DAYS
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
MEALS
Breakfast: Blueberry & Spinach Smoothie
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Lunch: White Bean & Veggie Salad + Orange
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Dinner: Sheet-Pan Roasted Salmon & Vegetables
Breakfast: Pumpkin Overnight Oats w/ Strawberries
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Lunch: Vegan Lettuce Wraps
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Dinner: Cheesy Ground Beef & Cauliflower Casserole + Mixed Greens w/ Dijon Vinaigrette
Breakfast: Pumpkin Overnight Oats w/ Strawberries
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Lunch: Vegan Lettuce Wraps
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Dinner: One-Pot Lentil & Vegetable Soup w/ Parmesan + Baguette
Breakfast: Pumpkin Overnight Oats w/ Strawberries
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Lunch: Vegan Lettuce Wraps
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Dinner: Ground Beef & Pasta Skillet
Breakfast: Blueberry & Spinach Smoothie
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Lunch: Vegan Lettuce Wraps
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Dinner: Butternut Squash Chili w/ Black Beans + Guacamole Salad
Breakfast: Blueberry & Spinach Smoothie
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Lunch: Butternut Squash Chili w/ Black Beans + Orange
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Dinner: Massaged Kale Salad w/ Sweet Potatoes & Black Beans
Breakfast: Blueberry & Spinach Smoothie
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Lunch: Butternut Squash Chili w/ Black Beans + Orange
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Dinner: Scallion-Ginger Beef & Broccoli
DAILY TOTALS
Calories: 1,521 Fat: 66 g Protein: 78 g Carbs: 164 g Fiber: 42 g Iron: 18 mg B12: 4.5 mcg Sodium: 1,173 mg
Calories: 1,521 Fat: 79 g Protein: 74 g Carbs: 137 g Fiber: 40 g Iron: 20 mg B12: 3.1 mcg Sodium: 1,651 mg
Calories: 1,501 Fat: 58 g Protein: 63 g Carbs: 193 g Fiber: 39 g Iron: 18 mg B12: 2.2 mcg Sodium: 1,671 mg
Calories: 1,497 Fat: 63 g Protein: 82 g Carbs: 156 g Fiber: 31 g Iron: 18 mg B12: 2.3 mcg Sodium: 1,696 mg
Calories: 1,503 Fat: 70 g Protein: 56 g Carbs: 174 g Fiber: 47 g Iron: 18 mg B12: 1 mcg Sodium: 1,471 mg
Calories: 1,518 Fat: 58 g Protein: 61 g Carbs: 200 g Fiber: 47 g Iron: 18 mg B12: 0.3 mcg Sodium: 1,315 mg
Calories: 1,502 Fat: 48 g Protein: 79 g Carbs: 195 g Fiber: 45 g Iron: 19 mg B12: 1.3 mcg Sodium: 1,396 mg
Day 1
Daily Totals: 1,521 calories, 66 g fat, 164 g carbohydrates, 42 g fiber, 78 g protein, 18 mg iron, 4.5 mcg vitamin B12, 1,173 mg sodium
Breakfast (342 calories)
Blueberry & Spinach Smoothie
Lunch (422 calories)
White Bean & Veggie Salad
Serve with 1 medium orange
Dinner (409 calories)
Sheet-Pan Roasted Salmon & Vegetables
Snacks
1 cup edamame in shells (200 calories)3 Tbsp. dried pumpkin seed kernels (135 calories)
To make it 2,000 calories: Add 1 serving Peanut Butter & Chia Berry Jam English Muffin to breakfast, increase to 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds at the P.M. snack plus add 1 serving Everything Bagel Avocado Toast to dinner.
Day 2
Daily Totals: 1,521 calories, 79 g fat, 137 g carbohydrates, 40 g fiber, 74 g protein, 20 g iron, 3.1 mcg vitamin B12, 1,651 mg sodium
Breakfast (244 calories)
Serve with ½ cup sliced strawberries
Lunch (425 calories)
Meal-Prep Vegan Lettuce Wraps
Dinner (455 calories)
Cheesy Ground Beef & Cauliflower Casserole
Snacks
¼ cup dried pumpkin seed kernels with ¼ cup raspberries (196 calories)1 cup edamame in shells (200 calories)
To make it 2,000 calories: Add 1 serving Raspberry-Kefir Power Smoothie and add 1 cup cubed avocado to the salad at dinner.
Day 3
Daily Totals: 1,501 calories, 58 g fat, 193 g carbohydrates, 39 g fiber, 63 g protein, 18 mg iron, 2.2 mcg vitamin B12, 1,671 mg sodium
Breakfast (244 calories)
Lunch (425 calories)
Dinner (402 calories)
One-Pot Lentil & Vegetable Soup with Parmesan
Serve with 1 slice whole-wheat baguette
Snacks
¼ cup dried pumpkin seed kernels with 1 medium apple (275 calories)2 hard-boiled eggs with a Pinch of salt and pepper (155 calories)
To make it 2,000 calories: Add 1 serving Raspberry-Kefir Power Smoothie to breakfast, add 1 medium apple to the P.M. snack and add 1 serving Everything Bagel Avocado Toast to dinner.
