How to Eat Clean for an Entire Week: Your 21-Recipe Meal Plan (2024)

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It's easier than you think, promise

By Katherine Gillen

•

Published Dec 3, 2023

Additional reporting by

Lizzy Rosenberg

Photo: Mark Weinberg/Styling: Erin McDowell

The whole “clean eating” thing sounds daunting, but TBH, it just comes down to choosing real, non-processed foods in order to feel like your best self. To make things simple, we rounded up a number of healthy recipes that'll help you create a meal plan for seven days straight, including breakfast, lunch and dinner. (For a preview, day one's menu includes turmeric waffles, an avocado chickpea salad sandwich and low-carb zucchini enchiladas—yum.) Whether you make one or all of these recipes, you'll be on your way to feeling great.

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Meet the Expert

Keri Glassman,MS, RD, CDN, is the CEO and founder ofNutritious Life andthe Nutritious Life Studio, which offer online certification programs for jobs in the health and wellness industry. She's written four best-selling books and regularly appears as a nutrition expert on various TV programs, such asThe Today Show,Good Morning America andThe Rachael Ray Show.

What Is Clean Eating?

Words like “clean” can be confusing when making food choices, because they don’t always mean the same thing to the same person (or brand). But if you ask us, clean eating means choosing whole, unprocessed foods as often as possible, a sentiment echoed by nutritionist Glassman. She encourages us to choose “naturally nutrient-dense foods,” adding that clean eating “is mostly plant-based by default.” Think vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, whole grains and unprocessed meat, poultry and dairy. (It’s a lot like the Mediterranean diet.)

How to Eat Clean for a Week

Now that you know what clean eating is, you can try incorporating it into your meal plan. Not sure where to start? Here are a few menu ideas:

Overnight oats with blueberries and almonds for breakfast, spicy lemon ginger chicken soup for lunch and a salmon and spinach rice bowl with green tea broth for dinner
Baked eggs and zoodles with avocado for breakfast, Instant Pot carrot ginger soup for lunch and vegan spaghetti squash with mushroom marinara for dinner
Sweet potato rösti with fried eggs and greens for breakfast, miso-tahini glazed roasted eggplant with farro for lunch and Instant Pot coconut salmon with fresh herbs and lime for dinner

Need further proof that clean eating isn't all carrot sticks and chicken breast? Here’s a week’s worth of clean-eating recipes to guide you.

Claire Thomas/Sweet Laurel Savory

1. Monday Breakfast: Turmeric Waffles

Time Commitment: 1 hour
Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, vegan, gluten free, kid-friendly

Don’t let the turmeric intimidate you: These waffles are just sweet enough, not to mention grain free. If you have leftovers, let them cool before wrapping them in plastic wrap. They can keep in the fridge for up to one week or in the freezer for up to three months. Reheat them in a toaster or oven.

Get the recipe

Ambitious Kitchen

2. Monday Lunch: Smashed Chickpea Avocado Salad Sandwich with Cranberries and Lemon

Time Commitment: 10 minutes
Why We Love It: <30 minutes, <10 ingredients, no cook, vegan

Who needs mayo when you've got buttery avocado? The beloved fruit is so creamy, you won't miss the condiment that offers fewer nutritional perks. And the chickpeas provide protein, so you won't be hungry until dinnertime.

Get the recipe

Photo: Mark Weinberg/Styling: Erin McDowell

3. Monday Dinner: Low-Carb Zucchini Enchiladas

Time Commitment: 1 hour and 15 minutes
Why We Love It: kid-friendly, gluten free, low carb

Finish off the day with a cheesy, gooey, protein-packed meal that’s also free of refined carbs. Make it vegetarian by swapping the chicken for tofu, seitan or add extra black beans. Feel free to top them with all the guac and sour cream you crave.

Get the recipe

NGOC MINH NGO/HEIRLOOM

4. Tuesday Breakfast: Quick Congee

Time Commitment: 30 minutes (plus soaking time)
Why We Love It: vegetarian, gluten free, low carb

Break out of your boring oatmeal rut with this equally comforting bowl of porridge. The recipe calls for eggs, scallions, kimchi and sautéed mushrooms for toppings, but you can also add any greens, hot sauces or veggies you'd like.

Get the recipe

Senior Food Editor

Katherine Gillenis PureWow’s senior food editor. She’s a writer, recipe developer and food stylist with a degree in culinary arts and professional experience in New York City...

