Clean Eating Meal Plan: Full 21 Day Menu (1500 Calorie)

Cutting back on processed foods is only one part of a successful clean-eating diet. In order to lose weight and improve your health, you’ve got to get your overall nutritional balance in check.

But planning out a perfectly portioned healthy meal plan that fits your individual needs requires some serious know-how and dedication. To help get you off on the right foot, I’ve created this full 21-day high protein, clean-eating meal plan complete with customized calories and simple meal prep recipes to try.

How to Lose Weight Eating Clean

Cleaning up your diet can help cut out a lot of excess calories from added sugars and processed foods, but it is entirely possible to overeat on nutritious, whole foods. No matter what lifestyle approach you are following, calories are key!

Figure out exactly how many calories you need to consume each day to achieve your goals and then build your meal plan to match. Try this free calorie calculator to get your total daily energy expenditure (TDEE) in a few minutes.

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How to Use this Clean Eating Meal Plan

Listed below you’ll find a three-week menu with dietitian-approved breakfasts, lunches, dinners, and snacks. Each week provides a grocery list, meal schedule, and links to all recipes.

This plan does not include any beverages, so if you are drinking anything that contains calories, this will impact your daily nutrition - just be sure to track it!

I recommend cooking a majority of the meals in advance using a weekly meal prep routine.

Use the shopping list to plan ahead before you hit the grocery store, and buy all of your ingredients in one haul. Then choose a day or two that works for you and pre-cook and portion your meals for the week.

Customizing Your Clean Eating Meal Plan

This meal plan is built for a 1500-calorie plan. All you need to do is multiply the portions to match your calorie needs.

For example, if you need 1800 calories per day, you’ll need to increase portions by 20%. Just multiply all ingredients by a factor of 1.2 and your set!

Or if you need fewer calories, such as a 1200-calorie meal plan, you’ll need to decrease portions by 20% and multiply all your ingredients by a factor of 0.8.

Tracking your daily intake using a nutrition app, is the easiest way to ensure you are staying on top of your calories consistently.

Food Preferences and Allergies

The best diet for you is the one you enjoy eating! So if you’re not into some of the suggested meal options, feel free to make substitutions.

This plan is gluten-free and usually only whole foods, but does include some dairy from yogurt and cottage cheese. You can easily swap in your favorite dairy alternatives if needed but note this will likely decrease the total protein amount.

To make this soy-free, just swap in your favorite soy-free teriyaki sauce and you’re all set!

Cheat Meals

This plan does include some wiggle room with snacks! If you have a hankering for a treat or want to include beverages, you can easily swap out some of the snack options.

While I don’t recommend including more than a couple of “cheats” a week, using this approach will allow you to splurge a bit without blowing up your calorie control for the week.

Week 1

Use the following food list and recipes to tackle week one.

Shopping List

Here are all the foods you’ll need for your recipes.

Fresh Items

• 32 oz liquid egg whites
• 4 cups of cottage cheese
• 3 bell peppers
• 2 cups spinach
• 2 cups mixed greens with arugula
• 2 cups cherry tomatoes
• 1 large tomato
• 1 avocado
• 1 container mushrooms
• 1 small bunch asparagus
• 1 large sweet potato
• 1 cucumber
• 1 jalapeno pepper
• 3 to 4 Radishes
• Pomegranate seeds
• 1 dozen eggs
• ~1 1/4 pounds organic chicken breast, raw (1 pound cooked)
• ~ 1 pound grass-fed ground beef, raw (12 ounces cooked)
• ~ 1 pound flat iron steak, raw (12 ounces cooked)
• ~1 1/4 pounds peeled shrimp, raw (1 pound cooked)
• 2 ounces of feta cheese
• 10 oz hummus
• 8 pieces whole Fruit (your choice)

Dry Goods & Seasonings

• Kosher Salt
• Black Pepper
• Olive oil
• Lemon juice
• Lime Juice
• Turmeric powder
• Onion powder
• Garlic powder
• Paprika
• Cinnamon
• Fennel seed, ground
• Vanilla extract
• Baking powder
• Red Wine Vinegar
• Dijon Mustard
• Honey
• 2 cups almonds
• 18 oz Oats, old fashioned
• 3 cups Quinoa, uncooked

Fresh Herbs

• Rosemary
• Cilantro
• Head of garlic

Breakfast

Here are two clean eating breakfast dishes that will get you through the week.

1. Egg White Frittata + Maple Cinnamon Sweet Potato Waffles

These two recipes are super simple to make and will get you a macro-balanced breakfast for six days of the week.

Make one full frittata recipe and pair your serving with one sweet potato waffle (multiply the full recipe by 3).

