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- This 7-Day Meal Plan Will Show You Just How Much You Can Eat on a 2,000-Calorie Diet
This 7-Day Meal Plan Will Show You Just How Much You Can Eat on a 2,000-Calorie Diet
Whether you’re trying to lose weight or simply eat healthier, meal planning 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.
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. The USDA’s calculator 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 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: 192 calories
- 1 hard-boiled egg: 65 calories
Snack
- Air-fried pumpkin seeds: 100 calories
- 1 cup blueberries: 60 calories
Lunch
- Mediterranean chickpea salad: 170 calories
- 1 whole-grain pita pocket: 120 calories
- 1/4 avocado, mashed: 80 calories
- Peanut-butter-cup nice cream: 246 calories
Snack
- 1 apple: 95 calories
- 1 tablespoon almond butter: 100 calories
- Sprinkle of cinnamon
Dinner
- Baked chicken parmesan: 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: 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: 608 calories
Snack
- 1 peach: 60 calories
- 10 almonds: 70 calories
Dinner
- Chicken no-noodle soup: 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: 250 calories
- 6 ounces 100 percent orange juice: 77 calories
Snack
- 2 pumpkin energy bites: 126 calories
- 6 ounces 2 percent milk: 92 calories
Lunch
- Chicken pesto sandwich: 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: 396 calories
- 2 fresh plums: 60 calories
Total Calories: 1,988
2,000-Calorie Meal Plan: Day 4
Breakfast
- Peach green smoothie: 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: 277 calories
- Honey oat-milk latte: 150 calories
Snack
- Low-sugar protein bar: 150 calories
- 10 almonds: 100 calories
Dinner
- Easy vegan cauliflower chickpea curry: 579 calories
- 1/2 cup rice: 100 calories
Total Calories: 1,916
2,000-Calorie Meal Plan: Day 5
Breakfast
- Yogurt and granola parfait: 317 calories
Snack
- 8 walnut halves: 185 calories
- 1 cup berries: 85 calories
Lunch
- Chicken tortilla soup: 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: 355 calories
Dinner
- Steak salad: 557 calories
Total Calories: 1,968
2,000-Calorie Meal Plan: Day 6
Breakfast
- Sweet-potato breakfast bowl: 206 calories
- 2 slices natural turkey bacon: 60 calories
Snack
- Healthy chewy granola bar: 150 calories
- 1 cup berries: 60 calories
- 1 string-cheese stick: 80 calories
Lunch
- Tofu and brown-rice lettuce wraps with peanuts: 352 calories
- Watermelon smoothie: 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: 238 calories
- 1/2 cup quinoa: 100 calories
- 1/2 cup steamed broccoli with 1 tablespoon olive oil: 80 calories
- Cottage-cheese cheesecake: 381 calories
Total Calories: 1,985
2,000-Calorie Meal Plan: Day 7
Breakfast
- Foolproof shakshuka: 216 calories
- 1 slice whole-grain toast: 60 calories
- 1/2 grapefruit: 50 calories
- Creamy golden milk: 197 calories
Snack
- 1 apple: 60 calories
- 1 ounce cheese cubes: 120 calories
Lunch
- Mediterranean couscous salad: 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 (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