Sample meal plans for 17 diets

Thinking about changing how you eat? Each plan shows a full sample week, the recipes to make it, practical tips, and what studies found about that way of eating. Recipes come from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute and the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Not medical advice. A sample week for ideas, not a meal plan made for you. Portions are as written in each recipe and are not matched to your calorie needs. If you have a health condition, food allergies, are pregnant or take medicines (especially for diabetes or blood pressure), check with your doctor or a registered dietitian before changing how you eat.

MediterraneanBuilt around vegetables, fruit, whole grains, beans, nuts and olive oil, with fish or seafood at least twice…DASHRich in vegetables, fruit, low-fat dairy and whole grains, with fish, poultry, beans and nuts for protein. It…MINDA blend of Mediterranean and DASH eating that stresses leafy greens, other vegetables, berries, nuts, beans,…Mostly healthy plant foodsMost food comes from healthy plants: whole grains, vegetables, fruit, beans, nuts, seeds and plant oils, with…VegetarianNo meat, poultry or fish, but eggs and dairy are included. Protein comes from beans, lentils, tofu, eggs,…VeganOnly plant foods: vegetables, fruit, whole grains, beans, lentils, soy foods, nuts and seeds. No meat, fish,…Low-carb, plant-basedCuts back on bread, rice, pasta, potatoes and sugar, and replaces them with fats and proteins from plants:…Low-carb, meat-basedCuts back on bread, rice, pasta, potatoes and sugar and gets most protein and fat from meat, poultry, fish,…KetoA very low-carb, high-fat way of eating that keeps net carbs to roughly 20-30 g a day so the body burns fat…PaleoBased on meat, fish, eggs, vegetables, fruit, nuts and seeds. It leaves out grains, beans and peanuts, dairy,…CarnivoreAnimal foods only: beef, pork, lamb, poultry, fish, seafood and eggs, with dairy like cheese, butter or…Intermittent fastingA 16:8 time-restricted pattern: all food is eaten in an 8-hour window, here noon to 8 pm, and only water,…Low-fatKeeps fat to about 20-30% of calories by choosing lean proteins, nonfat or low-fat dairy and little added oil…Gluten-freeLeaves out wheat, barley, rye and anything made from them, such as most bread, pasta, crackers and beer.…NordicBased on foods traditional to the Nordic countries: whole-grain rye, oats and barley, root vegetables,…Traditional JapaneseMeals of rice with fish, soy foods like tofu, miso and edamame, plenty of vegetables, seaweed and mushrooms,…High-quality diet overallA balanced everyday diet that scores well on healthy-eating indexes: plenty of vegetables, fruit, whole…

In the calculator, pick your current diet and the diets you'd be open to, and your report card compares them side by side.

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