Here are the average calories and macros per breakfast serving:

• Protein 41g
• Fat 8g
• Carbs 14g
• Calories 295

Swap the waffles for frozen roasted sweet potatoes to save time on meal prep!

2. 1 Cup Cottage Cheese + Whole Fruit

For the remaining breakfast meal, use your leftover cottage cheese and a piece of fruit.

Here are the average calories and macros for this breakfast:

• Protein 29g
• Fat 2g
• Carbs 39g
• Calories 260

Lunch

Here are two lunch recipes to try.

1. Fall Pomegranate Chicken Salad Recipe

Enjoy this fresh and hearty salad for four lunches.

Swap the blue cheese for feta to save on ingredient needs. And be sure to keep the dressing on the side until you’re ready to eat.

Here are the average calories and macros per serving:

• Protein 42g
• Fat 17g
• Carbs 20g
• Calories 410

2. Steak Kabobs & Mediterranean Quinoa Salad

This simple steak and quinoa lunch will keep you satisfied with minimal meal prep.

Adjust the recipe for 3 portions.

Here are the average calories and macros per serving:

• Protein 28g
• Fat 14g
• Carbs 39g
• Calories 454

Dinner

Make dinner easy with these two dishes.

1. Loaded Mediterranean Beef Bowl

Make this recipe for three servings.

Here are the average calories and macros per serving:

• Protein 37g
• Fat 16g
• Carbs 20g
• Calories 370

2. Shrimp Ceviche + ½ Cup Cooked Quinoa or Rice

Pair this no-cook ceviche with some leftover quinoa for a lean and nutrient-dense dinner four nights a week.

Here are the average calories and macros per serving:

• Protein 35g
• Fat 8g
• Carbs 34g
• Calories 322

Snacks

Some suggested snacks using ingredients on hand include:

1. 2 Hard-boiled Eggs + Fruit (3 days)
2. 1/4 Cup of Almonds + Fruit (4 days)

Here are the average calories and macros per serving:

• Protein 10g
• Fat 12g
• Carbs 26g
• Calories 260

You have enough eggs and almonds to get a snack serving each day of the week.
Because this week is roughly 1300 calories per day, you also have some wiggle room with a leftover 200 calories per day!

Feel free to use this for any caloric beverage or healthy snacks of your choosing.

Add one 200 calorie snack of choice (every day)

Week 2

Ready for week two!

Shopping List

You can reuse many shelf-stable ingredients from week one, like seasonings. Here are the additional foods, you’ll need to keep going.

Fresh Items

• 2 cups cherry tomatoes
• 1 large cucumber
• 1 bunch scallion
• 3 cups fresh cherry tomatoes
• 2 medium avocado
• 1 bunch asparagus
• 8 cups butter lettuce
• 2 cups pico de gallo, store-bought
• 1/4 cup frozen blueberries, thawed
• ~2 1/2 pounds organic chicken breast, raw (1 pound cooked)
• ~1 pound salmon, raw (12 ounces cooked)
• ~ 1 pound flat iron steak, raw (12 ounces cooked)
• 10 slices of turkey bacon
• 5 cups Greek yogurt
• 7 pieces whole fruit (your choice)

Dry Goods & Seasonings

• Smoked paprika
• 5 pounds of brown rice, uncooked
• 1 tbsp blueberry fruit preserves
• 6 teaspoon chia seeds
• 1/4 cup hemp seeds 2 tablespoons hemp hearts
• Nut butter

Fresh Herbs

• 1 bunch mint
• 1 bunch dill
• 1 bunch parsley
• 1 bunch of fresh cilantro

Breakfast

Your breakfast menu is as follows.

1. Protein Overnight Oats

Make enough for four mornings. Keep it interesting with different toppings!

Here are the average calories and macros per serving:

• Protein 37g
• Fat 6g
• Carbs 43g
• Calories 294

2. Protein-Packed Greek Yogurt Parfait

Make enough for three mornings. This can also be used as a snack if you prefer oats every day instead!

Here are the average calories and macros per serving:

• Protein 32g
• Fat 12g
• Carbs 36g
• Calories 383

Try this recipe with old fashioned oats instead of granola to save $ and calories.

Lunch

Here are two meal-prep-friendly lunches.

1. Simple Salmon Salad

Enjoy this fresh and vibrant salad for three lunches. Remember to keep the dressing on the side until you’re ready to eat!

Here are the average calories and macros per serving:

• Protein 30
• Fat 23
• Carbs 12
• Calories 375

2. Mediterranean Chicken Platter

This dish was built for lunch meal prep. Use your leftover hummus and garlic from week one and make enough for four days.

