7-Day AIP Meal Plan with Easy Recipes (2024)

What’s Inside: 7-days of tasty meals and easy recipes to use for the elimination phase of the autoimmune protocol along with my best tips as a holistic nutritionist focused on gut health, plus resources for using AIP as a tool on your healing journey. Sign up here to get a full printable AIP meal plan and grocery list delivered to your inbox.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “Love all the healthy recipes in this plan! I’m doing a reset after eating too much during the holidays so this is perfect!” – Kate

To help make your AIP journey less stressful and way more enjoyable, I’ve created this meal plan with some of my most popular, tasty, and easy AIP recipes, and I answer a list of frequently asked questions about the AIP diet too!

This meal plan will save you time—and save your sanity!—while on your healing journey and you can use it as a template while swapping out recipes anytime. Plus, I’ll send you the print-outs including the menu, recipes, and grocery lists right to your email — just sign up here to get the 1-week AIP Meal Plan.

Getting Started with the Autoimmune Protocol

Hold on! Before you get that apron on, here are my best AIP resources to familiarize yourself with. It’s something I arm my nutritional therapy clients with when supporting them through AIP, so don’t miss it!

• AIP Starter Guide – Everything you need to know before starting (or restarting) including what foods are in, out, and how to navigate it!
• AIP Reintroduction Guide – Tips and directions for life after eliminations so you can skip the pitfalls and see the full journey through.

Important AIP Meal Plan Notes

This meal plan serves 2 people.

In it, you’ll find a mix of:

• meal prep-friendly dishes
• quick 45-30 minute type meals

A Word About Breakfast

Many people find breakfast challenging without any grains or eggs. Not to fear, there are plenty of options in this AIP meal plan but you should keep an open mind.

Keep it savory *most* of the time to keep you full, satisfied and to keep your blood sugar in check. And erase everything you previously thought about breakfast.

Everything is on the table now: leftovers of proteins and vegetables, even SOUP… qualifies as breakfast. I also love to have frozen sausageon hand and a bag of shredded cabbage and carrots (coleslaw mix) to easily toss together a meal when I’m half awake. And, after getting past that, you just might lovestarting savoryas I say, and prefer it going forward!

It’s changed my life and may change yours. Keep an open mind and try it.

Incorporating a cup of AIP-friendlybone brothas a morning drink or “side” to any meal is a great practice tosupport yourgut health.

If you absolutely love and can’t live without smoothies, it’s still totally possible on AIP. Check out mylow-sugar smoothie template here. I love to incorporate fresh or frozen spinach, kale,or other leafy greens with low-sugar fruits like berries, coconut oil, coconut milk (or cream to make it thicker), and frozen cauliflower rice with a plain unsweetened collagen peptides powder for protein(which is really the only “approved” proteinpowder for AIP, but it’s not a complete source of protein).

This is also a great place to add a mild-tasting bone broth (like chicken or turkey) as the liquid for a bit more protein and gut-healing goodness.

Download the recipe print-outs, grocery lists, and meal plan right here so you can get started!

AIP Meal Plan

Meal prep option: you can make these recipes ahead of time to save time.

Day 1

• Breakfast: Classic AIP Breakfast Hash Template (recipe below)*
• Lunch: Canned Tuna Pasta* (double-batch)
• Dinner: Cozy Instant Pot Chili

Day 2

• Breakfast: Salmon Cakes* over Mixed Greens with Olive Oil and Lemon Juice (double-batch)
• Lunch: Canned Tuna Pasta (leftovers)
• Dinner: Meatballs over Spaghetti Squash* with Pesto*

Day 3

• Breakfast: Classic AIP Breakfast Hash Template (leftovers)
• Lunch: Cozy No-tomato Chili (leftovers)
• Dinner: One-pan Chicken and Veggies with Bacon

Day 4

• Breakfast: Salmon Cakes over Mixed Greens with Olive Oil and Lemon Juice (leftovers)
• Lunch: One-pan Chicken and Veggies with Bacon (leftovers)
• Dinner: Cozy No-tomato Chili (leftovers)

Day 5

• Breakfast: Classic AIP Breakfast Hash Template (leftovers)
• Lunch: Tropical Chicken Salad
• Dinner: Picadillo with Plantain Rice

Day 6

• Breakfast: Unsweetened Coconut Yogurt (Culina or Cocoyo brands recommended) with Blueberries and Cinnamon or any leftovers from the week
• Lunch: Meatballs over Spaghetti Squash with Pesto (leftovers)
• Dinner: Orange Chicken and Broccoli Rice

Day 7

• Breakfast: Tigernut Waffles with Strawberries and Cinnamon
• Lunch: Orange Chicken and Broccoli Rice (leftovers)
• Dinner: Picadillo with Plantain Rice (leftovers)

Sign up to get the full meal plan, recipes, and grocery list so you can download, print, and use it!

FAQs about the AIP Diet

Are snacks and desserts allowed on AIP?

Snacks or desserts made with AIP-compliant ingredients are allowed on AIP. However, since the purpose of the AIP diet is to remove inflammatory triggers, you’ll want to enjoy them in moderation.

Be sure to eat enough food at each meal, so you aren’t starving throughout the day, and enjoy all desserts mindfully to fully be satisfied it.

Here are 6+ low-sugar AIP desserts to try!

What snacks do you recommend for travel or on-the-go?

