Short answerA 1700 calorie meal plan works out to about 430 calories at breakfast, 460 at lunch, 250 for a snack and 550 at dinner. This one averages 1,698 calories a day with 112 g of protein, 38 g of fiber and no sweets or sugary drinks. Whether it means weight loss depends on what you burn: for active or larger women and for most men it's a deficit, while for smaller, sedentary people it's close to maintenance.
In this article
Who is a 1700 calorie diet right for?
The same 1700 calorie diet can be a solid deficit for one person and maintenance for another. Here's how it compares with estimated maintenance for six example people, worked out with the Mifflin-St Jeor equation and the activity levels used in our TDEE calculator:
| Person | Maintenance | Daily gap at 1,700 | Likely result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Woman, 30, 168 cm, 85 kg, moderately active | about 2,463 | −763 | About 1.5 lb a week at first |
| Man, 40, 175 cm, 80 kg, sedentary | about 2,038 | −338 | About 0.7 lb a week |
| Woman, 35, 165 cm, 75 kg, lightly active | about 1,987 | −287 | About 0.6 lb a week |
| Man, 60, 172 cm, 78 kg, sedentary | about 1,872 | −172 | Slow loss |
| Woman, 55, 158 cm, 62 kg, lightly active | about 1,611 | +89 | About maintenance |
| Woman, 45, 160 cm, 70 kg, sedentary | about 1,577 | +123 | No loss |
So is 1,700 calories good for weight loss? For larger or more active people, clearly yes. For smaller, less active people it's closer to a maintenance plan, which is still useful after a diet or for anyone who wants steady, balanced eating. Find your own maintenance in the TDEE calculator, then see a timeline in the weight loss simulator.
Food groups in a diet plan for 1700 calories a day
The 2025–2030 Dietary Guidelines list daily servings by calorie level, in steps of 200. 1,700 sits between the 1,600 and 1,800 columns:
| Food group | 1,600 | 1,800 | One serving |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protein foods | 2½–3½ | 2½–3½ | 3 oz cooked meat or fish, 1 egg, ½ cup beans |
| Dairy | 3 | 3 | 1 cup milk, ¾ cup yogurt, 1 oz cheese |
| Vegetables | 2½ | 3 | 1 cup, or 2 cups leafy greens |
| Fruits | 1½ | 1½ | 1 cup raw |
| Whole grains | 1¾–3¼ | 2–4 | ½ cup cooked grain, 1 slice bread |
| Healthy fats | 3½ tsp | 4 tsp | 1 tsp olive oil or butter |
The 1700 calorie meal plan menus follow that shape with one deliberate change: more protein than the minimum, in line with the guidelines' goal of 1.2 to 1.6 g per kg of body weight. Fruit runs above 1½ servings on most days, since fruit makes a filling snack for few calories. For more on how many vegetable servings fit each calorie level, see servings of vegetables per day.
The 7-day 1700 calorie meal plan
Here is the full meal plan, 1700 calories a day on average. Calories for each meal are on the right. Amounts are cooked weights for meat, fish, grains and beans. "Greek yogurt" means a 170 g container of plain nonfat Greek yogurt.
