7-Day Daniel Fast Meal Plan With Recipes and Shopping List
I started writing weekly meal plans because I struggled so much in the kitchen during my first Daniel Fast. When I'm fasting as a Christian practice, I want my time, energy, and focus on God, not on food.
So what's your plan for the first week of your Daniel Fast?
In this post, you'll find a 7-day Daniel Fast meal plan with options for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, plus a shopping list to take to the store. To walk through the planning and prep step by step, check out our Daniel Fast Meal Planning Guide (coming soon!).
Can you do the Daniel Fast for 7 Days?
The Daniel Fast is based on experiences in the Bible book of Daniel. Daniel fasted from certain foods for ten days in Daniel 1:8-16 and for twenty-one days in Daniel 10:2-3.
So, is it okay to do the Daniel Fast for seven days? Absolutely. Pray, read the scriptures on fasting, and lean on God for guidance as you decide how long to fast and why.
You can also repeat this 7-day meal plan each week for a full 21-day fast.
If this is your first Daniel Fast, or you'd like a refresher on the principles and guidelines of biblical fasting, these posts cover the basics:
Check out >> Daniel Fast Guidelines and 52+ Verses About Fasting
Your 7-Day Daniel Fast Meal Plan at a Glance
Here's an overview to help you prepare. Below the table, we'll dive into each day with recipe links.
Daily Meal Options and Recipe Links
Below is a Daniel Fast meal plan with plenty of recipe choices. The goal is to give you options, so look through the recipes and pick the ones you like best. It's smart to try a recipe before your fast begins, but that's not always possible.
Day 1
Breakfast: Daniel Fast Fruit & Nut Breakfast Bowls
Lunch: Southwest Salad with Cilantro Lime Dressing
Dinner: Cashew Chickpea Curry with Brown Rice
In many meals, whole grains like quinoa, couscous, or brown rice are interchangeable, so use what you have on hand.
For tomorrow, you can use canned or dry cannellini beans for White Bean and Spinach soup. Dried beans usually need to be soaked overnight.
Day 2
Breakfast: Oatmeal (3 Make Ahead Oatmeal Options)
Lunch: White Bean & Spinach Soup
Dinner: Roasted Eggplant Stacks with Cashew Ricotta
The eggplant stacks are a good recipe to test before you start fasting. Eggplant has a unique taste. I love it, but not everyone does.
Day 3
Breakfast: Banana Nut Smoothie
Lunch: Pearl Couscous with Roasted Tomatoes and Spinach
Dinner: Lentil Soup and Salad
Smoothie recipe: Add one cup of coconut or almond milk, 1 banana, 2 TBS natural peanut butter, and 1 cup of loosely packed spinach to your blender. Top with a few ice cubes and blend until smooth.
Consider farro or quinoa as a whole-grain sub for pearl couscous.
Day 4
Breakfast: Daniel Fast Fruit and Nut Bowls
Lunch: Leftover White Bean & Spinach OR Lentil Soup
Dinner: Southwest Veggie Burrito Bowl
Day 5
Breakfast: Savory Breakfast Potatoes with Sauteed Veggies
Lunch: Mango Black Bean Lettuce Wrap
Dinner: Stuffed Portabella Mushroom Caps and Mediterranean Salad
Day 6
Breakfast: Baked Cherry Berry Oatmeal
Lunch: Mediterranean Salad (prepped in advance the night prior)
Dinner: Corn Chowder and Bulgur (whole grain to prepare for tomorrow’s lunch)
If you aren’t using plant milk, you can eat regular stovetop oatmeal made with water instead of the baked oatmeal.
Day 7
Breakfast: Green Smoothie
Lunch: Bulgur and Roasted Veggie Whole Grain Bowls
Dinner: Southwest Sweet Potato Boats
Green Smoothie Recipe: Add 1 cup water, 1 cup frozen pineapple, 1/2 cup spinach and 1/3 avocado, and 2 tsp lemon juice to your blender. Blend until smooth (add more water if you need to thin, and more ice if you need to thicken).
You can use sweet potatoes or regular potatoes for the dinner recipe.
Create Your Personal Daniel Fast Meal Plan
Read on for time-saving options and tips for making this plan your own.
Choose your meals and substitutions.
Build a meal plan that fits your schedule and your tastes. And of course, check each recipe for any foods you're allergic to.
Some swaps are easy. Use romaine instead of kale in a salad, add pumpkin seeds for crunch, or leave out cucumbers if you don't like them.
Most importantly, write your meal plan down!
You can find every recipe mentioned here, plus more options, on the Recipes page.
