Blog · Perimenopause & menopause
A 7-Day Perimenopause Meal Plan (Example Week)
An example week of perimenopause-friendly meals: protein at every meal, plenty of fibre, calcium-rich foods and lighter-sodium dinners, with the reasoning behind each choice.
Published · Plait Health
There is no single perimenopause diet. What there is, is a set of priorities that show up again and again in guidance for women in their 40s and 50s: enough protein, plenty of fibre, calcium and vitamin D for bone health, and keeping sodium in check for heart health. This example week puts those priorities on a plate. It is a starting point, not a prescription.
The principles behind the week
- Protein at every meal. Muscle mass tends to decline with age, and spreading protein through the day is an easy way to keep it a priority.
- Fibre from whole foods. The Institute of Medicine's adequate intake for women is about 25 g a day up to age 50 and about 21 g after.
- Calcium-rich foods most days. The recommended intake for women is 1,000 mg a day up to age 50 and 1,200 mg from 51.
- Lighter-sodium dinners. Adults are advised to keep sodium under about 2,300 mg a day.
- Regular meals rather than long gaps, which many women find helps with afternoon energy dips.
Monday
- Breakfast: Greek yoghurt with berries and ground flax
- Lunch: Mediterranean chickpea salad
- Dinner: Salmon bowl with quinoa and greens
- Snack: Steamed edamame
Tuesday
- Breakfast: Tofu scramble with kale
- Lunch: Chicken and quinoa salad
- Dinner: Stuffed peppers with beans and brown rice
- Snack: An apple with a small handful of walnuts
Wednesday
- Breakfast: Overnight oats with sunflower seed butter
- Lunch: Lentil soup with a wholegrain roll
- Dinner: Tuna steak with brown rice and salad
- Snack: Greek yoghurt
Thursday
- Breakfast: Eggs on wholegrain toast with spinach
- Lunch: Salmon salad bowl
- Dinner: Chicken, vegetable and chickpea traybake
- Snack: Hummus with carrot and cucumber
Friday
- Breakfast: Greek yoghurt with berries and ground flax
- Lunch: Leftover traybake in a wrap
- Dinner: Baked white fish with roasted vegetables and potatoes
- Snack: Steamed edamame
Saturday
- Breakfast: Tofu scramble with kale
- Lunch: Bean and vegetable soup
- Dinner: Lean beef or tempeh stir-fry with brown rice
- Snack: A pear and a small piece of cheese
Sunday
- Breakfast: Overnight oats with berries
- Lunch: Mediterranean chickpea salad
- Dinner: Salmon bowl with quinoa and greens
- Snack: An apple with a small handful of walnuts
Making it yours
A generic week can only go so far. If you have PCOS, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, IBS or a thyroid condition, or you take medications that interact with food, the right plan shifts. That is what Plait is built for: it takes your stage, symptoms, conditions and medications from a 3-minute quiz and builds the week around them, with every meal scored and the reason shown.
This is general nutrition information, not medical advice. Talk to your own clinician about what is right for you.
Frequently asked questions
What should I eat during perimenopause?
Most guidance points to the same priorities: protein at each meal, plenty of fibre from vegetables, legumes and whole grains, calcium-rich foods for bone health, and keeping sodium in check for heart health. The best plan is the one that fits your own symptoms and conditions.
Is there a special perimenopause diet?
No single diet is proven for perimenopause. A Mediterranean-style pattern built around vegetables, legumes, whole grains, fish and olive oil is a common, well-studied starting point.
How much protein do I need in perimenopause?
Needs vary with body size and activity. A practical approach is a palm-sized portion of protein at each meal, spread through the day rather than saved for dinner.
Can an app build a perimenopause meal plan for me?
Yes. Plait builds a weekly meal plan from your stage, symptoms, conditions and medications, and shows why each meal suits you. It starts with a 3-minute quiz and a 3-day free trial.
Get a plan built around your symptoms
Take the 3-minute quiz. Plait builds meals around your stage, symptoms and conditions, and shows how food and symptoms move together. 3-day free trial.
Sources
- Institute of Medicine. Dietary Reference Intakes: Energy, Carbohydrate, Fiber, Fat & Protein, 2005.
- Institute of Medicine. Dietary Reference Intakes for Calcium and Vitamin D, 2011.
- National Academies. Dietary Reference Intakes for Sodium and Potassium, 2019.
- The Menopause Society. 2022 Hormone Therapy Position Statement. Menopause, 2022.