Here are the average calories and macros per serving:

• Protein 30g
• Fat 19g
• Carbs 37g
• Calories 434

Dinner

Here is your dinner menu.

1. Smoked Paprika Steak Stir Fry + ½ Cup Cooked Brown Rice or Quinoa

Try this with plain paprika if you don’t want to spend more money on seasonings.

Make enough for three dinner meals.

Here are the average calories and macros per serving:

• Protein 30g
• Fat 15g
• Carbs 37g
• Calories 385

2. Chicken Burrito Bowl

This recipe is crazy easy to prep and makes enough for four dinners.

Here are the average calories and macros per serving:

• Protein 41g
• Fat 11g
• Carbs 40g
• Calories 430

Snacks

Keep snacks simple and satiating this week to save time and money.

1. Whole Fruit + 2 Tablespoons Nut Butter

Here are the average calories and macros per serving:

• Protein 6g
• Fat 16g
• Carbs 27g
• Calories 290

Feeling Overwhelmed? We Can Help!

Week 3

Here is your final week!

Shopping List

You can still reuse many seasonings and dry goods from earlier in the month. Here are all the new food items you’ll need to grab.

Fresh Items

• 1 bunch kale
• 2 cups mixed greens
• 2 cups romaine
• 2 cups cherry tomato
• 1 cup bell pepper, diced
• 1 cup Brussels sprouts
• 3 cups green and purple cabbage, shredded
• 1 cup shredded carrots
• 1 shallot
• 5 to 6 sweet potatoes
• 1 cucumber
• 1 red onion
• 1 bunch scallions
• 2 cups Greek yogurt
• 2 ounces blue cheese
• 8 whole fruits (your choice)
• 12 whole eggs
• ~1 pound salmon, raw (12 ounces cooked)
• 1 pound lean turkey sausage, sliced or crumbled
• ~ 1 1/4 pound grass-fed ground beef, raw (16 ounces cooked)
• ~1 pound white fish, raw (12 ounces cooked)
• ~ 3/4 pound chicken breast, raw (8 ounces cooked)

Dry Goods & Seasonings

• 2 cups pistachios
• Taco seasoning packet
• Teriyaki sauce
• Sesame seeds (optional)

Fresh Herbs

• 1 bunch fresh cilantro
• 1 bunch parsley
• 1 bunch scallion (optional)

Breakfast

Make breakfast a breeze by only prepping one dish and portioning out for the whole week! I promise its good enough to eat seven times.

1. Sweet potato and Sausage Breakfast Casserole

Fully loaded and fully tasty. Swap out the milk for greek yogurt if you want to cut back on your ingredient needs.

Here are the average calories and macros per serving:

• Protein 23g
• Fat 13g
• Carbs 20g
• Calories 296

Lunch

Here is your week three lunch menu.

1. Salmon Grain Bowl Recipe

Make this for three lunches this week.

Here are the average calories and macros per serving:

• Protein 30g
• Fat 19g
• Carbs 37g
• Calories 434

2. Drool-Worthy Chicken Cobb Salad

Prep this (with dressing on the side) for four lunches.

Here are the average calories and macros per serving:

• Protein 34g
• Fat 18g
• Carbs 39g
• Calories 440

Dinner

Here are your dinner recipes.

1. Teriyaki Beef & Rice Bowl Recipe

Who needs takeout with this tasty clean-eating recipe? Make four servings for the week.

Here are the average calories and macros per serving:

• Protein 36g
• Fat 14g
• Carbs 29g
• Calories 400

2. White Fish Taco Bowl

Use leftover pico de gallo from week two and make three servings for the week.

Here are the average calories and macros per serving:

• Protein 35g
• Fat 9g
• Carbs 40g
• Calories 383

Snacks

You can use leftover nuts, yogurt, and fruit to build an affordable healthy snack each day.

1. ¼ cup Pistachios + fruit (4 servings)
2. ½ cup Greek yogurt + fruit (3 settings)

You also have leftover calories on week three! Use this for a treat or low-calorie snack of your choosing.

Add one 100 calorie snack of your choice.

Cost and Time Breakdown

Each week's menu will cost you roughly $250 to $300 in groceries depending on whether or not you choose organic, chop sales, buy some items prepped, location, etc.

You can also plan to take two to three hours each week cooking and prepping your dishes - this does not include clean-up time!

For roughly the same cost (or less if you choose a la carte) and zero cooking or clean-up time, you could have all of your food prepared and shipped directly to your door each week with Trifecta's clean-eating meal delivery. Never eat the same thing again, skip the meal prep altogether, and make sticking to your clean eating diet easier than ever!