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This weeklong meal plan takes the guesswork out of taming inflammation and supporting your heart health.

Reviewed by Dietitian Jessica Ball, M.S., RD

About This Plan

• This 7-day plan is set at 1,800 calories, with modifications for 1,500 and 2,000 calories
• Each day provides at least 70 grams of protein and 30 grams of fiber to support satiety and heart health.
• This plan prioritizes anti-inflammatory foods, while limiting saturated fat to no more than 12 grams per day and sodium to 1,500 milligrams.

Planning meals with your heart in mind doesn’t have to be complicated. One of the most impactful places to start is to center your meals around anti-inflammatory foods. This is because chronic, low-grade inflammation is closely linked to the development of heart disease. Over time, inflammation damages the lining of blood vessels, making it easier for plaque to build up and clog arteries. That’s why this 7-day anti-inflammatory meal plan brings together a variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, seeds and seafood into balanced meals and snacks to support your heart health. At the same time, the plan keeps sodium and saturated fat in a reasonable range to help keep your ticker in tip-top shape. Whether you’re looking to improve your blood pressure or manage your cholesterol levels, this weeklong meal plan makes it easier to build heart-supportive eating habits—one meal at a time.

Day 1

Daily totals: 1,799 calories, 80 g fat, 75 g protein, 213 g carbohydrates, 40 g fiber, 1,484 mg sodium, 10 g saturated fat

Breakfast (358 Calories)

Morning Snack (235 Calories)

• Serve with: 1 small apple

Lunch (506 calories)

Afternoon Snack (203 Calories)

• 1 medium banana
• 1 tablespoon almond butter

Dinner (497 Calories)

To make it 1,500 calories: Omit morning snack. Change afternoon snack to 1 medium banana and 1 teaspoon almond butter.

To make it 2,000 calories: Add 1 serving White Bean–Stuffed Mini Bell Peppers**add Spotlight 1-2** and ¾ cup red grapes as an evening snack

Day 2

Daily totals: 1,789 calories, 71 g fat, 108 g protein, 191 g carbohydrates, 36 g fiber, 1,361 mg sodium, 10 g saturated fat

Breakfast (378 Calories)

Morning Snack (228 Calories)

• 1 ½ tablespoons chia seeds (mixed into smoothie)

Lunch (430 calories)

Afternoon Snack (226 Calories)

• 1 serving White Bean–Stuffed Mini Bell Peppers
• 1 cup red grapes

Dinner (528 Calories)

To make it 1,500 calories: Omit chia seeds from morning snack. Omit afternoon snack.

To make it 2,000 calories: Add 1 medium banana and 1 tablespoon almond butter as an evening snack.

Meal-Prep Tips

• Prepare Nut & Berry Parfait to enjoy for breakfast on Days 2 through 5
• Make Mason Jar Power Salad with Chickpeas & Tuna to have for lunch on Days 2 through 5
• Prepare White Bean–Stuffed Mini Bell Peppers to have as an afternoon snack on Days 2 through 5

Day 3

Daily totals: 1,783 calories, 68 g fat, 97 g protein, 216 g carbohydrates, 44 g fiber, 1,269 mg sodium, 9 g saturated fat

Breakfast (378 Calories)

• 1 serving Nut & Berry Parfait

Morning Snack (253 Calories)

• 1 serving Pineapple Spinach Smoothie
• 2 tablespoons chia seeds (mixed into smoothie)

Lunch (430 calories)

• 1 serving Mason Jar Power Salad with Chickpeas & Tuna

Afternoon Snack (226 Calories)

• 1 serving White Bean–Stuffed Mini Bell Peppers
• 1 cup red grapes

Dinner (496 Calories)

To make it 1,500 calories: Change morning snack to 1 serving Pineapple Spinach Smoothie and 1 tablespoon chia seeds. Omit afternoon snack.

Omit afternoon snack.

To make it 2,000 calories: Add 1 medium banana and 1 tablespoon almond butter as an evening snack.

