The term “clean eating” perhaps implies that other foods are “dirty,” but in reality, that’s not the case. To us, “clean eating” means filling your plate with nutritious whole foods like whole grains, fruits and vegetables, lean proteins, healthy fats and legumes—all of which deliver important nutrients, like fiber—while keeping things like added sugars, sodium and saturated fats to a minimum, nutrients that can harm our health when we eat too much.
The goal is to help you feel your best, and sometimes you need a kick to get started. If you’re new to cooking or just feeling swamped right now, this easy-to-follow meal plan is for you. We focus on simple recipes with short ingredient lists, incorporate plenty of pantry staples and repeat meals throughout the week to streamline your time in the kitchen.
Whether you make one recipe or a few, this meal plan is meant to provide inspiration and motivation—it is not meant to be binding. Listen to your hunger and fullness cues rather than sticking to a specific calorie count or serving size, and don’t totally ignore your cravings! It’s completely OK and healthy to enjoy a sweet treat or glass of wine here and there, and not restricting these things can actually make it easier to maintain a healthy lifestyle in the long run.
- Vegetables: The more, the better, especially when it comes to leafy greens. Plain frozen vegetables are a great option too.
- Fruit: Opt for fresh or plain frozen fruit. If looking at canned fruit, opt for options canned in water or fruit juice instead of sugary syrup. Drain and rinse fruit canned in syrup.
- Whole Grains: Oats, whole-wheat bread, barley and quinoa are great options.
- Nuts and Seeds: Choose plain, raw, roasted or salted nuts but skip most other flavors (like honey) as they contain added sugars. When choosing peanut butter, opt for brands with just two ingredients: peanuts and salt.
- Healthy Fats: Fatty fish, like salmon, as well as olive oil, canola and avocado, are great healthy fat options.
- Legumes: Beans and lentils are high in fiber and protein, plus the canned options are convenient pantry staples.
- Lean Proteins: When choosing proteins, opt for more chicken, turkey, fish, low-fat Greek yogurt and legumes.
