Plant foods tend to be lower in saturated fat and higher in fiber than animal products, which can support many aspects of health. In fact, research shows that following a plant-based diet may help lower your risk of health issues like high cholesterol, diabetes, heart disease and some cancers. However, if you’re used to eating meat, you may wonder how to eat enough protein while centering your diet around plant foods. That’s where this 7-day plant-based high-protein meal plan for beginners can help. The meals feature plenty of plant foods, with some dairy interspersed. Each day contains at least 80 grams of protein and 30 grams of fiber for gut health, heart health and satiety. To make it beginner-friendly, we made sure that each recipe’s active prep time is 30 minutes or less so you’re not spending hours in the kitchen. With three different calorie levels to choose from, you can easily customize this menu to fit your nutrition needs.

Meal Plan at a Glance
Breakfast/ AM Snack	Lunch/ PM Snack	Dinner/ Evening Snack
Tofu scramble/ Clementines	Black bean torta/ Peanuts	Grain bowl/ Cereal
Overnight oats/ Edamame	Tofu salad/ Avocado toast	Chili/ Clementines
Overnight oats/ Peanuts	Tofu salad/ Avocado toast	Chili/ Clementines
Overnight oats/ Clementines	Tofu Salad/ Peanuts	Soba noodles/ Cereal
Peanut butter toast/ Clementines	Tofu salad/ Edamame	Quinoa bowl/ Dates & nut butter
Peanut butter toast/ Peanuts	Chili/ Edamame	Tempeh bowl/ Dates
Smoothie/ Dates	Grain bowl/ Edamame	Tofu tacos/ Cereal

Day 1 

Breakfast (419 Calories) 

Morning Snack (70 Calories) 

• 2 clementines

Lunch (354 calories) 

Afternoon Snack (214 Calories) 

• ¼ cup dry roasted, unsalted peanuts

Dinner (503 Calories) 

Evening Snack (236 Calories) 

• 1 cup Cheerios
• 1 cup soy milk

Daily totals: 1,796 calories, 76 g fat, 83 g protein, 223 g carbohydrates, 49 g fiber, 2250 mg sodium

To make it 1,500 calories: Omit morning and afternoon snack

To make it 2,000 calories: Add ⅓ avocado to breakfast and 1 medium banana to afternoon snack

Day 2

Breakfast (371 Calories) 

Morning Snack (200 Calories) 

• 1 cup edamame in pods

Lunch (429 calories) 

Afternoon Snack (230 Calories) 

Dinner (496 Calories) 

Evening Snack (70 Calories) 

• 2 clementines 

Daily totals: 1,795 calories, 68 g fat, 95 g protein, 239 g carbohydrates, 72 g fiber, 1746 mg sodium

To make it 1,500 calories: Omit afternoon and evening snack

To make it 2,000 calories: Add 2 medjool dates to morning snack and 1 cup strawberries to lunch 

Day 3

Breakfast (371 Calories) 

Morning Snack (214 Calories) 

• ¼ cup dry roasted, unsalted peanuts

 Lunch (429 calories) 

Afternoon Snack (230 Calories) 

 Dinner (496 Calories) 

Evening Snack (70 Calories) 

• 2 clementines 

Daily totals: 1,809 calories, 80 g fat, 84 g protein, 230 g carbohydrates, 63 g fiber, 1718 mg sodium

To make it 1,500 calories: Omit morning and evening snack 

To make it 2,000 calories: Add 2 medjool dates to morning snack and 1 cup strawberries to lunch  

Day 4

Breakfast (371 Calories) 

Morning Snack (70 Calories) 

• 2 clementines

 Lunch (429 calories) 

Afternoon Snack (214 Calories) 

• ¼ cup dry roasted, unsalted peanuts

 Dinner (491 Calories) 

Evening Snack (236 Calories) 

• 1 cup Cheerios
• 1 cup soy milk

Daily totals: 1,811 calories, 82 g fat, 85 g protein, 203 g carbohydrates, 35 g fiber, 1850 mg sodium

To make it 1,500 calories: Omit morning and evening snack 

To make it 2,000 calories: Add 2 medjool dates to afternoon snack and 1 cup strawberries to lunch 

Day 5

Breakfast (398 Calories) 

Morning Snack (70 Calories) 

• 2 clementines

 Lunch (429 calories) 

Afternoon Snack (200 Calories) 

• 1 cup edamame in pods  

Dinner (500 Calories) 

Evening Snack (229 Calories) 

• 2 pitted medjool dates
• 1 tablespoon peanut butter

Daily totals: 1,826 calories, 75 g fat, 92 g protein, 222 g carbohydrates, 53 g fiber, 1447 mg sodium

To make it 1,500 calories: Omit morning and evening snack 

To make it 2,000 calories: Add ¼ cup dry roasted, unsalted peanuts to morning snack

Day 6 

Breakfast (398 Calories) 

Morning Snack (214 Calories) 

• ¼ cup dry roasted, unsalted peanuts

 Lunch (496 calories) 

Afternoon Snack (200 Calories) 

• 1 cup edamame in pods

 Dinner (333 Calories) 

Evening Snack (133 Calories) 

• 2 pitted medjool dates 

Daily totals: 1,775 calories, 59 g fat, 83 g protein, 251 g carbohydrates, 56 g fiber, 1627 mg sodium

To make it 1,500 calories: Remove soy milk from breakfast and omit evening snack 

To make it 2,000 calories: Add 1 cup Cheerios and 1 cup soy milk to evening snack 

Day 7 

Breakfast (359 Calories) 

Morning Snack (133 Calories) 

• 2 pitted medjool dates 

Lunch (451 calories) 

Afternoon Snack (129 Calories) 

• 1 cup edamame in pods

Dinner (512 Calories) 

Evening Snack (236 Calories) 

• 1 cup Cheerios
• 1 cup soy milk 

Daily totals: 1,820 calories, 78 g fat, 81 g protein, 231 g carbohydrates, 51 g fiber, 1005 mg sodium

To make it 1,500 calories: Omit morning snack and remove avocado from dinner

To make it 2,000 calories: Add 1 tablespoon peanut butter to morning snack and 2 clementines to afternoon snack  

Health Benefits of Plant-Based Diets

Plant-based diets are linked with a number of health benefits. They’re particularly beneficial for heart health since they tend to be low in saturated fat and high in fiber. Plant-based diets can also help lower your risk of type 2 diabetes and certain kinds of cancers. The fiber, antioxidants and other nutrients in plant foods help promote a healthy gut microbiome, which improves insulin sensitivity, reduces inflammation and supports gut health. You don’t have to cut out animal products entirely to reap these benefits. For example, the Mediterranean diet includes small amounts of dairy, eggs, fish and poultry, and it’s linked with loads of health benefits. Still, prioritizing plant foods can make a difference when it comes to your health.