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Last updated on May 11th, 2022 at 11:10 am
We’re starting the year off with a 7-day no sugar challenge! As always, I’ve included a sample meal plan with recipes for breakfast, lunch and dinner and a grocery list. The recipes are easy, gluten-free and most of them great for meal prep too! I don’t know about you, but I need those 7 days after a month of forgetting all my troubles, teeth and beta cells existed. If one of your new year’s resolutions is to eat healthier or to lose weight long-term this healthy meal plan is gonna be a great starting point for you.
What Is The 7-Day No Sugar Challenge
Let’s not get this twisted. This ain’t gonna be a low carb or keto meal plan where you quit grains and legumes and fruit. We’re still gonna eat all those healthy foods, but here’s what we’ll be getting rid of:
- honey and maple syrup (any type of syrup)
- all types of natural or refined sugar (so coconut sugar also)
- all chocolate, even the darkest ones out there
- other types of sweeteners and sugar that aren’t natural and have no fiber in them
The goal here is to simply reset those tastebuds. Believe me, if you do this for a week and try a regular chocolate bar you’ll find it overly sweet and disgusting. You’ll also discover that the sugar that’s in fruit is more than enough to satisfy a sweet tooth.
What To Eat On A No-Sugar Diet
On this no sugar challenge we’re gonna eat whole foods. Nobody’s got time to read that many labels and I don’t know about you, but my head doesn’t have space for all the synonyms for sugar.
So will there be sausage? No. Will there be dressings? No (with Spanish accent). Will there be flavored yogurt? Niet. I mean are you surprised?
It took a while, but I made a grocery list for the no sugar challenge and you can download it here.
Is it going to be easy? Probably not, but it will feel good, I’m telling you. I don’t know how I would go an entire week without honey (that’s how I’ve been surviving “sugar-free” for about 3 years), but I actually want to extend this challenge to over 30 days. Thanks for coming to my TED talk, now let’s take a look at the sample meal plan.
7-Day No Sugar Meal Plan
Day 1:
- Breakfast: 10-Minute Banana Oatmeal
- Lunch: Spicy Mediterranean Bowl (make hummus and chickpeas ahead)
- Dinner: Cauliflower Fried Rice
Day 2:
- Breakfast: Tropical Green Smoothie
- Lunch: Cauliflower Fried Rice
- Dinner: Quinoa Chicken Salad
Day 3:
- Breakfast: Oatmeal Banana Bread (make the day before)
- Lunch: Quinoa Chicken Salad
- Dinner: Coconut Curry Shrimp Soup
Day 4:
- Breakfast: Oatmeal Banana Bread
- Lunch: Spicy Mediterranean Bowl (make hummus and chickpeas ahead)
- Dinner: Egg Roll In A Bowl
Day 5:
- Breakfast: Oatmeal Banana Pancakes
- Lunch: Egg Roll In A Bowl
- Dinner: Salmon Lettuce Wraps
Day 6:
- Breakfast: Crustless Tuna Quiche (2-3 servings, make ahead)
- Lunch: Avocado Chicken Salad
- Dinner: Chickpea Soup
Day 7:
- Breakfast: 10-Minute Banana Oatmeal Pancakes
- Lunch: Crustless Tuna Quiche (2-3 servings with a side salad)
- Dinner: Chickpea Soup
Snacks & Eating for Your Personal Needs
So, these were the main meals for the meal plan and I honestly usually eat more than one serving if I go throughout the day without snacking. Everyone has different needs – we’re all built differently, I know that, so adjust this plan and challenge to your needs. Add snacks, go for seconds and make sure to drink enough water to reduce cravings. Here are some examples of healthy snacks to eat during this challenge:
- hummus and veggies
- apples or other fruit with peanut or almond butter
- pistachios, almonds, all types of nuts
- fruit – apples, bananas, watermelon
- vegetables – radishes, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes
- healthy smoothies
After The 7 Days Of Eating Healthy
Now, if you want to make eating healthy a part of life and enjoy the way you feel, you might want to check out my brand new clean eating recipe binder full of healthy and delicious gluten and dairy-free recipes. There are also useful printables e.g. meal planning printable, a 30-day habit tracker, weekly food prep routine printable, and more to help you stay on track and organized in the kitchen and in life. You can also use the fillable recipe card to make your own recipe binder, which is a great tool to use when you want to make eating well a lifestyle. It’s something you can always go back to even when you fall off track.
Some of the breakfast and dessert recipes do have added sugar in the form of maple syrup or natural dark or coconut sugar. These should be the exception rather than the rule.
You can check out the recipe binder here and don’t forget to use the code NTB20 for 20% off.
Final Thoughts
I really hope you are as excited as me to (again) start making better choices for your physical and mental health, so that you can feel better than ever, this little no sugar challenge is just the first step!