A Simple 7-Day Carnivore Diet Meal Plan for Beginners

Ready to dive into the carnivore diet but feeling unsure about what a full week of eating actually looks like? Planning meals can seem tricky at first.

Transitioning to a new way of eating needs structure. Seeing a sample plan makes it less intimidating and provides a clear starting point for your carnivore journey.

This post provides a simple, sample 7-day carnivore diet meal plan designed for beginners. It focuses on accessible foods, easy preparation, and ensures adequate fat intake. This beginner-friendly carnivore diet meal plan takes the guesswork out of your first week, so you can focus on adapting to this new lifestyle with confidence. Remember, this is just a sample plan – adjust portions based on your hunger and preferences.

Before You Start: Key Principles for This Meal Plan

Before diving into the daily meal breakdowns, let’s establish some foundational principles that will help you succeed with this carnivore diet meal plan:

• Focus on Simplicity: This plan uses basic, readily available ingredients that you can find at most grocery stores and butcher shops. No fancy techniques or obscure cuts required.
• Prioritize Fat: All meals in this plan are designed to be fatty enough to keep you satisfied. Don’t be afraid to add butter, tallow, or other animal fats if needed. Your body needs this fuel! Learn more about optimal fat sources on our carnivore diet food list.
• Eat When Hungry, Stop When Full: Forget calorie counting or portion restrictions. The carnivore approach means trusting your body’s hunger and satiety signals. Research from the Journal of Clinical Nutrition suggests that satiety-based eating approaches may be more sustainable than calorie-restricted plans.
• Salt is Crucial: Use unrefined salt generously with your meals. As your body adapts to the carnivore diet, proper electrolyte balance becomes even more important. Read more about carnivore diet electrolytes.
• Hydration: Drink water primarily. Listen to your thirst signals just as you would your hunger cues.
• Flexibility: This is a template, not rigid rules. Feel free to swap meals, repeat favorites, or adjust portions based on your preferences and hunger levels.

Your Sample 7-Day Carnivore Diet Meal Plan

Here’s what your first week on a carnivore diet could look like. Each day builds upon the previous one, incorporates leftovers strategically, and provides variety while keeping things simple.

Day 1: Getting Started

Breakfast: 3-4 Scrambled Eggs cooked in 1-2 tablespoons of Butter, side of Sugar-Free Bacon (4-6 strips)

Lunch: 2-3 Hamburger Patties (80/20 beef) cooked in tallow, salted generously

Dinner: Ribeye Steak (8-10 oz), pan-seared in butter or tallow, salted generously

Starting tip: This first day introduces the core foods of the carnivore diet. The fatty cuts ensure you’re getting enough energy as your body begins adapting.

Day 2: Exploring Different Cuts

Breakfast: Leftover Ribeye Steak (cold or reheated), with 1-2 Fried Eggs

Lunch: Canned Sardines in water or olive oil, side of Pork Rinds (check for clean ingredients!)

Dinner: Bone-in Pork Chops, pan-fried in lard or tallow until juicy and tender

Variety tip: Day 2 introduces different protein sources while maintaining the high-fat approach. The sardines provide beneficial omega-3 fatty acids.

Day 3: Incorporating Poultry

Breakfast: Sausage Patties (sugar-free and filler-free) with Scrambled Eggs

Lunch: Leftover Pork Chops (cold or reheated)

Dinner: Skin-on Chicken Thighs, roasted or pan-fried until skin is crispy, salted, with added butter

Poultry note: While beef and ruminant meats are often emphasized on carnivore, poultry can be included, especially fattier cuts with skin. Learn more about eating chicken on the carnivore diet.

Day 4: Seafood Focus

Breakfast: Bacon and Eggs (4-5 strips of bacon, 3-4 eggs)

Lunch: Leftover Chicken Thighs

Dinner: Wild-caught Salmon Fillet, baked or pan-seared with butter/tallow and salt

Seafood insight: Fatty fish like salmon provides variety and beneficial nutrients while staying true to the carnivore approach.

Day 5: Ground Beef Versatility

Breakfast: Simple Ground Beef Bowl (pre-cooked 80/20 beef, 6-8 oz) with added butter/tallow

Lunch: 3-4 Hard-boiled Eggs and Sugar-Free Beef Jerky (always check labels!)

Dinner: “Carnivore Chili” (1 lb Ground Beef browned with salt, maybe some bone broth, optional butter/cheese)

Budget tip: Ground beef is an economical carnivore staple that’s versatile and nutrient-dense. Try our other ground beef carnivore recipes for more ideas.

Day 6: Weekend Roast

Breakfast: Steak and Eggs (leftover steak or fresh cut, with 2-3 eggs)

Lunch: Leftover “Carnivore Chili”

Dinner: Chuck Roast (2-3 lbs), slow-cooked for 6-8 hours until tender, seasoned only with salt

Preparation tip: Larger roasts provide excellent leftovers for the coming days and can be the centerpiece of a weekend meal.

