offers.

There are many concerns with long term bodybuilding nutritionally and physically on the body, it’s important to work with qualified health professionals to ensure the utmost care is taken when preparing dietary changes and training adaptations. 

Those competing in bodybuilding competitions or those looking to begin this journey need to be aware of the risks associated with developing eating and body image disorders. This is due to the aesthetic nature of the sport and its restrictiveness, it’s important to consider your mental health before and during entering competitions.

Bodybuilding is considered an expensive sport. There are many outgoing expenses that bodybuilders need to keep up with from meals, snacks, supplements, physical therapy treatments, competition-related expenses and travel associated costs.

This is different from person to person; bodybuilders can typically eat up to 5-8 meals a day to support muscle building. While most will stick to typical breakfast, lunch and dinners – some people may find themselves adding meals in-between typical meal times and lean towards high-protein snacks as well.

The ideal protein intake for bodybuilding depends on your fitness goals, body weight, and activity level. Most experts recommend consuming 1.6–2.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day for optimal muscle growth and recovery. For those focused on intense training or bulking, the higher end of this range may be more appropriate.

For example:

  • A 70 kg individual aiming to build muscle should aim for 112–154 grams of protein per day.

It is important to consult with your health care practitioner before making any dietary changes.

There is not one singular food that is attributed to building muscle. To build muscle, you need to eat enough protein, healthy fats, and complex carbohydrates. You can get these nutrients from a variety of foods, including meat, fish, eggs, dairy, beans, whole grains, fruits, and vegetables. 

 
 

Helms et al. (2014). “Evidence-based recommendations for natural bodybuilding contest preparation: nutrition and supplementation.” Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition 11(1): 1-20.

 

Phillips, S. M., & Van Loon, L. J. C. (2011). Dietary protein for athletes: From requirements to optimum adaptation. Journal of Sports Sciences, 29(S1), S29–S38. https://doi.org/10.1080/02640414.2011.619204 

Search and compare wellness and health delivery services in Australia including meal kits, ready to eat meal delivery, vitamin subscriptions and much more at Wellhub. All content and information on this site is provided by qualified Australian nutritionists to ensure accurate representation of all products reviewed. Learn more about our expert team here.