Stay Healthy, Eat Clean! 1 Month of 400-Calorie Lunches

POPSUGAR Photography | THEM TOO
POPSUGAR Photography | THEM TOO

Counting calories and planning out your meals is a surefire way to drop pounds. To help, we've created a plan that maps out healthy lunches for an entire month. It maps out four weeks, Monday through Friday, with each day's meal consisting of 400 calories or fewer. There's a theme for each week to keep your taste buds from getting bored, complete with simple recipes you can whip up the night before. Skip the takeout, and by the end of a month, your midday meal will be the reason you're dancing on the scale.

Week 1: Soup and Salads
POPSUGAR Photography | Lizzie Fuhr

Week 1: Soup and Salads

Note: Click highlighted calorie count to get the recipe.

Monday: Bowl of butternut squash lentil soup (253 calories), one slice of whole wheat bread (100 calories), and half a cup of grapes (52 calories): 405 calories

Tuesday: Apple and cabbage salad (289 calories) with half a cup cooked quinoa (111 calories): 400 calories

Wednesday: Bowl of bean and sweet potato soup (288 calories) and easy kale salad made with two cups of baby kale (35 calories), half cup of cucumbers (8 calories), and six cherry tomatoes (18 calories), marinated with two tablespoons of Annie's Raspberry Vinaigrette (40 calories): 389 calories

POPSUGAR Photography | Leta Shy

Thursday: Thai citrus chicken salad (200 calories) with one banana (105 calories) and one of tablespoon peanut butter (95 calories): 400 calories

Friday: Spicy sweet potato salad (270 calories) with a bowl of broccoli arugula soup (129 calories: 399 calories

Week 2: Meat-Based
POPSUGAR Photography | Lizzie Fuhr

Week 2: Meat-Based

Monday: Pepper stuffed with ground turkey and tomatoes (285 calories) and one apple (93 calories: 378 calories

Tuesday: Tortilla-less soup (194 calories) with half a cup of cooked brown rice (108 calories) and a pear (103 calories): 405 calories

Wednesday: Turkey spinach burger (261 calories) with 18 baby carrots (63 calories) and two tablespoons of hummus (70 calories): 394 calories

POPSUGAR Photography | Lizzie Fuhr

Thursday: Fresh burrito bowl with grilled chicken (350 calories) and half a cup of fresh blueberries (42 calories): 392 calories

Friday: Spicy chicken chili (324 calories) with two cups of sliced cucumber (32 calories) and two tablespoons of yogurt dill dip (20 calories): 376 calories

Week 3: Sandwiches and Wraps
POPSUGAR Photography | Lizzie Fuhr

Week 3: Sandwiches and Wraps

Monday: Low-cal Greek yogurt chicken salad (139 calories) on a whole wheat english muffin (120 calories) with a side salad of two cups of spinach (14 calories), half a cup of grated carrots (23 calories), half a cup of broccoli (15 calories), half a cup of diced red pepper (19 calories), and half a cup of cucumber (8 calories), topped with half a tablespoon of sunflower seeds (23 calories) and two tablespoons of Annie's Gingerly Vinaigrette (40 calories): 401 calories

Tuesday: Spinach feta wrap (252 calories) with a 4.4-ounce serving of low-fat cottage cheese (90 calories) and one cup of diced cantaloupe (53 calories): 395 calories

Wednesday: Half a black bean and sweet potato wrap (236 calories) with an easy kale salad made with two cups of baby kale (35 calories), half a cup of cucumbers (8 calories), six cherry tomatoes (18 calories), and one quarter cup of shelled edamame (50 calories), marinated with two tablespoons of Annie's Raspberry Vinaigrette (40 calories): 387 calories

POPSUGAR Photography | Jenny Sugar

Thursday: Sweet potato black bean veggie burger: 367 calories

Friday: Turkey sandwich made with two slices of whole wheat bread (200 calories), two slices of oven roasted turkey breast (60 calories), one slice of swiss cheese (106 calories), three green-leaf lettuce leaves (2 calories), two slices of tomato (7 calories), and one teaspoon of mustard (3 calories): 378 calories

Week 4: Vegetarian
POPSUGAR Photography | Jenny Sugar

Week 4: Vegetarian

Monday: Chickpea coconut curry with sweet potatoes and coconut rice: 397 calories

Tuesday: Vegan bolognese (257 calories) with one apple (93 calories) and seven almonds (49 calories): 399 calories

Wednesday: Quesadilla made with one whole wheat wrap (130 calories), one ounce of shredded monterey jack cheese (114 calories), half a cup of black beans (110 calories), half a cup of diced tomato (16 calories), one cup of spinach (7 calories), and two tablespoons of salsa (10 calories): 387 calories

POPSUGAR Photography | Lizzie Fuhr

Thursday: Cabbage hemp salad: 381 calories

Friday: Homemade mac 'n' cheese (285 calories) with a side salad of two cups of spinach (14 calories), half a cup of grated carrots (23 calories), half a cup of broccoli (15 calories), half a cup of diced red pepper (19 calories), and half a cup of cucumber (8 calories), topped with two tablespoons of Annie's Gingerly Vinaigrette (40 calories): 404 calories