Good Balanced Diet Time Table
Gaining weight can be just as challenging as losing weight. While the main focus is to increase energy and protein intakes, it is also important to maintain a healthy balanced diet without eating too many foods that might have high amounts of calories but little in the way of good nutrition.
This 7-day weight gain meal plan provides one example of how to achieve a higher protein and higher calorie intake from healthy energy-giving foods such as lean meat, dairy, eggs, seeds and nuts, which will assist you to enjoy your food while working your way toward achieving your weight gain goals.
Those with a medical issue should seek advice from a medical practitioner before changing their diet.
Notes About This Meal Plan
• This meal plan provides approximately 11,500kJ daily and is based on the average energy and nutrient requirements for weight gain in 18 – 65 year old adults who undertake light to moderate levels of activity. Your energy requirements vary depending on age, activity, health status, height and weight. For personalised advice, seek the services of an Accredited Practising Dietitian.
• This meal plan provides at least the minimum number of serves from each of the core food groups as recommended in the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating* for adults (other than women over 51 years and men over 70 years who require additional milk, cheese or yoghurt).
Want a version of this meal plan to print and use offline? Download the entire weight gain meal plan by clicking on this link.
For easy access jump to:
- Day one
- Day two
- Day three
- Day four
- Day five
- Day six
- Day seven
Day One
Breakfast
Peanut Butter on Wholegrain Toast: Toasted wholegrain bread+ 2 tbsp peanut butter. Drizzle with honey to taste. Serve with 1 hot chocolate, made with milk + 1 serve of fruit (eg. 1 medium pear or orange).
Lunch
Chicken and Pasta Salad: Cooked chicken + pasta + 1 cup leafy green vegetables (eg. spinach, rocket) + tomato + avocado + crumbled feta cheese + olive oil/vinegar dressing.
Dinner
Lamb Chops and Vegetables: Lamb chop, trimmed & shallow fried in olive oil. Serve with sweet potato mash made with milk and olive oil + 2 cups cooked vegetables.
Dessert/Supper
Fresh Fruit and Cheese Platter: Slice and serve a variety of fresh fruits in season and cheese.
Snacks
A handful of mixed nuts and/or seeds.
Day Two
Breakfast
Chia Porridge with Fruit: 2 tbsp chia seeds + rolled oats + 1.5 cup full cream milk + 1 serve of fruit (eg. 1 medium banana or 6 dried prunes).
Lunch
Egg, Cheese and Salad Wrap: 2 boiled & mashed eggs + 2 cheese slices + avocado + 1 cup salad vegetables (eg. lettuce, cucumber, carrot, capsicum) rolled up in tortilla bread (make 2 wraps) + 1 cup fruit juice.
Dinner
Baked Salmon, Cous Cous and Vegetables: Oven baked salmon fillet, sprinkled with sesame oil and sesame seeds + wholemeal cous cous + 2 cups cooked vegetables. Serve with hommus.
Dessert/Supper
Fruit Salad Dessert: Fresh fruit salad with ice cream.
Snacks
A handful of mixed nuts and/or seeds. Fruit toast with butter and/or jam.
Day Three
Breakfast
Sweet Potato Spanish Omelette (1 serve): Serve with 1 cafe latte or hot chocolate made with full cream milk.
Lunch
Lentil, Vegetables and Barley Soup: Lentils with 1 cup chopped vegetables (eg. carrot, pumpkin, celery, onion), vegetable stock and barley. Serve with dollop of natural yoghurt. + 1 serve of fruit.
Dinner
Spaghetti Bolognese: Lean mince with tomato, tomato puree, herbs & garlic served on spaghetti and sprinkled with cheese + 1 cup salad (eg. baby spinach, carrots, cucumber) with olive oil based dressing.
Dessert/Supper
Fruit Smoothie: Made with 1 cup milk + 1 tbsp walnuts + fruit (eg. a small mango or berries).
Snacks
20g cheese + Canned tuna in oil on wholegrain crackers.
Day Four
Breakfast
Wholegrain Cereal with Milk and Fruit: Wholegrain flaky cereal + full cream milk + 2 tbsp linseeds + 1 serve of fruit (eg. 6 dried apricot halves or 4 small plums).
Lunch
Chicken and Noodle Stir-fry: Sliced lean chicken + Hokkein noodles + 1 cup vegetables (eg. beans, capsicum, spinach, carrot) cooked in sesame oil + sweet soy sauce dressing. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.
Dinner
Nasi Goreng Tray Bake (1 serve): Serve with 2 cup mixed salad vegetables.
Dessert/Supper
Fruit Pop: Made with frozen fruits (eg. bananas or mangos) with Greek yoghurt.
Snacks
1 serve of fruit (eg. 5 prunes or 1 cup fresh fruit salad). 1 cup hot chocolate made with full cream milk.
Day Five
Breakfast
Poached Eggs with Sauteed Field Mushroom and Avocado (1 serve): Serve with 1 cafe latte or hot chocolate made with full cream milk.
Lunch
Fish and Chips: Dip fish fillets in flour, egg then breadcrumbs and shallow fry in canola oil. Serve with homemade thick potato chunky chips, lemon wedges and 2 cups mixed salad vegetables with olive oil dressing. + 1 serve of fruit.
Dinner
Mango Chicken and Corn: Grilled chicken thighs served with mango salsa, corn on the cob & 1.5 cups baked vegetables (eg. carrot, onion, beans) in olive oil.
Dessert/Supper
Yoghurt Parfait: Layer 1 tub of yoghurt and muesli/rolled oats in tall serving glasses. Top with handful of mixed nuts and/or seeds.
Snacks
Banana slices + ricotta cheese + nut butter on toast.
Day Six
Breakfast
Fruit Toast with Berry Smoothie: Slices of fruit toast spread with butter and/or jam to taste. Serve with a smoothie made with 1 cup full cream milk + 1 cup berries + 2 tbsp linseed/sunflower/almond meal.
Lunch
Tuna and Quinoa Salad: Tuna in oil mixed with 3 bean mix + 2 cups salad vegetables (eg. leafy greens, tomato, cucumber, carrot, capsicum) + cooked quinoa + olive oil/vinegar dressing.
Dinner
Easy Fish Pie: Serve with 2 cup mixed salad vegetables.
Dessert/Supper
Pavlova and Fruit: Pavlova topped with fresh fruit salad. Serve with custard.
Snacks
1 tub yoghurt. 3 wholegrain crackers with hummus.
Day Seven
Breakfast
Bechamel Spinach Baked Egg (1 serve): Serve with 1 café latte.
Lunch
Beef and Noodle Soup: Thinly sliced beef + fresh flat rice noodles + 1 cup vegetables (eg. bean sprouts, carrot, broccoli) cooked in vegetable stock. Sprinkle with diced green onion. + 1 serve of fruit (eg. 1 medium apple or banana).
Dinner
Pork Roast and Vegetables: Lean pork roast + baked potato + 1.5 cups baked vegetables + olive oil (for cooking).
Dessert/Supper
Fruit Crepe: Sliced fruit and ricotta cheese wrapped in crepe. Drizzle with syrup or honey to taste.
Snacks
1 tub yoghurt. A handful of mixed nuts and/or seeds.
Learn More About Eggs And Nutrition
Not sure whether eggs may be beneficial in your situation? Learn more about how eggs may help serve your nutritional needs today.
Discover our super easy & delicious meal plans designed to help you achieve a healthy and balanced diet. Check out our pregnancy or low cholesterol meal plan today!
Source: https://www.australianeggs.org.au/nutrition/meal-plans/weight-gain-meal-plan