7-day high-protein meal plan for menopause

Chopping board with eggs, avocado and vegetables

This plan strings our recipes into one week. Each day lands between roughly 90 and 110 g of protein, spread across the meals, with vegetables at lunch and dinner and a calcium-rich food at least twice a day. It is a template for healthy adults, not a prescription.

Adjust it to your bodyProtein needs depend on your weight. Expert groups suggest 1.0 to 1.2 g per kg of body weight a day for healthy older adults. If you have kidney disease or another medical condition, ask your doctor before following a high-protein plan. See how much protein women over 50 need.

The week

Day	Breakfast	Lunch	Dinner	Snack	Protein
Monday	Greek yogurt bowl with berries, oats and walnuts 28 g	Tuna and white bean salad 33 g	Baked salmon with roast vegetables 32 g	Apple slices with peanut butter 8 g	101 g
Tuesday	Spinach and feta omelette 24 g	Red lentil soup 16 g	Lemon and herb chicken with vegetables 42 g	Edamame with sea salt 12 g	94 g
Wednesday	Overnight oats with chia and yogurt 25 g	Chickpea, cucumber and feta salad 18 g	Tofu and vegetable stir-fry 35 g	Boiled eggs with fruit 13 g	91 g
Thursday	Egg and cottage cheese toast 26 g	Chicken and quinoa bowl 40 g	Chickpea and spinach curry 17 g	Chia pudding with yogurt and berries 20 g	103 g
Friday	Peanut butter and banana protein smoothie 30 g	Sardines on toast with tomato 30 g	Baked cod with lemon and green beans 33 g	Hummus with vegetable sticks 8 g	101 g
Saturday	Shakshuka with chickpeas 23 g	Greek salad with grilled chicken 40 g	Turkey meatballs with whole-wheat pasta 38 g	Crispy roasted chickpeas 9 g	110 g
Sunday	Greek yogurt bowl with berries, oats and walnuts 28 g	Red lentil soup 16 g	Baked salmon with roast vegetables 32 g	Chia pudding with yogurt and berries 20 g	96 g

Protein figures are estimates per serving from the linked recipes.

How to prepare for the week

Cook once, eat twice. The lentil soup, baked salmon and yogurt bowl appear twice. Make a full batch of soup on Monday evening and chill half.
Prepare on Sunday. Boil six eggs, cook a pot of quinoa or brown rice, wash salad leaves, and mix two jars of overnight oats.
Stock the cupboard. Tinned chickpeas, white beans, tuna, sardines, chopped tomatoes, red lentils, oats, chia seeds and olive oil cover most of the plan.
Keep the freezer working. Frozen berries, peas, edamame, spinach and fish fillets are as useful as fresh and cut waste.
Swap freely. Any breakfast can replace any other breakfast, and the same goes for lunches and dinners. The protein stays in the same range.

What to drink

Water, tea and coffee without sugar. Keep alcohol for occasional use, because it disturbs sleep and adds energy without nutrients.