Check out >> Recipes
Plan batch cooking, leftovers, and repeats
I'm not used to making a fresh meal three times a day. Go for it if you want to, but most of us will benefit from a few time-saving tips.
Cook and freeze meals before you start. This works especially well with soups.
Double up during prep. For example, chop enough bell pepper and onion for your soups, salads, and cooked meals all at once.
For batch cooking, prepare large amounts of whole grains, beans, and cooked vegetables and store them in containers for quick whole grain bowls.
Double your recipes to have leftovers for the next one to two days.
Adjust serving sizes for recipes and meals
Check the serving size at the top of each recipe. Recipes serve different amounts, so figure out how many servings you need based on how many people are eating and how many meals you want to make.
I don't like doing math, so when I need to resize a recipe, I paste the ingredient list into Google and ask it to adjust to my desired serving size.
Add side dishes and snacks
A side dish can round out a meal. A simple salad works well, or a cup of leftover soup with your lunch or dinner.
For sides and snacks, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds are the easiest choices. Try apple slices, oranges, or a simple trail mix of nuts and raisins.
As you build your Daniel Fast shopping list, you may wonder what's allowed. We answer many of those questions in this post:
>> What to Eat on a Daniel Fast: Complete Food List
Basic Grocery List and Shopping Tips
Here's a general grocery list that covers all the recipes above. Fresh, dried, canned, or frozen all work for many of these items, as long as there's no added sugar or other non-Daniel Fast ingredients on the label.
Ingredient List
Vegetables: baby carrots, baby kale, baby or russet potatoes, bell peppers, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, celery, cherry tomatoes, cilantro, cucumbers, eggplant, fresh ginger, frozen corn, garlic, green onions, onion, parsley, portabella mushrooms, romaine and/or iceberg lettuce, shredded cabbage, spinach, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, zucchini
Fruits: avocados, bananas, berries, dried cranberries, frozen blueberries, frozen cherries, frozen pineapple, lemons, limes, mango, raisins
Beans & Lentils: black beans, cannellini (white beans), chickpeas (garbanzo beans), lentils
Whole Grains: brown rice, bulgur, oatmeal, pearl couscous, quinoa
Nuts and Seeds: cashews, chia seeds, ground flaxseed, natural nut butter, pine nuts, pumpkin seeds, walnuts
Additional Items: canned diced tomatoes, coconut milk, marinara sauce (check the label for added sugar), olives, plant-based milk, vegetable broth
Pantry Herbs & Seasonings: basil, bay leaf, chili powder, cinnamon, olive oil (or avocado or coconut oil), onion powder, oregano, paprika, salt and pepper, thyme, turmeric
Optional Snacks and Extras: leftover ingredients, new fruits and vegetables, nuts, trail mix
Check your pantry before you shop. You may already have herbs, seasonings, canned goods, and large containers of oatmeal or brown rice on hand.
Your final list will depend on the recipes you choose, how many people you're feeding, how much you plan to repeat meals, your substitutions, and your snacks.
Prepare Your Body
Processed foods, fast food, and drinks full of sugar and caffeine are part of the average American diet. Your body and digestive system need time to adjust when you take them away.
Here are my top three tips for preparing for your fast:
Reduce or eliminate caffeine ahead of time to avoid withdrawal headaches, fatigue, and other side effects.
Cut down on sugar, including the added sugar hiding in many processed foods.
Gradually increase beans, lentils, whole grains, and other high-fiber foods. Your digestive system needs time to adapt to the extra fiber.
Most importantly, if you have a medical condition or are pregnant, talk with your doctor first to make sure you're getting the food, vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients you need.
Read more at >> How to Prepare for a Christian Fast Spiritually and Physically
Keep Your Focus on God
Your most important focus on the Daniel Fast isn't your body. It's your soul and spirit. You'll feel hunger and cravings physically, but let them prompt you to turn to God for every need.
Yes, planning meals and shopping take time. But put time with God above everything else.
Here's a prayer to start with: Lord, I'm bringing every part of my life before You in this fast. What would You guide me to do?
Then be still with the Lord.
Check out >> 17 Uplifting Prayers When Fasting
Get Ready for Your Week
As you plan for this time of fasting, don't aim for perfection or expect everything to be easy. In a busy, overscheduled world, this is your chance to stop and listen to the Lord. Planning your meals ahead will save you time and stress.
Choose your start date, write your shopping list, and prep your first meals. You don't need a perfect menu, just a workable plan that helps you make time for God.
Download the Daniel Fast Meal Planning Guide (coming soon) and make your plan!