The meals and snacks in this plan include plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds; not only that, but the foods in each category are known to have the highest fiber content—think chickpeas pear, oatmeal, black beans and chia seeds.
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The best plan to help you lose weight, improve gut health, help your heart, lower diabetes risk & help you poop better.
Fiber is a nutrition rock star with some pretty amazing health benefits. Research credits eating more fiber with weight loss, healthier gut bacteria, more regularity in your gut (aka better poops), a healthy heart and decreased risk of diabetes. So, if fiber can do all that, why are 95% of Americans still not getting enough? On average, Americans only eat 16 grams of fiber a day—far from the 28 grams recommended in the 2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
In this 7-day high-fiber meal plan, your meals and snacks for the week are all planned for you to make it easy and delicious to get your fill of fiber every day. The meals and snacks in this plan include plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds; not only that, but the foods in each category are known to have the highest fiber content—think chickpeas pear, oatmeal, black beans and chia seeds. Whether you follow this meal plan exactly or just take a few ideas from here and there, you'll have a much easier time getting the fiber you need to feel better and stay healthy.
If you're not used to eating high-fiber foods, introduce them into your diet slowly and drink extra water throughout the day. Eating too much fiber, too quickly can lead to stomach cramping. We set this plan at 1,200 calories a day with modifications to bump it up to 1,500 or 2,000 calories, depending on your calorie needs.
How to Meal-Prep Your Week of Meals:
Prepare Baked Banana-Nut Oatmeal Cups to have for breakfast and snacks throughout the week. Assemble Brussels Sprouts Salad with Crunchy Chickpeas to have for lunch on Days 2 through 5. Make two servings Apple Cinnamon Chia Pudding to have for breakfast on Days 2 & 3.
Tip: Pack your meals in air-tight meal-prep containers to keep them fresh for the week. (To buy: amazon.com, $39 for set of 8).
Day 1
Roasted Chicken & Winter Squash over Mixed Greens
Breakfast (343 calories, 12 g fiber)
1 serving Really Green Smoothie
A.M. Snack (35 calories, 1 g fiber)
1 clementine
Lunch (314 calories, 11 g fiber)
1 serving White Bean & Avocado Toast
1 small pear
P.M. Snack (105 calories, 2 g fiber)
8 dried walnut halves
Dinner (415 calories, 7 g fiber)
1 serving Roasted Chicken & Winter Squash over Mixed Greens
Daily Totals: 1,211 calories, 52 g protein, 162 g carbohydrate, 38 g fiber, 50 g fat, 1,226 mg sodium
To Make it 1,500 Calories: Add 1/3 cup dry-roasted unsalted almonds to A.M. snack.
To Make it 2,000 Calories: Include all modifications for the 1,500 calorie day, plus increase to 2 servings White Bean & Avocado Toast at lunch, increase to 1/3 cup walnut halves at P.M. snack and add 1/2 an avocado to dinner.
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1 serving Brussels Sprouts Salad with Crunchy Chickpeas
P.M. Snack (77 calories)
1 small apple
Dinner (401 calories, 13 g fiber)
1 serving Hearty Chickpea & Spinach Stew
Daily Totals: 1,224 calories, 155 g protein, 147 g carbohydrate, 43 g fiber, 53 g fat, 1,266 mg sodium
To Make it 1,500 Calories: Add 1 small pear to lunch and 2 Tbsp. natural peanut butter to P.M. snack.
To Make it 2,000 Calories: Include all modifications for the 1,500 calorie day, plus increase to 2 servings Baked Banana-Nut Oatmeal Cups at A.M. snack, add 1/2 cup low-fat plain Greek yogurt to P.M. snack and add 1 serving Guacamole Chopped Salad to dinner.
Day 3
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Breakfast (233 calories, 10 g fiber)
1 serving Apple Cinnamon Chia Pudding
A.M. Snack (35 calories, 1 g fiber)
1 clementine
Lunch (337 calories, 13 g fiber)
1 serving Brussels Sprouts Salad with Crunchy Chickpeas
P.M. Snack (154 calories, 3 g fiber)
20 dry-roasted, unsalted almonds
Dinner (464 calories, 13 g fiber)
Daily Totals: 1,223 calories, 67 g protein, 103 g carbohydrates, 40 g fiber, 68 g fat, 1,115 mg sodium
To Make it 1,500 Calories: Add 1/3 cup dry-roasted unsalted almonds to A.M. snack.
To Make it 2,000 Calories: Include all modifications for the 1,500 calorie day, plus add 1 cup low-fat plain Greek yogurt to breakfast and add 2 servings Baked Banana-Nut Oatmeal Cups to P.M. snack.
