Macro Foods: The Best Foods for Protein, Carbohydrates and Healthy Fats
Choosing the right foods is the easiest way to hit your macro goals, and it is a great deal simpler than the internet makes it sound.
Whether you are losing weight, building muscle or just eating better, knowing which foods carry protein, carbohydrates and fat makes planning meals almost automatic.
None of it requires supplements or a specialist shop. Everything below comes from an ordinary supermarket.
What are macro foods?
Foods that supply one or more of the three macronutrients: protein, carbohydrates and fat.
Almost everything contains a combination, but most foods lean clearly towards one. Learning which is which is most of what "eating for your macros" actually means in practice. The concepts are in the macros guide.
Best protein foods
Protein supports muscle maintenance, recovery and fullness.
Meat and poultry
- Chicken breast
- Turkey breast
- Lean beef
- Lean pork
Fish and seafood
- Salmon
- Tuna
- Cod
- Haddock
- Prawns
Dairy
- Greek yoghurt
- Cottage cheese
- Skyr
- Reduced-fat cheese
Plant-based
- Lentils
- Chickpeas
- Black beans
- Kidney beans
- Tofu
- Tempeh
- Edamame
Eggs
Versatile enough to appear at any meal, which is exactly why they are so useful when a protein target is proving hard to reach.
Mealiv can prioritise these when generating higher-protein plans.
Best carbohydrate foods
Carbohydrates fuel daily life and exercise. The fibre-rich choices bring vitamins and minerals with them.
Wholegrains
- Oats
- Brown rice
- Wholemeal bread
- Wholewheat pasta
- Quinoa
- Barley
Starchy vegetables
- Potatoes
- Sweet potatoes
- Butternut squash
Fruit
- Bananas
- Apples
- Berries
- Oranges
- Grapes
- Pears
Pulses
- Lentils
- Beans
- Chickpeas
Best healthy fat foods
Fats support hormone production, brain health and the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins.
- Olive oil
- Avocados
- Almonds
- Walnuts
- Mixed nuts
- Chia seeds
- Flaxseed
- Pumpkin seeds
- Peanut butter
- Oily fish
More energy-dense than the other two, and still a necessary part of a balanced diet. Portion size is the thing to keep an eye on.
Foods that supply more than one macro
Plenty of foods do two jobs at once, which makes them efficient building blocks for a balanced meal.
| Food | Main macros |
|---|---|
| Greek yoghurt | Protein and carbohydrates |
| Eggs | Protein and fat |
| Salmon | Protein and healthy fat |
| Peanut butter | Fat and protein |
| Lentils | Protein and carbohydrates |
| Milk | Protein and carbohydrates |
| Oats | Carbohydrates and protein |
Scroll sideways to see the full table on a phone.
Building balanced meals
The simplest approach is to include all three macros in most meals.
- Breakfast — Greek yoghurt, oats, berries and mixed seeds.
- Lunch — chicken, brown rice and roasted vegetables.
- Dinner — salmon, sweet potato and broccoli.
- Snack — apple with peanut butter.
Notice the pattern rather than the specific meals: a protein, a fibre-rich carbohydrate, a vegetable or fruit, and a little fat. Once you can see that shape, you can build it from whatever is in the fridge without consulting anything.
A full week built this way is the macro meal plan.
Shopping for macro foods
Versatile ingredients make planning easier and waste less. Worth keeping in:
Protein
- Chicken
- Eggs
- Greek yoghurt
- Tinned tuna
- Lentils
Carbohydrates
- Oats
- Brown rice
- Wholemeal pasta
- Potatoes
Healthy fats
- Olive oil
- Mixed nuts
- Seeds
- Avocados
Mealiv generates the shopping list from your weekly plan and exports it to Tesco, Asda and Sainsbury's.
Track your macros automatically
Knowing which foods contain what is useful. Knowing what you actually ate is more useful still.
Mealiv monitors protein, carbohydrates, fat, calories, fibre, vitamins, minerals and your Food Quality Score without you calculating anything — see the nutrition tracker or check one recipe with the recipe nutrition calculator.
AI planning around these foods
The AI meal planner suggests recipes using foods you enjoy, prioritises higher-protein ingredients, balances carbohydrates across the day, recommends alternatives, uses up what is in your pantry and writes the list.
Frequently asked questions
What are macro foods?
Foods providing protein, carbohydrates and healthy fats. Most contain a combination in varying amounts.
Which foods are highest in protein?
Chicken, fish, eggs, Greek yoghurt, cottage cheese, tofu, lentils and beans.
Are carbohydrates bad?
No. Wholegrains, fruit and pulses supply energy, fibre and nutrients as part of a balanced diet.
Can I eat fat and still lose weight?
Yes. Healthy fats are essential; portion size and total calories matter far more than avoiding them.
Can Mealiv plan meals around these foods?
Yes, using your preferred foods while tracking protein, carbohydrates, fat and calories automatically.
Continue exploring
- Macros
- Macro Meal Plan
- Macro Meal Planner
- Macros for Weight Loss
- Macros for Muscle Gain
- Best Macro Ratio
Related reading: healthy eating, high protein meals and Mediterranean diet foods.