About This Plan
● This 7-day plan is set at 1,800 calories, with modifications for 1,500 and 2,000 calories
● Each day provides at least 70 grams of protein and 30 grams of fiber to support gut health and promote satiety.
● This plan prioritizes probiotic-, prebiotic- and polyphenol-rich foods while avoiding added sugar.
Ditching added sugar to improve your gut health doesn’t mean you have to completely sacrifice flavor. This 7-day meal plan highlights the natural sweetness in fruits, vegetables and dairy products, creating meals that satisfy your sweet tooth without disrupting the delicate balance of microbes in your gut. Each recipe also includes fermented and fiber-filled foods that are designed to nourish your digestive system. There is also an emphasis on plant diversity and color, offering a diverse range of nutrients and polyphenols to further enhance gut health. With plenty of fiber, protein and variety, this weeklong meal plan is sure to help you curb added sugar cravings and provide your gut with the care it deserves.
| Meal Plan at a Glance | ||
|---|---|---|
| Breakfast/ AM Snack | Lunch/ PM Snack | Dinner |
| Berry smoothie/ Apple & nut butter | Veggie sandwich/ Edamame | Tempeh steaks |
| Muesli & banana/ Yogurt parfait | Chopped salad/ Bean dip | Sheet-pan chicken & cabbage |
| Muesli/ Apple & nut butter | Chopped salad/ Bean dip | Broccoli & kimchi bowl |
| Muesli & banana/ Yogurt parfait | Chopped salad/ Bean dip | Chicken, beans & mushrooms |
| Muesli/ Apple & nut butter | Chopped salad/ Bean dip | Sheet-pan chickpea dinner |
| Frittata/ Apple & nut butter | Taco bowl/ Yogurt bites | Fried rice & miso soup |
| Frittata/ Yogurt parfait | Pita sandwich/ Yogurt bites | Salmon & vegetables |
Day 1
Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Stylist: Christina Brockman
Breakfast (424 Calories)
● 1 serving Mixed-Berry Breakfast Smoothie
Morning Snack (291 Calories)
● 1 medium apple
● 2 tablespoons almond butter
Lunch (581 calories)
● 1 serving Gut-Friendly Veggie Sandwich
Afternoon Snack (101 Calories)
● 1 serving Edamame with Aleppo Pepper
Dinner (421 Calories)
● 1 serving Crispy Tempeh Steaks with Sun-Dried Tomato Cream Sauce
Daily totals: 1,818 calories, 108 g fat, 73 g protein, 165 g carbohydrates, 0 g added sugar, 46 g fiber, 1573 mg sodium
To make it 1,500 calories: Omit morning snack
To make it 2,000 calories: Add 1 serving Mediterranean Diet Snack as an evening snack
Day 2
photographer: Jen Causey, food stylist: Julian Hensarling, prop stylist: Josh Hoggle
Breakfast (453 Calories)
● 1 serving 3-Ingredient Overnight Berry Muesli
● 1 medium banana
● 1 tablespoon almond butter
Morning Snack (270 Calories)
● 1 cup Greek yogurt, plain
● 1 medium peach
● 1 tablespoon pistachios
Lunch (405 calories)
● 1 serving Superfood Chopped Salad with Salmon & Creamy Garlic Dressing
Afternoon Snack (162 Calories)
● 1 serving Mediterranean Diet Bean Dip
Dinner (502 Calories)
● 1 serving Sheet-Pan Chicken Thighs with Red Cabbage & Sweet Potatoes
Daily totals: 1,792 calories, 83 g fat, 107 g protein, 166 g carbohydrates, 0 g added sugar, 32 g fiber, 1260 mg sodium
To make it 1,500 calories: Omit morning snack
To make it 2,000 calories: Add 1 medium apple and 1 tablespoon almond butter as an evening snack
Day 3
Photographer: Robby Lozano, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Styling: Christina Brockman
Breakfast (301 Calories)
● 1 serving 3-Ingredient Overnight Berry Muesli
● 1 tablespoons chia seeds, mixed into Overnight Berry Muesli
Morning Snack (291 Calories)
● 1 medium apple
● 2 tablespoons almond butter
Lunch (405 calories)
● 1 serving Superfood Chopped Salad with Salmon & Creamy Garlic Dressing
Afternoon Snack (162 Calories)
● 1 serving Mediterranean Diet Bean Dip
Dinner (639 Calories)
● 1 serving Roasted Broccoli & Kimchi Rice Bowl
Daily totals: 1,798 calories, 92 g fat, 81 g protein, 176 g carbohydrates, 0 g added sugar, 39 g fiber, 1215 mg sodium
To make it 1,500 calories: Omit morning snack
To make it 2,000 calories: Add 1 cup Greek Yogurt and ½ cup raspberries as an evening snack
Day 4
Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Stylist: Christina Brockman
Breakfast (453 Calories)
● 1 serving 3-Ingredient Overnight Berry Muesli
● 1 medium banana
● 1 tablespoon almond butter
Morning Snack (224 Calories)
