Your Meal Plan for Joint Pain & Arthritis
Put our recommendations into action with this three-day, anti-inflammatory meal plan to help relieve joint pain.
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People who suffer from joint pain and arthritis know that it can be debilitating to have chronic aches in and around their joints.
More than 92 million U.S. adults (nearly 47%) have doctor-diagnosed arthritis or report arthritis symptoms, making it the leading cause of disability in America according to the Arthritis Foundation. Inflammation and joint pain is often managed by medication and physical therapy, though many people don’t realize that there are food and lifestyle changes that can help help prevent or ease flare ups.
Check out How to Eat Well for Joint Pain & Arthritis for an in-depth guide on foods to avoid and foods to include, and try our dietitian-designed meal plan below to start putting it into action.
| Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | |
| Breakfast | 1 serving “Nature’s Cereal” (½ cup pomegranate arils, ½ cup blueberries, ½ cup blackberries, 1 cup coconut water)
2 eggs, cooked as desired 8 oz green tea 8 oz water |
1 serving Smoked Salmon Omelette with Goat Cheese & Beet Relish
8 oz green tea |
1 serving Smoked Salmon Omelette with Goat Cheese & Beet Relish (leftovers)
8 oz green tea |
| Lunch | 1 serving Curried Salmon Bowl with Kale
16 oz water |
1 serving Curried Salmon Bowl with Kale (leftovers)
16 oz water |
1 serving Whole Chicken with 40 Cloves of Garlic Gravy (leftovers)
2 cups arugula or spinach 2 tbsp homemade Italian vinaigrette 16 oz water |
| Snack | 1 oz Sweet & Sour Chocolate Bark
8 oz green tea and 8 oz water, or 16 oz water |
1 oz Sweet & Sour Chocolate Bark
8 oz green tea and 8 oz water, or 16 oz water |
1 oz Sweet & Sour Chocolate Bark
8 oz green tea and 8 oz water, or 16 oz water |
| Dinner | 1 serving Whole Chicken with 40 Cloves of Garlic Gravy
2 servings (1⅓ cups) Sour Cream & Chive Mashed Potatoes 16 oz water |
1 serving Hasselback Chicken with Tomato Artichoke Sauce
2 servings (1⅓ cups) Sour Cream & Chive Mashed Potatoes 2 cups arugula or spinach 2 tbsp homemade Italian vinaigrette 16 oz water |
1 serving Olive Oil-Poached Mahi-Mahi
2 servings (1⅓ cups) Sour Cream & Chive Mashed Potatoes 16 oz water |
| Daily Totals:
1,866 calories, 95 g total fat, 43 g saturated fat, 647 g cholesterol, 1,276 mg sodium, 147 g carb, 26 g fiber, 54 g sugar, 119 g protein |
Daily Totals:
1,813 calories, 104 g total fat, 49 g saturated fat, 606 g cholesterol, 2,536 mg sodium, 112 g carb, 16 g fiber, 33 g sugar, 109 g protein |
Daily Totals:
1,881 calories, 100 g total fat, 35 g saturated fat, 743 g cholesterol, 2,002 mg sodium, 111 g carb, 15 g fiber, 27 g sugar, 131 g protein |
These anti-inflammatory recipes and meal plans are also a great place to start when it comes to eating for joint pain and arthritis:
- Two Weeks of Anti-Inflammatory Eating
- Your Anti-Inflammatory Kick-Start
- Your 1-Week Anti-Inflammatory Meal Plan
Jessie Shafer is a registered dietitian, team member at The Real Food Dietitians, former magazine editor, avid cyclist, and busy mom of two who loves to share her enthusiasm for the fun of eating well.