Day 1 1,677 calories · 106 g protein · 34 g fiber
- BreakfastAvocado toast: 1 slice whole-wheat toast, ¼ avocado, 2 eggs; 1 cup strawberries; 1 cup 2% milk465
- LunchTurkey wrap: 3 oz ground turkey, 1 whole-wheat tortilla, 1 cup lettuce, ½ cup red pepper, 5 cherry tomatoes, 2 tbsp hummus414
- Snack1 apple with 1 tbsp peanut butter190
- DinnerChicken stir-fry: 4 oz chicken breast, ½ cup broccoli, ½ cup red pepper, ½ cup mushrooms, 2 tsp oil, over ¾ cup brown rice; 1 pear608
Day 2 1,703 calories · 106 g protein · 38 g fiber
- BreakfastGreek yogurt with ⅓ cup oats, 1 cup blueberries and ½ oz almonds; 1 banana473
- LunchTuna salad: 3 oz tuna, ½ cup chickpeas, 2 cups romaine, ½ cup cucumber, 1 tomato, 2 tsp olive oil; 1 slice whole-wheat bread414
- Snack½ cup cottage cheese with 1 peach; ½ oz almonds; 1 kiwi273
- Dinner4 oz baked salmon, 1 baked sweet potato, 1 cup green beans, ½ cup brown rice, 1 tsp olive oil543
Day 3 1,690 calories · 121 g protein · 41 g fiber
- BreakfastOatmeal: ½ cup oats cooked in 1 cup milk, 1 sliced banana, 1 tbsp chia seeds427
- LunchBurrito bowl: 3 oz chicken, ½ cup quinoa, ½ cup black beans, 1 cup lettuce, 2 tbsp salsa, ¼ avocado443
- SnackGreek yogurt with 1 cup raspberries; ½ oz almonds245
- Dinner5 oz baked cod, 1 cup brown rice, 1 cup zucchini and 1 tomato sautéed in 1 tbsp olive oil574
Day 4 1,712 calories · 102 g protein · 47 g fiber
- Breakfast2 eggs scrambled with 1 cup spinach and ½ cup mushrooms; 2 slices whole-wheat toast; 1 orange399
- LunchLentil soup: 1 cup lentils, 1 carrot, ½ cup canned tomatoes, 1 cup spinach, 2 tsp olive oil; 1 slice whole-wheat bread441
- Snack1 cup milk, ½ oz almonds, 1 apple298
- Dinner4 oz grilled sirloin, 1 baked sweet potato, 1 cup broccoli, 2 tsp olive oil, ½ cup brown rice573
Day 5 1,718 calories · 127 g protein · 33 g fiber
- Breakfast½ cup cottage cheese; 2 slices whole-wheat toast with 1 tbsp peanut butter; 2 kiwis433
- LunchTurkey pita: 3 oz ground turkey, 1 whole-wheat pita, ½ cup cucumber, ½ tomato, 2 tbsp hummus430
- SnackGreek yogurt with 1 cup strawberries; ½ oz almonds230
- DinnerShrimp pasta: 4 oz shrimp, 1½ cups whole-wheat pasta, ½ cup canned tomatoes, ½ cup zucchini, 2 tsp olive oil, 1 oz mozzarella; 1 orange625
Day 6 1,707 calories · 102 g protein · 44 g fiber
- Breakfast½ cup oats cooked in 1 cup milk with ½ cup raspberries; 1 boiled egg383
- LunchChicken wrap: 3 oz chicken, 1 whole-wheat tortilla, 1 cup lettuce, ½ cup red pepper, ¼ avocado, ½ cup black beans; 1 orange536
- Snack1 apple, ½ oz almonds, 1 oz mozzarella247
- DinnerTofu stir-fry: ½ cup firm tofu, ½ cup broccoli, ½ cup red pepper, ½ cup mushrooms, 1 tbsp oil, over ¾ cup brown rice541
Day 7 1,681 calories · 117 g protein · 31 g fiber
- Breakfast2 eggs on 1 slice toast with ¼ avocado; ½ cup blueberries; 1 cup milk459
- LunchSalmon quinoa bowl: 3 oz salmon, 1 cup quinoa, 2 cups spinach, ½ cup cucumber, 1 tsp olive oil; 1 orange527
- SnackGreek yogurt with 1 pear; ½ oz almonds283
- Dinner4 oz roast chicken breast, 1 baked sweet potato, 1 cup green beans, 2 tsp olive oil412
Totals for this 1700 kcal meal plan come from USDA FoodData Central for the amounts listed. Salt, pepper, herbs, lemon and spices aren't counted; they add almost no calories.
What does 1700 calories look like?
Across the week, the average 1700 kcal meal plan day splits into four meals like this:
In this 1700 calorie meal plan, dinner is the biggest meal because most people want it to be. If you prefer a larger lunch, swap the two; the day total doesn't change. Day 1's stir-fry, for example, is 608 calories with the pear, and Day 7's chicken and sweet potato plate is 412, so there's room to move calories between meals.
| Nutrient | Average a day | Guideline |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 1,698 | Your target |
| Protein | 112 g (26%) | 1.2–1.6 g per kg |
| Carbohydrate | 196 g (46%) | 45–65% of calories |
| Fat | 58 g (31%) | 20–35% of calories |
| Saturated fat | about 7% of calories | No more than 10% |
| Fiber | 38 g | 25 g women, 38 g men |
| Sodium (before added salt) | about 955 mg | Under 2,300 mg |
Fiber in this 1700 calorie diet is high because of the beans, lentils, whole grains, berries and vegetables. Sodium is low before seasoning, which leaves room for salt to taste and still stay under the 2,300 mg limit. The carbohydrate and fat ranges come from the National Academies' acceptable macronutrient distribution ranges; the macro calculator works out grams for your own targets.
