Free 7-Day Balanced Meal Plan (Aug 21–27)

A free, flexible 7-day weight loss meal plan that includes breakfast, lunch and dinner ideas plus a complete shopping list. All recipes include macros and Weight Watchers (WW) points to help you stay on track while enjoying satisfying meals.

Free 7-Day Healthy Meal Plan (August 21–27)

Late summer is the perfect time for eggplant, one of my favorite seasonal vegetables. Try recipes like Grilled Veggie Towers with Mozzarella, Stuffed Eggplant Parmesan, a lighter Eggplant Parmesan, or an Air Fryer Eggplant Parmesan if you have an air fryer. For a fun vegetarian option, Eggplant Meatballs are a great twist.

With grocery prices rising, planning meals is one of the best ways to eat well on a budget. Meal planning saves money, reduces food waste, and makes weeknight cooking less stressful. If you’re looking for more budget-friendly weekly plans, you can find additional options and meal-planning tools from the same recipe collection.

Where to Buy the Meal Planner

• Amazon
• Barnes & Noble
• Indie bookstores

About the Meal Plan

These free, flexible 7-day meal plans are intended as a guide and offer plenty of flexibility. You can add more food, coffee, beverages, fruit, snacks, dessert or wine, and you can swap meals to suit your tastes. Breakfast and lunch recipes Monday–Friday are portioned for one, while dinners and weekend meals are sized for a family of four. Many recipes yield leftovers that reduce cooking time and simplify lunches.

Aim for at least 1,500 calories per day as a general starting point, though individual needs vary by age, activity level and goals. The included shopping list is organized to make grocery trips faster and more cost-effective.

If you like community support, there is an active Facebook community where members share photos and tips. You can also subscribe to the recipe newsletter to receive weekly meal plans and updates.

Meal Plan

Breakfast and lunch Monday–Friday are designed for one serving. Dinners and all weekend meals serve four. The grocery list below includes everything needed for the week’s recipes.

MONDAY (8/21)
B: Tropical Chia Pudding Breakfast Bowl
L: 5-Ingredient Salmon Salad on one slice of sourdough with one cup cherries
D: Pesto Pasta with Arugula, Asparagus, Peas and Pistachios
Total Calories: 1,006*

TUESDAY (8/22)
B: Tropical Chia Pudding Breakfast Bowl
L: 5-Ingredient Salmon Salad on one slice of sourdough with one cup cherries
D: Smash Tacos with Mexican Cauliflower “Rice”
Total Calories: 1,136*

WEDNESDAY (8/23)
B: High-Protein Scrambled Eggs with Cottage Cheese, 1/4 cup salsa and 2 oz avocado
L: 5-Ingredient Salmon Salad on sourdough with one cup cherries
D: Grilled Flank Steak with Tomatoes, Red Onion and Balsamic; Grilled Corn Salad with Feta; Grilled Asparagus
Total Calories: 1,010*

THURSDAY (8/24)
B: Peanut Butter Breakfast Oatmeal Bowl
L: Leftover Grilled Steak with Tomatoes and Grilled Corn Salad with Feta
D: Summer Vegetables with Sausage and Potatoes Skillet
Total Calories: 1,047*

FRIDAY (8/25)
B: Peanut Butter Breakfast Oatmeal Bowl
L: Leftover Grilled Steak with Tomatoes and Grilled Corn Salad with Feta
D: Air Fryer Fish Sticks with Lemony Hearts of Palm and Avocado Salad
Total Calories: 1,179*

SATURDAY (8/26)
B: Bacon, Egg and Avocado Breakfast Sandwich (double dough recipe for Pizza Bites)
L: Antipasto Salad (recipe scaled x4)
D: Dinner out
Total Calories: 623*

SUNDAY (8/27)
B: Strawberry Peanut Butter Swirl Smoothie Bowls (recipe x2)
L: Pepperoni Pizza Bites with eight baby carrots
D: Chicken Eggplant Parmesan with Sautéed Baby Zucchini (recipe x2)
Total Calories: 1,134*

*This is a general guide. Women may aim for around 1,500 calories per day depending on individual needs. The plan leaves room to add extra snacks or beverages as desired.

Shopping List

Produce

• 1 medium kiwi
• 1 small mango
• 1 lb cherries
• 4 bananas (mix of small and medium)
• 4 lemons (mix of small and medium)
• 1 (6-oz) container fresh raspberries
• 1 (6-oz) container fresh blueberries
• Assorted Hass avocados (about 3–4, mixed sizes)
• 1 small jalapeño
• Red, yellow and orange bell peppers (1 each)
• 1 small bunch celery
• 7 ears of corn
• 1½ lb asparagus
• 1 medium head cauliflower (or a bag of riced cauliflower)
• 1 lb baby red potatoes
• 1 small eggplant
• 1 medium cucumber
• 2 medium zucchini
• 2 packages baby zucchini (about 40 total)
• 1 (2-lb) package baby carrots
• 1 head garlic
• 1 (1-lb) bag baby arugula
• 1 small head romaine
• Fresh herbs: basil, dill, Italian parsley, cilantro (small bunches)
• Assorted tomatoes: heirloom, vine-ripened, plum and cherry (quantities for recipes)
• 1 large red onion; 1 medium and 1 large yellow onion

Meat, Poultry & Fish

• 1½ lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 4 small pieces)
• 1 lb 93% lean ground turkey
• 1 lb Italian chicken sausage
• ½ lb skinless wild salmon
• 1½ lb skinless wild cod, sea bass or haddock
• 2 lb flank or London broil steak
• 1 package center-cut bacon
• 1 package turkey pepperoni
• 1 package sliced prosciutto

Grains

• Small loaf sourdough bread
• Small package corn tortillas (about 8)
• Unbleached all-purpose flour
• Seasoned panko breadcrumbs
• Quick or old-fashioned oats
• Whole wheat fusilli or another short pasta

Condiments & Spices

• Extra virgin olive oil
• Canola oil
• Cooking spray
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• Dried oregano, ground ginger, crushed red pepper flakes
• Old Bay seasoning, paprika and smoked paprika
• Dijon mustard and mayonnaise (regular or light)
• Garlic powder and balsamic vinegar
• Taco seasoning (or ingredients to make your own)
• Cayenne pepper and cumin
• Pure maple syrup

Dairy & Refrigerated

• 18-pack large eggs
• 1 container pico de gallo (or ingredients to make your own)
• Feta cheese (small package)
• Fresh Parmesan wedge
• 8-oz bag shredded cheddar or Mexican blend
• 8-oz bag shredded part-skim mozzarella
• 6-oz fresh mozzarella
• 32-oz nonfat plain Greek yogurt
• 6-oz whole milk plain Greek yogurt
• 1 quart unsweetened vanilla almond milk
• 6–8 oz low-fat cottage cheese

Canned & Jarred

• Large jar marinara sauce (or ingredients for quick marinara)
• Tomato paste (4–4.5 oz)
• Jar roasted red peppers
• Pepperoncini, Giardiniera and olives (medium jars)
• 14-oz can hearts of palm
• Small jar dill pickles
• Creamy peanut butter (small jar)

Frozen

• Bag peas
• Bag frozen strawberries

Dry Goods & Misc.

• Chia seeds (about 1/3 cup)
• Your preferred sweetener (monk fruit, stevia, etc.)
• Dried unsweetened shredded coconut (about 2 tbsp)
• Roasted shelled pistachios (about 3 tbsp)
• Raw or roasted almonds (about 2 tbsp)
• Baking powder

Non-Food Items

• Parchment paper

You can substitute gluten-free options where noted if desired.