Image of a fit black woman cutting fruit while smiling.

Healthy diet template

I’ve put together a practical, low-effort routine that you can realistically follow to eat healthier, as it’s well known that our diet influences our mood.

The idea here is simplicity, routine, and minimal decision-making, since depression often drains your motivation and energy.

From personal experience, eating healthier made me feel better physically, but also mentally. I noticed that I had fewer mood swings and that I wasn’t as tired as before.

Let me note that it’s just a template and not set in stone. It can (and should) be adapted to individual preferences:

  1. General guidelines
    • Keep it simple: Repeat meals during the week to reduce decision fatigue. I ate a lot of eggs since they’re easily and quickly prepared, not to mention healthy.
    • Stock basics: Choose a handful of staple foods you like and can prepare quickly.
    • Prioritize balance: Aim for protein + fiber + healthy fats in each meal (keeps energy stable).
    • Hydrate: Keep a water bottle nearby and drink often. Dehydration worsens fatigue. The first thing I do when I wake up is drink at least a glass of water to start the day off.
    • Flexible structure: Aim for 3 meals even if your appetite is low.
  1. Example daily structure

A colorful smoothie bowl.

    • Morning (breakfast)

Quick, no-cook options:

      • Overnight oats with fruit + nuts.
      • Greek yogurt with granola and berries.
      • Whole-grain toast + peanut butter + banana.
      • Smoothie (milk/plant-based, frozen fruit, protein powder, or nut butter).
    • Midday (lunch)

Easy-prep, nutrient-rich:

      • Wrap with hummus, pre-washed greens, and rotisserie chicken.
      • Whole-grain sandwich with tuna or turkey + veggies.
      • Pre-packaged salad kit + canned beans for extra protein.
      • Leftovers from dinner.
    • Evening (dinner)
      Brown soup in a white ceramic bowl.

Focus on simple one-pan or batch meals:

      • Stir-fry (frozen veggies + protein + soy sauce over rice).
      • Sheet-pan meal (chicken/fish + veggies + potatoes).
      • Pasta with tomato sauce + lentils or ground turkey.
      • Soup (store-bought or homemade in bulk).
    • Snacks (if needed)
      4 different fruits in a basket.
      • Nuts or trail mix.
      • Fruit (apples, bananas, berries). I enjoy bananas, kiwis, and apples!
      • Whole-grain crackers with cheese.
      • Baby carrots with hummus.
      • Dark chocolate (a small square for a mood boost).
  1. Weekly routine ideas
    • Meal prep light: Cook one or two big-batch items (chili, pasta sauce, roasted veggies) on a good day. Reheat throughout the week.
    • Repeat meals: It’s okay to eat the same breakfast and lunch daily. Decision fatigue is real.
    • Emergency foods (always keep at home): frozen veggies, canned beans, canned tuna/salmon, eggs, oatmeal, microwave rice.
  1. Evidence-based mood-supportive foods

Studies suggest diets rich in these foods support mental health:

    • Whole grains and fiber → help stabilize blood sugar, reducing mood swings.
    • Legumes and nuts → nutrient-dense, improve satiety and brain function.
  1. Reminders
    • Eating something is better than nothing. Even a simple peanut butter sandwich is a win.
    • Don’t aim for perfection, aim for “good enough.” I didn’t always eat as healthily as I would’ve wanted to, but if you follow it and do things right most of the time, you’re going to see results!
    • Small, consistent changes matter more than strict dieting.

✅ Depression-friendly healthy eating checklist
A hand marking a black checklist.

  1. Daily habits
    • Drink at least 4–6 glasses of water. (I suggest drinking at least one glass of water when you wake up to rehydrate.)
    • Eat 3 meals (even small ones).
    • Include protein + fiber + healthy fat in each meal.
    • Have at least 1 fruit and 1 vegetable.
    • Keep snacks simple (nuts, fruit, yogurt, crackers with cheese).
  1. Breakfast options
    • Overnight oats with fruit + nuts.
    • Greek yogurt with granola/berries.
    • Toast with peanut butter + banana.
    • Smoothie (milk/plant-based, frozen fruit, protein source).
  1. Lunch options
    A healthy wrap on a plate.
    • Wrap with hummus + greens + chicken or beans.
    • Whole-grain sandwich with protein + veggies.
    • Salad kit + canned beans/tuna.
    • Leftovers from dinner.
  1. Dinner options
    • Stir-fry (frozen veggies + protein + rice).
    • Sheet-pan meal (chicken/fish + potatoes + veggies).
    • Pasta with tomato/lentil or meat sauce.
    • Soup (homemade or store-bought). It’s a convenient way to get some healthy nutrients in.
  1. Snacks
    Side view of a woman biting in an apple.
    • Nuts or trail mix.
    • Fresh fruit (apple, banana, berries).
    • Baby carrots + hummus.
    • Crackers + cheese.
    • Dark chocolate (a little square for a mood boost).
  1. Weekly prep
    • Cook 1–2 big-batch meals (chili, pasta sauce, roasted veggies).
    • Keep “emergency foods” stocked: frozen veggies, canned beans/tuna, eggs, oatmeal, microwave rice.
    • Repeat meals to reduce decision fatigue. For me, that was omelets.
    • Celebrate small wind. Eating something is better than skipping a meal.

Here’s a blank weekly meal planner with checkboxes that you can copy straight into your journal, notes app, or print out.

It’s designed to be simple, flexible, and assist in decreasing overwhelm while giving structure.

Weekly meal planner
A weekly planner.

  1. Monday
    • ☐ Breakfast: ___________________________
    • ☐ Lunch: ______________________________
    • ☐ Dinner: _____________________________
    • ☐ Snack(s): ___________________________
  1. Tuesday
    • ☐ Breakfast: ___________________________
    • ☐ Lunch: ______________________________
    • ☐ Dinner: _____________________________
    • ☐ Snack(s): ___________________________
  1. Wednesday
    • ☐ Breakfast: ___________________________
    • ☐ Lunch: ______________________________
    • ☐ Dinner: _____________________________
    • ☐ Snack(s): ___________________________
  1. Thursday
    • ☐ Breakfast: ___________________________
    • ☐ Lunch: ______________________________
    • ☐ Dinner: _____________________________
    • ☐ Snack(s): ___________________________
  1. Friday
    • ☐ Breakfast: ___________________________
    • ☐ Lunch: ______________________________
    • ☐ Dinner: _____________________________
    • ☐ Snack(s): ___________________________
  1. Saturday
    • ☐ Breakfast: ___________________________
    • ☐ Lunch: ______________________________
    • ☐ Dinner: _____________________________
    • ☐ Snack(s): ___________________________
  1. Sunday
    • ☐ Breakfast: ___________________________
    • ☐ Lunch: ______________________________
    • ☐ Dinner: _____________________________
    • ☐ Snack(s): ___________________________

Conclusion
The sentence, "the end," made with Scrabble Blocks.

  • Repeat favorite meals to reduce effort.
  • Use the checklist from earlier as a menu of ideas.
  • Fill this planner in once a week when your energy is higher.

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