7-Day High-Protein High-Fiber Meal Plan for Gut Health, Created by a Dietitian

Yahoo

30-06-2025

Reviewed by Dietitian Jessica Ball, M.S., RDThis 7-day plan is set at 1,800 calories, with modifications for 1,500 and 2,000 calories.
Each day provides at least 89 grams of protein and 33 grams of fiber to support gut health and satiety.
This plan prioritizes protein, fiber and probiotics while limiting added sugars to support gut health.Your gut is home to a community of beneficial microorganisms, and what you eat greatly impacts the health and diversity of this community. Eating a range of high-fiber and probiotic-rich foods can help the microorganisms in your gut proliferate and thrive. That's why each meal in this plan has at least 6 grams—20% of the daily value (DV)—of fiber (many meals have much more!). It's also full of probiotic-rich foods like yogurt and kefir and free from added sugars that can harm gut health. We made sure to include plenty of protein, too, to promote satiety and muscle health. Some emerging research even suggests that protein may promote gut health through the fermentation of amino acids in your colon. We set this plan at 1,800 calories per day, with modifications for 1,500 and 2,000 calories to accommodate different nutrition needs. Without further ado, let's dive in!
Meal Plan at a Glance
Chickpea toast/ Yogurt & berries
White bean salad/ Energy bites
Chicken skillet & couscous
Smoothie
Tuna salad/ Cottage cheese jar
Marry me lentils/ Nice cream
Smoothie/ Yogurt & berries
Tuna salad/ Cottage cheese jar
Salmon pasta
Smoothie
Tuna salad/ Energy bites
Sheet-pan tacos/ Nice cream
Smoothie/ Yogurt & berries
Stuffed avocado/ Energy bites
Tzatziki bowl/ Nice cream
Smoothie/ Energy bites
Stuffed avocado/ Cottage cheese jar
One-pot pasta/ Apple & nut butter
Smoothie/ Yogurt & berries
Stuffed avocado/ Energy bites
Sheet-pan chicken & veggies/ Apple & nut butter
1 serving Chickpea & Kale Toast
1 cup plain, nonfat Greek yogurt
1 cup strawberries
1 serving High-Protein White Bean Salad with Feta & Lemon-Garlic Vinaigrette
1 serving Trail Mix Energy Bites
1 serving Cumin Chicken & Chickpea Skillet
1 cup cooked couscous
Daily totals: 1,789 calories, 67 g fat, 108 g protein, 200 g carbohydrates, 42 g fiber, 1,775 mg sodium
To make it 1,500 calories: Omit afternoon snack. Consider moving the morning snack to afternoon based on hunger levels.
To make it 2,000 calories: Add Apple with Cinnamon Almond Butter for evening snack.
1 serving Strawberry-Peach Chia Seed Smoothie
1 tablespoon almond butter, blended into smoothie
1 serving Avocado Tuna Salad Sandwich
1 serving Everything Bagel Cottage Cheese Snack Jar with Bell Peppers & Chickpeas
1 serving Marry Me Lentils
1 serving Chocolate Strawberry Nice Cream
Daily totals: 1,775 calories, 71 g fat, 91 g protein, 195 g carbohydrates, 37 g fiber, 2,009 mg sodium
To make it 1,500 calories: Omit almond butter from breakfast, and omit afternoon snack.
To make it 2,000 calories: Add 1 cup plain, nonfat Greek yogurt with 1 banana for morning snack.
1 serving Strawberry-Peach Chia Seed Smoothie
1 tablespoon almond butter, blended into smoothie
1 cup plain, nonfat Greek yogurt
1 cup strawberries
1 serving Avocado Tuna Salad Sandwich
1 serving Everything Bagel Cottage Cheese Snack Jar with Bell Peppers & Chickpeas
1 serving Creamy Salmon & Asparagus Pasta
Daily totals: 1,819 calories, 68 g fat, 137 g protein, 173 g carbohydrates, 33 g fiber, 2,040 mg sodium
To make it 1,500 calories: Omit almond butter from breakfast, and omit afternoon snack.
To make it 2,000 calories: Add Apple with Cinnamon Almond Butter for evening snack.
1 serving Strawberry-Peach Chia Seed Smoothie
1 tablespoon almond butter, blended into smoothie
1 serving Avocado Tuna Salad Sandwich
2 clementines
1 serving Trail Mix Energy Bites
