In This ArticleView AllIn This ArticleWhy This Meal Plan Is Great for YouFrequently Asked QuestionsAdded vs. Natural Sugars—What’s the Difference?What Are Complex Carbohydrates?Best Foods to Boost Your EnergyHow to Meal-Prep Your Week of Meals:Day 1Day 2Day 3Day 4Day 5Day 6Day 7
In This ArticleView All
View All
In This Article
Why This Meal Plan Is Great for You
Frequently Asked Questions
Added vs. Natural Sugars—What’s the Difference?
What Are Complex Carbohydrates?
Best Foods to Boost Your Energy
How to Meal-Prep Your Week of Meals:
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 5
Day 6
Day 7
Although sugar delivers a quick boost of energy, it can later lead to the dreaded blood sugar crash, leaving you feeling even more exhausted than when you started. And the reality is that most people eat way more added sugars than they realize. The average American adult consumes 17 teaspoons (68 grams) of added sugar every day, per theCenters for Disease Control and Prevention. That’s far more than theAmerican Heart Association’srecommended max of 6 teaspoons for females and 9 for males. Though added sugars certainly don’t need to be avoided altogether, focusing on consistent meals and snacks with complex carbohydrates balanced with protein and healthy fats will keep you energized all day.
How We Create Meal PlansRegistered 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.
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.
This 1,500-calorie meal plan has modifications for 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.
Frequently Asked QuestionsWe 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.
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.
The No. 1 Snack to Eat When You Need an Energy Boost
While sugar is present in a lot of foods, it’s important to differentiate betweennatural and added sugar. Natural sugar is present in foods such as fruit, starchy vegetables, carbohydrates and unsweetened dairy. Added sugar is not naturally occurring and is added to foods to increase sweetness. Added sugar can be listed as high-fructose corn syrup, honey, maple syrup, coconut sugar, simply sugar or more (there are65 different names for sugar); however, these are all considered added sugar despite the fact that honey and maple syrup are naturally produced sugar.
Commonly consumed foods with added sugar are sugar-sweetened beverages—such as soda—and sauces, including ketchup and BBQ sauce. Since 2018, per theFDA’snew guidelines, the nutrition label breaks out added sugar from natural sugar so you can see how much is in the food per serving.
Unlike sugar, carbohydrates are not distinguished into simple and complex on nutrition labels, even though they act differently in your body. Simple carbohydrates, such as honey, sugar and milk, are composed of just one or two sugar molecules, so they break down quickly when digested.Complex carbohydratesare composed of multiple nutrients and, therefore, take longer for your body to digest. Examples of complex carbs are grains, beans, fruits and vegetables. Because complex carbs contain additional nutrients, such as fiber, it’s best to choose these over simple carbs when possible.
Prioritizenutrient-rich foodsthat are high in complex carbohydrates, fiber and protein to help your blood sugar stay even throughout the day:
Breakfast (395 calories)
A.M. Snack (121 calories)
Lunch (359 calories)
P.M. Snack (181 calories)
Dinner (452 calories)
Daily Totals:1,508 calories, 83 g fat, 93 g protein, 102 g carbohydrates, 22 g fiber, 1,440 mg sodium
To make it 2,000 calories:Increase the blueberries and yogurt to 1 cup at morning snack, increase the cacao nibs to 1 oz., the pecans to 16 and the apricots to 14 at afternoon snack, and add 1 serving whole-wheat baguette at lunch.
Breakfast (310 calories)
A.M. Snack (192 calories)
Lunch (368 calories)
P.M. Snack (214 calories)
Dinner (414 calories)
Daily Totals:1,497 calories, 55 g fat, 104 g protein, 159 g carbohydrates, 28 g fiber, 1,546 mg sodium
To make it 2,000 calories:Increase the yogurt and strawberries at breakfast to 1 1/4 cups, increase the cacao nibs to 1 oz. at morning snack, increase the walnuts to 1/2 cup at afternoon snack, and add 1 servingBasic Green Salad with Vinaigretteto dinner.
Photographer/Antonis Achilleos, Prop Stylist/Kay Clarke, Food Stylist/Emily Nabors Hall
A.M. Snack (233 calories)
P.M. Snack (271 calories)
Dinner (323 calories)
Daily Totals:1,504 calories, 51 g fat, 91 g protein, 187 g carbohydrates, 49 g fiber, 1,812 mg sodium
To make it 2,000 calories:Increase the yogurt to 1 cup at breakfast, increase the hummus and carrots to 1 cup at morning snack, and increase the almonds to 1/2 cup at afternoon snack.
A.M. Snack (305 calories)
P.M. Snack (195 calories)
Daily Totals:1,499 calories, 49 g fat, 81 g protein, 192 g carbohydrates, 38 g fiber, 1,547 mg sodium
To make it 2,000 calories:Increase the strawberries to 1 cup at breakfast, increase the peanut butter to 1/4 cup at morning snack, double the serving of the Chicken & White Bean Soup at lunch, and increase the popcorn to 3 1/2 cups at afternoon snack.
A.M. Snack (265 calories)
Lunch (323 calories)
Dinner (334 calories)
Daily Totals:1,503 calories, 61 g fat, 74 g protein, 177 g carbohydrates, 46 g fiber, 1,283 mg sodium
To make it 2,000 calories:Increase the yogurt to 1 cup and the strawberries to 1 1/4 cups at breakfast, double the chili serving at lunch, and double the blackberries at afternoon snack.
Will Dickey
Breakfast (350 calories)
A.M. Snack (206 calories)
Lunch (345 calories)
P.M. Snack (171 calories)
Dinner (446 calories)
Daily Totals: 1,518 calories, 77 g fat, 77 g protein, 141 g carbohydrates, 26 g fiber, 1,322 mg sodium
To make it 2,000 calories:Increase the almonds to 1/2 cup at morning snack, add 2 clementines to lunch, and increase the apricots to 1 cup at afternoon snack.
Breakfast (293 calories)
Lunch (269 calories)
Dinner (445 calories)
Daily Totals:1,510 calories, 79 g fat, 76 g protein, 131 g carbohydrates, 35 g fiber, 2,157 mg sodium
To make it 2,000 calories:Add a small banana and eat the whole English muffin at breakfast, increase the hummus and carrots to 1 cup at morning snack, swap the small apple for a large apple at lunch, and increase the almonds to 1/3 cup at afternoon snack.
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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.Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025.
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.Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025.
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.Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025.
