Anti-inflammatory meal plan, plant first.
An anti-inflammatory diet is less a strict list than a pattern: vegetables, fruit, beans, whole grains, fish, olive oil and spices. This week runs about 1,600 calories a day. Alma can fit it to your goal.
Built from AHA and Dietary Guidelines advice.
The rules
Three habits do most of the work
Half the plate is plants
Vegetables and fruit at every meal, with beans or whole grains alongside.
Fish twice a week
Salmon, sardines, mackerel or trout, which carry omega-3 fats.
Beans, nuts and olive oil
These replace butter, cream and packaged snacks most days.
Sample week
Seven days of anti-inflammatory meals
About 1,550 to 1,750 calories a day. Scale portions to your needs. Find your number
Day 1Monday
BreakfastOatmeal with blueberries and flax½ cup dry rolled oats cooked with ¾ cup milk, ½ cup blueberries, 1 tbsp ground flaxseed, cinnamon
LunchTurmeric lentil soup with spinach1½ cups lentil soup made with 1 cup cooked lentils, tomato, turmeric and 2 cups spinach, 1 slice whole-grain bread, 1 tsp olive oil
SnackOrange, walnuts and green tea1 orange, 1 oz walnuts, 1 cup green tea
DinnerSalmon, sweet potato and broccoli5 oz salmon, 1 cup mashed sweet potato, 1½ cups roasted broccoli with 2 tsp olive oil, garlic and lemon
About 1,660 kcal84 g protein44 g fiber
Day 2Tuesday
- BreakfastGreek yogurt with kiwi and chia¾ cup plain Greek yogurt, 1 kiwi, 1 tbsp chia seeds, 2 tbsp walnuts, cinnamon
- LunchQuinoa bowl with chickpeas and peppers1 cup cooked quinoa, ¾ cup chickpeas, roasted red pepper and zucchini with 1 tbsp olive oil, lemon and parsley
- SnackApple with almond butter1 apple, 1 tbsp almond butter
- DinnerGinger chicken stir-fry with brown rice5 oz cooked chicken breast, 1 cup cooked brown rice, broccoli and red pepper with ginger and 2 tsp olive oil
About 1,740 kcal98 g protein37 g fiber
Day 3Wednesday
- BreakfastEgg and spinach breakfast wrap2 eggs scrambled in 1 tsp olive oil, 1 small whole-wheat tortilla, 1 cup spinach, sliced tomato
- LunchSardine and roasted beet salad1 can sardines in olive oil, drained (3.75 oz), 1 cup roasted beets, arugula, 1 tbsp olive oil, lemon, 1 slice rye bread
- SnackBlueberries with cottage cheese½ cup blueberries, ½ cup cottage cheese, 1 tbsp almonds
- DinnerBlack bean and sweet potato chili1½ cups chili with 1 cup black beans, ½ cup diced sweet potato and tomato cooked in 2 tsp olive oil, ½ cup cooked brown rice, ¼ avocado
About 1,590 kcal82 g protein35 g fiber
Day 4Thursday
- BreakfastChia pudding with strawberries3 tbsp chia seeds soaked in ¾ cup milk, ½ cup sliced strawberries, 1 tbsp walnuts
- LunchTofu and broccoli bowl5 oz firm tofu, 1 cup broccoli, 1 cup cooked brown rice, ginger, 2 tsp olive oil
- SnackRoasted chickpeas½ cup chickpeas roasted in 1 tsp olive oil with paprika
- DinnerMackerel with barley and green beans5 oz grilled mackerel, 1 cup cooked pearl barley, 1 cup green beans with 2 tsp olive oil and lemon
About 1,720 kcal84 g protein40 g fiber
Day 5Friday
- BreakfastMango yogurt bowl with pumpkin seeds1 cup plain 2% Greek yogurt, ½ cup diced mango, 1 tbsp pumpkin seeds, ¼ tsp turmeric
- LunchFarro salad with white beans1 cup cooked farro, ½ cup white beans, cucumber, tomato, basil, 1 tbsp olive oil, ¼ avocado
- SnackDark chocolate with almonds1 oz almonds, 10 g dark chocolate (70% cacao), 1 cup green tea
- DinnerRed lentil dal with spinach1 cup cooked red lentils with tomato, cumin and ginger, 1 cup cooked brown rice, 1 cup wilted spinach, 2 tsp olive oil
About 1,660 kcal74 g protein40 g fiber
Day 6Saturday
- BreakfastSweet potato hash with eggs1 cup diced sweet potato and onion pan-cooked in 2 tsp olive oil, 2 eggs
- LunchQuinoa and edamame salad1 cup cooked quinoa, ½ cup shelled edamame, shredded carrot and cabbage, cilantro, 1 tbsp olive oil, lime
- SnackCottage cheese with pineapple½ cup cottage cheese, ½ cup pineapple chunks, 1 tbsp sunflower seeds
- DinnerRoasted cod with lentils and kale4 oz cod roasted with lemon, 1 cup cooked green lentils, 1 cup kale sautéed in 3 tsp olive oil and garlic
About 1,590 kcal98 g protein37 g fiber
