Meal Plan At a Glance
DAYS
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
MEALS
Breakfast: Anti-Inflammatory Smoothie –––– Lunch: Anti-Inflammatory Breakfast Bowl –––– Dinner: Salmon Salad & Crispy White Beans
Breakfast: Strawberry-Chocolate Chia Pudding –––– Lunch: Farro & White Bean Salad –––– Dinner: Chicken Fajita Rice Bake
Breakfast: Strawberry-Chocolate Chia Pudding –––– Lunch: Farro & White Bean Salad –––– Dinner: Maple-Miso Chicken & Veggie Squash
Breakfast: Strawberry-Chocolate Chia Pudding –––– Lunch: Farro & White Bean Salad –––– Dinner: Chickpea Casserole w/ Spinach & Feta
Breakfast: Strawberry-Chocolate Chia Pudding –––– Lunch: Farro & White Bean Salad –––– Dinner: Ginger-Tahini Salmon & Vegetables
Breakfast: Cherry-Spinach Smoothie –––– Lunch: Beet & Avocado Wrap –––– Dinner: Chicken Hummus Bowls & Pita
Breakfast: Spinach & Egg Scramble w/ Raspberries –––– Lunch: Beet & Avocado Wrap –––– Dinner: Chickpea Grain Bowl w/ Feta
DAILY TOTALS
Calories: 1,789 Fat: 85 g Protein: 78 g Carb: 195 g Fiber: 37 g Sodium: 1,700 mg
Calories: 1,833 Fat: 83 g Protein: 91 g Carb: 194 g Fiber: 54 g Sodium: 2,115 mg
Calories: 1,803 Fat: 86 g Protein: 87 g Carb: 180 g Fiber: 44 g Sodium: 1,951 mg
Calories: 1,787 Fat: 72 g Protein: 81 g Carb: 219 g Fiber: 56 g Sodium: 2,214 mg
Calories: 1,811 Fat: 87 g Protein: 86 g Carb: 180 g Fiber: 44 g Sodium: 2,071 mg
Calories: 1,843 Fat: 104 g Protein: 89 g Carb: 157 g Fiber: 38 g Sodium: 2,192 mg
Calories: 1,832 Fat: 83 g Protein: 87 g Carb: 196 g Fiber: 43 g Sodium: 1,641 mg
Day 1
Daily totals: 1,789 calories, 85 g fat, 78 g protein, 195 g carbohydrates, 37 g fiber, 1,700 mg sodium
Breakfast (356 Calories)
Anti-Inflammatory Breakfast Smoothie
Lunch (534 calories)
Anti-Inflammatory Breakfast Bowl
Dinner (628 Calories)
Salmon Salad with Crispy White Beans
Snacks
The #1 Anti-Inflammatory Snack You Should Be Making
To make it 1,500 calories: Omit both snacks.
To make it 2,000 calories: Add 3 ounces canned white/albacore tuna (canned in water) with 6 whole-wheat crackers to snacks.
Day 2
Daily totals: 1,833 calories, 83 g fat, 91 g protein, 194 g carbohydrates, 54 g fiber, 2,115 mg sodium
Breakfast (336 Calories)
Chocolate-Strawberry Chia Pudding
Lunch (506 calories)
Anti-Inflammatory Farro & White Bean Salad
Dinner (578 Calories)
Snacks
- 1 cup blackberries with ¾ cup low-fat plain strained (Greek-style) yogurt (186 calories)
- 3 ounces canned white/albacore tuna (canned in water) with 6 whole-wheat crackers (227 calories)
To make it 1,500 calories: Omit avocado from dinner and omit blackberries + yogurt snack.
To make it 2,000 calories: Add 1 serving Spiced Roasted Walnuts to snacks.
Day 3
Daily totals: 1,803 calories, 86 g fat, 87 g protein, 180 g carbohydrates, 44 g fiber, 1,951 mg sodium
Breakfast (336 Calories)
Lunch (506 calories)
Dinner (531 Calories)
Maple-Miso Chicken Thighs, Brussels Sprouts & Spaghetti Squash
Snacks
Lemon-Blueberry Frozen Yogurt Bites
To make it 1,500 calories: Omit Lemon-Blueberry Frozen Yogurt Bites snack and reduce the portion of Spiced Roasted Walnuts to ½ serving.
