1,400 Calorie Meal Plan: 7-Day Printable PDF (Free)
1,400 Calorie Meal Plan: 7-Day Printable PDF (Free)
This 1400 calorie meal plan sits between our 1,200 and 1,500 calorie plans. It covers seven days of everyday food, with three meals and two snacks a day, and every meal lists its calories and grams of protein. Days come out between 1,390 and 1,410 calories, with protein averaging about 114 grams.
People usually land on 1,400 for one of two reasons. Some find 1,200 too restrictive, and others calculated their needs and found that a smaller deficit suits them. For the printable PDF with ingredient amounts, a grocery list and a swaps sheet, enter your email and we will send it for free.
Who a 1,400 calorie plan fits
A 1,400 calorie day works for many smaller or moderately active adults who want to lose weight at a steady pace. Weight loss guidance from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute has long used a starting range of about 1,200 to 1,500 calories a day for women and 1,500 to 1,800 for men, so 1,400 falls inside the range for women and a little under it for men.
Most men, tall adults and people who train hard burn more than this, and for them 1,400 would be a large cut. The calorie calculator gives a quick estimate. If it points well above 1,400, look at the 1,500 or 1,800 calorie plan.
How the 1,400 calorie meal plan is built
The dishes are the same across our plans, and only the portions change. Compared with the 1,200 calorie plan, about 60 more calories go into each main meal, so breakfast, lunch and dinner are a little bigger. The snacks stay about the same. Compared with the 1,500 plan, the portions are a little smaller, mostly in the oil, nuts and starches.
Breakfast runs 285 to 355 calories, lunch 335 to 460 and dinner 330 to 460. The two snacks together add 215 to 295. Protein makes up about a third of the calories, which helps a smaller calorie budget feel manageable.
Meat, fish, rice, quinoa, pasta, beans and lentils are measured cooked. Vegetables and fruit are measured as listed in the PDF, and oil is a level teaspoon. Water, plain tea and black coffee are not counted. Calories and protein come from USDA FoodData Central and standard references, rounded to the nearest 5, so treat them as close estimates.
The 7-day 1,400 calorie meal plan at a glance
| Day | Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner | Calories | Protein |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Spinach and tomato scramble with toast | Grilled chicken salad with chickpeas | Baked salmon with broccoli and brown rice | ~1,400 | 107 g |
| Day 2 | Overnight oats with blueberries and chia | Turkey and avocado wrap with carrot sticks | Chicken and vegetable stir-fry with brown rice | ~1,390 | 117 g |
| Day 3 | Greek yogurt parfait with oats and almonds | Lentil and vegetable soup with toast | Baked cod with roasted vegetables and quinoa | ~1,400 | 103 g |
| Day 4 | Mushroom and feta omelet with toast | Tuna and chickpea salad bowl | Chicken and zucchini pasta with tomato sauce | ~1,395 | 128 g |
| Day 5 | Oatmeal with banana | Quinoa and black bean bowl with avocado | Shrimp and asparagus sheet pan with sweet potato | ~1,400 | 97 g |
| Day 6 | Avocado egg toast | Chicken burrito bowl | Baked cod with green beans and sweet potato | ~1,410 | 114 g |
| Day 7 | Berry banana yogurt smoothie | Chicken Caesar-style salad | Turkey and black bean chili | ~1,405 | 131 g |
Day-by-day 1,400 calorie meal plan
Day 1about 1,400 calories, 107 g protein
- Breakfast Spinach and tomato scramble with toast~285
- Snack Greek yogurt with blueberries~110
- Lunch Grilled chicken salad with chickpeas~385
- Snack Apple with almonds~180
- Dinner Baked salmon with broccoli and brown rice~440
Cook extra rice tonight. It returns on Days 2 and 6.
Day 2about 1,390 calories, 117 g protein
- Breakfast Overnight oats with blueberries and chia~335
- Snack Cottage cheese with strawberries~120
- Lunch Turkey and avocado wrap with carrot sticks~380
- Snack Edamame~95
- Dinner Chicken and vegetable stir-fry with brown rice~460
Make the overnight oats the evening before.
Day 3about 1,400 calories, 103 g protein
- Breakfast Greek yogurt parfait with oats and almonds~325
- Snack Apple with string cheese~135
- Lunch Lentil and vegetable soup with toast~385
- Snack Carrot sticks with hummus~135
- Dinner Baked cod with roasted vegetables and quinoa~420
Cook a little extra quinoa, because the Day 5 lunch uses it.
Day 4about 1,395 calories, 128 g protein
- Breakfast Mushroom and feta omelet with toast~355
- Snack Banana with peanut butter~160
- Lunch Tuna and chickpea salad bowl~335
- Snack Greek yogurt with strawberries~125
- Dinner Chicken and zucchini pasta with tomato sauce~420
One of the two highest-protein days. The omelet uses two whole eggs and two egg whites.
Day 5about 1,400 calories, 97 g protein
- Breakfast Oatmeal with banana~350
- Snack Cottage cheese with orange~155
- Lunch Quinoa and black bean bowl with avocado~460
- Snack Air-popped popcorn~95
- Dinner Shrimp and asparagus sheet pan with sweet potato~340
The lowest-protein day, because breakfast and lunch are plant based.
Day 6about 1,410 calories, 114 g protein
- Breakfast Avocado egg toast~340
- Snack Greek yogurt with raspberries and almonds~140
- Lunch Chicken burrito bowl~445
- Snack Edamame with orange~155
- Dinner Baked cod with green beans and sweet potato~330
Rice, black beans and salsa return in the burrito bowl.
Day 7about 1,405 calories, 131 g protein
- Breakfast Berry banana yogurt smoothie~340
- Snack Apple with string cheese~185
- Lunch Chicken Caesar-style salad~350
- Snack Carrot sticks with hummus~95
- Dinner Turkey and black bean chili~435
The chili freezes well, so make extra.