Day 4
Brussels Sprouts Salad with Crunchy Chickpeas
Breakfast (259 calories, 3 g fiber)
1 serving Baked Banana-Nut Oatmeal Cups
1/2 cup low-fat12 plain Greek yogurt
A.M. Snack (131 calories, 7 g fiber)
1 large pear
Lunch (337 calories, 13 g fiber)
1 serving Brussels Sprouts Salad with Crunchy Chickpeas
P.M. Snack (35 calories, 1 g fiber)
1 clementine
Dinner (449 calories, 8 g fiber)
Daily Totals: 1,210 calories, 58 g protein, 156 g carbohydrate, 32 g fiber, 50 g fiber, 1,253 mg sodium
To Make it 1,500 Calories: Add 1/3 cup dry-roasted unsalted almonds to P.M. snack.
To Make it 2,000 Calories: Include all modifications for the 1,500 calorie day, plus add 1 whole-wheat English muffin with 1 1/2 Tbsp. natural peanut butter and 1 small apple to breakfast and add 15 dried walnut halves to A.M. snack.
Day 5
Slow Cooker Turkey Chili in bowls
Breakfast (259 calories, 3 g fiber)
1 serving Baked Banana-Nut Oatmeal Cups
1/2 cup low-fat plain Greek yogurt
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1 serving Brussels Sprouts Salad with Crunchy Chickpeas
P.M. Snack (77 calories, 4 g fiber)
1 small apple
Dinner (465 calories, 10 g fiber)
1 serving Slow-Cooker Turkey Chili with Butternut Squash
2 cups mixed greens
1/4 of an avocado, sliced
1 serving Maple Balsamic Vinaigrette with Shallots
Top mixed greens with sliced avocado and vinaigrette.
Daily Totals: 1,215 calories, 57 g protein, 129 g carbohydrate, 39 g fiber, 59 g fat, 1,489 mg sodium
To Make it 1,500 Calories: Add 1 medium apple to lunch and add 2 Tbsp. natural peanut butter to P.M. snack.
To Make it 2,000 Calories: Include all modifications for the 1,500 calorie day, plus increase to 2 servings Banana-Nut Oatmeal Cups and 1 1/4 cups yogurt at breakfast and increase to 1/3 cup dry-roasted unsalted almonds to A.M. snack.
Meal-Prep Tip: reserve 2 servings Slow-Cooker Turkey Chili with Butternut Squash to have for lunch on Days 6 & 7.
Day 6
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Breakfast (343 calories, 12 g fiber)
1 serving Really Green Smoothie
A.M. Snack (16 calories, 1 g fiber)
1 cup sliced cucumber
Lunch (311 calories, 14 g fiber)
1 serving Slow-Cooker Turkey Chili with Butternut Squash
1 clementine
P.M. Snack (37 calories, 2 g fiber)
1 medium bell pepper, sliced
Dinner (505 calories, 11 g fiber)
1 serving Butternut Squash Alfredo with Chicken & Spinach
Daily Totals: 1,212 calories, 71 g protein, 148 g carbohydrate, 40 g fiber, 42 g fat, 1,718 mg sodium
To Make it 1,500 Calories: Add 1 whole-wheat English muffin with 1 1/2 Tbsp. natural peanut butter to breakfast.
To Make it 2,000 Calories: Include all modifications for the 1,500 calorie day, plus add 1/4 hummus and 1/3 cup dry-roasted unsalted almonds to A.M. snack and add 1/4 cup guacamole to P.M. snack.
Meal-Prep Tip: marinated the pork for Italian Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Vegetables & Quinoa so it's ready for dinner tomorrow.
Day 7
Italian Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Vegetables & Quinoa
Breakfast (259 calories, 3 g fiber)
1 serving Baked Banana-Nut Oatmeal Cups
1/2 cup low-fat plain Greek yogurt
A.M. Snack (37 calories, 2 g fiber)
1 clementine
Lunch (311 calories, 14 g fiber)
1 serving Slow-Cooker Turkey Chili with Butternut Squash
1 clementine
P.M. Snack (101 calories, 6 g fiber)
1 medium pear
Dinner (490 calories, 8 g fiber)
1 serving Italian Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Vegetables & Quinoa
Daily Totals: 1,198 calories, 72 g protein, 153 g carbohydrate, 33 g fiber, 37 g fiber, 1,600 mg sodium
To Make it 1,500 Calories: Add 1/3 cup dry-roasted unsalted almonds to P.M. snack.
Smoothy Slim
Photo: Karolina Grabowska
