A vegetarian meal plan that actually hits enough protein. This is harder to put together than people assume — most vegetarian “weight loss plans” you find online run dramatically low on protein, leaving you hungry and losing muscle along with fat.
This plan targets ~110g/day from a mix of dairy (Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, cheese), eggs, legumes (lentils, beans, chickpeas), tofu, and whole grains. With those building blocks, hitting protein at 1700 kcal is doable.
Why 1700 calories vegetarian?
Vegetarian protein sources tend to come bundled with carbohydrates. A cup of cooked lentils has 18g of protein but also 40g of carbs. A cup of Greek yogurt has 23g of protein but also 9g of carbs. Compared to chicken breast (which is essentially pure protein), vegetarian protein is “expensive” calorically.
To hit 100g+ of protein vegetarian-style, you typically need more total calories than someone eating animal protein. 1700 kcal is the sweet spot where you can reliably hit protein while still maintaining a deficit for most adults whose maintenance is 2100-2400 kcal.
How to use this plan
Eat all four daily eating times — three meals and a snack. Each is sized to deliver 25-35g of protein, which is roughly the per-meal threshold for muscle protein synthesis.
Pre-cook on Sunday: a big batch of lentils (cooks in 25 minutes), a tray of hard-boiled eggs (good for 7 days), pressed and cubed tofu ready for the week. With those ready, weekday assembly is fast.
Customizing for your tastes
Don’t like tofu? Swap for tempeh (similar protein, higher fiber), or use extra eggs and dairy. Don’t like lentils? Use chickpeas, black beans, or white beans interchangeably.
Vegan version: replace Greek yogurt with high-protein soy yogurt (check the label — some have only 5g of protein, but the better brands have 11-15g per cup). Replace eggs with extra tofu scrambles. Replace cheese with nutritional yeast for the savory note. Hitting 100g protein vegan-style requires more deliberation, but it’s possible.
Tips for week 1
- Take a B12 supplement. Vegetarian diets often run low on B12. A 250 mcg supplement weekly is enough for most adults. Vegan diets need it more urgently.
- Pair iron with vitamin C. Plant iron (non-heme) is less bioavailable than animal iron. Eating iron-rich foods (lentils, spinach, fortified cereal) with vitamin C (citrus, peppers, tomatoes) significantly improves absorption.
- Don’t skip nuts and seeds. They’re in the plan for a reason — chia, flax, walnuts deliver omega-3 ALA, which is especially relevant for vegetarians not eating fish.
- Check yogurt labels. Plant yogurts vary wildly in protein (3-15g per cup). Standard almond and coconut yogurts are protein-poor. Soy and pea-protein yogurts are similar to dairy.
- Beans every day. Aim to include legumes at lunch or dinner most days. They’re the protein-and-fiber backbone of vegetarian eating.
- Track for two weeks, then loosen. Vegetarians especially benefit from tracking macronutrients early to make sure protein is hitting target.
Print this plan
Print and post on the fridge. The Sunday cooking session — lentils, eggs, tofu, grains — is the highest-leverage point in this plan. A printed list makes it concrete instead of theoretical.
Your 7-day plan
Calorie totals next to each meal. The day-total is rounded to the nearest 5 kcal — close enough.
Monday
1700 kcal total- Breakfast Greek yogurt + berries + 1/3 cup granola + 2 tbsp walnuts + honey 410 kcal
- Lunch Big lentil salad: lentils, greens, feta, cucumber, EVOO + 1 small whole grain roll 540 kcal
- Dinner Tofu stir-fry over 3/4 cup brown rice + edamame 510 kcal
- Snack Apple with 2 tbsp peanut butter 240 kcal
Tuesday
1800 kcal total- Breakfast 3 eggs scrambled + spinach + 1 slice whole grain toast + 1/2 avocado 480 kcal
- Lunch Mediterranean grain bowl: farro, chickpeas, feta, olives, EVOO 560 kcal
- Dinner Black bean tacos: 3 small corn tortillas + black beans + cheese + salsa + avocado 510 kcal
- Snack Cottage cheese (1/2 cup) + 1/4 cup berries + 1 tbsp honey + walnuts 250 kcal
Wednesday
1690 kcal total- Breakfast Peanut butter banana overnight oats + 1 hard-boiled egg 430 kcal
- Lunch Lentil soup (1.5 cups) + side salad + 1 small whole grain roll + EVOO 480 kcal
- Dinner Eggplant parmesan (small portion) + side salad + 1 small piece garlic bread 580 kcal
- Snack Greek yogurt (1/2 cup) + chia seeds + berries 200 kcal
Thursday
1700 kcal total- Breakfast Egg and spinach wrap (whole wheat) + 1 small orange 380 kcal
- Lunch Big salad: greens, hard-boiled eggs (2), chickpeas, feta, avocado, vinaigrette 540 kcal
- Dinner Tofu curry over 3/4 cup brown rice 540 kcal
- Snack Cottage cheese (1/2 cup) + apple + 1 oz almonds 240 kcal
Friday
1700 kcal total- Breakfast Greek yogurt + berries + protein granola + 1 tbsp peanut butter 410 kcal
- Lunch Bean burrito: 1 large tortilla + black beans + cheese + salsa + Greek yogurt + avocado 580 kcal
- Dinner Pasta with white beans, garlic, spinach, EVOO, Parmesan + side salad 540 kcal
- Snack 1/2 cup Greek yogurt + 1 tbsp honey + walnuts 170 kcal
Saturday
1800 kcal total- Breakfast 3-egg veggie omelet with cheese + 2 slices whole grain toast + 1/2 avocado 540 kcal
- Lunch Caprese sandwich: tomato, mozzarella, basil, EVOO on whole grain + side salad 560 kcal
- Dinner Lentil tacos: 3 small corn tortillas + spiced lentils + cheese + salsa + cilantro 480 kcal
- Snack 1 small banana + 1 tbsp almond butter 220 kcal
Sunday
1770 kcal total- Breakfast Cottage cheese (1 cup) + berries + 2 slices whole grain toast + butter 480 kcal
- Lunch Big salad: greens, chickpeas, edamame, hard-boiled egg, sunflower seeds, vinaigrette 540 kcal
- Dinner Mushroom and lentil shepherd's pie + side salad 510 kcal
- Snack Apple and almond butter + 1 small piece dark chocolate 240 kcal
Shopping list
One trip should cover the week. Adjust quantities if you're cooking for more than one.
