5-Day Detox Meal Plan

Reset, Renew & Refresh with the 5-Day Detox Meal Plan. If you’ve reached the point where you feel like you “need” a dessert after each meal, you have a glass of wine almost every evening, or your body craves bread at every dinner, then you might benefit from a gentle 5-day detox plan. This program is designed to help rid your body of these cravings and get you back on track with craving what you truly need – plenty of water, whole foods, and real nourishment!

Are you feeling bloated and sluggish? Are you constantly craving unhealthy foods? If so, it might be time for a detox! A 5-day detox meal plan can help cleanse your body and get rid of toxins. This program is designed to help you eat healthy, whole foods and drink plenty of water. By the end of the 5 days, you should feel refreshed and energized!

Detoxing is the process of removing toxins from the body. There are many different ways to detox, but a 5-day detox meal plan is one of the easiest and most effective methods.

💧Why Should I Detox?

There are many reasons why you might want to detox. Maybe you’re feeling bloated and sluggish, or you’re constantly craving unhealthy foods. Detoxing can help rid your body of these cravings and get you back on track with eating healthy, whole foods.

🥤5 Day Detox Plan

A 5 day detox meal plan is designed to help your body purge itself of toxins. During the 5 days, you will eat plenty of healthy, whole foods and drink plenty of water. This will help your body to flush out toxins and get rid of harmful chemicals.

1. Find a 5-day period when you’re able to follow the meal plan provided below.
2. Make modifications or adjustments to the grocery shopping list as needed for your health and preferences.
3. Follow the gentle detox meal plan each day, and enjoy the benefits.

And here’s some great news: this 5-day detox will not leave you hungry, tired, or grumpy! The meal plan includes three meals a day plus snacks.

Please consult with your physician before using the 5-Day Detox Meal Plan. Please see Disclaimer here.

❔What foods are included in the Detox Meal Plan?

Your 5-day meal plan is filled with whole, unprocessed foods that are rich in antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. Here are some of the featured ingredients and their benefits for your body:

• Plenty of fresh water – water helps flush out toxins from the body and is critical for helping the liver filter waste for the body. Also, your body uses water for all of its excretion functions. We’ll begin each morning by drinking a glass of lemon water to aid digestion.
• Fresh veggies – the fiber in vegetables supports healthy digestion, helping the body eliminate toxins.
• Fruit – these foods that are high in antioxidants that fight free radicals and other toxins, therefore helping your body fight disease.
• Garlic – besides being delicious (and my husband’s favorite flavoring), garlic activates liver detoxifying enzymes and has antibacterial properties.
• Olive oil – this healthy fat helps the body reduce harmful toxins and decreases levels of fat in the liver.

Sources: Well + Good, Healthline.

You’ll note that for some of the meals, added protein is an optional ingredient. You can make the decision whether to add a protein-based on factors such as your calorie needs, grocery costs, whether you want more of a “cleanse” experience, and whether you’re exercising during the detox.

🚫What foods are not included in the Detox Meal Plan?

As provided to you, this meal plan is free of the following:

• Processed food
• Refined sugar
• Refined carbs
• Meat
• Dairy
• Eggs
• Alcohol
• Caffeine

However, you can and should customize this plan based on what you decide to focus on during your 5-day detox. 

For example, if you drink three Venti Caffè Americanos every day leading up to the challenge and then go cold turkey on caffeine, you’ll likely spend the 5 days with raging headaches. Please do what makes sense for you, and ensure that your plan furthers your health goals while still being gentle on your body.

The meal plan and grocery list are designed for one person, but they can be easily adjusted for more people as needed.

Below is a full description of each day’s meals and how to prepare your meals. Let’s get started!

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1️⃣ Day 1

• Upon waking: Start your day with a glass of water with lemon.
• Breakfast: Green smoothie. Blend together 1 1/4 cups water, 2 cups spinach, 1 frozen banana, and 2/3 cup frozen berries. Optional: add in 1 serving protein powder.
• Lunch: Mexican bowl. Prep brown rice according to package directions (you’ll need 1 serving but can make more at the beginning of the detox and use leftovers later in the week.) Drain and rinse canned low-sodium black beans. In a saucepan, heat 1 Tbsp olive oil over medium heat. Cook 1 clove garlic for 1 minute. Add black beans, stir, and season with cumin powder and lemon juice to taste. Serve rice and 1/2 of bean mixture with 1/2 chopped tomato and 1/2 avocado. Save leftovers for tomorrow’s lunch!
• Snack: 1/2 zucchini, sliced, with 2 Tbsp hummus.
• Dinner: Butternut squash “pasta” dish. Spiralize butternut squash (or purchase pre-spiralized squash to save time). Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Cook 1 clove minced garlic for 1 minute, stirring frequently. Add squash noodles and sauté for 5 minutes. Then, add 1/2 cup sliced mushrooms and cook an additional 2 – 3 minutes. Add 1 cup spinach just until wilted. Serve and top with pumpkin seeds.