These are my go-to snacks (sometimes brands change their ingredients; always read the ingredient list to ensure they’re AIP-friendly)

• Whole fruit
• Unsweetened applesauce
• Meat sticks/jerky
• Meat & veggie bars
• Medjool dates
• Coconut chips
• Plantain chips (cooked in coconut, olive, palm, or avocado oil)
• Sweet potato chips (cooked in coconut, olive, palm, or avocado oil)
• Cracklin’s (or pork rinds)
• Fruit & veggie chips

What coffee replacements are good on AIP?

• Bone broth (homemade or AIP-friendly)
• AutoimmuneTea (herbal)
• Sip Herbals (use ‘FOODBYMARS’ for 10% off)

How do I eat this way living in a house of non-AIP or even non-Paleo eaters?!

I know it can be a challenge! But remember, your loved ones want you to be healthy and happy. With some preparation, the right attitude, and boundaries… you can do it. Let me explain more via video because I have a lot to say on the topic…

Watch my series on navigating a healing diet at home with picky eaters and in social situations or while traveling.

Where can I shop for AIP-compliant products?

With some investigative work, of course, you can find AIP-friendly products in your grocery store, but there are great online resources available that take the guesswork out of it for you!

Find a list of my favorite shops right here.

What are nightshades?

Nightshades are a family of plants you’ll most commonly see as vegetables or spices. They include tomatoes, eggplant, potatoes, and peppers(including pepper spices).Nightshades containsolaninewhich can cause inflammationin high doses, sothey’re excluded from the elimination phase of AIP.

Does AIP heal leaky gut or IBS (inflammatory bowel disease)?

AIP is an elimination diet focused on including nutrient density and healing foods to support you on your (gut) healing journey. However, it’s not. a “cure” to any condition like IBS, Hashimoto’s disease, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and other autoimmune diseases. In my personal and professional experience, it’s a great tool that can help reduce inflammation, teach you about your triggers, and help you get more in tune with your healing body! I’d always recommend using this as one tool in your arsenal amongst many like working with skilled practitioners, seeking community/support, and managing stress as a part of an overall lifestyle.

When is it time for reintroductions and does that mean I would now use the Paleo diet?

The reintroduction phaseis part of the overall Autoimmune Protocol after eliminations. The recommendation is to eliminate for approx. 1-3 months and not any longer than that. Many people start to see a reduction in symptoms like reduced fatigue, pain, and digestive issues within the first month and start to consider reintroductionson their own or with a practitioner for more support. If symptoms aren’t resolving at all, there’s likely much more that needs to be addressed like possible gut infections, mold exposure, or other health conditions that need to be prioritized or handled in tandem with dietary tweaks. Depending on how you feel mentally, physically, and emotionally, it’s an incredibly personal decision on when the right time to reintroduce foods is.

Check out my post about reintroductionsherefor more tips and tools when you approach that part!

When you do embark on reintroductions, there’s a schedule and food list for each of the 4 reintroductionphases (which you’ll find in this post). Most foods you’ll notice are Paleo, and some aren’t. The idea isn’t to “graduate” to the Paleo diet, but to get more diverse and nutrient-dense foods that mayor may notwork for you.

Are green beansallowed on AIP if they’re Paleo?

No, green beansand all legumes are still excluded from the elimination phaseof AIP.

What spicesARE allowed on AIP?

I like to stick to anything that’s green as a general rule of thumb, like herbssuch as dill, thyme, basil, parsley, oregano, cilantro (fresh only, not coriander), etc. This way I ensure I’m not accidentally including a nightshade spice. I also love seasoning food with alliums like onion, garlic, shallots, etc. (whether fresh or in dried powdered form), ginger, cinnamon, and turmeric are also favorites! You’ll see these used often in all my recipes.

Is all dairy excluded from AIP even if it’s A1 or grass-fed?

Yes, all forms of dairyare excluded from the elimination phase of AIP but after challenging reintroductions, you might be able to get back some high-quality dairy!

What are the best proteins to eat on AIP?

Do your best with what you can always, by getting the best quality you can reasonably attain. The most nutrient-dense (better for you and the environment) animal proteins will be grass-fed, pasture-raised organic meatsand wild fish and seafood (ideally that’s lower in mercury like wild salmon). I love to have grass-fed ground meat like beef, elk, bison, lamb, and organic pasture-raised poultry like chicken and turkeyon hand in my freezer all the time with plenty of spices in my pantry to switch up flavors and seasonal veggies likeroasted asparagus in the spring, root vegetables like roasted winter squash and sweet potato fries in the autumn and winter, and easy saladgreens under some grilled chicken breast or chicken thigh and somechimichurri! Canned fish is also a pantry staple.

Don’t forget about including organ meats when it comes to protein! Try my lemon and garlic liver and onions recipe that will make you a be-liver. AIP isn’t just about eliminations, it’s also about what you’re including and you want lots of nutrient-dense, healing foods like organ meats, broths, and probiotic-rich foods like coconut yogurt or sauerkraut for example. I talk a lot more about this in my new cookbook, The Paleo Gut Healing Cookbook.

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 I hope you are enjoying this meal plan to get you started or refreshed with your AIP journey. Please come back and tell me how it’s going by leaving a star rating and sharing in the comments below!

Disclaimer:This plan is for information only and isn’t intended to replace the advice of a physician or medical practitioner. Please see your healthcare provider before beginning any new diet, health program, or intervention.

-Alison Marras