Flexitarian Meal Plan, Created by a Dietitian: 1,500 Calories

In this flexitarian meal plan, we map out a week of mostly plant-based vegetarian recipes while still offering the flexibility to enjoy meat or seafood once or twice a week. A flexitarian diet is basically a non-diet approach to eating more plant-based meals. Some people structure this by following a vegetarian diet at home but eating meat when at a friend's for dinner or anytime someone else is cooking. Others eat mainly vegetarian but eat meat once or twice a week or once or twice a month. However you follow it, the main goal of the flexitarian diet is to eat more vegetarian meals.

Whatever your motivation may be, there are some clear benefits to eating more plants. People who eat more plant-based meals tend to have better blood pressure, lower risk of diabetes, reach their fiber goals and have healthier weights.

Why This Meal Plan Is Great for You

This 1,500-calorie meal plan has modifications for 2,000 calories to support those with different calorie needs. While we previously included meal plans and modifications for 1,200 calories, we no longer do. The 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans suggests that limiting your 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.

What Is a Flexitarian Diet Plan?

The flexitarian diet is a bit hard to define because, well, it's a flexible plan. The flexitarian diet—a combination of the words flexible and vegetarian—is a diet that includes mainly plant-based vegetarian meals, but it doesn't cut out meat entirely.

How you want to structure it is completely up to you. Some people might eat meat twice a week, while others are almost completely vegetarian with the exception of a rare meat-focused meal. Either way, the flexitarian diet helps you enjoy some serious health benefits of eating more plant-based meals without the restrictions of a completely vegetarian or vegan plan.

What to Eat on a Flexitarian Diet Plan

• Legumes, beans and lentils
• Tofu
• Edamame
• Seitan
• Tempeh
• Nuts and seeds
• Peanut butter, almond butter and other nut butters
• Yogurt, kefir and other dairy items
• Dairy alternatives like almond or oat milk
• Eggs
• Whole grains (quinoa, oats, wheat bread, etc.)
• Fruits
• Vegetables
• Limited amounts of meat, seafood and poultry

How to Meal-Prep Your Week of Meals

1. Make Muffin-Tin Omelets with Bell Pepper, Black Beans & Jack Cheese to have for breakfast throughout the week.
2. Prepare Meal-Prep Vegan Lettuce Wraps to have for lunch on Days 2 through 5.

Day 1

Breakfast (255 calories)

• 1 serving Strawberry-Pineapple Smoothie

A.M. Snack (125 calories)

• 2/3 cup low-fat plain Greek yogurt
• 1/4 cup raspberries

Lunch (420 calories)

• 1 serving Veggie & Hummus Sandwich
• 1 medium apple

P.M. Snack (206 calories)

• 1/4 cup dry-roasted unsalted almonds

Dinner (484 calories)

• 1 serving Salmon & Quinoa Bowls with Green Beans, Olives & Feta

Daily Totals: 1,491 calories, 72g protein, 149g carbohydrate, 34g fiber, 75g fat, 1,207mg sodium

To make it 2,000 calories: Add 1 whole-wheat English muffin with 2 Tbsp. natural peanut butter to breakfast and add 3 Tbsp. chopped walnuts to the A.M. snack.

Day 2

Breakfast (272 calories)

• 1 serving Muffin-Tin Omelets with Bell Pepper, Black Beans & Jack Cheese
• 1 medium banana

A.M. Snack (268 calories)

• 1/4 cup dry-roasted unsalted almonds
• 1 medium orange

Lunch (425 calories)

• 1 serving Meal-Prep Vegan Lettuce Wraps

P.M. Snack (125 calories)

• 2/3 cup low-fat plain Greek yogurt
• 1/4 cup raspberries

Dinner (401 calories)

• 1 serving Vegan Pad Thai with Tofu

Daily Totals: 1,491 calories, 68g protein, 170g carbohydrate, 33g fiber, 67g fat, 1,236mg sodium

To make it 2,000 calories: Add 1 serving Everything Bagel Avocado Toast to breakfast, add 1 large pear to lunch and increase to 1 cup yogurt and add 3 Tbsp. chopped walnuts at the P.M. snack.