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Lizzy Rosenberg

Freelance PureWow Editor

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How to Eat Clean for an Entire Week: Your 21-Recipe Meal Plan (2024)

FAQs

How can I eat clean for a whole week? ›

The Eat-Clean principles are:

Eat six small meals a day.
Eat breakfast every day, within an hour of getting up.
Eat lean protein and complex carbohydrates at every meal.
Have two or three servings of healthy fats every day.
Get fiber, vitamins, nutrients, and enzymes from fresh fruits and vegetables.

More items...

Apr 21, 2023

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What can two weeks of clean eating do? ›

The meals and snacks in this plan will have you feeling energized, satisfied and good about what's on your plate. And at 1,200 calories, this diet meal plan will set you up to lose upward of 4 pounds over the two weeks. Need a higher calorie level? See this same clean-eating meal plan at 1,500 and 2,000 calories.

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Are eggs considered clean eating? ›

Eggs, dairy, beans and nuts are all suitable protein sources for a clean, vegetarian diet. Choose dairy with no added sugar and simple ingredients.

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Is cheese clean eating? ›

For those who can tolerate dairy, cheeses can be a healthy and nutritious source of proteins and healthy fats if consumed in moderation. Cheese is allowed in the clean eating meal plan, but with an asterisk. Processed cheese slices or other packaged foods that contain cheese should be avoided.

Learn More Now ›

What are the clean eating foods for beginners? ›

Clean Proteins:

Single-ingredient meats: chicken breast, chicken legs, ground beef, etc.
Seafood: Choose sustainable options, such as wild salmon and Pacific cod.
Eggs.
Unflavored nuts: almonds, cashews, hazelnuts, walnuts.
Plain nut butters with no added sugar.
Dried beans.
Canned beans: Rinse to reduce sodium.

Nov 18, 2023

Keep Reading ›

What is the 7 day challenge diet? ›

Easy To Follow 7 Day GM Diet Plan & Menu To Transform Your Body: The Indian Version

Day 1: Fruits.
‍Day 2: Vegetables.
Day 3: Fruits and Vegetables.
Day 4: Bananas and Milk.
Day 5: Meat.
Day 6: Meat & Vegetables.
Day 7: Rice, Fruit and Vegetable Juice.

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What is the easiest diet to stick to? ›

The Mediterranean diet also ranked first in the categories of easiest diet to follow, best family-friendly diet, best diet for healthy eating and best diet for diabetes, bone and joint and heart-healthy eating, the report said.

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Is Oatmeal a clean food? ›

UNREFINED GRAINS AND LEGUMES

Must be 100% whole wheat or whole grains. Examples of whole, unrefined grains include brown rice, wild rice, quinoa, oatmeal, and popcorn. Always look for whole wheat flour.

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Is pasta a clean food? ›

When eaten in moderation, pasta can be part of a healthy diet. Whole-grain pasta may be a better choice for many, as it is lower in calories and carbs but higher in fiber and nutrients.

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What foods are best for clean-eating? ›

These items are examples of what might be considered in a clean diet:

Fresh fruit. Apples, bananas, blueberries, grapes, oranges, strawberries, 100% fruit juice.
Vegetables. ...
Lean meats/protein. ...
Grain (cereal) foods. ...
Dairy products.

Sep 12, 2019

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Will I lose fat if I eat clean? ›

When it comes to weight loss and successful maintenance of weight, clean eating is the way to go. Replacing unhealthy, highly processed items with real, whole, minimally processed foods will shift your hormones from fat-storage mode into fat-burning mode, which will increase your metabolism.

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How long does it take to see results from clean eating? ›

What happens when you start eating healthy? What we eat can affect all the processes in the body, including cell regeneration, inflammation, digestion and sleep. So it's no surprise that after even as little as 28 days of eating well you can expect to not only look better, but feel a whole lot better, too.

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What to eat to lose 10 pounds in 14 days? ›

In addition to fruits and vegetables, egg whites, soy products, skinless poultry breasts, fish, shellfish, nonfat dairy foods, and 95% lean meat are all recommended for rapid weight loss.

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How can I eat clean for 10 days? ›

Include things like canned beans, whole grain rice and pasta, frozen or low sodium canned vegetables, frozen portions of fish, chicken or lean beef. 2. Nature's Fast Food: Eat five servings of fruits and vegetables per day. Incorporate at least one fruit or vegetable with your breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

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How much weight can you lose eating clean for a month? ›

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) , it's 1 to 2 pounds per week. That means, on average, that aiming for 4 to 8 pounds of weight loss per month is a healthy goal.

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How to get 3000 calories a day clean? ›

For a 3,000-calorie diet, you may want to think about each meal consisting of 700 to 800 calories and snacks providing about 200 to 300 calories. Including adequate balances of protein, fat, and carbohydrates at each meal and for each snack will keep you fuller for longer.

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