Banting Meal Plans: Free 7-day sample menu

A low-carb, high-fat way of eating from South Africa

Banting, popularized by Professor Tim Noakes, is a low-carb, high-fat approach built on real, whole foods. Our meal plans follow Banting principles, with weekly recipes and a shopping list.

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Meals
7 days
Grocery list
Included
Recipes this week
19
Printable
PDF by email

What is the Banting Diet?

Banting is a low-carb, high-fat (LCHF) diet named after William Banting and popularized in South Africa by Professor Tim Noakes. It emphasizes real, whole foods while dramatically reducing carbohydrates. The approach categorizes foods into green (eat freely), orange (be careful), and red (avoid) lists for simple guidance.

Free 7-Day Banting Meal Plan

This sample week comes from our Banting plan, built only from recipes that pass our Banting rules: meat, fish, eggs, dairy and above-ground vegetables, with no sugar, grains, starchy vegetables or packaged snacks. Every recipe this week has verified nutrition, so each day shows a full total: all seven days stay under 20 g of carbs and get most of their energy from fat. There are no snacks, because Banting meals are filling enough for most people to skip them.

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Day 1

Day total: 1,831 kcal · 96 g protein · Net carbs 15 g · 153 g fat

Day 2

Day total: 1,445 kcal · 94 g protein · Net carbs 15 g · 110 g fat

Day 3

Day total: 1,448 kcal · 96 g protein · Net carbs 11 g · 111 g fat

Day 4

Day 5

Day 6

Day total: 1,492 kcal · 98 g protein · Net carbs 12 g · 116 g fat

Day 7

  • Breakfast
    Breakfast Sandwich
    623 kcal · 39 g protein · Net carbs 5 g · 49 g fat
  • Lunch
    Steak Salad
    716 kcal · 44 g protein · Net carbs 0 g · 60 g fat
  • Dinner
    Shrimp Scampi
    204 kcal · 12 g protein · Net carbs 4 g · 14 g fat
Day total: 1,543 kcal · 95 g protein · Net carbs 9 g · 123 g fat

Nutrition is per serving and shown only for recipes whose numbers we've verified (carbs are total carbohydrates; net carbs are total carbs minus fiber; some older recipes list net carbs only). Day totals appear only when every item that day is verified; we never add up partial data. Brands and portion sizes vary.

Daily Macros for the Week

Daily calories, protein, carbs, net carbs and fat for the 7-day Banting sample plan
DayCaloriesProteinCarbsNet carbsFat
Day 11,83196 g—15 g153 g
Day 21,44594 g—15 g110 g
Day 31,44896 g—11 g111 g
Day 4Nutrition for this day isn't verified yet
Day 5Nutrition for this day isn't verified yet
Day 61,49298 g—12 g116 g
Day 71,54395 g—9 g123 g

Typical Banting split

65%
Fat
25%
Protein
10%
Carbs

Share of calories from each macro.

Find your calorie and macro targets with the free TDEE calculator →

Banting Grocery List for the Week

Everything you need to cook the 7-day plan above for one person. Tick items off as you shop; ticks are saved on this device.

Want it on paper? Get this week as a printable PDF ↑

Produce

Meat & Seafood

Dairy & Eggs

Oils & Condiments

Pantry

Check your pantry

Members get this list generated automatically every week, scaled to their household, and can send it to their Kroger cart or shop it on Instacart.

Is a Banting Meal Plan Right for You?

A good fit if

  • You’re following a Banting or LCHF approach and want a ready-made week
  • You like hearty meals such as steak, creamy soups and eggs
  • You want to cut sugar and processed carbs without counting every gram
  • You’re moving from a Banting “red list” to real meals

Probably not for you if

  • You’re pregnant, or take diabetes or blood-pressure medication, unless your doctor has approved it
  • You have high LDL cholesterol that your doctor is monitoring
  • You prefer a plant-based diet

Tips for your first banting week

  1. Cook two steaks at once and use the second for the next day’s steak salad.
  2. Keep a jar of macadamias or pecans at work for hungry afternoons.
  3. Make the broccoli beef soup in a bigger pot; it freezes well.
  4. Drink plenty of water and salt your food in the first two weeks.

