How to Eat Clean for a Whole Entire Week
The whole “clean eating” thing sounds daunting, but in reality it just comes down to choosing real, non-processed foods in order to feel like your absolute best self. To make things even simpler, we created a plan that’ll help you create three clean meals a day for seven days straight. Whether you make one or 21 of these recipes, you’re on your way to feeling great.
What is clean eating?
Words like “clean” can be really confusing when making food choices, because they don’t always mean the same thing to the same person (or brand). But if you ask us, clean eating means choosing whole, unprocessed foods as much as possible, a sentiment echoed by nutritionist Keri Glassman, MS, RD, CDN and founder of Nutritious Life. She encourages us to choose “naturally nutrient-dense foods,” adding that clean eating “is mostly plant-based by default.” Think vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, whole grains and unprocessed meat, poultry and dairy. (It’s a lot like the Mediterranean diet, TBH.)
How to eat clean for an entire week:
Now that you know what clean eating is, you can try incorporating it into your meal plan. Not sure where to start? Here are a few menu ideas:
Overnight oats with blueberries and almonds for breakfast, spicy lemon ginger chicken soup for lunch and salmon and spinach rice bowl with green tea broth for dinner
Baked eggs and zoodles with avocado for breakfast, Instant Pot carrot ginger soup for lunch and vegan spaghetti squash with mushroom marinara for dinner
Sweet potato rösti with fried eggs and greens for breakfast, miso-tahini-glazed roasted eggplant with farro for lunch and Instant Pot coconut salmon with fresh herbs and lime for dinner
Need further proof that it’s not all carrot sticks and plain chicken breast? Here’s a week’s worth of clean-eating recipes to guide you.
RELATED: 37 Healthy Cookie Recipes That Will Actually Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth
Monday Breakfast: Turmeric Waffles
Don’t let the turmeric part intimidate you: These waffles are just sweet enough, not to mention grain free.
Monday Lunch: Avocado Chickpea Salad Sandwich
Who needs mayo when you’ve got avo?
Monday Dinner: Low-Carb Zucchini Enchiladas
Finish off the day with a cheesy, gooey, protein-packed meal that’s also free of refined carbs.
Tuesday Breakfast: Quick Congee
Break out of your boring oatmeal rut with this equally comforting bowl.
Tuesday Lunch: Roasted Squash and Farro Salad with Avocado Dressing
Sweet and savory with a creamy finish, courtesy of a homemade avocado dressing.
Tuesday Dinner: Cauliflower Chili
While we love the convenience and protein factor of ground beef, we’re also trying to eat less meat. Cauliflower to the rescue.
Wednesday Breakfast: Open-Face Salad Omelet
It’s never too early for salad (or a little melted mozzarella).
RELATED: 28 High-Protein Breakfast Ideas That Will Keep You Full ’Til Lunchtime
Wednesday Lunch: Quick Guacamole Quinoa Salad
If you have leftover quinoa on hand, this one will be ready to eat in about ten minutes.
Wednesday Dinner: Baked Sesame-Ginger Salmon in Parchment
Throw it all in a parchment packet and call it a day. (Seriously, there’s almost no cleanup.)
Thursday Breakfast: Quinoa with Almond Milk
Have you heard? Breakfast quinoa is the new dinner quinoa.
Thursday Lunch: Bibimbap Bowls
Bibimbap is a Korean rice dish with toppings like sautéed vegetables, kimchi, gochujang and egg. This version is an ode to the classic—we swapped the meat and egg for mushrooms to make it vegan, but kept the crunchy veggies and savory flavor profile.
Thursday Dinner: Sweet Potato Noodles with Almond Sauce
It’s time you invest in a spiralizer, if you haven’t already.
Friday Breakfast: 30-Minute Breakfast Hash with Kale and Sweet Potatoes
It’s so tasty, you’ll forget it’s healthy. Feel free to swap any vegetables as you see fit.
Friday Lunch: Lemon-Tahini Salad with Lentils, Beets and Carrots
Kale Caesar called, and it wants a makeover. (After all, color + crunch = satisfaction.)
Friday Dinner: Carrot, Fennel and Miso Soup
Roasting the vegetables until deeply caramelized results in the most flavorful soup you’ve ever tasted.
Saturday Breakfast: Triple Berry Smoothie Bowl
Damn, your breakfast is pretty (and tasty, and ready in five minutes).
Saturday Lunch: Grilled Lemon-Herb Chicken and Avocado Salad
The toppings are what makes or breaks a lunch salad, and let’s just say this one is a winner.
Saturday Dinner: Shrimp and Cauliflower “Grits” with Arugula
Ditch the carbs but keep the New Orleans flavor.
Sunday Breakfast: Quiche with Gluten-Free Sweet Potato Crust
Skip the breading and pile on the veggies. With crispy, caramelized slices of sweet potato, you won’t miss the crust.
Sunday Lunch: Thai Carrot and Peanut Soup
This flavorful bisque will fill you right up.
Sunday Dinner: Buddha Bowl with Kale, Avocado, Orange and Wild Rice
All of the superfoods right in one bowl.
RELATED: 25 Clean-Eating Bowls to Make for Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
PureWow may receive a portion of sales from products purchased from this article, which was created independently from PureWow's editorial and sales departments.
