Enjoy this delicious and satisfying 5-day anti-inflammation meal plan that has been optimized to help reduce inflammation and to keep you feeling healthy and well-balanced.
Okay, let's get to the main point here: An anti-inflammatory diet includes foods and ingredients that minimize your body's inflammatory responses. Don't worry if that seems a bit vague because we'll dive deeper into what exactly that means later on in this post. As a general rule, the idea behind an anti-inflammatory diet is to replace sugary, refined foods with whole and nutrient-rich foods with generous amounts of antioxidants.
To make it all a lot easier to understand (end enjoy!), I have also put together a healthy, anti-inflammatory diet meal plan for a 5-day routine, to get you started on your way. If you enjoyed my 7-Day Meal Plan for Weight Loss, I think you're gonna love this meal plan, too!
In This Post You'll Find:
- What is an Anti-Inflammatory Diet?
- Watch My Recipe Video
- Anti-Inflammatory Foods
- What are the foods that cause inflammation?
- What's the difference between a clean eating diet and an anti-inflammatory diet?
- 5-Day Anti-Inflammatory Diet Meal Plan
- Breakfast: Matcha Chia Make-Ahead Smoothie
- Lunch: Turmeric Chickpea and Kale Buddha Bowl
- Snack: Lemon Ginger Energy Balls
- Dinner: Greek Quinoa Salad Stuffed Baked Sweet Potatoes
- 5-Day Anti-Inflammatory Meal Plan
- Reviews
What is an Anti-Inflammatory Diet?
So, first things first: What the heck is an "anti-inflammatory diet" and why is it so important? Acute inflammation can occur when your body recognizes a foreign element, including a chemical, plant pollen, an invading microbe or some other form of infection-causing agent, and this in turn, activates your immune system and triggers inflammation in order to protect your health and fight the illness. This is what your body is meant to do -- protect itself against potential danger.
However, when inflammation persists and lasts several days, or when inflammation occurs without anything foreign, it make it hard to carry out even day-to-day activities without facing discomfort and pain. This is what's called chronic inflammation. Minimizing inflammation and relieving pain and other symptoms are especially necessary in these cases.
Watch My Recipe Video
Fortunately, one of the most effective solutions to reduce inflammation doesn't involve medication or heavy treatments -- instead, it's all about making certain changes to your diet. Yep, all it takes is a trip to the grocery store to get foods and ingredients that have been shown to contain anti-inflammatory effects (meaning they reduce overall inflammation in your body). So choosing the right anti-inflammatory foods and turning them into delicious meals for breakfast, lunch, snacks or dinner can work amazingly well to reduce your risk of illness.
Ya see where I'm going with this? 🙂
Anti-Inflammatory Foods
Loading up on anti-inflammatory foods is an essential step in reducing inflammation. That means whole fruits and vegetables as well as sources of omega-3 fatty acids.
An anti-inflammatory diet meal should include these foods:
- tomatoes
- nuts (like almonds and walnuts)
- berries (like blueberries, strawberries, and blackberries)
- olive oil and coconut oil
- dark, leafy greens (like kale and spinach)
- whole grains (like quinoa, brown rice, wild rice)
- red grapes
- beans and lentils
- avocado
- cold water fish (like tuna and salmon)
- olives
- broccoli
- cauliflower
- green tea (matcha)
- spices, like pepper, turmeric, ginger, and cinnamon
- dark chocolate
- chia seeds
- flax seeds
- citrus (like oranges and lemons)
- natural sweeteners (like dates and pure maple syrup)
- root starches (like sweet potatoes, beets, and potatoes)
What are the foods that cause inflammation?
On the other hand, you'll also want to avoid inflammation-causing foods, including the following:
- refined carbohydrates (like white bread and white pasta)
- fried foods (trans fats)
- soda and other artificially-sweetened beverages
- high-fructose corn syrup
- red meat, especially very fatty meat that's been highly procesed
- processed meat
- refined oils (like margarine, shortening, vegetable oil, and soybean oil)
- excessive alcohol
- snack foods with high sodium (like chips and crackers)
What's the difference between a clean eating diet and an anti-inflammatory diet?