1700 calorie meal plan, high protein version
At 112 g a day, this is already a high protein 1700 calorie meal plan by most standards: it covers the guidelines' 1.2 g per kg for anyone up to about 93 kg. If you train hard or weigh more and want 130 to 150 g, try these changes:
- Replace the snack with Greek yogurt plus ½ cup cottage cheese: 192 calories and 29 g of protein.
- Swap any ½ oz of almonds for a hard-boiled egg: about the same calories (78 vs 81) with roughly twice the protein (6 g vs 3 g).
- Go from 3 oz to 4 oz of chicken at lunch: about 47 calories and 9 g of protein more.
- To make room, use ½ cup less rice or pasta that day, which saves about 85 to 125 calories.
With two or three of these changes, the 1700 calorie high protein meal plan reaches 130 to 140 g without going over 1,700. The chicken breast nutrition page lists protein by the ounce if you want to fine-tune portions.
Vegetarian swaps
Day 6's tofu stir-fry and Day 4's lentil soup are already meat-free. For the other meals, each 3 to 4 oz portion of meat or fish can be replaced with:
| Swap | Calories | Protein |
|---|---|---|
| ½ cup firm tofu | 181 | 22 g |
| 1 cup cooked lentils | 230 | 18 g |
| 1 cup shelled edamame | 188 | 18 g |
| Greek yogurt + ½ cup cottage cheese | 192 | 29 g |
Lentils and edamame add carbohydrate and fiber on top of the protein, so trim the rice, bread or quinoa at that meal by about half a cup or a slice.
Meal plans for 1700 calories a day: build your own
Once you've followed the menu for a week, you can write your own meal plans for 1700 calories a day with the same structure:
| Meal | Build it from | Aim for |
|---|---|---|
| Breakfast | Eggs, Greek yogurt or cottage cheese + a whole grain + fruit; milk optional | 380–470 calories, 20–30 g protein |
| Lunch | 3 oz lean protein or 1 cup lentils + a wrap, pita or ½ cup grain + vegetables + hummus or 2 tsp oil | 410–540 calories, 25–35 g protein |
| Snack | Dairy + fruit, or fruit + ½ oz nuts | 190–300 calories |
| Dinner | 4–5 oz protein + ¾–1 cup grain or a sweet potato + 1–2 cups vegetables + 1–3 tsp oil | 410–630 calories, 30–40 g protein |
On any 1700 calorie diet, measure the calorie-dense items, which are oil, nuts, peanut butter, avocado and grains. Vegetables can be eyeballed. If you cook from recipes, the recipe nutrition calculator gives calories per serving, and you can log a whole day in the calorie counter.
Swaps that keep you near 1,700
Don't like salmon, or out of quinoa? Swap within the same food group and the day stays close to its total. These values come from USDA FoodData Central:
| Group | Portion | Calories | Protein |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protein, 4 oz cooked | Shrimp | 112 | 27 g |
| Cod | 119 | 26 g | |
| Chicken breast | 186 | 35 g | |
| Sirloin | 212 | 34 g | |
| Ground turkey | 229 | 31 g | |
| Salmon | 233 | 25 g | |
| Grains and starch | ½ cup brown rice | 124 | 3 g |
| ½ cup quinoa | 112 | 4 g | |
| 1 medium sweet potato | 103 | 2 g | |
| 1 slice whole-wheat bread | 81 | 4 g | |
| Fats and spreads | 1 tbsp peanut butter | 96 | 4 g |
| ½ oz almonds | 81 | 3 g | |
| 2 tsp olive oil | 80 | 0 g | |
| 2 tbsp hummus | 71 | 2 g |
The biggest difference is in the protein row: 4 oz of salmon has about 120 calories more than the same amount of shrimp. If you swap a lean fish for salmon, take a tablespoon of oil or half a cup of rice out of that day to balance it.