Day 7: Finishing Strong & Leftovers

Breakfast: Leftover Chuck Roast, shredded and heated with butter

Lunch: Salmon Salad (canned salmon, maybe clean mayo if tolerated, served with pork rinds if desired)

Dinner: Burger Patties (80/20 beef) with Bacon (add cheese if dairy is tolerated in your version of carnivore)

Week completion: You’ve now successfully completed a full week of carnivore eating! Notice how we’ve incorporated different protein sources while maintaining the animal-based approach.

Meal Prep Tips for This Carnivore Plan

The key to success with any carnivore diet meal plan is preparation. Here’s how to make your week run smoothly:

• Cook in Bulk: Dedicate some time to roasting meats, browning ground beef, cooking bacon, and preparing hard-boiled eggs that can be used throughout the week.
• Portion Leftovers: Immediately after dinner, store leftovers in individual containers for easy grab-and-go lunches the next day.
• Keep Staples Stocked: Always have eggs, bacon, ground beef, and at least one fatty roast or steak option in your refrigerator or freezer.
• Fat Sources Ready: Keep tallow, lard, butter, and other animal fats easily accessible for cooking and adding to leaner meals.

For more in-depth strategies on efficient carnivore meal preparation, check out our complete carnivore diet meal prep ideas.

Customizing Your Plan

While this 7-day carnivore diet meal plan provides a solid foundation, everyone’s version of carnivore can look slightly different. Here’s how to make it your own:

Adding Variety

• Rotate Different Cuts: Explore various cuts of beef and lamb, different types of fish, and include pork and poultry moderately.
• Try Different Cooking Methods: Grilling, roasting, pan-frying, slow cooking, and pressure cooking can all create different flavors and textures.

Incorporating Organs (Optional)

Many carnivore enthusiasts find benefit in adding nutrient-dense organ meats to their diet. Consider adding liver or heart once or twice a week if desired. Start with small amounts mixed into ground beef if you’re new to organ meats.

Dairy Tolerance

Dairy is a gray area in the carnivore diet. Some people include hard cheeses, butter, heavy cream, or even yogurt. Consider testing your personal tolerance by introducing one dairy item at a time after your initial adaptation period.

Budget Options

• Focus on affordable cuts: Ground beef, chuck roast, eggs, and organ meats are cost-effective carnivore staples
• Buy in bulk: Consider purchasing a quarter or half cow from a local farm
• Use everything: Bone broth from leftover bones adds nutrients and flavor

What About Snacks and Drinks?

Carnivore Diet Snacks

Ideally, eating fatty meals to satiety will reduce or eliminate the need for snacks between meals. However, if you do need something between meals, consider:

• Sugar-free beef jerky or pemmican
• Hard-boiled eggs
• Pork rinds (check ingredients for additives)
• Leftover meat (cold or reheated)

Remember that snacking is often habit rather than hunger. As you adapt to the carnivore diet, you may find your need for snacks diminishes naturally. For more ideas, check out our carnivore diet snacks guide.

Drinks on Carnivore

Keep it simple with:

• Water (still or sparkling, plain)
• Bone broth
• Plain sparkling water (if tolerated)

It’s important to avoid sugary drinks, juice, and most alcoholic beverages while following a carnivore approach. If you’re wondering about alcohol specifically, read our detailed post about alcohol on the carnivore diet.

Carnivore Meal Plan FAQ

How much should I eat?

A: Eat until comfortably full. Don’t restrict calories or portions. The beauty of the carnivore diet is learning to trust your body’s natural hunger and satiety signals again.

Can I swap meals around?

A: Absolutely! This 7-day carnivore diet meal plan is a template, not a rigid prescription. Feel free to repeat favorites or rearrange meals based on your preferences and schedule.

What if I’m still hungry?

A: Add more FAT first – butter, tallow, or other animal fats. If you’re still hungry after increasing fat, then add more meat. Hunger on carnivore often indicates a need for more fat rather than more protein.

Is this plan suitable for weight loss?

A: Many people lose weight naturally by eating to satiety on a carnivore diet, but individual results vary. Focus on nutrient density and health first, and let your body find its natural weight. The carnivore diet is primarily a health intervention, with weight normalization often being a welcome side effect. According to research published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, dietary patterns emphasizing whole animal foods can influence metabolic outcomes through numerous pathways beyond just calorie restriction.

Where can I find these ingredients?

A: Most local supermarkets carry basic carnivore staples. For higher quality options, consider local butchers, farmers markets, or online meat delivery services that specialize in grass-fed and pasture-raised options.

Conclusion: Your Simple Path to Carnivore Eating

This 7-day sample carnivore diet meal plan provides a simple, structured start using accessible foods that can be found in most grocery stores. Remember that adaptation to this way of eating takes time, and your first week is just the beginning of the journey.

Don’t strive for perfection with your carnivore meal plan. Instead, focus on consistency, prioritize fat intake, use plenty of salt, and listen to your body’s signals. As weeks progress, you’ll likely find your preferences changing and your body adapting to this ancestral way of eating.

Ready for more? Download our Printable 7-Day Carnivore Meal Plan PDF for a convenient reference you can keep in your kitchen!

What are your go-to simple carnivore meals? Share in the comments below!

Explore our full collection of delicious carnivore recipes for more inspiration as you continue your carnivore journey!