Whether you're trying to lose weight or simply eat healthier, meal planning [1] can be a helpful tool to keep you on track. Research shows that planning meals ahead leads to better outcomes, including eating a wider variety of healthy foods [2].
If you are new to meal planning and don't know where to begin, one of the first things you should do is determine how many calories you need [3]. The USDA's calculator [4] uses factors like your height, weight, and activity level to find the value that would best meet your body's needs. From there, you can plan out your meals and snacks [5] based on this target.
Many people require 2,000 calories per day to maintain a healthy weight and have enough energy to get through the day, without battling hunger pangs. That's why you'll find a weeklong, 2,000-calorie meal plan in the slides ahead. While meal planning is relatively simple to do on your own, a sample plan can help eliminate the guesswork, and sometimes that's just what you need to get started.
Each day of this plan includes three meals and two snacks, containing a total of about 2,000 calories, along with a nice balance of macro- and micronutrients. The menu is also filled with a variety of foods and flavors, so you'll always have something fun (and nutritious) to look forward to!
2,000-Calorie Meal Plan: Day 1
Breakfast
- Honey nut steel-cut oats [6]: 192 calories
- 1 hard-boiled egg: 65 calories
Snack
- Air-fried pumpkin seeds [7]: 100 calories
- 1 cup blueberries: 60 calories
Lunch
- Mediterranean chickpea salad [8]: 170 calories
- 1 whole-grain pita pocket: 120 calories
- 1/4 avocado, mashed: 80 calories
- Peanut-butter-cup nice cream [9]: 246 calories
Snack
- 1 apple: 95 calories
- 1 tablespoon almond butter: 100 calories
- Sprinkle of cinnamon
Dinner
- Baked chicken parmesan [10]: 385 calories
- 1/2 cup cooked pasta with 1/4 cup marinara sauce: 150 calories
- 1 cup roasted broccoli and 1 teaspoon olive oil: 80 calories
- 1 frozen fudge bar: 120 calories
Total Calories: 1,963
2,000-Calorie Meal Plan: Day 2
Breakfast
- Strawberry, avocado, and white-cheddar toast [11]: 413 calories
- 1 hard-boiled egg: 60 calories
Snack
- 1/2 cup roasted chickpeas: 135 calories
- 6 olives: 25 calories
- 1/2 cup sliced cucumbers: 10 calories
- 8 walnut halves: 185 calories
Lunch
- Crunchy roll bowl [12]: 608 calories
Snack
- 1 peach: 60 calories
- 10 almonds: 70 calories
Dinner
- Chicken no-noodle soup [13]: 350 calories
- 1/4 cup cooked quinoa: 60 calories
- 1 dark-chocolate square: 30 calories
Total Calories: 2,006
2,000-Calorie Meal Plan: Day 3
Breakfast
- 15-minute Mediterranean breakfast bowl [14]: 250 calories
- 6 ounces 100 percent orange juice: 77 calories
Snack
- 2 pumpkin energy bites [15]: 126 calories
- 6 ounces 2 percent milk: 92 calories
Lunch
- Chicken pesto sandwich [16]: 622 calories
- Side salad with 1 cup mixed greens, 1/4 cup shredded carrots, 2 teaspoons olive oil, and 2 teaspoons vinegar: 120 calories
Snack
- 1 pear: 60 calories
- 8 walnut halves: 185 calories
Dinner
- 1-skillet butternut-squash gnocchi with Italian sausage [17]: 396 calories
- 2 fresh plums: 60 calories
Total Calories: 1,988
2,000-Calorie Meal Plan: Day 4
Breakfast
- Peach green smoothie [18]: 300 calories
- 1 slice whole-grain toast, topped with 1 tablespoon cottage cheese: 90 calories
Snack
- 1 string-cheese stick: 80 calories
- 2 mandarin oranges: 90 calories
Lunch
- Apple walnut salad [19]: 277 calories
- Honey oat-milk latte [20]: 150 calories
Snack
- Low-sugar protein bar: 150 calories
- 10 almonds: 100 calories
Dinner
- Easy vegan cauliflower chickpea curry [21]: 579 calories
- 1/2 cup rice: 100 calories
Total Calories: 1,916
2,000-Calorie Meal Plan: Day 5
Breakfast
- Yogurt and granola parfait [22]: 317 calories
Snack
- 8 walnut halves: 185 calories
- 1 cup berries: 85 calories
Lunch
- Chicken tortilla soup [23]: 249 calories
- 1 apple: 60 calories
- 1/4 avocado, sliced: 80 calories
- 4 whole-grain crackers: 80 calories
Snack
- 2 frozen chocolate-covered banana bites [24]: 355 calories
Dinner
- Steak salad [25]: 557 calories
Total Calories: 1,968
2,000-Calorie Meal Plan: Day 6
Breakfast
- Sweet-potato breakfast bowl [26]: 206 calories
- 2 slices natural turkey bacon: 60 calories
Snack
- Healthy chewy granola bar [27]: 150 calories
- 1 cup berries: 60 calories
- 1 string-cheese stick: 80 calories
Lunch
- Tofu and brown-rice lettuce wraps with peanuts [28]: 352 calories
- Watermelon smoothie [29]: 78 calories
Snack
- 2 tablespoons hummus: 50 calories
- 1/2 cup sliced carrots and cucumbers: 20 calories
- 6 whole-grain crackers: 100 calories
- 8 olives: 30 calories
Dinner
- Easy creamy salmon curry [30]: 238 calories
- 1/2 cup quinoa: 100 calories
- 1/2 cup steamed broccoli with 1 tablespoon olive oil: 80 calories
- Cottage-cheese cheesecake [31]: 381 calories
Total Calories: 1,985
2,000-Calorie Meal Plan: Day 7
Breakfast
- Foolproof shakshuka [32]: 216 calories
- 1 slice whole-grain toast: 60 calories
- 1/2 grapefruit: 50 calories
- Creamy golden milk [33]: 197 calories
Snack
- 1 apple: 60 calories
- 1 ounce cheese cubes: 120 calories
Lunch
- Mediterranean couscous salad [34]: 305 calories
- 3 ounces grilled chicken breast: 140 calories
- 1/4 avocado: 80 calories
Snack
- 2 tablespoons hummus: 50 calories
- 1/2 cup carrots and celery sticks: 20 calories
- 10 almonds: 100 calories
Dinner
- Ultimate veggie pizza [35] (1/8 of pizza): 440 calories
- Side salad with 1 cup mixed greens, 1/4 cup shredded carrots, 2 teaspoons olive oil, and 2 teaspoons vinegar: 120 calories
- 1 ounce dark chocolate: 30 calories