Meal prep for the week
A little cooking on one day makes this 1700 calorie diet much easier to follow:
- Cook the grains. Make about 3½ cups of cooked brown rice and 1½ cups of quinoa. Portion them into containers in ½ and ¾ cup amounts.
- Cook the proteins for the first few days. Roast or grill the chicken, brown the ground turkey, and hard-boil a few eggs. Fish is best cooked on the day.
- Wash and chop vegetables for the first few days: lettuce, peppers, cucumber and mushrooms.
- Pre-portion the snacks. Put ½ oz of almonds (about 12 nuts) into small bags so you don't have to measure each day.
- Make the lentil soup ahead. It reheats well for Day 4's lunch.
Common mistakes on a 1700 calorie diet
- Not weighing the dense foods. An extra tablespoon of oil is 119 calories and an extra ounce of nuts 164. A few of those a day can erase a 300-calorie deficit.
- Saving all the calories for dinner. Skipping breakfast and lunch often leads to eating well over the plan at night.
- Forgetting drinks. Milk is counted in this plan; juice, soda, coffee drinks and alcohol are not.
- Judging progress by one weigh-in. Daily weight moves up and down. Compare weekly averages instead.
- Staying at 1,700 when you've reached your goal. When you stop wanting to lose, recalculate maintenance with the TDEE calculator and eat to that number.
How fast will you lose weight on 1,700 calories?
The speed depends on your daily gap. Using the people in the first table and the common estimate of about 3,500 calories per pound for early weight loss:
Over months, loss slows. Researchers at the NIH have shown that the 3,500-calorie rule overestimates long-term weight loss, because maintenance calories fall as weight falls. The weight loss simulator accounts for this. For lasting results, the CDC points to a gradual pace of about 1 to 2 pounds a week.
1,700 calories for men and for women
For most men, a 1700 calorie diet is a clear deficit. Even the sedentary 40-year-old man in the first table burns about 2,038 calories a day, so 1,700 leaves a gap of over 300. Taller or more active men may find 1,700 hard to sustain; for them a plan at 1,800 or a 2000 calorie diet can still produce steady loss with less hunger.
For women, it depends more on size and activity. A larger or active woman loses weight at 1,700, while a smaller, sedentary woman may be at maintenance. If that's you and you want to lose, the 1,500-calorie 7-day meal plan may fit better. Calorie needs change in pregnancy and while breastfeeding, so check with your doctor or midwife then.
Grocery list for the week
Everything you need for all seven days, rounded to shopping amounts:
Protein
- Chicken breast, about 1 lb
- Ground turkey, 6 oz
- Salmon, 7 oz
- Cod, 5 oz
- Shrimp, 4 oz
- Sirloin steak, 4 oz
- Tuna, 1 can
- Firm tofu, ½ cup
- Eggs, 7
Dairy
- Plain Greek yogurt, 4 containers
- 2% milk, 5 cups
- Cottage cheese, 1 cup
- Mozzarella, 2 oz
Beans and grains
- Lentils, 1 cup cooked
- Black beans, 1 cup
- Chickpeas, ½ cup
- Hummus, 4 tbsp
- Brown rice, 3½ cups cooked
- Quinoa, 1½ cups cooked
- Oats, 1⅓ cups
- Whole-wheat bread, 8 slices
- Whole-wheat tortillas, 2
- Whole-wheat pita, 1
- Whole-wheat pasta, 1½ cups cooked
Vegetables
- Sweet potatoes, 3
- Broccoli, 2 cups
- Spinach, 4 cups
- Romaine or lettuce, 5 cups
- Red peppers, 2–3
- Tomatoes, 3, plus 5 cherry tomatoes
- Cucumber, 1
- Mushrooms, 1½ cups
- Zucchini, 1
- Green beans, 2 cups
- Carrot, 1
- Canned tomatoes, 1 cup
Fruit
- Oranges, 4
- Apples, 3
- Kiwis, 3
- Pears, 2
- Bananas, 2
- Peach, 1
- Avocado, 1
- Strawberries, 2 cups
- Blueberries, 1½ cups
- Raspberries, 1½ cups
Pantry
- Almonds, 3½ oz
- Peanut butter, 2 tbsp
- Chia seeds, 1 tbsp
- Olive oil, about 7 tbsp
- Salsa, 2 tbsp
Cooking a big pot of brown rice and a batch of quinoa on day 1 covers most of the week's grains. Frozen berries and frozen broccoli work as well as fresh and keep longer. If fish is hard to find fresh, frozen salmon, cod and shrimp fillets are easy to keep on hand for the days that need them.
