7-Day No-Sugar Vegetarian Meal Plan, Created by a Dietitian

Reviewed by Dietitian Sarah Pflugradt, Ph.D., RDN, CSCS

About This Plan

• This 7-day plan is set at 1,500 calories, with modifications for 2,000 calories.

• Each day provides at least 55 g of protein and 24 g of fiber for satiety.

• This plan prioritizes healthy plant-based foods with no added sugars.

Data shows that more people are interested in following a plant-based diet than ever before. This isn’t a massive surprise since research has shown that people who eat less meat and more vegetarian protein sources, such as beans, tofu and soy, are less likely to develop cardiovascular disease, especially if they start early. Additionally, many of the same health benefits of a vegetarian diet, such as a reduced risk of diabetes, are also seen when individuals reduce their sugar intake. This 7-day plan provides a plant-based eating pattern with whole food ingredients like beans, fruits, eggs and whole grains—with no-added sugar. Let’s get started.

Day 1

Daily Totals: 1,501 calories, 61 g protein, 122 g carbohydrate, 24 g fiber, 90 g fat, 1,819 mg sodium.

Breakfast (297 calories)

Lunch (350 calories)

Dinner (416 calories)

Snacks

• 1 clementine and 1/4 cup unsalted dry-roasted almonds (241 calories)

To make it 2,000 calories: Add 1 large banana to breakfast, increase almonds to ⅓ cup at A.M. snack, add 1 serving 2-Ingredient Peanut Butter Banana Ice cream as an evening snack.

Meal-Prep Tips

Day 2

Daily Totals: 1,628 calories, 65 g protein, 165 g carbohydrate, 32 g fiber, 68 g fat, 1,622 mg sodium.

Breakfast (437 calories)

• Serve with 2 hard-boiled eggs

Lunch (470 calories)

• Serve with one slice whole-wheat baguette

Dinner (423 calories)

Snacks

• 1 cup raspberries (64 calories)

To make it 2,000 calories: Add 1 whole-wheat English muffin to breakfast, add 3 Tbsp. almonds to A.M. snack, increase to 2 servings Avocado & Salsa Cracker at afternoon snack, and increase to 1 serving 2-Ingredient Peanut Butter Banana Ice Cream at evening snack.

Day 3

Daily Totals: 1,505 calories, 77 g protein, 144 g carbohydrates, 34 g fiber, 75 g fat, 1,839 mg sodium.

Breakfast (304 calories)

• 1 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt

Lunch (470 calories)

• 1 slice whole-wheat baguette

Dinner (471 calories)

Snacks

• 1 medium apple and 1/2 ounce Cheddar cheese (152 calories)

To make it 2,000 calories: Add 1 hard-boiled egg to breakfast, add 1 cup baby carrots and increase to 2 servings dip at A.M. snack, increase to 1½ oz. cheese at P.M. snack, and increase to 1½ servings chili at dinner.

Meal-Prep Tips

Day 4

Daily Totals: 1,506 calories, 55 g protein, 193 g carbohydrate, 38 g fiber, 64 g fat, 2,152 mg sodium.

Breakfast (391 calories)

Lunch (323 calories)

Dinner (359 calories)

Snacks

• 2 plums and 1 hard-boiled egg with hot sauce (139 calories)

To make it 2,000 calories: Add 2 Tbsp. peanut butter to breakfast, add an additional plum and 1 oz. Cheddar cheese to P.M. snack, and add 2 servings Lemon Aioli to dinner.

Day 5

Daily Totals: 1,510 calories, 57 g protein, 160 g carbohydrate, 28 g fiber, 76 g fat, 1,522 mg sodium.

Breakfast (344 calories)

• Serve with 1 hard-boiled egg

Lunch (242 calories)

Dinner (357 calories)

Snacks

• 2 clementines, ½ cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt and ¼ cup sliced almonds (269 calories)

To make it 2,000 calories: Increase to 2 servings Peanut Butter Toast at breakfast, add 10 almonds to lunch, add 2 Soy Sauce Eggs to dinner, and increase to 2 servings evening snack.

Day 6

Daily Totals: 1,503 calories, 62 g protein, 163 g carbohydrates, 38 g fiber, 70 g fat, 2,099 mg sodium.

Breakfast (233 calories)

• Serve with 3/4 cup fresh raspberries

Lunch (501 calories)

• Serve with 2 slices whole-wheat toast and 1 leaf butter lettuce

Dinner (301 calories)

Snacks

• 1 pear and 1/2 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt (168 calories)

To make it 2,000 calories: Increase to 2 servings Egg Bites at breakfast, increase to 1 cup yogurt at A.M. snack, increase to 1 1/2 servings popcorn at P.M. snack, and increase to 1 serving ice cream at evening snack.

Day 7

Daily Totals: 1,502 calories, 56 g protein, 153 g carbohydrate, 27 g fiber, 82 g fat, 1,821 mg sodium.

Breakfast (297 calories)

Lunch (301 calories)

Dinner (641 calories)

Snacks

• 1 medium banana and 1 Tbsp. natural peanut butter (210 calories)

• 1 pear and 1/2 cup edamame in pods (201 calories)

To make it 2,000 calories: Add 1 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt and ½ cup raspberries to breakfast, and add 1 serving 2-Ingredient Peanut Butter Banana Ice Cream for evening snack.

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 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 No-Added Sugar 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 233 to 437 calories while the lunches span 242 to 501 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 modification for 1,200 calories?

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.

What is the difference between natural and added sugars?

Natural sugars are found in fruits, vegetables and dairy foods. Added sugars are any sugars that have been added during the processing of a food. This includes “natural” sugars like honey, maple syrup and agave.

Health Benefits of Reducing Added Sugar

The average American adult consumes 68 grams of added sugar per day, which is 17 teaspoons or ⅓ cup. Yet, the recommendation is to cap daily added sugar intake at 6 teaspoons for women and 9 teaspoons for men. Ditching added sugars, like those added during processing, as well as natural sugars, such as maple syrup, honey and coconut sugar, may seem difficult at first, but once you start to eat less sugar, you crave it less too. Reducing added sugar in your diet can lead to some pretty substantial health benefits, such as reduced inflammation and risk of cavities. Excess added sugar also disrupts the metabolic process, which can lead to type 2 diabetes, heart disease, metabolic syndrome and liver dysfunction.

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.

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