7-Day Low-Sugar Meal Plan: 1,200 Calories

Hit reset and get your healthy eating habits back on track with this simple 7-day low-sugar meal plan. Decreasing your sugar intake can help stabilize energy levels and curb an overactive appetite (which is especially helpful when trying to lose weight). Reducing your sugar intake may also play a role in helping to prevent chronic diseases like obesity, diabetes, heart disease and even certain cancers, due to sugar's negative effects on inflammation, per a 2022 review in Frontiers in Immunology. This low-sugar diet plan fuels your body with the nutrients it needs to stay healthy while limiting foods, like added sugar, that can do harm when you have too much.

In this healthy meal plan, we cut out all forms of added sugar (think granulated sugar, honey, maple syrup and all of the other names for sugar you may see in packaged foods) and load up on delicious whole foods for a week of satisfying low-sugar meals and snacks.

What you will find are lots of fresh fruits and vegetables, fiber-rich whole grains, filling lean protein and healthy fats. This balanced week of healthy eating will help you feel refreshed, energized and good about what's on your plate. Plus, at 1,200 calories, you'll be on track to lose a healthy 1 to 2 pounds per week. Not sure if this is the right calorie level for you? Calculate your daily calorie goal and then choose between this 1,200-calorie plan or the 1,500- or 1,800-calorie versions.

How to Meal-Prep Your Week of Meals

Read the Meal-Prep Tips throughout this meal plan for information on how you can prep ahead and use leftovers during the week. And don't miss the Healthy Shopping Tips for pointers on how to find versions of packaged foods with the least amount of added sugars.

1. Bake the Muffin-Tin Quiches with Smoked Cheddar & Potato in the morning on Day 1. Individually wrap the remaining quiches in plastic and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 1 month. You'll be having this again for breakfast on Days 3 and 6. To reheat, remove plastic, wrap in a paper towel and microwave on High for 30 to 60 seconds.
2. Start the Slow-Cooker Vegetable Soup in the morning on Day 1 so it's ready in time for lunch. Refrigerate 2 servings to have for lunch on Day 2 and dinner on Day 6. Any leftover soup can be frozen for up to 6 months.
3. Make the Peanut Butter-Oat Energy Balls to have for snacks on Days 2, 3 & 5. Refrigerate for up to 1 week.

Meal-Prep Tip: Stock up on some air-tight meal-prep containers to keep your meals fresh throughout the week.

Day 1

Breakfast (299 calories)

• 2 Muffin-Tin Quiches with Smoked Cheddar & Potato
• 1 medium orange
• 1 cup herbal tea

Lunch (343 calories)

• 1 1/2 cups Slow-Cooker Vegetable Soup
• 2 cups mixed greens dressed with 2 Tbsp. Citrus-Lime Vinaigrette and topped with 2 Tbsp. pumpkin seeds (pepitas)

Meal-Prep Tip: Save leftover Citrus-Lime Vinaigrette for lunch on Day 4 and dinner on Day 6.

P.M. Snack (108 calories)

• 1/2 cup frozen raspberries
• 1/4 cup whole-milk plain yogurt
• 2 tsp. chia seeds

Blend raspberries together with yogurt and chia seeds to create a quick smoothie or simply mix all the ingredients together for a smoothie bowl.

Dinner (447 calories)

• 1 serving Roasted Salmon with Smoky Chickpeas & Greens

Daily Totals: 1,197 calories, 97 g carbohydrates, 29 g fiber, 73 g protein, 61 g fat, 1,950 mg sodium.

Day 2

Breakfast (287 calories)

• 1 1/3 cups Muesli with Raspberries
• 1 cup herbal tea

Healthy Shopping Tip: When buying muesli, look for a brand that doesn't have added sugars, which take away from the healthy goodness of this whole-grain breakfast.

A.M. Snack (78 calories)

• 1 hard-boiled egg seasoned with a pinch each of salt & pepper

Lunch (346 calories)

• 1 1/2 cups Slow-Cooker Vegetable Soup
• 1 slice Everything Bagel Avocado Toast

Healthy Shopping Tip: Use sprouted-grain bread during your low-sugar week; it's made without added sugars, unlike many other store-bought breads.

P.M. Snack (73 calories)

• 1 serving Peanut Butter-Oat Energy Balls

Dinner (434 calories)

• 2 cups No-Cook Black Bean Salad
• 1/4 cup hummus
• 1/2 cup cucumber slices for dipping into hummus

Meal-Prep Tip: Refrigerate 1 serving of the No-Cook Black Bean Salad for lunch on Day 3.

Daily Totals: 1,219 calories, 158 g carbohydrates, 45 g fiber, 53 g protein, 51 g fat, 1,937 mg sodium.