Day 7Sunday
- BreakfastBuckwheat pancakes with blueberries3 small (4-inch) buckwheat pancakes, ½ cup blueberries, 1 tbsp maple syrup, 1 tbsp walnuts
- LunchChickpea and kale salad with tahini1 cup chickpeas, 2 cups massaged kale, 1 tbsp tahini, lemon, 1 slice whole-grain bread
- SnackCelery with peanut butter and raisins2 celery stalks, 2 tbsp peanut butter, 1 tbsp raisins
- DinnerLentil bolognese with whole-wheat pasta1½ cups cooked whole-wheat spaghetti with ¾ cup cooked lentils in ½ cup tomato sauce, 2 tsp olive oil, basil
About 1,630 kcal67 g protein47 g fiber
Shopping list
What to buy
Most days
- SpicesTurmeric, ginger, cumin, paprika, garlic, black pepper
Now and then
Frozen and canned vegetables and fruit with no or little added sugar are good options too, per the Dietary Guidelines.
Make it yours
This week is a sample. Alma builds yours.
- Meals fit to your goal and the foods you like
- Log a meal by photo, voice or text in about 10 seconds
- Every meal gets an Alma Score from 0 to 100
Questions
What people ask
What foods are on an anti-inflammatory diet?
Vegetables, fruit, beans, lentils, whole grains, nuts, olive oil, fatty fish and spices like turmeric and ginger. Coffee and green tea fit. Refined grains, sugary drinks and processed meats show up less often. There is no single approved food list, so this plan follows the pattern the Dietary Guidelines for Americans describe.
How many calories is this meal plan?
About 1,550 to 1,750 calories a day, with about 35 to 47 grams of fiber and 65 to 100 grams of protein. Your needs depend on your size, age and activity, so scale portions up or down. The calorie calculator gives you a starting number.
Does an anti-inflammatory diet really work?
"Anti-inflammatory diet" is a popular label, not a medical standard, and no single food changes inflammation on its own. The clearest trial result is for heart health: in PREDIMED, a Mediterranean diet with olive oil or nuts led to about 30% fewer major cardiovascular events (Estruch 2018).
Can I follow this plan if I eat vegetarian?
Yes. The week already leans on beans, lentils, tofu and eggs. Swap the fish for ¾ cup of cooked lentils or a cup of edamame and keep the olive oil, nuts and vegetables as they are. The Dietary Guidelines set a protein goal of 1.2 to 1.6 grams per kilogram of body weight a day, so check you still reach it.
Is the anti-inflammatory diet the same as the Mediterranean diet?
They overlap a lot. Both build on vegetables, fruit, whole grains, beans and olive oil, and both include fish a couple of times a week. Anti-inflammatory plans often add more spices and green tea, and this one does.
How do I start without changing everything at once?
Pick two swaps for the first week: olive oil instead of butter, and beans in place of a meat lunch twice. Add a serving of vegetables to dinner. Once those feel normal, add fish twice a week. Small changes are easier to keep than a strict reset.
How does Alma help with an anti-inflammatory diet?
Log a meal by photo, voice or text in about 10 seconds. Every meal gets an Alma Score from 0 to 100, drawing on Harvard's Alternate Healthy Eating Index, which rewards vegetables, fruit, whole grains, nuts and fish. Alma builds a plan around your goal and the foods you like.
Sources
Written by Alma from the sources below and reviewed October 28, 2026. Calories and protein are estimates. This is general information, not medical advice. If you manage a health condition or take medication, check changes with your clinician. Editorial standards
- Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2025-2030
- American Heart Association: What is the Mediterranean diet?
- American Heart Association: Fish and omega-3 fatty acids
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health: Healthy Eating Plate
- Estruch R, et al. Mediterranean diet supplemented with olive oil or nuts. N Engl J Med, 2018
- USDA FoodData Central, for calorie and protein estimates
Get a week built around you.
Tell Alma your goal and the foods you like. It plans the meals and scores each one.