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2️⃣ Day 2

• Upon waking: Start your day with a glass of water with lemon.
• Breakfast: Almond butter oatmeal. To 1 cup of cooked oatmeal, add 2 Tbsp all natural almond butter (this one is my favorite) and 1 tsp cinnamon.
• Lunch: Mexican bowl. Use recipe from Day 1.
• Snack: Cup of fresh mixed berries.
• Dinner: Veggie stir fry. Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil over medium heat. Cook 1 clove minced garlic for 1 minute. Add 1 cup each coarsely chopped green beans and bell pepper and cook for 5 – 7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in 2 tsp grated ginger; serve over prepared brown rice. Optional: add sprouted tofu to your stir fry.

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3️⃣ Day 3

• Upon waking: Start your day with a glass of water with lemon.
• Breakfast: Green smoothie. Blend together 1 1/4 cups water, 2 cups spinach, 1 frozen banana, and 2/3 cup frozen berries. Optional: add in 1 serving protein powder.
• Lunch: Fresh spinach salad. Use 2 cups spinach, 1/2 medium chopped tomato, 1/2 medium cucumber, and pumpkin seeds. Drizzle with olive oil and lemon juice.
• Snack: Sliced banana with all natural almond butter.
• Dinner: Roasted spaghetti squash noodles. To roast spaghetti squash, slice lengthwise and scoop out seeds and membrane; bake at 375 degrees for 50-60 minutes; let cool and use fork to scrape flesh into “noodles”. Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Cook 1 clove minced garlic for 1 minute, stirring frequently. Add 1/2 pint cherry tomatoes and cook for several minutes or until tomatoes blister. Toss half of roasted spaghetti squash noodles with sautéed onions and garlic, olive oil, cherry tomatoes, and 2 Tbsp chopped fresh basil.

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4️⃣ Day 4

• Upon waking: Start your day with a glass of water with lemon.
• Breakfast: Almond butter oatmeal. To 1 cup of cooked oatmeal, add 2 Tbsp all natural almond butter and 1 tsp cinnamon.
• Lunch: Summer squash skillet. Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add 1 clove minced garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently. Add 1/2 cup chopped green beans, 1/2 sliced zucchini, and 1 sliced yellow squash. Cook for about 8 minutes or until veggies are soft. Toss with 2 tsp grated ginger.
• Snack: Orange slices.
• Dinner: Quinoa and brown rice bowl #1. Mix 1/2 cup each of prepared quinoa and brown rice. Top with 1 cup fresh spinach, 1/2 chopped tomato, 1/2 sliced cucumber, 1/2 an avocado, and 2 Tbsp hummus.

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5️⃣ Day 5

• Upon waking: Start your day with a glass of water with lemon.
• Breakfast: Green smoothie. Blend together 1 1/4 cups water, 2 cups spinach, 1 frozen banana, and 2/3 cup frozen berries. Optional: add in 1 serving protein powder.
• Lunch: Fresh spinach salad. Use 2 cups spinach, 1/2 medium chopped tomato, 1/2 medium cucumber, and 2 Tbsp pumpkin seeds. Drizzle with olive oil and lemon juice.
• Snack: 1 cup baby carrots and 2 Tbsp hummus.
• Dinner: Quinoa and brown rice bowl #2. Mix 1/2 cup each of prepared quinoa and brown rice. Stir in grated ginger and curry powder to taste. Top with 1 cup each green beans and chopped mango. You can serve this dish serve hot or cold.

✅How To Successfully Complete A Detox

Please remember that this detox is designed to be gentle! Be patient and kind with yourself and don’t go to extremes with your meal plan. Here are a few tips for your comfort and success:

• Drink plenty of pure, clean water throughout the 5 days (and beyond!). A good guideline to follow is to drink half your weight in ounces every day. So if you weigh 160 pounds, drink 80 ounces of water a day. That’s the equivalent of 10 8-oz glasses of water. During the detox, you may find that you need even more water.
  • For tips on how to meet your daily water intake goals, see 7 Health Reasons to Drink More Water.
• If you choose to opt out of food and drink such as caffeine and sugar during the detox, try to gradually reduce your intake of these items in the days leading up to your 5-day meal plan. This will help reduce withdrawal symptoms such as headaches.
• If you do experience headaches, drinking more water and resting may help alleviate your discomfort.
• Are you feeling hunger pangs, even after eating all your allotted food for the day? Here are a few things to try:
  • Drink more water.
  • Add a healthy snack between morning and lunch.
  • Increase the portion of veggies in one of your meals.
• Consult your doctor or nutritionist with questions or concerns.

🍎Post Detox Plan

When you’ve completed the 5-day meal plan, take some time to reflect. What changes are you experiencing? Does your body feel different? Is there anything that you’re craving less? Is there anything that you’re craving more?

The last time I practiced a short-term gentle detox diet, by the end of the third day, I felt lighter and leaner in my body. I had fewer cravings for sugar or snacks between meals, and I had more cravings for water and fresh veggies. These are all positive changes from my perspective. I hope you’ll experience positive changes as well!

As you transition back to a “regular” routine, think about any changes you want to incorporate from your gentle detox. For example, you might decide to cut down on processed foods or refined sugar on a long-term basis. Changes like these can help you achieve your health goals and feel better physically and mentally.

I hope you enjoy the process and benefits of this experience. Please share your experience in the comments below. I’d love to hear how you like the 5-Day Detox Meal Plan!