| Meal Plan at a Glance | ||
|---|---|---|
| Breakfast/ A.M. Snack | Lunch/ P.M. Snack | Dinner/ Evening Snack |
| French toast & berries/ Mixed nuts | Tuna rice bowl/ Cocoa chia pudding | Sweet chili salmon bowl |
| Vanilla-cranberry overnight oats/ Yogurt parfait | Chickpea salad lunch box/ Cocoa chia pudding | Balsamic chicken with arugula salad/ Crunchy chickpeas |
| Vanilla-cranberry overnight oats/ Edamame | Chickpea salad lunch box/ Cocoa chia pudding | Mojo chicken with veggies/ Crunchy chickpeas |
| Vanilla-cranberry overnight oats/ Mixed nuts | Chickpea salad/ Edamame | Creamy pesto shrimp & gnocchi/ Yogurt parfait |
| Yogurt parfait/ Mixed nuts | Chickpea salad/ Cottage cheese snack jar | Spicy chicken & cabbage stir-fry/ Apple & nut butter |
| Yogurt parfait/ Edamame | Chicken & feta wrap/ Cottage cheese snack jar | Chicken with rice & green beans/ Apple & nut butter |
| Yogurt parfait/ Edamame | Chicken & feta wrap/ Cottage cheese snack jar | High-protein pasta with peas/ Yogurt parfait |
Day 1
Jason Donnelly
Breakfast (403 Calories)
Morning Snack (199 Calories)
- ¼ cup unsalted dry-roasted mixed nuts
Lunch (394 calories)
Afternoon Snack (222 Calories)
Dinner (604 Calories)
Daily totals: 1,822 calories, 88 g fat, 93 g protein, 168 g carbohydrates, 34 g fiber, 1,724 mg sodium
To make it 1,500 calories: Omit morning snack and omit avocado from dinner.
To make it 2,000 calories: Add ¼ cup hummus with 1 cup cucumbers as an evening snack.
Day 2
Ali Redmond
Breakfast (422 Calories)
Morning Snack (125 Calories)
- ½ cup low-fat plain strained (Greek-style) yogurt
- ½ cup fresh blueberries
Lunch (422 calories)
Afternoon Snack (222 Calories)
Dinner (485 Calories)
Evening Snack (100 Calories)
Daily totals: 1,776 calories, 81 g fat, 90 g protein, 190 g carbohydrates, 44 g fiber, 1,399 mg sodium
To make it 1,500 calories: Omit blueberries from morning snack and omit afternoon snack.
To make it 2,000 calories: Increase morning snack to 1 cup low-fat plain strained (Greek-style) yogurt with 1 cup blueberries and add ½ cup low-fat plain strained (Greek-style) yogurt and ¼ cup cucumbers to evening snack to make a savory yogurt bowl.
Day 3
Photographer: Jake Sternquist, Food Stylist: Shannon Goforth, Prop Stylist: Breanna Ghazali.
Breakfast (422 Calories)
Morning Snack (129 Calories)
- 1 cup edamame, in pods (microwaved from frozen)
Lunch (505 calories)
Afternoon Snack (222 Calories)
Dinner (413 Calories)
Evening Snack (100 Calories)
Daily totals: 1,790 calories, 85 g fat, 94 g protein, 181 g carbohydrates, 49 g fiber, 1,422 mg sodium
To make it 1,500 calories: Omit yogurt from lunch and omit afternoon snack.
To make it 2,000 calories: Add ⅓ avocado to dinner and add ½ cup low-fat plain strained (Greek-style) yogurt and ¼ cup cucumbers to evening snack to make a savory yogurt bowl.
