Nutrition & Recipes

7-Day High-Protein, Gut-Healthy Meal Plan

7-Day High-Protein, Gut-Healthy Meal Plan

Meal Plan at a Glance
Breakfast/ AM Snack Lunch/ PM SnackDinner/ Evening Snack
Protein shake/ Nuts & berriesTzatziki bowl/ YogurtSalmon with salad
Chia pudding/ YogurtVeggie sandwich/ Tuna salad spreadTzatziki bowl
Chia pudding/ Nuts & berriesWhite chicken chili/ Cottage cheeseBaked brie pasta
Chia pudding/ Apple & nut butterVeggie sandwich/ Tuna salad spreadOne-pot chicken orzo
Chia pudding/ Apple & nut butterWhite chicken chili/ YogurtSheet-pan tacos
Protein shake/ Cottage cheeseWhite chicken chili/ Nuts & datesOne-pot pasta/ Nice cream
SmoothieOne-pot pasta/ Yogurt & datesChicken & veggies/ Nice cream

Day 1 

Photographer Victor Protasio, Food Stylist Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist Christina Daley


Breakfast (337 Calories) 

Morning Snack (256 Calories) 

  • ¼ cup dry roasted, unsalted peanuts
  • ½ cup blueberries

Lunch (514 calories) 

Afternoon Snack (202 Calories) 

  • 1 cup plain, nonfat Greek yogurt
  • 2 clementines 

Dinner (514 Calories) 

Daily totals: 1824 calories, 96 g fat, 95 g protein, 167 g carbohydrates, 36 g fiber, 1392 mg sodium

To make it 1,500 calories: Omit peanuts and clementines from snacks.

To make it 2,000 calories: Add 2 hard-boiled eggs to breakfast. 

Day 2

Photographer Victor Protasio, Food Stylist Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist Christina Daley


Breakfast (422 Calories) 

Morning Snack (202 Calories) 

  • 1 cup plain, nonfat Greek yogurt
  • 2 clementines 

Lunch (534 calories) 

Afternoon Snack (149 Calories) 

Dinner (514 Calories) 

Daily totals: 1821 calories, 74 g fat, 87 g protein, 213 g carbohydrates, 43 g fiber, 1611 mg sodium

To make it 1,500 calories: Eat ½ serving of strawberry chia pudding for breakfast and omit clementines from morning snack.

To make it 2,000 calories: Add ¼ cup dry roasted, unsalted peanuts for evening snack.

Day 3 

Photographer: Robby Lozano, Food Stylist: Marianne Williams, Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle


Breakfast (422 Calories) 

Morning Snack (284 Calories) 

  • ¼ cup dry roasted, unsalted peanuts
  • 2 clementines

Lunch (403 calories) 

Afternoon Snack (124 Calories) 

  • ½ cup 1% cottage cheese with probiotics
  • ½ cup blueberries

Dinner (547 Calories) 

Daily totals: 1779 calories, 93 g fat, 84 g protein, 175 g carbohydrates, 42 g fiber, 1976 mg sodium

To make it 1,500 calories: Eat ½ serving of strawberry chia pudding for breakfast and omit clementines from morning snack. 

To make it 2,000 calories: Add 2 pitted medjool dates with 1 tablespoon peanut butter for evening snack.

Day 4

Photographer: Robby Lozano, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Lydia Pursell


Breakfast (422 Calories) 

Morning Snack (193 Calories) 

Lunch (534 calories) 

Afternoon Snack (149 Calories) 

Dinner (536 Calories) 

Daily totals: 1834 calories, 73 g fat, 95 g protein, 212 g carbohydrates, 45 g fiber, 1796 mg sodium

To make it 1,500 calories: Omit snacks. 

To make it 2,000 calories: Add ¼ cup dry roasted, unsalted peanuts for evening snack.

Day 5

Photographer: Morgan Hunt Glaze, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Abby Armstrong


Breakfast (422 Calories) 

Morning Snack (193 Calories) 

Lunch (403 calories) 

Afternoon Snack (202 Calories) 

  • 1 cup plain, nonfat Greek yogurt
  • 2 clementines  

Dinner (535 Calories) 

Daily totals: 1756 calories, 67 g fat, 92 g protein, 214 g carbohydrates, 54 g fiber, 1540 mg sodium

To make it 1,500 calories: Omit AM snack and clementines from afternoon snack. 

To make it 2,000 calories: Add ¼ cup dry roasted, unsalted peanuts for evening snack.

Day 6 

Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Priscilla Montiel


Breakfast (337 Calories) 

Morning Snack (124 Calories) 

  • ½ cup 1% cottage cheese with probiotics
  • ½ cup blueberries 

Lunch (403 calories) 

Afternoon Snack (347 Calories) 

  • ¼ cup dry roasted, unsalted peanuts
  • 2 pitted medjool dates

Dinner (478 Calories) 

Evening Snack (128 Calories) 

Daily totals: 1817 calories, 67 g fat, 89 g protein, 240 g carbohydrates, 44 g fiber, 2039 mg sodium

To make it 1,500 calories: Omit afternoon snack. 

To make it 2,000 calories: Add 2 hard-boiled eggs to breakfast. 

Day 7 

photographer: Jen Causey, food stylist: Julian Hensarling, prop stylist: Josh Hoggle


Breakfast (448 Calories) 

Lunch (478 calories) 

Afternoon Snack (266 Calories) 

  • 1 cup plain, nonfat Greek yogurt
  • 2 pitted medjool dates

Dinner (502 Calories) 

Evening Snack (128 Calories) 

Daily totals: 1822 calories, 70 g fat, 95 g protein, 227 g carbohydrates, 46 g fiber, 1716 mg sodium

To make it 1,500 calories: Omit walnuts from breakfast, dates from afternoon snack, and evening snack. 

To make it 2,000 calories: Add ¼ cup dry roasted, unsalted peanuts for morning snack.

Prep Ahead Tips:

  • Prep the white bean mixture for lunch (Beet & White Bean Sandwiches) on days 2 and 4 at once. It stays fresh in the fridge for up to three days if you store it in an airtight container.
  • You can prep the chia pudding mixture for breakfast (Strawberry Chia Pudding) days 2 through 5 ahead. It stays fresh for up to four days covered and refrigerated.
  • Prep the Instant Pot White Chicken Chili Freezer Pack when you have time and freeze any leftovers that you’re not using this week. It’ll stay good in your freezer for up to three months.
  • Prep the Chocolate Strawberry Nice Cream at least four hours before you plan on eating it. You can keep it in the freezer for up to 1 month.

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 gut healthy 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 337 to 448 calories while the lunches span 403 to 534 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 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.

Health Benefits of This Meal Plan 

  • Supports gut health. This meal plan contains at least 30 grams of fiber per day. It’s also rich in probiotics and low in added sugars. This makes it great for gut health. These nutrients help the bacteria in your gut to grow and thrive, and maintain a healthy balance of different strains of bacteria.
  • Promotes satiety. Protein and fiber take longer to digest than other nutrients, so they help you feel fuller longer. Since the meals and snacks in this meal plan are high in these nutrients, they can help you stay satisfied for longer so you’re not hungry again an hour after eating. 
  • Supports muscle growth. Since this meal plan is also high in protein, with at least 80 grams per day, it can also help you build muscle. Protein helps repair and rebuild your muscles after you do resistance training. Just know that eating protein alone won’t lead to muscle growth; you need to do regular resistance training, too. 

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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