vegochef.com/guides/pescatarian-meal-plan/7-day pescatarian meal plan for beginners
By the Vegochef team · Editorial standards · Last checked · 7 min read
What is a pescatarian?
A pescatarian eats plant-based food plus fish and seafood, but no meat or poultry. Many also eat eggs and dairy. It's an easy way to eat more plants without giving up fish, and it covers omega-3 well, because fatty fish is one of its best sources. New to it? Start with what is a pescatarian, including which fish are lowest in mercury.
This plan is a starting point, not a prescription. Swap meals between days, repeat favourites, and adjust portions to your appetite.
How much fish, and which kinds
- How much: the Dietary Guidelines for Americans suggest about 8 ounces (225 g) of seafood a week for adults, which is two or three meals.
- Best choices: the FDA's "best choices" list includes salmon, sardines, trout, anchovies, Atlantic mackerel, herring, cod, pollock, shrimp, scallops and canned light tuna. These are lower in mercury.
- Limit or avoid: king mackerel, marlin, orange roughy, shark, swordfish, tilefish (Gulf of Mexico) and bigeye tuna are highest in mercury. The FDA advises children and anyone pregnant or breastfeeding to avoid them.
- Fatty fish for omega-3: salmon, sardines, trout, herring and mackerel give you EPA and DHA, the forms of omega-3 your body uses directly.
The 7-day plan
Fish appears three times in the week. The other days are fully plant-based or vegetarian.
| Day | Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | Overnight oats with berries and chia | Chickpea salad with cucumber, tomato and lemon-tahini dressing | Baked salmon with roasted sweet potato and broccoli |
| Tuesday | Wholegrain toast with peanut butter and banana | Leftover salmon and quinoa bowl with greens | Red lentil curry with brown rice |
| Wednesday | Soy yogurt with granola and fruit | Leftover lentil curry | Tofu and vegetable stir-fry with noodles |
| Thursday | Veggie scramble (tofu or eggs) with spinach on toast | Black bean and avocado salad | Sardine and tomato pasta with garlic, chilli and parsley |
| Friday | Overnight oats with apple and walnuts | Hummus wrap with roasted vegetables | Chickpea and spinach stew with crusty bread |
| Saturday | Smoothie with spinach, banana, plant milk and flaxseed | Leftover chickpea stew | Fish tacos with cod, cabbage slaw and lime |
| Sunday | Shakshuka (eggs or tofu) with wholegrain bread | Lentil and vegetable soup | Bean chilli with rice, plus a big salad |
Snacks: fruit, a handful of nuts, hummus with carrot sticks, roasted chickpeas or yogurt with seeds.
Make the week easier
- Cook once, eat twice. Monday's salmon and Tuesday's curry are designed to cover the next day's lunch.
- Keep canned fish in the cupboard. Sardines, mackerel and light tuna are cheap, keep for months and make a 15-minute dinner.
- Freeze fish fillets. Frozen salmon and cod are as nutritious as fresh and cook straight from frozen.
- Prep on Sunday. Cook a pot of rice or quinoa, roast a tray of vegetables and make a dressing. Our vegan meal prep guide shows how.
Shopping list for the week
- Fish: 2 salmon fillets, 1 can of sardines, 2 cod or pollock fillets
- Plant proteins: chickpeas (2 cans), black beans (1 can), kidney beans (1 can), red lentils, firm tofu, hummus
- Eggs and dairy (if you eat them): eggs, yogurt, or soy yogurt instead
- Grains: oats, brown rice or quinoa, noodles, wholegrain pasta, bread and wraps
- Vegetables and fruit: sweet potatoes, broccoli, spinach, tomatoes, cucumber, peppers, cabbage, onions, garlic, avocado, carrots, bananas, apples, berries, lemons and limes
- Pantry: canned tomatoes, tahini, peanut butter, chia seeds, ground flaxseed, walnuts, granola, spices
For the full list of plant-based staples, see our vegan grocery list.
Nutrients to keep an eye on
A pescatarian diet is usually rich in omega-3 and protein. Vitamin B12 comes from fish, eggs and dairy, so most pescatarians get enough; if you eat little of these, fortified foods or a supplement help. If you skip dairy, choose plant milk with added calcium. The nutrient tracker in Vegochef shows how your week adds up.
Frequently asked questions
What does a pescatarian eat?
Everything a vegetarian eats (vegetables, fruit, grains, beans, lentils, tofu, nuts and seeds, and often eggs and dairy) plus fish and seafood. They don't eat meat or poultry.
Can pescatarians eat eggs?
Most do. A pescatarian diet excludes meat and poultry; whether you eat eggs and dairy is a personal choice, just as it is for vegetarians.
Is a pescatarian diet healthy?
It can be. It's built mostly on plants, which bring fibre and a wide range of nutrients, and fatty fish adds omega-3. Choose mostly low-mercury fish and keep processed foods to a minimum.
How often should pescatarians eat fish?
US guidelines suggest about 8 ounces (225 g) of seafood a week for adults, which is two or three meals, chosen mostly from low-mercury fish.
Recipes to try
Related guides
Plan your pescatarian week in Vegochef
Choose pescatarian once and recipes are filtered to match. Fill your week, see your nutrients, and send it all to your grocery list.
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Sources
- US FDA and EPA: Advice about Eating Fish (fda.gov)
- Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2020–2025: seafood recommendations (dietaryguidelines.gov)
- NIH Office of Dietary Supplements: omega-3 fatty acids fact sheet (ods.od.nih.gov)
From vegochef.com: meal planner and nutrition tracker for vegans, vegetarians and pescatarians. Free for 7 days on the App Store.