Arthritis meal plan, easy on sore hands.
Arthritis has no single diet. Harvard Health calls the Mediterranean pattern the closest to anti-inflammatory eating, so this week builds on fish, beans, vegetables, nuts and whole grains. Prep is easy on sore hands, at about 1,650 calories.
Built from Harvard Health, CDC and AHA advice.
The rules
Three habits do most of the work
Fish twice a week
Sardines, salmon, mackerel or trout, fresh, frozen or tinned.
One tray, little chopping
Sheet pans, pre-cut vegetables and tinned fish on the hard days.
Calcium and vitamin D for bones
Milk, yogurt, tinned sardines and greens, most days.
Sample week
Seven days of arthritis-friendly meals
1,550 to 1,750 calories a day, built for one tray and little chopping. Scale portions to your needs. Find your number
Arthritis has many types, and gout and rheumatoid arthritis need their own advice. If you have gout, ask your clinician about the sardines. Ask about vitamin D and calcium if you take steroids.
Day 1Monday
BreakfastYogurt with berries and walnuts1 cup plain Greek yogurt, 1 cup mixed berries, 2 tbsp walnuts, 1 tsp honey
LunchSardines on toast with avocado1 can sardines in olive oil, 2 slices whole-grain toast, ½ avocado, sliced tomato, lemon
SnackHummus with cucumber and pita⅓ cup hummus, 1 cup cucumber slices, ½ whole-wheat pita
DinnerSheet pan chicken and broccoli5 oz chicken thigh, 1 cup sweet potato chunks, 1½ cups broccoli, 1 tbsp olive oil, paprika
About 1,650 kcal103 g protein35 g fiber
Day 2Tuesday
- BreakfastOvernight oats with grated apple½ cup rolled oats, ¾ cup milk, 1 small apple grated, 1 tbsp chia seeds, cinnamon
- LunchChickpea and tuna jar salad1 can tuna, ¾ cup chickpeas, cherry tomatoes, spinach, 1 tbsp olive oil, lemon
- SnackCottage cheese with peaches¾ cup cottage cheese, 1 peach, 1 tbsp pumpkin seeds
- DinnerBaked salmon with rice and peas5 oz salmon, 1 cup cooked brown rice, 1 cup peas, 1 tsp olive oil
About 1,730 kcal118 g protein32 g fiber
Day 3Wednesday
- BreakfastPoached eggs on rye with avocado2 poached eggs, 1 slice rye bread, ½ avocado, sliced tomato
- LunchLentil and feta salad1 cup cooked lentils, cucumber, tomato, 1 oz feta, 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 whole-grain roll
- SnackApple with peanut butter1 apple, 1 tbsp peanut butter
- DinnerSheet pan cod with potatoes6 oz cod, 1 cup baby potatoes, 1½ cups green beans, 1 tbsp olive oil, lemon, garlic
About 1,670 kcal90 g protein38 g fiber
Day 4Thursday
- BreakfastToast with ricotta and pear2 slices whole-grain toast, ⅓ cup part-skim ricotta, 1 pear, cinnamon
- LunchRoast vegetable and chickpea couscous1 cup cooked whole-wheat couscous, roasted eggplant and peppers with 1 tbsp olive oil, ½ cup chickpeas
- SnackFrozen cherries with yogurt1 cup frozen cherries, ½ cup plain yogurt
- DinnerTurkey and white bean chili1½ cups turkey chili (4 oz turkey, ¾ cup white beans), 2 tbsp plain yogurt, 1 slice whole-grain bread, side salad
About 1,680 kcal85 g protein38 g fiber
Day 5Friday
- BreakfastScrambled eggs with smoked salmon2 eggs scrambled in 1 tsp olive oil, 1 oz smoked salmon, 1 slice whole-grain toast
- LunchSardine and potato salad1 can sardines, 1 cup boiled potatoes, green beans, 1 tbsp olive oil, lemon
- SnackTrail mix with an orange1 oz trail mix, 1 orange
- DinnerBaked chicken with quinoa and kale5 oz chicken breast, 1 cup cooked quinoa, 2 cups kale sautéed in 1 tbsp olive oil
About 1,720 kcal105 g protein26 g fiber
Day 6Saturday
- BreakfastBanana oat pancakes2 banana oat pancakes (½ cup rolled oats, 1 banana and 1 egg, blended), 2 tbsp plain yogurt, cinnamon
- LunchRoast salmon and vegetable bowl4 oz salmon, 1 cup roasted Brussels sprouts and carrots, 1 cup cooked farro, 1 tbsp olive oil
- SnackOrange with walnut halves1 orange, ¼ cup walnut halves
- DinnerSlow-roast pork with squash5 oz pork shoulder, 1 cup roasted butternut squash, 1½ cups wilted spinach, 2 tsp olive oil
About 1,720 kcal93 g protein33 g fiber
Day 7Sunday
- BreakfastCottage cheese toast with tomato2 slices whole-grain toast, ¾ cup cottage cheese, tomato, basil, 2 tsp olive oil
- LunchChicken and bean soup with bread1½ cups chicken and bean soup, 1 slice whole-grain bread, 1 tsp olive oil
- SnackKiwi and almonds2 kiwis, ½ oz almonds
- DinnerBaked trout with mash and peas5 oz trout, 1 cup mashed potatoes, 1 cup peas, 2 tsp olive oil
About 1,580 kcal101 g protein31 g fiber
Shopping list
What to buy
Most days
Now and then
Frozen vegetables and tinned fish keep dinner possible on a sore day.
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 is the best diet for arthritis?
There is no single arthritis diet. Harvard Health describes the Mediterranean pattern as the closest to anti-inflammatory eating. Fish twice a week, olive oil, vegetables, beans, nuts and whole grains are the core of this week. Rheumatoid arthritis has its own page on the site.
Can food stop arthritis from getting worse?
No. Food supports your overall health, but it does not stand in for the medicines and movement that manage arthritis. Keep your appointments and your prescriptions, and use this week as the food part of the picture.
Should I avoid nightshades like tomatoes and peppers?
Tomatoes and peppers are part of the Mediterranean pattern, so this plan keeps them. If you notice a pattern for yourself, write it down for a few weeks and bring the notes to your clinician rather than cutting a food group out alone.
Do I need vitamin D or calcium supplements?
Ask your clinician. The NIH Office of Dietary Supplements notes that steroids such as prednisone can lower vitamin D levels, so it is worth raising at your next visit. Milk, yogurt, tinned sardines with bones and leafy greens carry calcium in the meantime.
What can I cook when my hands hurt?
Sheet pan dinners, tinned fish, frozen vegetables and bagged pre-cut produce. Every dinner here is one tray or one pot, and a tray bake takes about 25 minutes. A jar salad at lunch needs no cooking at all.
Is fish oil worth taking?
That is a question for your clinician, because it depends on your medicines. This plan uses fish as food, two servings a week, which is the habit the American Heart Association suggests. It does not rely on capsules.
How many calories is this meal plan?
About 1,550 to 1,750 calories a day, with 80 to 120 grams of protein and 25 to 38 grams of fiber. Portions are set so meals stay filling with little cooking. Scale them to your needs.
How does Alma help with arthritis?
Log a meal by photo, voice or text in about 10 seconds, and each one gets an Alma Score from 0 to 100, drawing on Harvard's Alternate Healthy Eating Index. Alma builds a plan around your goal and the foods you like, and the plant diversity calculator shows how varied your week is.
Sources
Written by Alma from the sources below and reviewed November 4, 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
Get a week built around you.
Tell Alma your goal and the foods you like. It plans the meals and scores each one.