Your 1-Week Anti-Inflammatory Meal Plan: Fight Inflammation and Start Working Towards Better Health (2024)

Heading out the door? Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members! Download the app.

Inflammation: It’s the hottest buzzword in health and wellness, and it’s a concern that almost everyone faces. Both incredibly common and widespread throughout the body, inflammation can wreak havoc from head to toe. And you might not even realize that inflammation is occurring. Chronic inflammation can manifest in some surprising ways, causing symptoms that don’t directly or obviously seem related. But if left to run wild, inflammation can cause problems in your gut, your joints, your ability to exercise, your sleep schedule and even your energy levels. The fix? Nourish your body with this one-week anti-inflammatory meal plan.

How, exactly, can you combat chronic inflammation with a meal plan? While there are plenty of factors at play when inflammation arises, you can always look to the foods you’re eating to help nourish your body, soothe inflammatory symptoms and potentially even target the underlying causes. It’s all possible if you fill your plate with foods that offer proven anti-inflammatory properties.

Try this one-week meal plan, and you’ll learn how to kick off an anti-inflammatory eating approach. You can then incorporate these recipes and their ingredients into your diet for the long-term. And for more clean eating advice, expert insight, tips and recipes on fighting inflammation, make sure to check out our Eat Clean Guide on inflammation.

Section divider

The recipes

Berry Delicious Smoothie

Prep this delicious fruit-filled protein smoothie first thing in the morning or whenever you need an energy boost! Get the recipe here.

This super-simple curry gets volumes of flavor – and an anti-inflammatory punch – from a DIY curry blend that starts with turmeric. Get the recipe here.

Squash stands in for rice in this remake of the traditional Spanish dish. Get the recipe here.

Turmeric Ginger Latte

Both ginger and turmeric have incredible anti-inflammatory properties, making this soothing and delicious latte really good for you. Get the recipe here.

Cashew Maple Banana Pudding with Orange-Scented Berries

This four-ingredient vegan pudding makes a perfect protein-packed breakfast. No berries? Top with whatever fruit you have on hand. Get the recipe here.

Chickpeas and walnuts add protein to this spinach salad to fuel you through busy afternoons. Roast the beets in advance for quicker assembly. Get the recipe.

Poached Chicken

It may not be the first cooking method that comes to mind when you think of chicken, but poaching is a great way to cook lean proteins that have a tendency to dry out. Get the recipe here.

Yellow Rice

Ground turmeric adds flavor and a bright yellow color to this rice, while also imparting hefty anti-inflammatory benefits. Get the recipe here.

Section divider

This week’s menu

Section divider

Shopping list

Proteins and dairy

• 1½ lb mussels
• 2 or 3 links chorizo
• 2 15-oz BPA-free can chickpeas
• 2 6-oz boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 container vanilla protein powder
• 1 qt unsweetened almond milk

Veggies and fruits

• 2 butternut squash
• 3 small yellow onions
• 1 small red bell pepper
• 2 heads garlic
• 18 oz baby spinach
• 1 bunch fresh basil
• 1 bunch fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1 bag frozen peas
• 5 bananas
• 2 avocados
• 1 bag frozen blackberries
• ½ qt mixed berries
• 1 orange
• 1 14-oz BPA-free can diced tomatoes (preferably fire-roasted)
• 5 large beets

Whole grains

• 1 bag brown rice

Nuts, seeds and oils

• 1 bottle avocado oil
• 1 bottle coconut oil
• 1 bottle olive oil
• 1 13.5-oz BPA-free can full-fat coconut milk
• 4 oz walnuts
• 11 oz raw unsalted cashews

Pantry staples

• 1 carton low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 bottle apple cider vinegar
• 1 bottle ground turmeric
• 1 bottle sea salt 
• 1 bottle ground ginger
• 1 bottle dry mustard
• 1 bottle ground cinnamon
• 1 bottle cayenne pepper
• 1 bottle pure maple syrup
• 1 bottle raw honey
• 1 bottle saffron threads