Day 4
Photographer: Greg DuPree, Prop stylist: Shell Royster, Food stylist: Emily Hall
Breakfast (422 Calories)
Morning Snack (199 Calories)
- ¼ cup unsalted dry-roasted mixed nuts
Lunch (422 calories)
Afternoon Snack (129 Calories)
- 1 cup edamame, in pods (microwaved from frozen)
Dinner (409 Calories)
Evening Snack (250 Calories)
- 1 cup low-fat plain strained (Greek-style) yogurt
- 1 cup blueberries
Daily totals: 1,830 calories, 86 g fat, 87 g protein, 192 g carbohydrates, 37 g fiber, 1,222 mg sodium
To make it 1,500 calories: Omit morning and afternoon snacks.
To make it 2,000 calories: Add ¼ cup hummus with 1 cup cucumbers to afternoon snack.
Day 5
Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist: Claire Spollen
Breakfast (381 Calories)
Morning Snack (199 Calories)
- ¼ cup unsalted dry-roasted mixed nuts
Lunch (422 calories)
Afternoon Snack (195 Calories)
Dinner (392 Calories)
Evening Snack (190 Calories)
- 1 medium apple
- 1 Tbsp. natural peanut butter
Daily totals: 1,779 calories, 81 g fat, 93 g protein, 173 g carbohydrates, 34 g fiber, 1,406 mg sodium
To make it 1,500 calories: Omit walnuts from breakfast and omit evening snack .
To make it 2,000 calories: Add 1 Tbsp. chia seeds to breakfast, add ½ cup blueberries to morning snack, and add 1 cup edamame, in pods (microwaved from frozen) to dinner.
Day 6
Photographer: Grant Webster, Food Stylist: Addelyn Evans, Prop Stylist: Gabe Greco
Breakfast (381 Calories)
Morning Snack (129 Calories)
- 1 cup edamame, in pods (microwaved from frozen)
Lunch (457 calories)
Afternoon Snack (195 Calories)
Dinner (459 Calories)
Evening Snack (190 Calories)
- 1 medium apple
- 1 Tbsp. natural peanut butter
Daily totals: 1,810 calories, 78 g fat, 124 g protein, 160 g carbohydrates, 36 g fiber, 1,547 mg sodium
To make it 1,500 calories: Omit morning and evening snacks.
To make it 2,000 calories: Add 1 Tbsp. chia seeds to breakfast, add ½ cup blueberries to morning snack, and add ⅓ avocado to lunch wrap.
Day 7
Photographer: Morgan Hunt Glaze, Prop Stylist: Claire Spollen, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer
Breakfast (381 Calories)
Morning Snack (129 Calories)
- 1 cup edamame, in pods (microwaved from frozen)
Lunch (457 calories)
Afternoon Snack (195 Calories)
Dinner (414 Calories)
Evening Snack (250 Calories)
- 1 cup low-fat plain strained (Greek-style) yogurt
- 1 cup blueberries
Daily totals: 1,825 calories, 71 g fat, 119 g protein, 181 g carbohydrates, 35 g fiber, 1,369 mg sodium
To make it 1,500 calories: Omit morning and afternoon snacks.
To make it 2,000 calories: Add 1 Tbsp. chia seeds to breakfast and add ⅓ avocado to lunch wrap.
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 diabetes-friendly 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 381 to 422 calories, while the lunches span 394 to 505 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.
Other Tips for Healthy Aging
Besides eating a well-rounded diet with plenty of fruits, veggies, whole grains, lean proteins and healthy fats, there are a few other lifestyle changes you can make for healthy aging. For one, try to stay active through a mix of aerobic activity, muscle-strengthening and balance work. This promotes heart health, metabolic health and helps prevent falls. It also helps combat age-related losses in muscle mass and bone density.
Also, don’t underestimate the importance of a good night’s sleep. This is when your body and brain slow down to rest and recover from the wear-and-tear of the day. Studies show that not getting enough quality sleep is linked with higher rates of depression, dementia, falls and cognitive decline. Other things that support healthy aging include keeping up with regular checkups with your health care providers, minimizing your alcohol intake, quitting smoking, regularly socializing and keeping your mind active through reading, writing or games.
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.