Day 3

Breakfast (299 calories)

• 2 Muffin-Tin Quiches with Smoked Cheddar & Potato
• 1 medium orange
• 1 cup herbal tea

A.M. Snack (64 calories)

• 1 cup raspberries

Lunch (322 calories)

• 2 cups No-Cook Black Bean Salad

P.M. Snack (73 calories)

• 1 serving Peanut Butter-Oat Energy Balls

Dinner (454 calories)

• 2 1/2 cups Roasted Veggie & Tofu Brown Rice Bowl

Meal-Prep Tip: When making the Roasted Veggie & Tofu Brown Rice Bowl for dinner, prepare the associated recipes that are linked on the recipe page (Easy Brown Rice, Colorful Roasted Sheet-Pan Veggies, Soy-Lime Roasted Tofu and Creamy Vegan Cashew Sauce). This way, you'll have leftovers for lunch later in the week—and you'll use these same ingredients in the Edamame & Veggie Rice Bowl on Day 4 and the Roasted Veggie Mason Jar Salad on Day 6.

Daily Totals: 1,213 calories, 133 g carbohydrates, 33 g fiber, 54 g protein, 59 g fat, 1,282 mg sodium.

Day 4

Breakfast (250 calories)

• 1 slice Everything Bagel Avocado Toast
• 1 hard-boiled egg seasoned with a pinch each salt & pepper
• 1 cup herbal tea

Lunch (394 calories)

• 2 cups Edamame & Veggie Rice Bowl

P.M. Snack (62 calories)

• 1 medium orange

Dinner (497 calories)

• 1 serving Spaghetti Squash & Chicken with Avocado Pesto

Meal-Prep Tip: Cook an extra 3 oz. of chicken to use in the lunch recipe on Day 5.

Daily Totals: 1,202 calories, 104 g carbohydrates, 26 g fiber, 52 g protein, 69 g fat, 1,242 mg sodium.

Day 5

Breakfast (287 calories)

• 1 1/3 cups Muesli with Raspberries
• 1 cup herbal tea

A.M. Snack (75 calories)

• 2 Tbsp. hummus
• 1/3 cup cucumber slices

Lunch (370 calories)

• 1 serving Chicken & Apple Kale Wraps

P.M. Snack (73 calories)

• 1 serving Peanut Butter-Oat Energy Balls

Dinner (423 calories)

• 1 serving Roasted Vegan Cauliflower Soup with Parsley-Chive Swirl
• 2 cups mixed greens dressed with 2 Tbsp. Creamy Vegan Cashew Sauce

Meal-Prep Tip: Save a serving of the Roasted Vegan Cauliflower Soup with Parsley-Chive Swirl to have for lunch on Day 7. Refrigerate any leftovers for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months for an easy ready-made lunch or dinner down the road.

Daily Totals: 1,228 calories, 123 g carbohydrates, 30 g fiber, 55 g protein, 62 g fat, 1,167 mg sodium.

Day 6

Breakfast (299 calories)

• 2 Muffin-Tin Quiches with Smoked Cheddar & Potato
• 1 cup herbal tea
• 1 medium orange

Lunch (400 calories)

• 4 cups Roasted Veggie Mason Jar Salad

P.M. Snack (162 calories)

• 1/2 cup frozen raspberries
• 1/2 cup whole-milk plain yogurt
• 1 Tbsp. chia seeds

Blend raspberries together with yogurt and chia seeds to create a quick smoothie or simply mix all the ingredients together for a smoothie bowl.

Dinner (343 calories)

• 1 1/2 cups Slow-Cooker Vegetable Soup
• 2 cups mixed greens dressed with 2 Tbsp. Citrus-Lime Vinaigrette and topped with 2 Tbsp. pumpkin seeds (pepitas)

Daily Totals: 1,205 calories, 100 g carbohydrates, 31 g fiber, 66 g protein, 69 g fat, 1,806 mg sodium.

Day 7

Breakfast (352 calories)

• 2 cups Raspberry-Peach-Mango Smoothie Bowl
• 1 cup herbal tea

A.M. Snack (78 calories)

• 1 hard-boiled egg seasoned with a pinch each salt & pepper

Lunch (329 calories)

• 1 serving Roasted Vegan Cauliflower Soup with Parsley-Chive Swirl

P.M. Snack (46 calories)

• 1 Tbsp. Creamy Vegan Cashew Sauce
• 1/2 cup cucumber slices for dipping

Dinner (406 calories)

• 1 serving Baked Fish Tacos with Avocado
• 1 cup Spicy Cabbage Slaw

Daily Totals: 1,210 calories, 101 g carbohydrates, 21 g fiber, 56 g protein, 67 g fat, 1,519 mg sodium.