7-Day Anti-Inflammatory Meal Plan and Grocery List

Start to Finish: Varies by day (30 to 50 minutes per main meal)

Servings: One week of meals (most recipes make 2 to 6 servings; freeze extra portions or enjoy leftovers)

For people living with ataxia, having a structured weekly meal plan makes it easier to consistently eat in a Mediterranean-style, anti-inflammatory pattern that supports bowel regularity, heart health, and adequate protein intake. This 7-day plan is built around whole grains, lean proteins, legumes, leafy greens, and colorful produce, with minimal added sugars or processed foods. It comes with a complete grocery list to simplify shopping.

Heart health is worth watching closely for people with hereditary forms of ataxia like Friedreich ataxia, who have an increased risk of cardiac complications.

For those with swallowing difficulty or challenges with meal preparation, recipes and ingredients can be adapted as needed. Choose food textures and liquid consistencies that align with the prescribed diet level. Consider convenient options such as precut vegetables, prewashed greens, or frozen produce to help save time and reduce preparation demands.

The 7-Day Plan

Day 1

• Breakfast: Turmeric-ginger oatmeal topped with blueberries and walnuts
• Snack: 1 small apple with 1 tablespoon almond butter
• Lunch: Mediterranean chickpea and farro salad
• Dinner: Sheet-pan salmon with roasted broccoli, zucchini, and bell pepper
• Drink: Golden milk before bed

Day 2

• Breakfast: Berry and spinach smoothie
• Snack: 2 walnut energy bites
• Lunch: Sweet potato and black bean bowl
• Dinner: Lentil and kale soup with a side of whole-grain bread (gluten-free bread if needed)
• Drink: 6 to 8 cups of water throughout the day

Day 3

• Breakfast: 2 scrambled eggs with sautéed spinach and cherry tomatoes, served on whole-grain toast (gluten-free if needed)
• Snack: ¼ cup mixed raw walnuts and unsweetened dried cranberries
• Lunch: Quinoa and veggie bowl
• Dinner: Baked chicken breast with roasted sweet potato wedges and steamed green beans
• Drink: Golden milk

Day 4

• Breakfast: Turmeric-ginger oatmeal with sliced strawberries and 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed
• Snack: Berry and spinach smoothie (half portion)
• Lunch: Lentil and kale soup (leftover)
• Dinner: Mediterranean chickpea and farro salad with 3 ounces grilled salmon
• Drink: Herbal ginger or chamomile tea

Day 5

• Breakfast: Plain unsweetened Greek yogurt with fresh mixed berries, 1 tablespoon chia seeds, and a drizzle of honey
• Snack: 2 walnut energy bites
• Lunch: Sweet potato and black bean bowl (leftover or freshly made)
• Dinner: Sheet-pan salmon with roasted carrots and cherry tomatoes
• Drink: 6 to 8 cups of water throughout the day

Day 6

• Breakfast: Berry and spinach smoothie
• Snack: Sliced cucumber and carrot sticks with 2 tablespoons hummus
• Lunch: Large leafy green salad with chickpeas, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, Kalamata olives, and lemon-olive oil dressing
• Dinner: Lentil and kale soup with a drizzle of olive oil and gluten-free crackers
• Drink: Golden milk

Day 7

• Breakfast: Turmeric-ginger oatmeal with banana slices, walnuts, and a pinch of cinnamon
• Snack: 1 medium pear with 2 walnut energy bites
• Lunch: Quinoa and veggie bowl
• Dinner: Baked white fish (cod or tilapia) with steamed broccoli, brown rice, and a squeeze of fresh lemon
• Drink: Herbal tea or golden milk

Complete Grocery List

This grocery list includes the ingredients needed to prepare the recipes featured in this meal plan.

Produce

• Baby spinach (large bag, approximately 10 ounces)
• Baby arugula or mixed greens (5-ounce bag)
• Curly kale (1 bunch)
• Broccoli (1 large head)
• Cherry tomatoes (2 pints)
• Zucchini (2 medium)
• Red bell peppers (3)
• Sweet potatoes (4 large)
• Carrots (1 bag, approximately 1 pound)
• Celery (1 bunch)
• Cucumber (2 medium English cucumbers)
• Red onion (2 medium)
• Yellow onion (2 large)
• Avocados (4)
• Bananas (3, frozen)
• Lemons (6)
• Limes (3)
• Fresh ginger root (1 small knob)
• Fresh parsley (1 bunch)
• Fresh mint (1 small bunch)
• Fresh cilantro (1 bunch)
• Garlic (2 heads)
• Green beans (1 pound fresh or frozen)
• Blueberries (2 cups fresh or frozen)
• Mixed berries, frozen (2 cups)
• Strawberries (1 cup fresh)
• Apple (1 medium)
• Pear (1 medium)
• Medjool dates (1 package, approximately 12)

Proteins

• Salmon fillets, skin-on (8 fillets, 6 ounces each)
• Boneless, skinless chicken breast (1 pound)
• White fish (cod or tilapia), 2 fillets (approximately 6 ounces each)
• Plain unsweetened Greek yogurt (16-ounce container)
• Eggs (1 dozen)
• Canned chickpeas, no salt added (3 cans, 15 ounces each)
• Canned black beans, no salt added (2 cans, 15 ounces each)
• Red or green lentils (1 pound bag)

Grains

• Old-fashioned rolled oats, certified gluten-free (1 large canister)
• Dry farro (1 pound) or quinoa for gluten-free
• Dry quinoa (1 pound)
• Brown rice (1 pound)
• Whole-grain bread or gluten-free bread (1 loaf)
• Gluten-free crackers (1 box)

Pantry and Dry Goods

• Extra-virgin olive oil (1 large bottle, 16-ounce minimum)
• Unsweetened almond milk or oat milk (2 cartons, 32 ounces each)
• Light coconut milk (1 can, 13.5 ounces)
• Low-sodium vegetable broth (3 cartons, 32 ounces each)
• Diced tomatoes, no salt added (2 cans, 14.5 ounces each)
• Roasted red bell peppers in water, no added sugar (1 jar)
• Kalamata olives, pitted (1 jar)
• Tahini (1 jar)
• Almond butter, unsweetened (1 jar)
• Ground flaxseed (1 bag)
• Chia seeds (1 bag)
• Raw walnuts (2 cups)
• Hummus (1 container, store-bought or homemade)
• Dried cranberries, unsweetened (small bag)
• Pure maple syrup or raw honey (small bottle)
• Pure vanilla extract (1 small bottle)
• Dijon mustard (1 jar)

Spices

• Ground turmeric
• Ground ginger
• Ground cinnamon
• Ground cumin
• Smoked paprika
• Ground coriander
• Ground cardamom
• Chili powder
• Garlic powder
• Dried oregano
• Black pepper
• Sea salt

Nutritional information (approximate daily average): Calories: 1,850 to 2,100 | Protein: 75 to 95 grams | Carbohydrates: 220 to 260 grams | Fiber: 35 to 45 grams | Fat: 65 to 80 grams | Sodium: 1,400 to 1,800 milligrams

Suitable for: Anti-inflammatory diet, ataxia-friendly diet, dairy-free diet (with noted substitutions), gluten-free diet (with noted substitutions), heart-healthy diet, high-fiber diet, Mediterranean diet-friendly, vegan diet (with noted substitutions), vegetarian diet (with noted substitutions)

References

1. What Is the Mediterranean Diet? — American Heart Association

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