Benefits of Banting

Fat for Fuel

Train your body to burn fat for fuel instead of relying on carbohydrates.

Reduced Hunger

High fat and protein intake keeps you satisfied for hours.

Stable Blood Sugar

Minimize glucose spikes and crashes by avoiding carbs.

Mental Clarity

Many banters report improved focus and cognitive function.

Simple Rules

The green/orange/red list system makes food choices easy.

Real Food

Meals built from meat, fish, eggs, vegetables and natural fats.

What to Eat on Banting

Foods to Enjoy

  • Animal fats (butter, lard, tallow)
  • Meat and poultry (all types)
  • Fish and seafood
  • Eggs
  • Full-fat dairy (cheese, cream)
  • Avocados
  • Nuts (macadamia, almonds)
  • Non-starchy vegetables
  • Coconut oil and olive oil

Foods to Avoid

  • Sugar (all forms)
  • Bread and grains
  • Pasta and rice
  • Potatoes and starchy vegetables
  • Fruit (except berries in moderation)
  • Beans and legumes
  • Low-fat and diet products
  • Vegetable and seed oils
  • Most processed foods

36 Banting Recipes to Try

Every recipe from the sample week, plus more banting recipes from our library to swap in.

Browse the full recipe library

Breakfast

Lunch

Dinner

Snacks

Banting guides

Related diets

Banting FAQs

Is this Banting meal plan really free?
Yes. The 7-day sample menu, verified macros and grocery list on this page are free to read, no account needed. A printable PDF is emailed to you free on request. An Ultimate Meal Plans membership adds a new banting plan every week, full recipe instructions and an automatic shopping list, with a 14-day free trial on the 3-month plan.
How many calories are in this Banting meal plan?
On the 5 days where every recipe has verified nutrition, the menu comes to 1,445 to 1,831 calories a day. We're still verifying nutrition for the other recipes, so we don't publish totals for the remaining days. The menu is written as one serving of each recipe for one adult, so scale portions to your needs; our free TDEE calculator can estimate yours.
Is Banting the same as keto?
They're very similar. Both are low-carb, high-fat approaches. Banting tends to be slightly less strict on carbs than keto and focuses more on the green/orange/red list system for simplicity.
What is the green, orange, red list?
It's Banting's simple food guide. Green list foods (most fats, proteins, non-starchy veg) can be eaten freely. Orange list foods (some dairy, nuts, berries) require moderation. Red list foods (sugar, grains, starchy veg) should be avoided.
Can I drink alcohol on Banting?
Dry wines and spirits are on the orange list—okay in moderation. Beer and sweet drinks are on the red list. Many banters find their alcohol tolerance decreases, so take it slow.
Is Banting safe for diabetics?
Cutting carbs can lower blood sugar, sometimes quickly. If you have diabetes, talk to your doctor before you start, especially if you take insulin or other medicine that lowers blood sugar, because the dose may need to change.
What is the difference between Banting and keto?
They overlap heavily. Banting is a real-food LCHF approach popularised in South Africa that sorts foods into green, orange and red lists, while keto targets a specific carb limit to stay in ketosis. This Banting week happens to land at keto levels, with under 20 g of carbs a day.
Can you eat fruit on Banting?
Most fruit is on the Banting orange or red lists because of its sugar content. Small portions of berries are the usual exception once you’re past the early phases.
Is Banting good for weight loss?
Many people lose weight on Banting because fat and protein are filling and snacking drops off. Results depend on your total intake, so portion sizes still matter.

Get a new banting plan every week

Each week you get a banting menu, the recipes and a shopping list, scaled to your household.

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This sample meal plan is general information, not medical advice. Talk to your doctor or a registered dietitian before changing your diet, especially if you are pregnant, have diabetes, kidney disease or an autoimmune condition, or take medication.