For starters, luckily, a LOT of clean eating correlates really well with an anti-inflammatory diet. That’s because, on an anti-inflammatory diet, you’re looking for fresh, whole foods, that are nutrient-dense. You’re also looking to avoid processed meats, sugary drinks, refined flours, and processed snacks. This should all look pretty familiar to clean eating.
5-Day Anti-Inflammatory Diet Meal Plan
Below is a detailed 5-day anti-inflammatory diet meal plan that includes super delicious recipes to enjoy each day as your breakfast, lunch, snack, and dinner. This meal plan will provide you with a great start for how to put together an anti-inflammatory meal plan.
PS you can always customize the meal plan according to your dietary needs and preferences, especially taking advantage of the anti-inflammatory foods listed above. I also recommend speaking with your doctor when starting a new diet plan to ensure it's the right choice.
Breakfast: Matcha Chia Make-Ahead Smoothie
For breakfast, we have our matcha chia make-ahead smoothies, which contain dark, leafy greens with our spinach, matcha powder, dates, and chia seeds. Plus, there are no added sugars or artificial ingredients.
Lunch: Turmeric Chickpea and Kale Buddha Bowl
For our lunch, we’ll enjoy a Turmeric Chickpea and Kale Buddha Bowl each day, which contains chickpeas, kale, red grapes, wild rice, and more. Add that lemon squeeze when serving.
Snack: Lemon Ginger Energy Balls
For snack, we have energy balls that are filled with lemon, turmeric, and spices, like pepper, turmeric, cinnamon, and ginger. A snack serving size is three of these bad boys and I know you’re gonna love them.
Dinner: Greek Quinoa Salad Stuffed Baked Sweet Potatoes
Dinner is our Greek quinoa salad stuffed baked sweet potatoes. These are stuffed with quinoa, cucumbers, tomatoes, and red onion with a fresh lemon vinaigrette.
5-Day Anti-Inflammatory Meal Plan
Equipment
- Glass Meal Prep Containers - My Favorite Meal Prep Containers
*This post may contain affiliate links for products I use often and highly recommend.
Ingredients
Matcha Chia Make-Ahead Smoothie (total of 5 smoothies)
- 5 cups unsweetened almond milk (or milk of choice)
- 5 frozen bananas
- 5 pitted dates
- 1 ½ tablespoon matcha powder
- 3 tablespoon chia seeds
- 3 cups fresh spinach
Turmeric Chickpea and Kale Buddha Bowls (total of 5 bowls)
For the Wild Rice:
- 2 cups wild rice rinsed well (to yield 1 cup cooked per bowl)
- 3 cups water
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
For the Chickpeas:
- 2 15-oz cans chickpeas (AKA garbanzo beans), drained, rinsed, and patted dry
- 2 teaspoon cumin
- 1 ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
For the Garlic Sautéed Kale:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 5 cups chopped kale
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
For the Bowl:
- 2 cups red grapes, sliced in half
- 5 wedges lemon, for serving
- 3 avocados diced (when ready to serve), if desired
Lemon Turmeric Energy Balls (total of 15 energy balls, 3 balls per serving)
- 1 cup uncooked rolled oats
- 1 cup raw almonds
- 8 large pitted dates
- 3 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 teaspoon lemon zest
- ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
Greek Quinoa Salad Stuffed Baked Sweet Potato (total of 5 meals)
- 5 medium sweet potatoes, rinsed, poked, and patted dry
For Greek Quinoa Salad:
- ⅓ cup raw quinoa
- ⅔ cup water
- 1 cup sliced grape tomatoes
- 1 cup diced cucumber, quartered
- ½ cup pitted kalamata olives, sliced
- ½ cup thinly sliced red onion
For Greek Quinoa Salad Dressing:
- 3 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
Matcha Chia Make-Ahead Smoothie (5 servings)
- Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth.
- These smoothies are made all together (as written) and then divided evenly and then stored in the freezer in mason jars with re-usable lids.