Day 4
Daily Totals: 1,497 calories, 63 g fat, 156 g carbohydrates, 31 g fiber, 82 g protein, 18 mg iron, 2.3 mcg vitamin B12, 1,696 mg sodium
Breakfast (244 calories)
Lunch (425 calories)
Dinner (582 calories)
Ground Beef & Pasta Skillet
Snacks
2 Tbsp. dried pumpkin seed kernels (90 calories)2 hard-boiled eggs and a Pinch of salt and pepper (155 calories)
To make it 2,000 calories: Add 1 serving Raspberry-Kefir Power Smoothie to breakfast and add 1 serving Guacamole Chopped Salad to dinner.
Day 5
Daily Totals: 1,503 calories, 70 g fat, 174 g carbohydrates, 47 g fiber, 56 g protein, 18 mg iron, 1 mcg vitamin B12, 1,471 mg sodium
Breakfast (342 calories)
Lunch (425 calories)
Dinner (491 calories)
Vegetarian Butternut Squash Chili with Black Beans
Snacks
2 hard-boiled eggs and a Pinch of salt and pepper (155 calories)2 Tbsp. dried pumpkin seed kernels (90 calories)
To make it 2,000 calories: Add 1 serving Peanut Butter & Chia Berry Jam English Muffin to breakfast, add 1 large pear to the A.M. snack and add 1 medium apple to the P.M. snack.
Day 6
Daily Totals: 1,518 calories, 58 g fat, 200 g carbohydrates, 47 g fiber, 61 g protein, 18 mg iron, 0.3 mcg vitamin B12, 1,315 mg sodium
Breakfast (342 calories)
Lunch (307 calories)
Dinner (588 calories)
Snacks
¼ cup dried pumpkin seed kernels (180 calories)1 cup edamame in shells (100 calories)
To make it 2,000 calories: Add 1 serving Peanut Butter & Chia Berry Jam English Muffin to breakfast, add 1 medium orange to the A.M. snack and add 1 serving Everything Bagel Avocado Toast to dinner.
Day 7
Daily Totals: 1,502 calories, 48 g fat, 195 g carbohydrate, 45 g fiber, 79 g protein, 19 mg iron, 1.3 mcg vitamin B12, 1,396 mg sodium
Breakfast (342 calories)
Lunch (307 calories)
Dinner (400 calories)
Scallion-Ginger Beef & Broccoli
Snacks
¼ cup dried pumpkin seed kernels with ½ cup raspberries (212 calories)1 cup edamame in shells (200 calories)
To make it 2,000 calories: Add 1 serving Peanut Butter & Chia Berry Jam English Muffin to breakfast and add 1 serving Guacamole Chopped Salad to dinner.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it OK to mix and match meals if there is one I do not like?
Yes! This meal plan is meant to serve as inspiration. It doesn’t need to be followed exactly to reap the benefits. When choosing recipes, we made sure to check the calories, fiber, protein and sodium to align with the parameters of this plan and be within our sodium limits. If you’re making a recipe swap, it may be helpful to choose a recipe with similar calories, fiber, protein and sodium levels. For more inspiration, check out these delicious iron-rich recipes.
Can I eat the same breakfast or lunch every day?
Definitely, it’s fine to eat the same breakfast or lunch every day. The breakfasts range from 244 to 342 calories, while the lunches span 307 to 425 calories. These ranges are fairly close, though if you’re closely monitoring your calories or other nutrients, like protein, you may want to adjust a snack or two.
Why is there not a modification for 1,200 calories?
We no longer provide modifications for 1,200-calorie days in our meal plans. The 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans suggests that limiting calories to 1,200 per day is too low for most people to meet their nutritional needs, plus it’s unsustainable for long-term health and well-being.
How to Increase Iron Absorption
There are two sources of dietary iron: heme and non-heme. Heme iron, found in animal products like meat and seafood, is absorbed much better by our bodies. Non-heme iron is from plant sources, such as leafy greens and legumes, and isn’t absorbed as well.
The key to upping your absorption of iron from non-heme vegetarian sources is to pair them with vitamin C foods, like citrus fruits, broccoli and cauliflower, which make iron more available for our bodies to use.
How We Create Meal Plans
Registered dietitians thoughtfully create EatingWell’s meal plans to be easy-to-follow and delicious. Each meal plan meets specific parameters depending on the health condition and/or lifestyle goal it is targeting and is analyzed for accuracy using the nutrition database, ESHA Food Processor. As nutritional needs differ from person to person, we encourage you to use these plans as inspiration and adjust as you see fit.
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