Day 3

Breakfast (272 calories)

• 1 serving Muffin-Tin Omelets with Bell Pepper, Black Beans & Jack Cheese
• 1 medium banana

A.M. Snack (95 calories)

• 1 medium apple

Lunch (425 calories)

• 1 serving Meal-Prep Vegan Lettuce Wraps

P.M. Snack (206 calories)

• 1/4 cup dry-roasted unsalted almonds

Dinner (504 calories)

• 1 serving Greek Salad with Edamame
• 1/2 an avocado, sliced

Daily Totals: 1,502 calories, 55g protein, 146g carbohydrate, 44g fiber, 86g fat, 1,241mg sodium

To make it 2,000 calories: Add 1 serving Everything Bagel Avocado Toast to breakfast, add 2 Tbsp. natural peanut butter to the A.M. snack and add 1 large pear to lunch.

Day 4

Breakfast (255 calories)

• 1 serving Strawberry-Pineapple Smoothie

A.M. Snack (182 calories)

• 1 cup low-fat plain Greek yogurt
• 1/4 cup raspberries

Lunch (425 calories)

• 1 serving Meal-Prep Vegan Lettuce Wraps

P.M. Snack (252 calories)

• 1 medium apple
• 1 1/2 Tbsp. natural peanut butter

Dinner (399 calories)

• 1 serving Sheet-Pan Balsamic-Parmesan Roasted Chickpeas & Vegetables

Daily Totals: 1,514 calories, 60g protein, 165g carbohydrate, 39g fiber, 72g fat, 1,140mg sodium

To make it 2,000 calories: Add 1 whole-wheat English muffin with 2 Tbsp. natural peanut butter to breakfast and add 3 Tbsp. chopped walnuts to the A.M. snack.

Day 5

Breakfast (255 calories)

• 1 serving Strawberry-Pineapple Smoothie

A.M. Snack (182 calories)

• 1 cup low-fat plain Greek yogurt
• 1/4 cup raspberries

Lunch (425 calories)

• 1 serving Meal-Prep Vegan Lettuce Wraps

P.M. Snack (206 calories)

• 1/4 cup dry-roasted unsalted almonds

Dinner (421 calories)

• 1 serving Vegan Lentil Soup
• 2 cups mixed greens
• 1 serving Citrus Vinaigrette

Meal-Prep Tip: Reserve two servings Vegan Lentil Soup to have for lunch on Days 6 & 7.

Daily Totals: 1,490 calories, 64g protein, 155g carbohydrate, 40g fiber, 75g fat, 1,307mg sodium

To make it 2,000 calories: Add 1 whole-wheat English muffin with 2 Tbsp. natural peanut butter to breakfast and add 3 Tbsp. chopped walnuts to the A.M. snack.

Day 6

Breakfast (272 calories)

• 1 serving Muffin-Tin Omelets with Bell Pepper, Black Beans & Jack Cheese
• 1 medium banana

A.M. Snack (131 calories)

• 1 large pear

Lunch (334 calories)

• 1 serving Vegan Lentil Soup
• 1 medium orange

P.M. Snack (326 calories)

• 1 medium apple
• 2 Tbsp. natural peanut butter

Dinner (425 calories)

• 1 serving 20-Minute Creamy Chicken Skillet with Italian Seasoning
• 1/2 cup cooked brown rice

Daily Totals: 1,488 calories, 67g protein, 200g carbohydrate, 36g fiber, 49g fat, 1,216mg sodium

To make it 2,000 calories: Add 1 serving Everything Bagel Avocado Toast to breakfast and add 45 dry-roasted unsalted almonds to A.M. snack.

Day 7

Breakfast (272 calories)

• 1 serving Muffin-Tin Omelets with Bell Pepper, Black Beans & Jack Cheese
• 1 medium banana

A.M. Snack (182 calories)

• 1 cup low-fat plain Greek yogurt
• 1/4 cup raspberries

Lunch (334 calories)

• 1 serving Vegan Lentil Soup
• 1 medium orange

P.M. Snack (206 calories)

• 1/4 cup dry-roasted unsalted almonds

Dinner (503 calories)

• 1 serving Cheesy Black Bean & Corn-Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms
• 1 serving Guacamole Chopped Salad

Daily Totals: 1,497 calories, 72g protein, 150g carbohydrate, 39g fiber, 76g fat, 1,555mg sodium

To make it 2,000 calories: Add 1 serving Everything Bagel Avocado Toast to breakfast, add 3 Tbsp. chopped walnuts to the A.M. snack and add 1 large pear plus increase to 1/3 cup almonds at the P.M. snack.