- While you could make this fresh each day, I make all 5 smoothies ahead of time and store them in the freezer. Then, I remove one each day the night before and allow it to thaw in the fridge overnight so I have my smoothie ready to enjoy each morning.
Turmeric Chickpea and Kale Buddha Bowl (5 servings)
- To make the wild rice, place wild rice, water, and salt in a deep pot with a lid over medium-high heat. Cover, and bring it to a boil. Then, turn heat down to low and let simmer 40-45 minutes. The rice is cooked when it is tender and creamy, and all the liquid has been absorbed.
- To make the chickpeas, combine the chickpeas with the seasoning, and toss to coat. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the seasoned chickpeas. Sauté the chickpeas for 6-8 minutes, until golden brown and fragrant. To avoid smashing the chickpeas with a spoon, you can shake the pan to toss the chickpeas around to evenly brown. Add additional oil, as needed, to prevent from sticking. Then, remove from heat and set aside.
- To make the kale, heat the olive oil over medium heat in a skillet. Add the kale and sauté until softened. Add the garlic and sea salt, and stir for another minute.
- Assemble the bowls into meal prep containers, starting with the wild rice as the base (1 cup per meal). Then, top with the seasoned chickpeas (⅓-1/2 cups per meal), sautéed kale, grapes (¼ cup per meal), and wedge of lemon. When ready to serve, top with avocado, if desired, and squeeze lemon juice.
For The Lemon Turmeric Energy Balls (5 servings, 3 balls per serving)
- Add all ingredients to a food processor, and process until the mixture becomes a ball and is fully blended.
- Divide the mixture evenly into 15 portions - using a meatball scoop is handy for this. Roll into balls using your hands.
- Place into the fridge to become more firm and solidify. Then, store in the fridge in an air-tight container all together or individually portioned for each day.
Greek Quinoa Salad Stuffed Baked Sweet Potato (5 servings)
- Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees F and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Wash sweet potatoes and remove any debris or dirt, and then pat dry. Place the sweet potatoes on the baking sheet and poke several holes around each of them using a fork or small knife.
- Bake for 55-65 minutes or until a fork can easily be inserted into the flesh of the potatoes.
- When the sweet potatoes have about 20 minutes left, cook quinoa. Just combine the uncooked quinoa and water in a small sauce pan, and heat over medium-high heat. Once the water reaches a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook 15-20 minutes, or until all the liquid has been absorbed and the quinoa has opened and is tender. Fluff the cooked quinoa with a fork, and then set aside to cool.
- Once the sweet potatoes are done baking, let cool slightly. Once cool, cut the sweet potatoes open and shred the flesh from the skin so that the inside is mashed and easy to scoop out.
- For Greek Quinoa Stuffing, in a large mixing bowl, combine cooked quinoa and the rest of the ingredients for quinoa salad. Set aside.
- In a separate small mixing bowl, make the quinoa salad dressing by adding the ingredients for the dressing and whisking them together.
- Drizzle the dressing over the salad and then toss everything to combine evenly.
- Stuff the sweet potatoes with the quinoa salad and store in glass meal prep containers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Video
Notes
- Nutritional information is for an entire day of the 5-day meal plan, which includes breakfast, snack, lunch, and dinner.
- All food can be stored in the fridge in an air-tight container for up to 5 days.
- Meals can be prepped ahead of time in bulk, if desired.
Nutrition
This post contains affiliate links for products I use often and highly recommend.
Please note: I am not a medical practitioner and do not provide medical advice, diagnoses, or treatment. Please seek assistance for any diagnosis, treatment, and/or advice from qualified providers based on your condition.
Heather Nelson
Hi I made all this to try but I can’t get the values to reach 120g of protein .
More like 50g
The calories total is about right at 1550.
Is this wrong ?
Thanks for your help
Heather
SJo
I was excited to get some ideas but the amount of pop ups and ads leaves me with hardly any ability to read this…
lynn m benjamin
loved all, dinner was not my favorite and I could never get my balls to stick together. But thank you for the easy-to-follow guide and recipes!! I keep returning to our website
Dustin
Thanks for the feedback glad you enjoyed most of it.