● 1 cup Greek yogurt, plain
● 1 medium peach
Lunch (405 calories)
● 1 serving Superfood Chopped Salad with Salmon & Creamy Garlic Dressing
Afternoon Snack (162 Calories)
● 1 serving Mediterranean Diet Bean Dip
Dinner (581 Calories)
● 1 serving Sheet-Pan Chicken with White Beans & Mushrooms
Daily totals: 1,825 calories, 87 g fat, 111 g protein, 160 g carbohydrates, 0 g added sugar, 32 g fiber, 1311 mg sodium
To make it 1,500 calories: Omit almond butter from breakfast and omit morning snack
To make it 2,000 calories: Add 1 medium apple and 1 tablespoon almond butter as an evening snack
Day 5
Breakfast (301 Calories)
● 1 serving 3-Ingredient Overnight Berry Muesli
● 1 tablespoons chia seeds, mixed into Overnight Berry Muesli
Morning Snack (291 Calories)
● 1 medium apple
● 2 tablespoons almond butter
Lunch (405 calories)
● 1 serving Superfood Chopped Salad with Salmon & Creamy Garlic Dressing
Afternoon Snack (162 Calories)
● 1 serving Mediterranean Diet Bean Dip
Dinner (613 Calories)
● 1 serving Sheet-Pan Spiced Chickpeas & Sweet Potatoes with Herby Yogurt
Daily totals: 1772 calories, 83 g fat, 77 g protein, 190 g carbohydrates, 0 g added sugar, 43 g fiber, 1158 mg sodium
To make it 1,500 calories: omit morning snack
To make it 2,000 calories: add 1 medium peach and 1-ounce of pistachios as an evening snack
Day 6
Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall , Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless
Breakfast (433 Calories)
● 1 serving Frittata with Asparagus, Leek & Ricotta
● 1 cup raspberries
Morning Snack (193 Calories)
● 1 medium apple
● 1 tablespoon almond butter
Lunch (493 calories)
● 1 serving Bean & Veggie Taco Bowl
● ¼ cup avocado slices
Afternoon Snack (246 Calories)
● 1 serving Lemon-Blueberry Frozen Yogurt Bites
Dinner (442 Calories)
● 1 serving Shrimp Cauliflower Fried Rice
● ¾ cup Gut-Healthy Miso Cup Soup
Daily totals: 1,807 calories, 87 g fat, 91 g protein, 174 g carbohydrates, 0 g added sugar, 43 g fiber, 2220 mg sodium
To make it 1,500 calories: Omit avocado slices from lunch and omit afternoon snack
To make it 2,000 calories: Add 1 cup of kefir and 1 small banana as an evening snack
Day 7
Photographer: Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless
Breakfast (433 Calories)
● 1 serving Frittata with Asparagus, Leek & Ricotta
● 1 cup raspberries
Morning Snack (316 Calories)
● 1 cup Greek yogurt, plain
● 1 medium peach
● 2 tablespoon pistachios
Lunch (353 calories)
● 1 serving Chicken & Cucumber Pita Sandwiches with Yogurt Sauce
Afternoon Snack (246 Calories)
● 1 serving Lemon-Blueberry Frozen Yogurt Bites
Dinner (422 Calories)
● 1 serving Sheet-Pan Roasted Salmon & Vegetables
Daily totals: 1,770 calories, 74 g fat, 130 g protein, 152 g carbohydrates, 0 g added sugar, 34 g fiber, 1970 mg sodium
To make it 1,500 calories: Omit afternoon snack
To make it 2,000 calories: Add 1 cup brown rice to dinner
Prep Ahead Tips:
Frequently Asked Questions
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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 gut-healthy recipes.
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Definitely, it’s fine to eat the same breakfast or lunch every day. The breakfasts range from 350 to 450 calories while the lunches span 400 to 550 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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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 a Gut-Friendly Meal Plan
This meal plan prioritizes gut health by focusing on ingredients that support and nurture a thriving microbiome. By emphasizing prebiotics, probiotics and polyphenols, it includes foods like fermented kimchi, kefir, yogurt, tempeh, fiber-rich legumes, nuts, seeds, whole grains and deeply pigmented fruits and vegetables—all of which have been shown to improve gut health. Excluding added sugars, which are known to disrupt microbial balance and damage the gut lining, further boosts the health of your digestive system. Additionally, the plan emphasizes the consumption of a variety of different plant foods a week to foster bacterial diversity, a cornerstone of robust gut health. Each of the components of this plan creates a solid foundation to improve gut function and overall digestive health.
Dig Deeper
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