In This ArticleView AllIn This ArticleWhy This PlanDay 1Day 2Day 3Day 4Day 5Day 6Day 7Meal Prep TipsFAQsEating During MenopauseFoods to Focus On
In This ArticleView All
View All
In This Article
Why This Plan
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 5
Day 6
Day 7
Meal Prep Tips
FAQs
Eating During Menopause
Foods to Focus On
Close
Menopause can be uncomfortable, especially if you’re experiencingsymptomslike hot flashes, joint and muscle pain and trouble sleeping. Luckily, there are lifestyle habits and foods that can help make it more manageable and support your health during this stage of life. Specifically,nutrientslike protein, fiber, omega-3 fatty acids, calcium and magnesium are important for the body’s changing needs during this transition. In this seven-day meal plan, we focused on high-protein and high-fiber meals as well as dishes that are packed with omega-3s to help support overall health for those going through menopause.
Why This Plan Is Great for You
There are likely a lot of things on your mind if you’re going through menopause, so make mealtimes easier with this dietitian-created plan. This meal plan focuses on high-protein, high-fiber recipes and prioritizes omega-3-rich foods like chia seeds, avocados, fish and walnuts to help reduce menopause symptoms and support healthy hormone changes. With balanced meals planned every day, each day provides at least 80 grams of protein and 30 grams of fiber to help maintain muscle mass and support a healthy gut. This 1,800-calorie meal plan has modifications for 1,500 and 2,000 calories to support those with differentcalorie needs.
While we previously included meal plans and modifications for 1,200 calories, we no longer do. The 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans suggests that limiting your 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.
Breakfast (462 Calories)
A.M. Snack (201 Calories)
Lunch (452 Calories)
P.M. Snack ( 219 Calories)
Dinner (463 Calories)
Make it 1,500 calories:OmitChunky Black Bean Salsa with Corn and Bell Pepperat lunch and omit P.M. snack.
Make it 2,000 calories:Make it ½ cupChunky Black Bean Salsa with Corn and Bell Pepperat lunch and add 1 large hard-boiled egg to P.M. snack.
Daily Totals: 1,798 calories, 77g fat, 21g saturated fat, 100g protein, 197g carbohydrate, 35g fiber, 1,741 mg sodium
Photographer: Grant Webster, Food Stylist: Holly Dreesman, Prop Stylist: Lexi Juhl
Breakfast (266 Calories)
A.M Snack ( 275 Calories)
Lunch (588 Calories)
P.M. Snack ( 251 Calories)
Dinner (518 Calories)
Make it 1,500 calories: Omit A.M. snack.
Make it 2,000 calories: Add another serving ofHigh-Protein Lemon-Blueberry Energy Ballsto P.M. snack.
Daily Totals: 1,897 calories, 82g fat, 19g saturated fat, 90g protein, 201g carbohydrate, 30g fiber, 2,056mg sodium
Carson Downing
Breakfast (371 Calories)
A.M. Snack (160 Calories)
Lunch (491 Calories)
P.M Snack (314 Calories)
Dinner (499 Calories)
Make it 1,500 calories: Omit avocado at lunch and walnuts at P.M. snack.
Make it 2,000 calories: Add another serving ofQuinoa & Chia Oatmeal Mixat breakfast and add 1 Tbsp. chopped walnuts to A.M. snack.
Daily Totals: 1,836 calories, 74g fat, 12g saturated fat, 125g protein, 166g carbohydrate, 41g fiber, 1,698g sodium
Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Rishon Hanners, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless
A.M Snack (286 Calories)
P.M. Snack (129 Calories)
Dinner (555 Calories)
Make it 1,500 calories: Omit A.M snack.
Make it 2,000 calories: Add ½ cup halved strawberries to breakfast, ½ avocado to lunch and another ½ cup edamame to P.M. snack/
Daily Totals: 1,823 calories, 82g fat, 26g saturated fat, 87g protein, 192g carbohydrate, 37g fiber, 1,819mg sodium
Breakfast (278 Calories)
A.M. Snack (240 Calories)
P.M. Snack (251 Calories)
Dinner (491 Calories)
Make it 1,500 calories: Omit P.M. snack.
