7-Day Plant-Based High-Protein Meal Plan for Beginners, Created by a Dietitian Kick off your plant-forward diet with this simple weeklong meal plan. By Isabel Vasquez, RD, LDN Isabel Vasquez, RD, LDN Isabel Vasquez is a bilingual registered dietitian practicing from an intuitive eating, culturally sensitive framework. Her clinical experience includes providing outpatient nutrition counseling to adults with a variety of chronic health conditions, along with providing family-based treatment for eating disorders in children and adolescents. She also offers intuitive eating coaching for Latinas to heal their relationships with food, particularly their cultural foods. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines Published on May 12, 2025 Reviewed by Dietitian Jessica Ball, M.S., RD Reviewed by Dietitian Jessica Ball, M.S., RD Jessica Ball, M.S., RD, is the senior nutrition editor for EatingWell. She is a registered dietitian with a master's in food, nutrition and sustainability. In addition to EatingWell, her work has appeared in Food & Wine, Real Simple, Parents, Better Homes and Gardens and MyRecipes. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines In This Article View All In This Article Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5 Day 6 Day 7 FAQs Health Benefits Close Credit: Recipe photo: Jen Causey and Robby Lozano. EatingWell design. This 7-day plan is set at 1,800 calories, with modifications for 1,500 and 2,000 calories.Each day provides at least 80 grams of protein and 30 grams of fiber, and meals require 30 minutes or less of active prep time. This plan prioritizes plant foods rich in protein and fiber for satiety, heart health and healthy digestion. Plant foods tend to be lower in saturated fat and higher in fiber than animal products, which can support many aspects of health. In fact, research shows that following a plant-based diet may help lower your risk of health issues like high cholesterol, diabetes, heart disease and some cancers. However, if you’re used to eating meat, you may wonder how to eat enough protein while centering your diet around plant foods. That’s where this seven-day plant-based high-protein meal plan for beginners can help. The meals feature plenty of plant foods, with some dairy interspersed. Each day contains at least 80 grams of protein and 30 grams of fiber for gut health, heart health and satiety. To make it beginner-friendly, we made sure that each recipe’s active prep time is 30 minutes or less so you’re not spending hours in the kitchen. With three different calorie levels to choose from, you can easily customize this menu to fit your nutrition needs. Meal Plan at a Glance Breakfast/ AM Snack Lunch/ PM Snack Dinner/ Evening Snack Tofu scramble/ Clementines Black bean torta/ Peanuts Grain bowl/ Cereal Overnight oats/ Edamame Tofu salad/ Avocado toast Chili/ Clementines Overnight oats/ Peanuts Tofu salad/ Avocado toast Chili/ Clementines Overnight oats/ Clementines Tofu Salad/ Peanuts Soba noodles/ Cereal Peanut butter toast/ Clementines Tofu salad/ Edamame Quinoa bowl/ Dates & nut butter Peanut butter toast/ Peanuts Chili/ Edamame Tempeh bowl/ Dates Smoothie/ Dates Grain bowl/ Edamame Tofu tacos/ Cereal Day 1 Robby Lozano Breakfast (419 calories) 1 serving Tofu & Vegetable Scramble Morning Snack (70 calories) 2 clementines Lunch (354 calories) 1 serving Black Bean-Avocado Torta Afternoon Snack (214 calories) ¼ cup unsalted dry-roasted peanuts Dinner (503 calories) Chickpea & Quinoa Grain Bowl Evening Snack (236 calories) 1 cup Cheerios1 cup soy milk Daily totals: 1,796 calories, 76 g fat, 83 g protein, 223 g carbohydrates, 49 g fiber, 2,250 mg sodium To make it 1,500 calories: Omit morning snack and afternoon snack. To make it 2,000 calories: Add ⅓ avocado to breakfast and add 1 medium banana to afternoon snack, Day 2 Breakfast (371 calories) 1 serving Peanut Butter Protein Overnight Oats Morning Snack (200 calories) 1 cup edamame in pods Lunch (429 calories) 1 serving Citrus Lime Tofu Salad Afternoon Snack (230 calories) 1 serving White Bean & Avocado Toast Dinner (496 calories) 1 serving Slow-Cooker Sweet Potato & Black Bean Chili Evening Snack (70 calories) 2 clementines Daily totals: 1,795 calories, 68 g fat, 95 g protein, 239 g carbohydrates, 72 g fiber, 1,746 mg sodium To make it 1,500 calories: Omit afternoon snack and evening snack. To make it 2,000 calories: Add 2 Medjool dates to morning snack and add 1 cup strawberries to lunch. Day 3 Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall , Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless Breakfast (371 calories) 1 serving Peanut Butter Protein Overnight Oats Morning Snack (214 calories) ¼ cup unsalted dry-roasted peanuts Lunch (429 calories) 1 serving Citrus Lime Tofu Salad Afternoon Snack (230 calories) 1 serving White Bean & Avocado Toast Dinner (496 calories) 1 serving Slow-Cooker Sweet Potato & Black Bean Chili Evening Snack (70 calories) 2 clementines Daily totals: 1,809 calories, 80 g fat, 84 g protein, 230 g carbohydrates, 63 g fiber, 1,718 mg sodium To make it 1,500 calories: Omit morning snack and evening snack. To make it 2,000 calories: Add 2 Medjool dates to morning snack and add 1 cup strawberries to lunch. Day 4 Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Melissa Gray, Prop Stylist: Shell Royster Breakfast (371 calories) 1 serving Peanut Butter Protein Overnight Oats Morning Snack (70 calories) 2 clementines Lunch (429 calories) 1 serving Citrus Lime Tofu Salad Afternoon Snack (214 calories) ¼ cup unsalted dry-roasted peanuts Dinner (491 calories) 1 serving 5-Ingredient Peanutty Soba Noodles Evening Snack (236 calories) 1 cup Cheerios1 cup soy milk Daily totals: 1,811 calories, 82 g fat, 85 g protein, 203 g carbohydrates, 35 g fiber, 1,850 mg sodium To make it 1,500 calories: Omit morning snack and evening snack. To make it 2,000 calories: Add 2 Medjool dates to afternoon snack and add 1 cup strawberries to lunch. Day 5 Photography: Carson Downing, Food Stylist: Holly Dreesman, Prop Stylist: Gabe Greco Breakfast (398 calories) 1 serving Peanut Butter-Banana Cinnamon Toast 1 cup soy milk Morning Snack (70 calories) 2 clementines Lunch (429 calories) 1 serving Citrus Lime Tofu Salad Afternoon Snack (200 calories) 1 cup edamame in pods Dinner (500 calories) 1 serving Black Bean–Quinoa Bowl Evening Snack (229 calories) 2 pitted Medjool dates1 Tbsp. peanut butter Daily totals: 1,826 calories, 75 g fat, 92 g protein, 222 g carbohydrates, 53 g fiber, 1,447 mg sodium To make it 1,500 calories: Omit morning snack and evening snack. To make it 2,000 calories: Add ¼ cup unsalted dry-roasted peanuts to morning snack. Day 6 Breakfast (398 calories) 1 serving Peanut Butter-Banana Cinnamon Toast 1 cup soy milk Morning Snack (214 calories) ¼ cup unsalted dry-roasted peanuts Lunch (496 calories) 1 serving Slow-Cooker Sweet Potato & Black Bean Chili Afternoon Snack (200 calories) 1 cup edamame in pods Dinner (333 calories) 1 serving Gochujang-Glazed Tempeh & Brown Rice Bowls Evening Snack (133 calories) 2 pitted Medjool dates Daily totals: 1,775 calories, 59 g fat, 83 g protein, 251 g carbohydrates, 56 g fiber, 1,627 mg sodium To make it 1,500 calories: Omit soy milk from breakfast and omit evening snack. To make it 2,000 calories: Add 1 cup Cheerios and 1 cup soy milk to evening snack. Day 7 Jason Donnelly Breakfast (359 calories) 1 serving Strawberry-Banana Protein Smoothie Morning Snack (133 calories) 2 pitted Medjool dates Lunch (451 calories) 1 serving Vegan Superfood Grain Bowls 2 clementines Afternoon Snack (129 calories) 1 cup edamame in pods Dinner (512 calories) 1 serving Chipotle Tofu Tacos ½ avocado Evening Snack (236 calories) 1 cup Cheerios1 cup soy milk Daily totals: 1,820 calories, 78 g fat, 81 g protein, 231 g carbohydrates, 51 g fiber, 1,005 mg sodium To make it 1,500 calories: Omit morning snack and omit avocado from dinner. To make it 2,000 calories: Add 1 Tbsp. peanut butter to morning snack and add 2 clementines to afternoon snack. Prep Ahead Tips Prep the Peanut Butter Protein Overnight Oats all at once for breakfast on Days 2 through 4. Make all 4 servings of the Citrus Lime Tofu Salad at once. Store the salad and dressing separately and pour the dressing on the salad when you’re ready to eat lunch each day. 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 plant-based 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 359 to 419 calories, while the lunches span 354 to 496 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 Plant-Based Diets Plant-based diets are linked with a number of health benefits. They’re particularly beneficial for heart health since they tend to be low in saturated fat and high in fiber. Plant-based diets can also help lower your risk of type 2 diabetes and certain kinds of cancers. The fiber, antioxidants and other nutrients in plant foods help promote a healthy gut microbiome, which improves insulin sensitivity, reduces inflammation and supports gut health. You don’t have to cut out animal products entirely to reap these benefits. For example, the Mediterranean diet includes small amounts of dairy, eggs, fish and poultry, and it’s linked with loads of health benefits. Still, prioritizing plant foods can make a difference when it comes to your health. 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. Dig Deeper Is Plant-Based Meat Healthy? Here's What a Dietitian Has to Say Complete Plant-Based Diet Grocery List Explore more: Meal Plans High-Protein Meal Plans Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit Sources EatingWell uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable and trustworthy. Key TJ, Papier K, Tong TYN. Plant-based diets and long-term health: findings from the EPIC-Oxford study. Proc Nutr Soc. 2022;81(2):190-198. doi:10.1017/S0029665121003748 American Heart Association. How does Plant-Forward (Plant-Based) Eating Benefit Your Health? Mullins AP, Arjmandi BH. Health Benefits of Plant-Based Nutrition: Focus on Beans in Cardiometabolic Diseases. Nutrients. 2021;13(2):519. doi:10.3390/nu13020519 American Heart Association. What is the Mediterranean Diet? 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