Clean Eating meal Plan to the The Beginner’s 7-Day Guide

The term “Clean Eating Meal Plan” probably means that other foods are “dirty,” but in reality, it’s not. For us, “clean eating” means filling your plate with nutritious foods like whole grains, fruits and vegetables, lean proteins, healthy fats, and legumes—all of which provide important nutrients like fiber—while minimizing things like sugars, sodium, and saturated fat, nutrients that can harm our health when we eat too much.

The goal is to help you feel your best, and sometimes you need a kick to get started. If you’re new to cooking or just feeling swamped, this easy-to-follow Clean Eating Meal Plan is for you. We focus on simple recipes with short ingredient lists, incorporating pantry staples and repeat meals throughout the week to streamline your time in the kitchen.

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Whether you make a recipe or something, this meal plan is meant to provide inspiration and motivation—it’s not meant to be compulsive. Listen to your hunger and fullness cues instead of sticking to a specific calorie count or serving size, and don’t completely ignore your cravings! Enjoying a sweet treat or glass of wine here and there is perfectly fine and healthy, and not restricting these things can actually make it easier to maintain a healthy lifestyle for longer.

What Is a Clean Eating Meal Plan?

A Clean Eating Meal Plan includes fresh fruits and vegetables, high-fiber whole grains and legumes, healthy fats, and lean proteins (such as fish and chicken). It skips excess sugars and reduces sodium and saturated fats which can harm our hearts when we eat too much of them. While we’re certainly not against sweets, according to the American Heart Association, the average American consumes more sugar than the recommended upper limit of 6 teaspoons a day for women and 9 for men. Often, the added sugar we consume comes from non-sugar foods, such as cereals and bars. While we’ve left these foods out of this plan, you can certainly add them back where you see fit.

This plan will leave you feeling satisfied because it includes plenty of nutrients that keep us full, such as fiber (from fruits, vegetables, and legumes), lean proteins (from Greek yogurt, fish, and chicken), and healthy fats (from nuts and avocado). Regular meals and snacks from nutritious sources, plenty of water to help you stay hydrated throughout the week and moderate exercise mean more lasting energy.

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If you’re following this neat meal plan for weight loss, we set the calorie level at 1,500 per day, which is a level where most people lose weight, plus includes modifications to between 1,200 and 2,000 calories a day depending on your calorie needs.

What to Clean Eating Meal Plan Diet

• Vegetables: the more, the better, especially when it comes to leafy greens. Plain frozen vegetables are also a great option.
• Fruit: Choose fresh or plain frozen fruit. If looking for canned fruit, opt for canned options in water or fruit juice instead of sugar syrup. Remove and rinse canned fruits in syrup.
• Whole grains: Oats, whole wheat bread, barley, and quinoa are great choices.
• Nuts and seeds: Choose plain, raw, roasted, or salted nuts but skip most other flavorings (like honey) as they contain added sugars. When choosing peanut butter, choose brands with only two ingredients: peanuts and salt. Healthy fats: Fatty fish, such as salmon, as well as olive oil, canola, and avocado, are great healthy fat choices.
• Legumes: Beans and lentils are high in fiber and protein, plus canned options are convenient pantry staples.
• Lean protein: When choosing protein, choose more chicken, turkey, fish, low-fat Greek yogurt, and legumes.

How to Meal-Prep Your Week of Meals

A little prep at the beginning of the week goes a long way to make the rest of the week easy.

1. Make Vegan Superfood Grain Bowls to have for lunch on Days 2 through 5.
2. Prepare Citrus Vinaigrette to have with dinner throughout the week.

Day 1 Clean Eating Meal Plan

Breakfast (490 calories)

• 1 cup low-fat plain Greek yogurt (179 calories)
• 1/4 cup raspberries (19 calories)
• 3 Tbsp. chopped walnuts (292 calories)

A.M. Snack (77 calories)

• 1 medium orange

Lunch (360 calories)

• 1 serving White Bean & Veggie Salad

P.M. Snack (350 calories)

• 1 large apple (148 calories)
• 2 Tbsp. natural peanut butter (202 calories)

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Dinner (422 calories)

portion of Sheet-Pan Roasted Salmon & Vegetables

1. Meal-Prep Tip: Prepare ingredients for tomorrow’s dinner, Slow-Cooker Vegetable Minestrone Soup, so it’s ready to cook on Low tomorrow morning for 6 to 8 hours.
2. Daily Totals: 1,699 calories, 84 grams of protein, 142 grams of carbohydrates, 34 grams of fiber, 94 grams of fat, 1,141 milligrams of sodium
3. To Adjust to 1,200 Calories: Reduce breakfast walnuts to 1 tablespoon and halve the apple for the P.M. snack, while skipping the peanut butter.
4. To Adjust to 2,000 Calories: Increase breakfast yogurt to 1 1/2 cups and add 1/3 cup unsalted dry-roasted almonds to the A.M. snack.

Day 2 Clean Eating Meal Plan

Day 7 – Clean Eating meal Plan