Tips for a 1700 calorie diet
- Check that 1,700 fits you. As the first table shows, it can be a deficit, maintenance or even a small surplus.
- Measure oil and nuts for the first week. A tablespoon of olive oil has 119 calories and half an ounce of almonds about 82; small misjudgments add up.
- Keep protein at every meal. The guidelines say to prioritize protein foods at every meal, and it keeps the plan filling.
- Drink water, not calories. The guidelines advise avoiding sugar-sweetened drinks such as soda, fruit drinks and energy drinks.
- Repeat your favorite days. You don't need seven different menus. Two or three days on rotation is easier to shop and cook for.
- Plan for eating out. On a restaurant day, keep breakfast and the snack light; our sandwich calories page helps with lunches out.
Printing the plan
Print this page or use "Save as PDF" in your browser's print window; the site menu and footer are left out of the printout.
Other calorie levels
If 1,700 isn't the right number for you, the 1800 calorie meal plan follows the same format with 100 more calories a day, and the 7-day meal plan averages about 1,500. For very low levels, read the 1000 calorie meal plan safety notes first. For 100 calories less a day, see the 1600 calorie meal plan.
Check with a doctor first if
You're pregnant or breastfeeding, under 18, managing diabetes or kidney disease, taking medicine affected by diet, or have a history of eating disorders. Those situations need tailored advice. The breastfeeding calorie calculator gives a starting point for nursing mothers. See our medical disclaimer.
1700 calorie diet FAQ
Is 1700 calories good for weight loss?
For many people, yes. A woman of 30 at 168 cm and 85 kg who is moderately active burns about 2,463 calories a day, so 1,700 is a deficit of about 760. For a smaller, sedentary woman of 45 at 160 cm and 70 kg, maintenance is about 1,577, so 1,700 would not cause weight loss. Check your own number with a TDEE calculator.
How much protein is in a 1700 calorie meal plan?
This plan averages about 112 g of protein a day, 26% of calories. The 2025–2030 Dietary Guidelines set a goal of 1.2 to 1.6 g of protein per kg of body weight, so 112 g covers people up to about 93 kg at the lower end of that range.
What does 1700 calories look like in a day?
Roughly a 430-calorie breakfast, a 460-calorie lunch, a 250-calorie snack and a 550-calorie dinner. For example: avocado toast with two eggs and strawberries, a turkey wrap with hummus, an apple with peanut butter, and a chicken stir-fry with brown rice and a pear.
How fast will I lose weight on 1,700 calories?
It depends on your maintenance calories. With a daily gap of 300 calories, expect roughly half a pound a week at first; with a gap of 750, about 1.5 pounds. Loss slows over time as your weight and calorie needs fall.
Can I make this 1700 calorie meal plan vegetarian?
Yes. Swap each 3 to 4 oz portion of meat or fish for ½ cup of firm tofu (22 g protein), 1 cup of cooked lentils (18 g) or 1 cup of edamame (18 g), and trim a little rice or bread at that meal to keep calories steady.
Sources
- U.S. Department of Agriculture. FoodData Central (every food in the menus).
- U.S. Departments of Health and Human Services and Agriculture. Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2025–2030, January 2026 (servings by calorie level, protein goal, saturated fat and sodium limits).
- National Academies. Dietary Reference Intakes: macronutrient distribution ranges, 2005.
- National Academies. Dietary Reference Intakes: dietary, functional and total fiber, 2005.
- Frankenfield D, et al. Comparison of predictive equations for resting metabolic rate in healthy nonobese and obese adults: a systematic review. J Am Diet Assoc, 2005.
- Hall KD, Chow CC. Why is the 3500 kcal per pound weight loss rule wrong? Int J Obes, 2013.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Losing weight.