An 1800 calorie diet menu offers a wide variety of food that won't leave you feeling deprived. Unlike very low calorie diet plans, this caloric range is safe to carry out on your own without worry of lowering your metabolism or other health concerns. Try these sample menu plans to get a taste of just how satisfying an 1800 calorie diet can be.
Sample 1800 Calorie Diet Menu
There is ample room for adjustment in an 1800 calorie diet. While those following a 1200 calorie diet, by comparison, need to be very careful to stick to lower calorie food choices, having more calories to work with leaves you room to indulge in a treat once in a while. Remember it is your average caloric intake over the course of a week or a month that determines your body composition, and that one meal will not make or break your diet plan.
Below are sample diet menus to take you through three days worth of meals and snacks. Use these menus as a template to get a feel for how much food you need to consume and what types of food are appropriate choices to add up to 1800 calories per day.
Day 1
- Breakfast: Two poached eggs, two pieces of toast with two teaspoons butter, one cup mixed berries. (469 calories)
- Mid-morning snack: Sliced apple with 1/2 ounce sharp cheddar cheese or one tablespoon peanut butter (150 calories)
- Lunch: Tuna sandwich using whole wheat bread, three ounces of tuna and one tablespoon light mayonnaise; cup orange juice and one cup carrot sticks (478 calories)
- Afternoon Snack: Six wheat square crackers dipped in two tablespoons hummus (160 calories)
- Supper: Marinated grilled shrimp , one cup brown rice and one cup steamed broccoli (533 calories)
Total: 1790 calories
Day 2
- Breakfast: One cup cooked oatmeal with two tablespoons of light cream and one teaspoon brown sugar; two light sausages; one grapefruit with two teaspoons white sugar. (400 calories)
- Mid-morning snack: Six ounces 2.9 percent milk fat vanilla or fruit-flavored yogurt. (160 calories)
- Lunch: Mediterranean Wrap (436 calories)
- Afternoon Snack: One medium banana; one cup unsweetened soy milk (160 calories)
- Supper: Grilled filet mignon; medium baked potato with two tablespoons light sour cream; one cup steamed vegetables. (451 calories)
- Dessert: Sicilian Ricotta Cheesecake. (198 calories)
Total: 1805 calories
Day 3
- Breakfast: One cup bran cereal with one cup low fat milk; one cup mixed melon balls; one cup cottage cheese ( 444 calories)
- Mid-morning snack: One cup vegetable cocktail with one cheese string (150 calories)
- Lunch: Fast food hamburger with apple slices (500 calories)
- Afternoon snack: Two ounces teriyaki beef jerky with 1/2 cup snow peas (150 calories)
- Supper: Lime Chicken Caesar Salad; one slice french bread (393 calories)
- Dessert: 1/2 cup vanilla ice cream (130 calories)
Total: 1767 calories
Sticking with It
Plan your 1800 calorie diet menus according to your personal tastes and nutritional goals, keeping in mind the best diet plan is one you can feel good about and follow over the long term. As you can see, there is no reason to feel deprived on this diet. You should be able to find enough room with this caloric budget to accommodate dinners out, special occasions, and hectic schedules. An 1800 calorie diet fits perfectly into an overall healthy lifestyle that includes enjoying food in moderation, getting plenty of rest as well as exercise, and just feeling good.
