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Logging protein on paper

A paper protein log is a week of boxes, not a lifelong sentence. Write the meal and a rough gram number so you can see whether breakfast is doing any work.

Planning · 4 min read · Updated 2026-10-06

In the portions written below, protein is about 34–36 g, calories about 390–480, and sodium about 140–520 mg. Those are rounded kitchen estimates before extra cheese, bread, or a heavy pour of sauce.

Rough numbers are fine. Fake precision from a random website is not more true.

How to run it

  1. Print the macro log and write the date.
  2. Note breakfast, lunch, dinner, and one snack.
  3. Use the recipe estimates on this site when the meal came from here.
  4. Stop logging when you can see the pattern.

Cook these

Baked cod with spinach and potatoes

30 min · serves 2

Protein
34 g
Sodium
140 mg
Calories
390

Protein, sodium, and calories are rounded kitchen estimates, not a lab test or a medical plan.

Cod is mild and already tender. If chewing is hard, flake it into the potatoes instead of serving it as a fillet.

Ingredients

  • 2 cod fillets, about 6 ounces each
  • 2 handfuls spinach
  • 2 medium potatoes
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 lemon
  • 1 garlic clove
  • black pepper

Method

  1. Microwave or boil the potatoes until tender. Mash them with a teaspoon of oil and pepper, no salt.
  2. Heat the oven to 400°F. Lay the cod on spinach and garlic in a small dish. Drizzle the rest of the oil and lemon.
  3. Bake 12–15 minutes, until the fish flakes easily.

Fridge 2 days. Cooked white fish is poor from the freezer. If you serve it hot, reheat to 165°F with a food thermometer.

Storage times are general guidance, not a lab test of this recipe. A shorter package or recipe instruction governs. Freezing and reheating do not rescue food left out too long, or a heat-stable toxin that already formed. USDA FSIS: Leftovers and Food Safety.

Also used in A one-page monthly menu, High-protein breakfast meal prep, Low-sodium fish dinners.

Chicken enchilada skillet

35 min · serves 4

Protein
36 g
Sodium
520 mg
Calories
480

Protein, sodium, and calories are rounded kitchen estimates, not a lab test or a medical plan.

Canned enchilada sauce is often the saltiest thing in the aisle. Tomato sauce plus chili powder is the same mood with a number you can live with. The cheese is why this is not filed under low-sodium.

Ingredients

  • 1 pound shredded cooked chicken, or raw thigh meat cut small
  • 1 can no-salt-added black beans, rinsed
  • 1 can no-salt-added tomato sauce
  • 2 teaspoons chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 4 corn tortillas, cut in strips
  • 1/2 cup shredded cheese
  • a handful of cilantro

Method

  1. Simmer the sauce, spices, beans, and chicken 10 minutes. If the chicken is raw, cook it through to 165°F in the sauce.
  2. Stir in the tortillas. Sprinkle the cheese on top and cover 3 minutes, until it melts.
  3. Serve with cilantro. A dollop of plain yogurt cools it without a salty crema.

Fridge 4 days. Freezer: best quality within 2 months. The tortillas soften, which is fine in a skillet and bad if you wanted chips. If you serve it hot, reheat to 165°F with a food thermometer.

Storage times are general guidance, not a lab test of this recipe. A shorter package or recipe instruction governs. Freezing and reheating do not rescue food left out too long, or a heat-stable toxin that already formed. USDA FSIS: Leftovers and Food Safety and USDA FSIS: Freezing and Food Safety.

Also used in A one-page monthly menu, Foods that freeze badly, Freezer breakfasts.

Details that matter

  • Pencil beats pen. Plans change and that is not a failure.
  • Check the freezer and pantry before the list, or you will buy a third jar of cumin.
  • The Sunday checklist is a short list on purpose. If it takes twenty steps, you will skip it.

Easy mistakes

No 'already have' column

The pantry list and the freezer log exist so the grocery list stays short.

Treating a blank page as a personality test

Fill four boxes and cook. A half-used planner is a working planner.

Grocery starter

  • 2 cod fillets, about 6 ounces each
  • 2 handfuls spinach
  • 2 medium potatoes
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 lemon
  • 1 garlic clove
  • black pepper
  • 1 pound shredded cooked chicken, or raw thigh meat cut small
  • 1 can no-salt-added black beans, rinsed
  • 1 can no-salt-added tomato sauce
  • 2 teaspoons chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon cumin

Questions

How should I store baked cod with spinach and potatoes?

Fridge 2 days. Cooked white fish is poor from the freezer. If you serve it hot, reheat to 165°F with a food thermometer.

How much protein is in a serving?

Baked cod with spinach and potatoes is about 34 g; Chicken enchilada skillet is about 36 g. These are kitchen estimates, not a lab analysis.

What is the easy mistake here?

Rough numbers are fine. Fake precision from a random website is not more true.

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