To make it 2,000 calories: Add 1 cup blackberries with ¾ cup low-fat plain strained (Greek-style) yogurt to snacks.
Day 4
Daily totals: 1,787 calories, 72 g fat, 81 g protein, 219 g carbohydrates, 56 g fiber, 2,214 mg sodium
Breakfast (336 Calories)
Lunch (506 calories)
Dinner (568 Calories)
Chickpea Casserole with Spinach & Feta
Snacks
- 1 serving Kale-Pineapple Drink (88 calories)
- 3 ounces canned white/albacore tuna (canned in water) with 6 whole-wheat crackers (227 calories)
- 1 cup blackberries (62 calories)
To make it 1,500 calories: Omit tuna + crackers snack and blackberries snack.
To make it 2,000 calories: Add 1 serving Lemon-Blueberry Frozen Yogurt Bites to snacks.
Day 5
Daily totals: 1,811 calories, 87 g fat, 86 g protein, 180 g carbohydrates, 44 g fiber, 2,071 mg sodium
Breakfast (336 Calories)
Lunch (506 calories)
Dinner (555 Calories)
Ginger-Tahini Oven-Baked Salmon & Vegetables
Snacks
To make it 1,500 calories: Omit bell pepper + hummus snack and reduce the portion of Lemon-Blueberry Frozen Yogurt Bites to ½ serving.
To make it 2,000 calories: Add 1 cup raspberries with ¾ cup low-fat plain strained (Greek-style) yogurt to snacks.
Day 6
Daily totals: 1,843 calories, 104 g fat, 89 g protein, 157 g carbohydrates, 38 g fiber, 2,192 mg sodium
Breakfast (412 Calories)
Anti-Inflammatory Cherry-Spinach Smoothie
Lunch (463 calories)
Anti-Inflammatory Beet & Avocado Wrap
Dinner (558 Calories)
- 1 small (4-inch) whole-wheat pita
Snacks
- 1 serving Spiced Roasted Walnuts (183 calories)
- 3 ounces canned white/albacore tuna (canned in water) with 6 whole-wheat crackers (227 calories)
To make it 1,500 calories: Omit pita from dinner and omit tuna + crackers snack.
To make it 2,000 calories: Add 1 cup blueberries and 1 serving Kale-Pineapple Drink to snacks.
Day 7
Daily totals: 1,832 calories, 83 g fat, 87 g protein, 196 g carbohydrates, 43 g fiber, 1,641 mg sodium
Breakfast (427 Calories)
Spinach & Egg Scramble with Raspberries
- 1 cup unsweetened soy milk
Lunch (463 calories)
Dinner (538 Calories)
Chickpea Grain Bowl with Feta & Tomatoes
Snacks
To make it 1,500 calories: Omit Lemon-Blueberry Frozen Yogurt Bites snack. Increase to 1 cup raspberries at raspberries + yogurt snack.
To make it 2,000 calories: Add 1 serving Spiced Roasted Walnuts to snacks.
Frequently Asked Questions
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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 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 anti-inflammatory diet recipes.
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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 336 to 427 calories, while the lunches span 463 to 534 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.
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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 an Anti-Inflammatory Diet
Chronic inflammation contributes to the development of many common health issues—heart disease, type 2 diabetes, some cancers and cognitive decline. So an anti-inflammatory diet can have a meaningful impact on your health, especially as you age. If dementia prevention is your priority, eating plenty of berries, greens, nuts, olive oil, beans, whole grains and fish may help. These foods make up the bulk of the MIND diet—an inflammation-reducing diet proven to lower the risk of developing dementia. They’re full of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, plant compounds, fiber and fatty acids that don’t trigger inflammation the way that refined carbs, processed meats and animal fats can. As a result, anti-inflammatory diets are linked with lower rates of heart disease, certain cancers and Alzheimer’s disease.
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.
Dig Deeper
Your Dementia Risk May Be Increased by Another Disease Diagnosis—Here’s How to Prevent It
5 Foods That Could Delay Dementia, According to a Recent Study
