Weekly Meal Planner

Plant based tip: pair iron-rich meals with vitamin C

Eating iron-rich plant foods alongside a source of vitamin C such as lemon juice, tomatoes, orange or bell pepper significantly improves how much iron your body actually absorbs, sometimes by up to three times. Most recipes here are already built with this combination in mind.

Perimenopause and menopause nutrition priorities

During this transition your body needs more protein to maintain muscle mass, more calcium and magnesium to protect bone density, and plenty of fiber to support gut health, blood sugar regulation and inflammation. Aim for at least 25g fiber per day, 1.2 to 1.6g protein per kg of body weight, and check your vitamin D and magnesium levels with your doctor. The recipes here support all of these priorities. See our Women's Health guide for the full picture.

YOUR PROFILE  Reset Profile

DIET

GOAL

ALLERGENS TO AVOID

A note on nutritional estimates: Nutritional values shown are estimates based on standard ingredient data from the UK Nutrient Databank and USDA FoodData Central. Actual values vary depending on ingredient variety, preparation method and portion size. Plant based iron is less efficiently absorbed by the body than iron from meat and fish. Eating iron-rich plant foods alongside a source of vitamin C significantly improves absorption. If you are filtering to vegetarian or plant based meals, you may need to eat more iron-rich foods or consider supplementation. These figures are a guide only and are not a substitute for personalised advice from a registered dietitian or your GP. If you have specific nutritional concerns, particularly around fertility, pregnancy or a diagnosed deficiency, please seek professional guidance. For a precise nutritional breakdown of any recipe, we recommend entering the ingredients into Cronometer, a free nutritional tracking tool.

Daily targets based on UK Reference Nutrient Intakes (RNIs) from the Department of Health Dietary Reference Values (COMA 1991) and SACN updates. Sources: British Nutrition Foundation | NHS | SACN.

Enjoying the meal planner? Share your feedback →