1 serving Crispy Sheet-Pan Black Bean Tacos
1 serving Chocolate Strawberry Nice Cream
Daily totals: 1,807 calories, 70 g fat, 89 g protein, 223 g carbohydrates, 51 g fiber, 1,702 mg sodium
To make it 1,500 calories: Omit almond butter from breakfast, clementines from lunch and evening snack.
To make it 2,000 calories: Add 2 pitted medjool dates with 1 tablespoon peanut butter for morning snack.
1 serving Berry-Kefir Smoothie
1 cup plain, nonfat Greek yogurt
1 cup strawberries
1 serving Salmon Salad–Stuffed Avocado
1 serving Trail Mix Energy Bites
1 serving Roasted Potato Tzatziki Bowls
1 serving Chocolate Strawberry Nice Cream
Daily totals: 1,843 calories, 72 g fat, 90 g protein, 235 g carbohydrates, 46 g fiber, 1,456 mg sodium
To make it 1,500 calories: Omit morning and evening snacks.
To make it 2,000 calories: Add 2 hard-boiled eggs to breakfast.
1 serving Berry-Kefir Smoothie
1 serving Trail Mix Energy Bites
1 serving Salmon Salad–Stuffed Avocado
1 serving Everything Bagel Cottage Cheese Snack Jar with Bell Peppers & Chickpeas
1 serving One-Pot Spinach, Chicken Sausage & Feta Pasta
1 serving Apple with Cinnamon Almond Butter
Daily totals: 1,830 calories, 73 g fat, 89 g protein, 221 g carbohydrates, 44 g fiber, 1,700 mg sodium
To make it 1,500 calories: Omit morning snack, swap evening snack for 2 pitted medjool dates.
To make it 2,000 calories: Add 2 hard boiled eggs to breakfast.
1 serving Berry-Kefir Smoothie
1 cup plain, nonfat Greek yogurt
1 cup strawberries
1 serving Salmon Salad–Stuffed Avocado
1 serving Trail Mix Energy Bites
1 serving Sheet-Pan Chicken Thighs with Red Cabbage & Sweet Potatoes
1 serving Apple with Cinnamon Almond Butter
Daily totals: 1,844 calories, 79 g fat, 102 g protein, 208 g carbohydrates, 43 g fiber, 1,413 mg sodium
To make it 1,500 calories: Omit afternoon snack, swap evening snack for 2 pitted medjool dates.
To make it 2,000 calories: Add 2 hard boiled eggs to breakfast.Prep all 3 servings of the tuna salad for the Avocado Tuna Salad Sandwich for lunch days 2 through 4 at once. It can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days in an airtight container.
Prep the Everything Bagel Cottage Cheese Snack Jar with Bell Peppers & Chickpeas for snacks days 2, 3 and 6 ahead and refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Top with the chickpeas just before serving.
Make all three servings (plus extra if you want) of the Chocolate Strawberry Nice Cream for evening snack days 2, 4 and 5 and store leftovers in the freezer for up to one month.
Make the Trail Mix Energy Bites at the start of the week to snack on throughout the week.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, added sugars 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, added sugar 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 304 to 397 calories while the lunches span 398 to 504 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.
Taking care of your gut health is good for other aspects of health, too. After all, research shows that gut health also impacts immune health, brain health and more. Eating plenty of fiber is one way to promote the health of your gut microbiome. Many high fiber foods are also sources of prebiotics, which feed the good bacteria in your gut. Probiotics from foods like yogurt are also important for gut health as they introduce more friendly bacteria to your digestive tract.
Meanwhile, protein helps you to feel full and promotes muscle health. Emerging research suggests it may also play a role in gut health. Undigested amino acids may be used as food for your gut bacteria to produce health-promoting metabolites. We designed this meal plan to be high in both fiber and protein to promote gut health and satiety.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.Read the original article on EATINGWELL