Make it 2,000 calories: Add 1 Tbsp. chopped walnuts to A.M snack and have 4High-Protein Lemon-Blueberry Energy Ballsat P.M. snack.
Daily Totals: 1,757 calories, 77g fat, 14g saturated fat, 102g protein, 191g carbohydrate, 37g fiber, 1,560mg sodium
Ali Redmond
Breakfast (396 Calories)
A.M. Snack ( 190 Calories)
P.M. Snack (315 Calories)
Dinner (345 Calories)
Make it 1,500 calories:Omit P.M. snack.
Make it 2,000 calories:Add ½ avocado to dinner.
Daily Totals: 1,834 calories, 84g fat, 19g saturated fat, 91g protein, 190g carbohydrate, 40g fiber, 2,226mg sodium
Breakfast (525 Calories)
A.M Snack (229 Calories)
Lunch (328 Calories)
Dinner (628 Calories)
Make it 1,500 calories: Omit toast at breakfast and omit A.M. snack.
Make it 2,000 calories: Add another 1 Tbsp. walnuts to A.M. snack and add ½ cup cottage cheese to P.M. snack.
Daily Totals: 1,839 calories, 69g fat, 13g saturated fat, 137g protein, 177g carbohydrate, 32g fiber, 2,085mg sodium
How to Meal-Prep Your Week of Meals:
Frequently Asked QuestionsYes! This meal plan is meant to serve as a framework for a healthy eating pattern for menopause. It doesn’t need to be followed exactly to reap the benefits. When choosing recipes, we made sure to check calories, protein and sodium so they would fit within the total calorie goal of 1,800 calories per day, be within our sodium limits and be high in antioxidants. If you’re making a recipe swap, it may be helpful to choose a recipe with similar calories, protein and sodium levels. For more inspiration, check out thesehigh-protein, high-fiber recipes.Definitely, it’s fine to eat the same breakfast or lunch every day. The breakfasts range from 196 to 422 calories, while the lunches span 328 to 588 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.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.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! This meal plan is meant to serve as a framework for a healthy eating pattern for menopause. It doesn’t need to be followed exactly to reap the benefits. When choosing recipes, we made sure to check calories, protein and sodium so they would fit within the total calorie goal of 1,800 calories per day, be within our sodium limits and be high in antioxidants. If you’re making a recipe swap, it may be helpful to choose a recipe with similar calories, protein and sodium levels. For more inspiration, check out thesehigh-protein, high-fiber recipes.
Definitely, it’s fine to eat the same breakfast or lunch every day. The breakfasts range from 196 to 422 calories, while the lunches span 328 to 588 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.
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.
Tips for Healthy Eating During Menopause
How We Create Meal PlansRegistered dietitians thoughtfully createEatingWell’smeal 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.
How We Create Meal Plans
Registered dietitians thoughtfully createEatingWell’smeal 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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SourcesEatingWell uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable and trustworthy.U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.2020-20205 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.Erdélyi A, Pálfi E, Tűű L, Nas K, Szűcs Z, Török M, Jakab A, Várbíró S.The Importance of Nutrition in Menopause and Perimenopause—A Review.Nutrients. 2024; 16(1):27. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16010027
Sources
EatingWell uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable and trustworthy.U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.2020-20205 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.Erdélyi A, Pálfi E, Tűű L, Nas K, Szűcs Z, Török M, Jakab A, Várbíró S.The Importance of Nutrition in Menopause and Perimenopause—A Review.Nutrients. 2024; 16(1):27. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16010027
EatingWell uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable and trustworthy.
U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.2020-20205 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.Erdélyi A, Pálfi E, Tűű L, Nas K, Szűcs Z, Török M, Jakab A, Várbíró S.The Importance of Nutrition in Menopause and Perimenopause—A Review.Nutrients. 2024; 16(1):27. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16010027
U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.2020-20205 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
Erdélyi A, Pálfi E, Tűű L, Nas K, Szűcs Z, Török M, Jakab A, Várbíró S.The Importance of Nutrition in Menopause and Perimenopause—A Review.Nutrients. 2024; 16(1):27. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16010027
