Simple 1,200-Calorie Meal Plan, Created by a Dietitian

This 1,200-calorie-per-day diet plan has a full month of easy-to-make recipes and helpful meal prep tips, setting you up for weight loss success.

Victoria Seaver is a registered dietitian and Editorial Director for EatingWell.com. She completed her undergraduate degree in nutrition, dietetics and food science and her masters degree and dietetic internship at the University of Vermont. Victoria has been a part of the EatingWell.com team since 2015.

Elizabeth Ward is a registered dietitian and award-winning nutrition communicator and writer. She has authored or co-authored 10 books for consumers about nutrition at all stages of life.

Dive in and start hitting your weight loss goals today with help from this simple 30-day meal plan featuring easy-to-make recipes and helpful meal prep tips. Each day comes in around 1,200 calories—a calorie level at which many people can safely lose 1 to 2 pounds per week—and includes enough protein and fiber to help you feel full and satisfied while cutting calories.

This plan is optimized to save you time and energy by reusing ingredients and leftovers in creative ways throughout the month. Weekly meal prep steps show how a little legwork at the beginning of the week means less work during the busy weekdays.

We call for healthy convenience items whenever possible, but scan the plan and see what else you can get from the store premade (like cooked brown rice, frozen riced cauliflower and spiralized zucchini noodles). By keeping this plan simple yet exciting and delicious, you'll be motivated to stick with it till the end.

Looking for something shorter to start with? Our 7-Day Diet Meal Plan to Lose Weight: 1,200 Calories is a great place to start.

How We Create Meal Plans

Registered dietitians thoughtfully create EatingWell’s meal plans to be easy-to-follow and delicious. Each meal plan meets specific parameters depending on the health condition and/or lifestyle goal it is targeting and is analyzed for accuracy using the nutrition database, ESHA Food Processor. As nutritional needs differ from person to person, we encourage you to use these plans as inspiration and adjust as you see fit.

Week 1

How to Meal Prep for Your Week of Meals:

1. Cook the Slow-Cooker Vegetable Soup overnight on Day 1 so it's ready for lunch on Day 2. Portion out two 1 1/2-cup servings into leakproof containers to have later in the week for lunch on Days 3 and 5. Freeze an additional two 1 1/2-cup servings to have for lunch in Week 3. Freeze any remaining soup in an airtight container for up to 6 months.
2. Prepare the Blueberry-Banana Overnight Oats so it's ready to grab and go in the morning of Day 2. Store in glass leakproof containers that can go from the fridge to the microwave.

Day 1

Breakfast (271 calories)

• 1 serving Avocado-Egg Toast

A.M. Snack (62 calories)

• 1 medium orange

Lunch (402 calories)

• 1 serving Butternut Squash Soup with Avocado & Chickpeas

P.M. Snack (42 calories)

• 1 medium kiwi

Dinner (452 calories)

• 1 serving Citrus Poached Salmon with Asparagus
• 3/4 cup Cauliflower Rice

Daily Totals: 1,229 calories, 58 g protein, 126 g carbohydrates, 30 g fiber, 59 g fat, 1,709 mg sodium.

Day 2

Breakfast (285 calories)

• 1 serving Blueberry-Banana Overnight Oats

A.M. Snack (22 calories)

• 1 serving Apple Cider Vinegar Tonic

Lunch (347 calories)

• 1 1/2 cups Slow-Cooker Vegetable Soup
• 1 slice Everything Bagel Avocado Toast

P.M. Snack (100 calories)

• 1/2 cup edamame (in pods) sprinkled with a pinch of coarse sea salt

Dinner (471 calories)

• 1 serving Vegan Coconut Chickpea Curry

Meal Prep Tip: Prepare the Blueberry-Banana Overnight Oats so it's ready to grab and go in the morning of Day 3.

Daily Totals: 1,225 calories, 41 g protein, 181 g carbohydrates, 36 g fiber, 41 g fat, 1,842 mg sodium.

Day 3

Breakfast (285 calories)

• 1 1/2 cups Blueberry-Banana Overnight Oats

A.M. Snack (62 calories)

• 1 medium orange

Lunch (347 calories)

• 1 1/2 cups Slow-Cooker Vegetable Soup
• 1 slice Everything Bagel Avocado Toast