This healthy 7-day gluten-free meal plan for beginners is full of nutritious and nourishing recipes that are EASY TO MAKE to support anyone transitioning to a gluten-free diet. Including a downloadable pdf with full grocery list, recipes, and prep schedule.
Disclaimer: I have a very inclusive philosophy around food and truly believe that all foods fit into a healthy lifestyle. In sharing these meal plans I hope to support and encourage you to add more wholesome nutrient-dense foods into your life in a way that is accessible and easy. Furthermore, I hope to support individuals who do have health-related dietary restrictions.
MEAL PLAN SERIES: As often as I can I will share a new meal plan, in the hope to introduce the benefits of a multitude of healthy dietary styles. If reading meal plans or dietary theory is triggering for you please skip this post.
This does not substitute for medical advice and I do not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Please seek diagnosis, treatment, and advice from qualified providers based on your condition. If you are interested in personalized nutrition based on your unique biochemistry feel free to read more about my private functional nutrition practice here.
Ok, let's get to the meal plan!
Scroll down to find all of the recipes for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and, snacks. This is a 7-day meal plan, including one week of delicious, wholesome, health-supportive foods.
The comprehensive pdf version of this meal plan includes:
Eating gluten-free can be challenging for beginners, as it involves learning to navigate a new way of eating. It requires awareness of hidden sources of gluten, reading food labels, and finding suitable alternatives. Initially, it may seem overwhelming, but with time and education, it becomes easier.
Whenever transitioning to a new dietary routine give yourself grace and patience, there is a learning curve.
Gluten-free is so much easier today than it was when I started in this industry 20 years ago. With that said, the mistakes I see clients make are not leaning into cooking gluten-free meals and just relying on packaged convenience foods.
Let's face it, if you are going gluten-free it is most likely because there are health issues you are hoping to address, if that is the case, then we want to increase nutrient-dense foods not processed foods.
Enter meal planning skills!
Creating a week's worth of gluten-free meals requires some planning and organization. Here are a few key steps to help you:
By following these steps, you can create a week's worth of delicious and satisfying gluten-free meals that will keep you nourished and satisfied.
If you'd like a complete pdf download of this meal plan including, a detailed schedule, grocery list, and pdf of all the delicious recipes download it by clicking the button below.
Searching for gluten-free breakfast options can be incredibly frustrating. It often feels like navigating a culinary minefield, with hidden gluten lurking in the most unexpected places. From cereal and pastries to pancakes and muffins, the struggle to find safe and satisfying options can be challenging. Never fear – Abra is here!
Of course, there are gluten-free versions of just about every one of your favorite breakfast foods, but here are a few stand-out breakfast recipes that I think make the gluten-free transition seamless!
MONDAY and TUESDAY BREAKFAST – SAVORY OATS
Oatmeal is typically thought of as a sweet breakfast option but I am obsessed with savory oats. Simply cook rolled oats in water or chicken stock, add a good pinch of salt and a tab of butter. Top with greens, an egg, sliced avocado or roasted veggies, the topping options are endless. In the summer I like to add sliced tomato and cucumber with fresh herbs and hard boiled egg.
Make an extra batch of the base savory oats, they reheat super well and serve as the perfect meal prep breakfast.
Are oats gluten-free? Technically yes, but you do want to look for certified gluten-free oats due to cross-contamination. There are some gluten-free folks who react to a protein in oats called avenin. If you have a reaction to oats, work with a qualified practitioner to assess your personal oat sensitivity
WEDNESDAY – FRIDAY BREAKFAST: SMOOTHIES
AKA nutrient delivery systems. When I'm working with clients transitioning to a gluten-free diet we aren't just taking out gluten, we are also actively working on improving gut health and reducing inflammation. Smoothies are a great tool to achieve just that. I love adding in supportive fibers, fruits, vegetables, good-quality fat, and protein. In the downloadable pdf of this meal plan, I share the recipes for my favorite protein orange cantaloupe smoothie, tahini date smoothie, and peanut butter and strawberry smoothie.
SATURDAY AND SUNDAY BREAKFAST: FRITTATA
You have to try this everything bagel smoked salmon and herb frittata! Gluten-free and full of flavor, perfect for brunch or to serve for breakfast when hosting friends or family. Bonus: excellent leftovers for a lazy Sunday morning breakfast.
There are additional delicious recipes found in the downloadable meal plan.
MONDAY and TUESDAY LUNCH – Insanely Delicious Asparagus Salad
Bring on the big salads! But I am not talking about boring salads, oh no, I mean mealtime salads chock full of protein, crunch, fiber, pizazz, and flavor galore. This asparagus salad includes jammy eggs, radishes, peas, soft goat cheese, shredded radicchio, and perfectly blanched asparagus. Leave the dressing on the side so you can enjoy the leftovers the next day. You can easily double this recipe and eat this salad as a meal prep salad all week long. If you prefer variety:
WEDNESDAY -FRIDAY LUNCH – ARUGULA PEACH SALAD and CHICKPEA EDAMAME SALAD
In the downloadable meal plan, you will also find recipes for my favorite chickpea edamame salad, and an arugula, peach, and feta salad that you will make 8 billion times!
Salads are a wonderful addition to your diet when you are gluten-free, use my recipes as guideposts and learn to riff and adjust ingredients to your liking.
SATURDAY and SUNDAY LUNCH – Swiss Chard Paneer with Rice
This one is optional if you prefer to not cook on the weekends.
This twist on the classic Indian dish, saag paneer, includes a healthy dose of sauteed rainbow swiss chard, and turmeric fried paneer cheese, in case you missed it… I just said greens with fried cheese!
MONDAY DINNER (with leftovers) –One Pan Cod with Tomato Butter Sauce You can easily make this sauce on Sunday (and maybe double or triple the batch!) and then simply poach the cod in the sauce on Sunday night for a 10 minute dinner
TUESDAY DINNER (with leftovers) – Grilled steak with garlic butter and parmesan broccoli loaded baked potato Going gluten-free does not mean you are not eating carbohydrates. This is a mistake I see with nutrition clients frequently. Potatoes, rice, and gluten-free grains are all excellent additions to your meals and will help increase satiety.
WEDNESDAY DINNER (with leftovers) – Peruvian chicken with herb dressing and simple tomato salad (full recipe in download or try this chicken recipe)
THURSDAY DINNER – Roasted salmon with avocado salsa and cilantro lime quinoa. Salmon recipe in download.
When I went gluten-free I craved baked goods. I was looking for that bready, cakey texture, but gluten-free baked goods from the market, well…quite honestly, they stunk. Store-bought gluten-free baked goods are typically filled with ingredients that can cause stomach upset, the very thing I was trying to avoid! I have specialized in creating gluten-free recipes through the years to support my GF clients, but now I had a new desire/obsession to produce recipes that truly replicated the gluten form with health-supported ingredients.
When you are beginning a gluten-free diet it is helpful to have delicious baked goods available to help support the transition.
I recommend making one gluten-free healthy baked good recipe each week, when the craving hits you have something nourishing and delicious to reach for.
These can serve as snacks or sweet treats throughout the week.
THE BEST GLUTEN-FREE BLUEBERRY MUFFINS EVER MADE – Seriously though, I worked on this recipe for 18 months. Please make them and love them.
To make life super duper easy I put this all together in a comprehensive pdf with recipes, a grocery list, meal schedule, and The cost of the download is $6
I hope you love this meal plan!
Do you have a specific meal plan you'd like to see in this series? Paleo? Vegan? Low-Fodmap? Shoot me an email: abra@abraskitchen.com or comment below!
