10 meal plan ideas for 5:2 fast days

We all know 5:2 fast days can be a bit tough, so we've come up with 10 quick and easy 5:2 recipe plans to solve your dieting dilemmas for when you're eating under 500 calories

With only 500 calories to work with on fast days as part of the original 5:2 diet, it can be pretty tricky to find dishes that are both nutritious and filling. Plus, if you’ve only got a little bit of time but a whole lot of hungry going on, having to pre-plan and prepare for your days of calorie counting is enough to push any foodie over the edge (and prep is important - see one 5:2 expert's 10 rules for making the fast diet easier here).

To help take some of the stress and strain out of your dietary dilemmas we’ve composed 10 days' worth of fast day meal plans that are quick, simple and devilishly delicious - bon appetit. These menus work out to be around the 500 calorie mark (the original fast day advice for women undertaking the Fast Diet), but the good news is you can eat more…

The new and improved 5:2 diet

Dr Michael Mosley has since updated his Fast Diet approach following more research, releasing his book The Blood Sugar Diet (which involves eating 800 calories a day for eight weeks) and then the Fast 800 which lays out a step-by-step fasting plan which incorporates the 5:2 method of five days eating healthily, and two days ‘fasting’ at 800 calories a day. this amendment makes it a little easier to do (while remaining a challenge) but still has proven results.

Want to upgrade your 500 calories to 800? At the end of these 10 meal plan ideas, Registered Nutritionist Daniel O'Shaughnessy offers up lots of 300-calorie options for you to pick from; simply add one per day to the meal/snack option which fits it best, to hit your quota.

You might need: a blender to whip up smoothies and soups. We love the Nutribullet 600 series, £59.99 on Amazon.

Fast Day plan 1

Breakfast: Quaker Oats sachet of porridge (40g) - 255 calories

Dinner: Beetroot and feta salad - 125 calories

• beetroot (50g) - 13 calories

• feta (30g) - 83 calories

• spinach (60g) - 29 calories

• squeeze of lemon - 0 calories

Snack: Sliced apple with 1 tbsp of almond butter - 145

Total calorie count: 525

MORE GLOSS: Try this 5:2 diet chestnut mushroom pomelette recipe

Fast Day plan 2

Breakfast: Sweet plums and yoghurt - 145 calories

• 100g low fat natural yoghurt - 65 calories

• 2 plums - 60 calories

• 1 tsp of honey - 20 calories

Dinner: Ryvita and tuna slices - 253 calories

• 2 x original Ryvita crackerbreads - 70 calories

• tuna mayo (60g) - 171 calories

• rocket (70g) sprinkled on top - 12 calories

• cracked black pepper - 0 calories

Snack: Miso soup - 32 calories

Total calorie count: 430

MORE GLOSS: The six week 5:2 diet plan - week one

Fast Day plan 3

Breakfast: Soft boiled egg and asparagus - 90 calories

• 1 egg - 70 calories

• 5 pieces of asparagus - 20 calories

• salt and pepper to season

Dinner: Turkey burgers with corn-on-the-cob - 328 calories

• turkey mince beaten with small egg, spring onion, garlic and chilli (111g) - 172 calories

• 1 x corn-on-the-cob - 156 calories

Snack: A few frozen grapes - 60 calories

Total calorie count: 478 calories

Fast Day plan 4

Breakfast: Packet of Belvita Breakfast Biscuits (muesli) - 228 calories

Dinner: Roasted vegetables with balsamic glaze - 261 calories

• ½ courgette, ½ aubergine, ½ butternut squash, ½ red pepper - 247

• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar - 14 calories

• squeeze of lemon - 0 calories

Snack: Harley’s sugar-free jelly pot - 4 calories

Total calorie count: 493

Fast Day plan 5

Breakfast: spinach omelette - 160

• 2 x eggs - 140

• spinach leaves (60g) - 20

• salt and pepper - no calories

Dinner: Hummus and crudites - 175 calories

• hummus (40g) - 123 calories

• a medium bowl full of carrots, cucumber, raw pepper - 52 calories

Snack: Edamame beans (60g) and rock salt - 84 calories

Total calorie count: 419

MORE GLOSS: 10 ways to be a successful 5:2 dieter

Fast Day plan 6

Breakfast: Banana and low fat yogurt - 177 calories

• 100g low fat natural yoghurt - 65 calories

• 1 x banana - 112 calories

• sprinkle of cinnamon - no calories

Dinner: Turkey breasts with wilted spinach - 216 calories

• 1 x turkey breast steak (125g) - 175 calories

• 1 cup of spinach, cooked and seasoned with salt - 41 calories

Snack: 10g of popcorn - 59 calories

Total calorie count: 452

Fast Day plan 7

Breakfast: Apple, carrot and ginger smoothie - 107 calories

• 1 apple - 55 calories

• 1 carrot - 52

• raw ginger - no calories

Dinner: Pitta pizza - 178 calories

• Weight Watchers wholemeal pitta - 106 calories

• 25g Extra Light Philadelphia cheese - 40 calories

• 1 tomato - 32 calories

• mixed herbs - no calories

• salt and pepper - no calories

Snack: 100g blueberries and a handful of almonds - 137 calories

Total calorie count: 422

Fast Day plan 8

Breakfast: Mixed berry bowl - 115 calories

• strawberries (100g) - 30 calories

• raspberries - (100g) - 28 calories

• blueberries - (100g) - 57 calories

Dinner: Harissa chicken with chargrilled vegetable couscous - 314 calories

• 1 x chicken breast (130g) - 160 calories

• 100g of vegetable couscous - 139 calories

• 1 tbsp harissa paste - 15 calories

Snack: Pistachios (around 10) - 60 calories

Total calorie count - 489 calories

Fast Day plan 9

Breakfast: Weight Watchers Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes (3) - 206 calories

Dinner: Roasted red pepper and tomato soup with Ryvita crackerbreads - 128 calories

• 2 x original Ryvita crackerbreads - 70 calories

• ½ x red pepper, ½ x tomato, ½ onion, garlic clove, 1 tsp tomato puree, ½ tsp cumin, Oxo chicken, stock cube, ½ tsp balsamic vinegar, salt

• pepper to season - 58 calories

Snack: 1 tbsp of pumpkin and sunflower seeds - 90 calories

Total calorie count: 424 calories

Fast Day plan 10

Breakfast: Fruit and nut muesli (50g) - 190 calories

Dinner: Pesto salmon with curly kale - 293 calories

• salmon fillet (100g) - 180 calories

• 3 tsps of green pesto- 80 calories

• steamed kale, add black pepper (100g) - 33 calories

Snack: 60g of stoned cherries - 23 calories

Total calorie count: 506 calories

300 calorie add-ons

Top up your 500 to 800 calories with these 300-calorie snack and meal ideas from Registered Nutritionist Daniel O'Shaughnessy.

Looking for a full 5:2 meal plan for both fast days and non-fast days? Check out our six week series of 5:2 diet plans here

Are you on the 5:2? Read more about the 5:2 diet here for recipes, advice, meal plans, and diaries from those that have tried it

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