- Plain Greek yogurt (40 oz)
- Cottage cheese, low-fat (24 oz)
- Cheese, sharp (8 oz)
- Feta cheese (8 oz)
- Mozzarella, fresh (8 oz)
- Parmesan (4 oz)
- Eggs (2 dozen)
- Whole grain bread (1 large loaf)
- Whole wheat tortillas, large (1 pack)
- Corn tortillas, small (1 pack)
- Whole grain dinner rolls (4)
- Whole wheat pasta (1 lb)
- Mixed berries (1.5 lb)
- Banana (3)
- Apples (4)
- Orange (1)
- Avocados (4)
- Tomatoes (3) + cherry tomatoes (1 pint)
- Cucumbers (2)
- Bell peppers (3)
- Spinach, baby (1 large bag)
- Mixed salad greens (1 large bag)
- Eggplant (1)
- Mushrooms (16 oz)
- Onions (2 yellow, 1 red)
- Garlic (1 head)
- Lemons (3)
- Carrots (1 lb)
- Frozen edamame (1 bag)
- Extra-firm tofu (28 oz, 2 packages)
- Lentils, dry (1 lb)
- Black beans (3 cans)
- Chickpeas (3 cans)
- White beans (1 can)
- Lentil soup (1 carton, optional)
- Brown rice (1.5 lb)
- Farro (8 oz)
- Olives, Kalamata
- Salsa (1 jar)
- Marinara sauce (1 jar)
- Curry paste (1 small jar)
- Coconut milk, light (1 can)
- Olive oil, extra-virgin (large bottle)
- Soy sauce, low-sodium
- Peanut butter (natural)
- Almond butter (natural)
- Almonds, walnuts (8 oz combined)
- Sunflower seeds
- Chia seeds
- Granola or protein granola (12 oz)
- Honey
- Dark chocolate (70%+, small bar)
- Fresh basil, cilantro, parsley
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I get enough protein on a vegetarian diet?
Yes, but you have to be deliberate. This plan hits ~110g of protein/day by leaning on Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, eggs, tofu, lentils, and beans. Without intentional choices, vegetarian diets often run low on protein — but with planning, 100g+ is very doable.
What's the difference between vegetarian and vegan?
Vegetarian excludes meat (and often fish, depending on the variant) but includes eggs and dairy. Vegan excludes all animal products. This plan is lacto-ovo vegetarian (eggs and dairy included). For a vegan version, swap dairy for soy yogurt and skip eggs in favor of more tofu.
Why 1700 instead of 1500?
Vegetarian sources of protein come bundled with carbohydrates (beans have starch, dairy has lactose) — so hitting 100g+ of protein vegetarian-style typically requires more total calories. 1700 hits the right balance of deficit and protein adequacy for most adults.
Will I be missing nutrients?
Common watch-outs for vegetarians: vitamin B12 (only in animal products — supplement or fortified foods), iron (plant iron is less bioavailable; pair with vitamin C), zinc, omega-3 (chia, flax, walnuts help). This plan includes B12-fortified items where possible. Long-term vegetarians benefit from a multivitamin with B12.
Is soy safe to eat regularly?
Yes. Decades of research show moderate soy consumption (1-2 servings/day) is safe for most adults — including for breast cancer survivors. The 'phytoestrogen panic' doesn't hold up in the data. Tofu, tempeh, and edamame are excellent vegetarian protein sources.
Can I add fish back in?
If you're pescatarian, yes — sub a fish meal for tofu twice a week (calorie counts are close). The 4 oz baked salmon adds about 250 kcal vs 8 oz tofu at about 215 kcal — adjust portions slightly to match.
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