You need to eat enough calories every day in order for your body to have the nutrients it needs. Not only do you need enough calories to function in daily life, but you also need them for your brain and body to function normally while you are sleeping. Check out the chart below for some healthy meal options for a 2000 calorie diet. Don’t forget, you should always seek advice from a health care professional before drastically changing your eating habits.
Based on a 2000 calorie diet:
Select a 400 calorie breakfast, 700 calorie lunch, 700 calorie dinner, and 200 calorie snack (1 vegetable, 1 grain, and 1 fruit) from the menu options. A day's worth of meals provides the recommended amounts of servings from each food group. All menu options are within 15 calories of caloric totals.
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400 Cal Breakfast Options |
700 Cal Lunch Options |
700 Cal Dinner Options |
200 Cal Snack Options |
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1 oz. buttermilk waffle
2 tbsp syrup
1 tsp margarine
1 med. Banana
1 cup skim milk |
Turkey sandwich
2 slices whole wheat bread
3.5 oz turkey lunch meat
¾ oz cheddar cheese
¼ cup iceberg lettuce
¼ cup tomatoes
2 tbsp light mayonnaise
½ cup black beans
1 banana
½ cup 1% fat chocolate milk |
1 cup herbed rice cooked
1 tsp margarine
2 oz baked lean ground beef
½ cup cream of mushroom soup
½ cup milk
¾ oz cheddar cheese
1 cup cooked carrots |
Grain
5 whole wheat crackers
1 cup cheerios |
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1 slice French toast
1 tbsp syrup
1 cup skim milk
1 med. banana |
Chicken sandwich
2 slices whole wheat bread
3.5 oz baked skinless chicken
½ tsp olive oil
1 cup sweet baked potato
¼ cup raisins
1 cup skim milk |
2 whole wheat dinner rolls
1 cup cooked baked potato
1 tbsp sour cream
2 oz baked skinless chicken
¼ cup cream of mushroom
1 cup 1% chocolate milk |
Vegetable
½ cup raw carrots with 1 tbsp French fat free dressing
½ cup cooked broccoli with 1 tbsp French fat free dressing |
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1 whole wheat muffin
1 cup fat free plain yogurt
1 med. banana |
Tuna salad on crackers
10 whole wheat crackers
3.5 oz tuna canned in water
1 tbsp light mayonnaise
1 cup black beans
¼ cup raisins
1 cup 1% fat chocolate milk |
Pasta
1 cup pasta cooked
½ cup spaghetti sauce
2 oz lean ground beef
¼ cup mushrooms
¼ cup onions
1 tbsp olive oil
½ cup broccoli
1 tsp margarine
1 cup skim milk |
Fruit
1 cup grapes
1 cup canned peaches packed in water |
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1 slice whole wheat toast
1 tbsp jelly
1 tsp margarine
1 cup fat free plain yogurt
¼ cup raisins |
Roast beef sandwich
2 slices whole wheat bread
3.5 oz roast beef lunch meat
1 tbsp light mayonnaise
¾ oz cheddar cheese
1 cup green peas
1 tsp margarine
1 banana
½ cup skim milk |
2 oz baked skinless chicken
¾ oz cheddar cheese
2 whole wheat dinner rolls
1 tsp margarine
1 cup spinach
1 tsp margarine
1 cup tomato soup
½ cup 1% chocolate milk |
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1 slice whole wheat toast
1 tbsp jelly
1 tsp margarine
1.5 oz cheddar cheese
½ cup 100% orange juice |
Spinach salad
1 cup spinach
1 tbsp Italian dressing
3.5 oz baked skinless chicken
5 whole wheat crackers
1 slice banana bread
½ cup grapes
1 cup skim milk |
Spaghetti and meatballs
1 cup pasta cooked
½ cup spaghetti sauce
2 oz extra lean beef
1 cup green peppers
1 tbsp olive oil
1.5 oz cheddar cheese |
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Cold Cereal
1 cup bran cereal
¼ cup raisins
1 cup skim milk
½ tbsp sugar |
Chicken salad sandwich
2 slices whole wheat bread
3.5 oz backed skinless chicken 3 tbsp light mayonnaise
¼ cup onions
¼ cup green beans
½ cup corn
1 banana
1 cup skim milk |
2 oz baked salmon
1 cup herbed rice cooked
½ cup cream of chicken
½ cup skim milk
1 tsp margarine
¾ oz cheddar cheese
1 tbsp olive oil
½ cup green peppers
½ cup carrots |
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1 slice French toast
1 tbsp syrup
1 tsp margarine
1 cup skim milk
1 med. banana |
Grilled cheese sandwich
2 slices whole wheat bread
¾ oz cheddar cheese
3.5 oz baked skinless chicken
1 tsp olive oil
1 cup kidney beans
½ cup grapes
½ cup skim milk |
1 flour tortilla
2 oz extra lean beef
¾ oz cheddar cheese
½ cup romaine lettuce
½ cup tomatoes
1 tbsp salsa
2 tbsp sour cream
1 whole wheat dinner roll
1 tsp margarine
½ cup tomato soup
½ cup 1% chocolate milk |
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Each breakfast option includes: Fruit = ½ cup equivalent, Grain = 1 ounce equivalent, Dairy = 1 cup equivalent, 1 cup = 8 ounces. Each lunch option includes: Fruit = ½ cup equivalent, Vegetable = 1 cup equivalent, Grains = 2 ounce equivalent, Meat = 3.5 ounce equivalent, Dairy = 1 cup equivalent 1 cup = 8 ounces. Each dinner option includes: Vegetables = 1 cup equivalent, Grains= 2 ounce equivalent, Meat = 2 ounce equivalent, Dairy= 1 cup equivalent, 1 cup = 8 ounces. Each snack option includes: Vegetable = ½ cup equivalent, Grains = 1 ounce equivalent, Fruit = 1 cup