Carlie Cortes
So far, I’ve only tried the Greek Quinoa Salad Stuffed Sweet Potatoes, but I loved them! So delicious and healthy, not to mention creative. I’m going to try the energy balls next and I’m so excited!
Donna GESLER
What sizes are the meal containers and mason jars?
Ashley
Thank you so much for providing nutritional and delicious recipes. I didn't know where exactly to start with reducing inflammation via nutrition, but your meal plan made it so easy! I look forward to trying more recipes and incorporating them into a healthier lifestyle!
Monica Stoffer
Hi there.
I was wondering if you could recommend something to replace the sweet potatoes? My daughter is allergic to them so I try not to have them in the house.
thank you!
Jen Moderator
Hi Monica, how about butternut squash? Lacey uses this quite a bit in her recipes and it looks like it would be a good fit for this one. I'll get more suggestions from her if you need - keep us posted! -Jen
Simone
I was very pleasantly surprised by every one of these recipes! Each one was better than expected and I look forward to having them again. I had to add some protein for my nutritional needs, but that was easy.
I would LOVE another 5 day anti-inflammatory meal plan and would definitely be interested in a cookbook of anti-inflammatory recipes.
Thank you!!
Barbara McClelland
I did the 5 day anti inflammatory diet. Thank you so much for putting this together. I loved the recipes and all of the food was so good. I want another 5 days of new recipes. Do you have a book I can purchase, or something I can subscribe to for more recipes? I love the plant based life style. Seems to work well for me. My knees and neck already feel better after only 5 days of this. I have shares this with several friends. Thank you so much!
Jen Moderator
So glad to hear you've had great results, Barbara! It sounds like we need more anti-inflammatory recipe content on the blog so I'll pitch that to Lacey soon! She does have a cookbook with clean recipes you can access here: https://www.asweetpeachef.com/cookbook/ And you might like these posts: Best Anti-Inflammatory Smoothies - https://www.asweetpeachef.com/best-anti-inflammatory-smoothies/ 5 Anti-Inflammatory Breakfast Recipes - https://www.asweetpeachef.com/anti-inflammatory-breakfast-recipes/
I hope that helps for now! -Jen
Marci
Hi, I have IBS issues and enjoy the structure of the meal plan...except the spinach gives me gas all day. Any ideas? Is there another veggie I can substitute? The meal plan has helped with my GI issues too and am very appreciative you have this available on-line.
Jen Moderator
Hi Marci, thank you for your question! Do you have similar results with all leafy greens? If not, arugula or kale would make a fine substitute. If these cause you more harm than good, we always recommend just leaving them out. Another thing you could try is adding powdered greens to your smoothies (so you don't miss out on any of the nutrients spinach provides). I hope this helps! -Jen
이미나
Just a comment about tomatoes as they are a nightshade and have alkaloids which are inflammatories in all forms. I have Hashimoto’s Disease and am on a AIP diet autoimmune protocol diet for anti-inflammatory foods and tomatoes are a no-no. Just thought I would point that out. Thank you for the great recipe.
Jen Moderator
Hi there, thank you for your comment! I’m Lacey’s blog moderator and can help with this. So…there’s def been a lot of feedback about the tomatoes! And you’re right, if you have historically reacted badly to nightshades we would recommend skipping them. However, tomatoes ARE an excellent source of lycopene, which has been said to help reduce inflammation. So…this is a case where you’ll have to tune in with your body and/ or consult with your doctor or nutritionist. I hope this helps!
LaDonna
I keep coming back to this because it’s so good! When I over do it with the sugar and my body is aching these recipes really help. Thank you I hope I never lose this recipe 💜
Joni
I can't seem to get the lemon turmeric energy balls to stick together. What am I missing? Loved everything else in the meal plan.
Joni
I ended up adding some water and it worked. 🙂
Jen Moderator
Thanks Joni! Generally the stickiness of the dates will hold everything together, but we're glad you found a method that works for you!