Day 4

Daily totals: 1,814 calories, 79 g fat, 104 g protein, 186 g carbohydrates, 32 g fiber, 1,479 mg sodium, 10 g saturated fat

Breakfast (378 Calories)

• 1 serving Nut & Berry Parfait

Morning Snack (202 Calories)

• 1 serving Pineapple Spinach Smoothie
• 1 tablespoon chia seeds (mixed into smoothie)

Lunch (430 calories)

• 1 serving Mason Jar Power Salad with Chickpeas & Tuna

Afternoon Snack (226 Calories)

• 1 serving White Bean–Stuffed Mini Bell Peppers
• 1 cup red grapes

Dinner (578 Calories)

To make it 1,500 calories: Change morning snack to ¾ serving Pineapple Spinach Smoothie and Omit chia seeds. Omit afternoon snack.

To make it 2,000 calories: Add 1 medium banana and 1 tablespoon almond butter as an evening snack.

Day 5

Daily totals: 1,808 calories, 77 g fat, 90 g protein, 203 g carbohydrates, 36 g fiber, 1,497 mg sodium, 12 g saturated fat

Breakfast (378 Calories)

• 1 serving Nut & Berry Parfait

Morning Snack (228 Calories)

• 1 serving Pineapple Spinach Smoothie
• 1 ½ tablespoons chia seeds (mixed into smoothie)

Lunch (430 calories)

• 1 serving Mason Jar Power Salad with Chickpeas & Tuna

Afternoon Snack (226 Calories)

• 1 serving White Bean–Stuffed Mini Bell Peppers
• 1 cup red grapes

Dinner (547 Calories)

To make it 1,500 calories: Omit chia seeds from morning snack. Omit afternoon snack.

To make it 2,000 calories: Add 1 medium banana and 1 tablespoon almond butter as an evening snack.

Day 6

Daily totals: 1,817 calories, 83 g fat, 74 g protein, 208 g carbohydrates, 40 g fiber, 1,496 mg sodium, 12 g saturated fat

Breakfast (349 Calories)

• Serve with: 1 pear

Morning Snack (235 Calories)

• 1 serving Spicy Maple Walnuts
• 1 small apple

Lunch (498 calories)

Afternoon Snack (302 Calories)

• 1 medium banana
• 2 tablespoon almond butter

Dinner (433 Calories)

To make it 1,500 calories: Omit afternoon snack.

To make it 2,000 calories: Add 1 serving White Bean–Stuffed Mini Bell Peppers and ¾ cup red grapes as an evening snack

Day 7

Daily totals: 1,782 calories, 86 g fat, 76 g protein, 188 g carbohydrates, 36 g fiber, 1,258 mg sodium, 12 g saturated fat

Breakfast (349 Calories)

• 2 servings Spinach & Egg Sweet Potato Toast
• 1 pear

Morning Snack (235 Calories)

• 1 serving Spicy Maple Walnuts
• 1 small apple

Lunch (498 calories)

• 1 serving Chickpea & Roasted Red Pepper Lettuce Wraps with Tahini Dressing

Afternoon Snack (252 Calories)

• 1 medium banana
• 1.5 tablespoon almond butter

Dinner (477 Calories)

To make it 1,500 calories: Omit apple from morning snack. Omit afternoon snack.

To make it 2,000 calories: Add 1 serving White Bean–Stuffed Mini Bell Peppers and ¾ cup red grapes as an evening snack

Frequently asked Questions

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 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 and sodium levels. For more inspiration, check out these delicious heart-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 350 to 400 calories while the lunches span 400 to 500 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.

Other Tips for Supporting Heart Health

Along with eating more anti-inflammatory foods, you can also support your heart health by:

• Eating more soluble fiber: Foods like oats, beans, legumes, fruits and vegetables contain soluble fiber, which supports healthy cholesterol levels.
• Prioritize healthy fats: Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats found in olive oil, avocado, walnuts, flaxseeds and fatty fish have also been shown to improve cholesterol levels, lower blood pressure and reduce inflammation.
• Limiting added sugar: Studies show that a high intake of added sugar, especially from sugar-sweetened beverages, is linked to a greater risk of cardiovascular disease. For this reason, it’s recommended to keep added sugars to no more than 9 teaspoons per day for men and 6 teaspoons for women.

How We Create Meal Plans

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.