Get the printable PDF
Ingredient amounts for every meal, a one-page grocery list and a swaps sheet.
Grocery list for the week
Meat and fish are listed as cooked weight. Buy roughly a quarter more raw weight, because they lose water when they cook.
Protein
- Egg: 6 large
- Egg white: 2 large
- Chicken breast (cooked): 19 oz
- Turkey breast (cooked): 7 oz
- Salmon (baked): 4 oz
- Cod (cooked): 10 oz
- Shrimp (cooked): 6 oz
- Tuna (canned in water): 4 oz
- Edamame (shelled): 1 cup
Dairy
- Nonfat plain Greek yogurt: 4 cups
- 2% cottage cheese: 1 cup
- Skim milk: 2 cups
- Unsweetened almond milk: 1 cup
- String cheese: 2 sticks
- Feta cheese: 1 oz
- Grated Parmesan: 2 tbsp
Vegetables
- Spinach: 5 cups
- Romaine lettuce: 10 cups
- Cherry tomatoes: 2 1/2 cups
- Cucumber: 1 cup
- Bell pepper: 4 cups
- Zucchini: 3 cups
- Carrot: 6 medium
- Broccoli (cooked): 2 cups
- Mushrooms: 2 cups
- Onion: 1 cup
- Green beans (cooked): 1 cup
- Asparagus: 1 cup
- Sweet potato (baked): 2 small
- Garlic: 4 cloves
Fruit
- Banana: 3 medium
- Apple: 2 1/2 medium
- Orange: 2 medium
- Blueberries: 1 cup
- Strawberries: 2 1/2 cups
- Raspberries: 1 cup
- Avocado: 1 medium
Grains, beans and bread
- Rolled oats (dry): 1 1/4 cups
- Brown rice (cooked): 1 1/2 cups
- Quinoa (cooked): 1 1/4 cups
- Whole-wheat pasta (cooked): 1/2 cup
- Whole-wheat bread: 5 slices
- Whole-wheat tortilla (8 in): 1
- Lentils (cooked): 3/4 cup
- Canned chickpeas (rinsed): 1 cup
- Black beans (cooked): 1 1/2 cups
- Air-popped popcorn: 3 cups
Pantry
- Olive oil: 11 tsp
- Almonds: 25 almonds
- Peanut butter: 1/2 tbsp
- Chia seeds: 1 tbsp
- Hummus: 3 tbsp
- Vegetable broth: 2 cups
- Canned diced tomatoes: 2 1/2 cups
- Salsa: 6 tbsp
- Low-sodium soy sauce: 1 tbsp
- Lemon juice: 7 tbsp
Swaps that keep the calories close
Chicken breast and turkey breast trade places ounce for ounce, with turkey about 9 calories lower per ounce. Brown rice and quinoa swap at the same portion and differ by only a few calories. Cod and shrimp sit within a couple of calories per ounce of each other, while salmon has about twice as many, so swapping it for cod trims roughly 28 calories per ounce. In a snack, an orange has roughly 40 fewer calories than an apple, and cottage cheese has about 25 more calories per half cup than Greek yogurt. Swap one food at a time and keep the portion the same.
Making the plan work in real life
A weekend prep session pays off. Cook the rice, quinoa and chicken, chop the vegetables and pack the snacks into containers, and the weekday meals take a few minutes each.
If the plan leaves you hungry every day, it may be too low for your body. Try the 1,500 or 1,800 calorie plan, or ask a registered dietitian to set a level for you. On training days you may need more food than 1,400 calories supplies.
When you eat out, choose the meal in the plan closest to what you ordered and keep the other meals as written.
1,400 calorie meal plan FAQ
Is 1,400 calories a day enough?
For many smaller or moderately active adults it is enough to eat balanced meals, but needs vary a lot with height, age and activity. If you feel dizzy, weak or worn out, stop and talk to a healthcare professional.
How is a 1400 calorie meal plan different from 1200 and 1500?
The meals are the same dishes, with portions scaled to each level. Moving from 1,200 to 1,400 mostly means a bigger breakfast, lunch and dinner. Moving from 1,400 to 1,500 adds a little oil, nuts and starch.
How much weight can I lose on this meal plan?
It depends on how many calories you burn now. The CDC describes about 1 to 2 pounds a week as a gradual, steady rate. Some weeks the scale will not move, because body weight shifts with water. No plan can promise a specific result.
Can men follow a 1400 calorie meal plan?
Most men burn more than 1,400 calories a day, so this level is usually too low. The 1,800 or 2,000 calorie plan is a more common fit. A calculator or a dietitian can give you a better number.
Is this a high protein meal plan?
Yes. It averages about 114 grams of protein a day, with days from 97 to 131 grams.
Can I move meals between days?
Yes. Meals in the same slot are close in calories, so moving a lunch from one day to another changes the total by a few dozen calories at most.
Can I repeat the plan for more than a week?
Many people repeat the days they like. If you plan to follow it for longer than a few weeks, check in with a doctor or dietitian and recalculate your needs as your weight changes.
Sources
- USDA FoodData Central, Foundation Foods (nutrient values used for most ingredients).
- National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, Aim for a Healthy Weight (starting calorie ranges for weight loss).
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Healthy Weight, Nutrition, and Physical Activity: Losing Weight (rate of weight loss).
Reviewed by: [Name, credentials, date. Add only if a registered dietitian has actually reviewed the plan.]
This page is general nutrition information. It is not medical advice and does not replace advice from a doctor or registered dietitian. A 1,400 calorie plan is a lower calorie level and does not suit everyone. Calories and protein are estimates. Results vary from person to person.
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