How to build a meal plan: a step-by-step guide for dietitians

1. Assessment: what the plan rests on

Nutrition assessment covers four areas: anthropometry (height, body weight, waist circumference, body composition where needed), biochemistry (recent tests such as fasting glucose, HbA1c, lipid profile, TSH and, where relevant, HOMA-IR), clinical information (conditions, medications, allergies and intolerances) and dietary history (24-hour recall, food frequency, meal pattern, work and sleep hours).

Write the goal with the client and make it measurable: waist circumference, blood values or meal regularity can be goals as well as weight.

At the first visit collect only what you need to build the plan. Complete the KVKK notice and explicit-consent steps before processing health data.

2. Estimate energy needs

A commonly used formula for resting energy expenditure is the Mifflin–St Jeor equation: for men 10 × weight (kg) + 6.25 × height (cm) − 5 × age + 5; for women 10 × weight (kg) + 6.25 × height (cm) − 5 × age − 161. Multiplying the result by an activity factor from about 1.2 (sedentary) to 1.9 (very active) estimates daily energy needs.

For weight loss a reasonable deficit is taken from this figure. Formulas are estimates; the real check is the measurements from the first two or three follow-up visits.

Example: for a 35-year-old woman, 165 cm and 78 kg, resting energy expenditure is 10 × 78 + 6.25 × 165 − 5 × 35 − 161 ≈ 1,475 kcal; with a lightly active factor (1.375) daily needs are about 2,030 kcal.

3. Set the macronutrient split

The Turkish Dietary Guidelines (TÜBER) 2022 recommend that healthy adults get 45–60% of energy from carbohydrate, 20–35% from fat and 10–20% from protein. These ranges are a starting point; the split is individualised for diabetes, kidney disease, sports nutrition or older age.

Check protein in grams per kilogram of body weight as well as as a percentage; on low-energy plans the percentage can look right while the grams fall short.

Once the split is set, write daily targets in grams: 2,000 kcal at 50% carbohydrate is about 250 g of carbohydrate a day.

4. Build the meals around the client's day

Spread energy across meals according to the client's real day: work hours, shifts, training time and family meals decide whether the plan can be followed. Including everyday Turkish dishes (pulses, olive-oil vegetables, soups, yoghurt, wholegrain bread) improves adherence.

Write portions in household measures (glass, tablespoon, slice) and give swap options for each meal. A plan built on foods the client dislikes or cannot get will not be followed, however accurate the numbers.

Ask about Ramadan, vegetarian or gluten-free eating at the start; the number and timing of meals change with them.

5. Run the safety checks

Before the plan goes to the client, check allergies and intolerances, chronic conditions and drug–nutrient interactions. For a client on warfarin the aim is not to restrict vitamin K but to keep leafy greens consistent from week to week; for MAO inhibitors, foods high in tyramine need attention.

For clients with diabetes look at how carbohydrate is spread across meals; in kidney disease, protein, potassium and phosphorus; in pregnancy and breastfeeding, the higher requirements.

Anything that might need a change in medication should be discussed with the client's physician.

6. Present the plan so it can be read and followed

The client will read the plan on a phone and on paper. Separate days and meals with clear headings, write food names and portions plainly, and add swaps and short notes. Decide whether to show calories and macros to the client according to the purpose of the plan.

Read the PDF from start to finish before sending it: overflowing lines, wrong portion units and missing days cost the client's trust.

End the plan with the next appointment date and what you want the client to record until then (weigh-in day, water intake).

7. Follow up and adjust

The first plan is a hypothesis. At follow-up visits take measurements under the same conditions, ask how much of the plan the client could follow and change energy or meal timing if needed. If weight change differs from what you expected, review adherence first and the calculation second.

The client follow-up guide covers how to structure a follow-up visit in detail.

How this works in Foodlex

In Foodlex, once you record the client's measurements, health information, allergies and preferences, the AI drafts a seven-day plan. For foods you choose from the food database (TürKomp and USDA), calories and macros are calculated from the database; allergy and drug–nutrient warnings are shown to the dietitian. After editing and approving the plan you can download it as a PDF with your clinic's name or send it by email.

Generated content is a draft; it does not replace the dietitian's assessment.

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