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7-Day High-Protein High-Fiber Meal Plan for Gut Health
| Meal Plan at a Glance | ||
|---|---|---|
| Breakfast/ A.M. Snack | Lunch/ P.M. Snack | Dinner/ Evening Snack |
| Chickpea toast/ Yogurt & berries | White bean salad/ Energy bites | Chicken skillet & couscous |
| Smoothie | Tuna salad/ Cottage cheese jar | Marry me lentils/ Nice cream |
| Smoothie/ Yogurt & berries | Tuna salad/ Cottage cheese jar | Salmon pasta |
| Smoothie | Tuna salad/ Energy bites | Sheet-pan tacos/ Nice cream |
| Smoothie/ Yogurt & berries | Stuffed avocado/ Energy bites | Tzatziki bowl/ Nice cream |
| Smoothie/ Energy bites | Stuffed avocado/ Cottage cheese jar | One-pot pasta/ Apple & nut butter |
| Smoothie/ Yogurt & berries | Stuffed avocado/ Energy bites | Sheet-pan chicken & veggies/ Apple & nut butter |
Day 1
Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist: Claire Spollen
Breakfast (397 Calories)
Morning Snack (186 Calories)
- 1 cup plain, nonfat Greek yogurt
- 1 cup strawberries
Lunch (416 calories)
Afternoon Snack (261 Calories)
Dinner (529 Calories)
Daily totals: 1,789 calories, 67 g fat, 108 g protein, 200 g carbohydrates, 42 g fiber, 1,775 mg sodium
To make it 1,500 calories: Omit afternoon snack. Consider moving the morning snack to afternoon based on hunger levels.
To make it 2,000 calories: Add Apple with Cinnamon Almond Butter for evening snack.
Day 2
Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle
Breakfast (379 Calories)
Lunch (434 calories)
Afternoon Snack (195 Calories)
Dinner (639 Calories)
Evening Snack (128 Calories)
Daily totals: 1,775 calories, 71 g fat, 91 g protein, 195 g carbohydrates, 37 g fiber, 2,009 mg sodium
To make it 1,500 calories: Omit almond butter from breakfast, and omit afternoon snack.
To make it 2,000 calories: Add 1 cup plain, nonfat Greek yogurt with 1 banana for morning snack.
Day 3
Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist: Claire Spollen
Breakfast (379 Calories)
Morning Snack (186 Calories)
- 1 cup plain, nonfat Greek yogurt
- 1 cup strawberries
Lunch (434 calories)
Afternoon Snack (195 Calories)
Dinner (625 Calories)
Daily totals: 1,819 calories, 68 g fat, 137 g protein, 173 g carbohydrates, 33 g fiber, 2,040 mg sodium
To make it 1,500 calories: Omit almond butter from breakfast, and omit afternoon snack.
To make it 2,000 calories: Add Apple with Cinnamon Almond Butter for evening snack.
Day 4
Photographer: Morgan Hunt Glaze, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Abby Armstrong
Breakfast (379 Calories)
Lunch (504 calories)
Afternoon Snack (261 Calories)
Dinner (535 Calories)
Evening Snack (128 Calories)
Daily totals: 1,807 calories, 70 g fat, 89 g protein, 223 g carbohydrates, 51 g fiber, 1,702 mg sodium
To make it 1,500 calories: Omit almond butter from breakfast, clementines from lunch and evening snack.
To make it 2,000 calories: Add 2 pitted medjool dates with 1 tablespoon peanut butter for morning snack.
Day 5
Photographer Victor Protasio, Food Stylist Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist Christina Daley
Breakfast (304 Calories)
Morning Snack (186 Calories)
- 1 cup plain, nonfat Greek yogurt
- 1 cup strawberries
Lunch (450 calories)
Afternoon Snack (261 Calories)
Dinner (514 Calories)
Evening Snack (128 Calories)
Daily totals: 1,843 calories, 72 g fat, 90 g protein, 235 g carbohydrates, 46 g fiber, 1,456 mg sodium
To make it 1,500 calories: Omit morning and evening snacks.
To make it 2,000 calories: Add 2 hard-boiled eggs to breakfast.
Day 6
Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Priscilla Montiel
Breakfast (304 Calories)
Morning Snack (261 Calories)
Lunch (398 calories)
Afternoon Snack (195 Calories)
Dinner (478 Calories)
Evening Snack (193 Calories)
Daily totals: 1,830 calories, 73 g fat, 89 g protein, 221 g carbohydrates, 44 g fiber, 1,700 mg sodium
To make it 1,500 calories: Omit morning snack, swap evening snack for 2 pitted medjool dates.
To make it 2,000 calories: Add 2 hard boiled eggs to breakfast.
Day 7
Photographer: Jake Sternquist, Food Stylist: Lauren McAnelly, Prop Stylist: Addelyn Evans
Breakfast (304 Calories)
Morning Snack (186 Calories)
- 1 cup plain, nonfat Greek yogurt
- 1 cup strawberries
Lunch (398 calories)
Afternoon Snack (261 Calories)
Dinner (502 Calories)
Evening Snack (193 Calories)
Daily totals: 1,844 calories, 79 g fat, 102 g protein, 208 g carbohydrates, 43 g fiber, 1,413 mg sodium
To make it 1,500 calories: Omit afternoon snack, swap evening snack for 2 pitted medjool dates.
To make it 2,000 calories: Add 2 hard boiled eggs to breakfast.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it OK to mix and match meals if there’s one I don’t 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, added sugars 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, added sugar and sodium levels. For more inspiration, check out these delicious gut-healthy 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 304 to 397 calories while the lunches span 398 to 504 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 1,200 calorie modification?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.
Health Benefits of Protein & Fiber for Gut Health
Taking care of your gut health is good for other aspects of health, too. After all, research shows that gut health also impacts immune health, brain health and more. Eating plenty of fiber is one way to promote the health of your gut microbiome. Many high fiber foods are also sources of prebiotics, which feed the good bacteria in your gut. Probiotics from foods like yogurt are also important for gut health as they introduce more friendly bacteria to your digestive tract.
Meanwhile, protein helps you to feel full and promotes muscle health. Emerging research suggests it may also play a role in gut health. Undigested amino acids may be used as food for your gut bacteria to produce health-promoting metabolites. We designed this meal plan to be high in both fiber and protein to promote gut health and satiety.
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.
