Are you starting the Daniel Fast but have no idea what to make? Get started with this free 7-day Daniel Fast meal plan!

Around the beginning of the year, many churches decide to start the Daniel Fast with their congregation.

It’s the perfect time, too! The new year is a great time to start new habits and determine what God has in store for your life.

If this is your first time doing the Daniel Fast, it’s a good idea to read up on it to fully understand what the fast is, and how to go about it.

I know it can be super overwhelming to start out. What kind of foods should you buy? Can you even make dinner recipes on the fast?

I created a 7-day meal plan to help get you started. It’s simple, with a simple grocery list. Get it here, or keep reading to get more info!

What is the Daniel Fast?

The Daniel Fast comes from the book of Daniel in the Bible, where the prophet Daniel chooses to do a partial fast for 21 days. He refuses the “choice foods” or “indulgent foods” of the king and eats mainly vegetables and water, and at the end of the 21 days he’s just as healthy as ever.

Some people do the fast for the full 21 days. Some only do a whole week, or even modified beyond that due to health reasons.

Ultimately, what you decide to do is up to you and God. The idea is to not be legalistic, but to do something that challenges your faith and draws you closer to Him.

What can you eat on the Daniel Fast?

Think of the Daniel Fast as a plant-based diet or a vegan diet. No meat or dairy products, or other animal products. You focus on fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts, legumes, and whole grains; and stay away from refined grains (Like white rice and other white flours) and added sugar.

I know that’s a very simplified explanation. I have a Daniel Fast food list in this post, so make sure you print that out too!

Is this a diet plan?

Some people treat the Daniel Fast as a way to lose weight and sometimes call it the Daniel Diet. While it’s true that eating more whole foods can help with weight loss, that’s not the point of this spiritual fast.

The main goal of the Daniel Fast is to get closer to God. Any other reason, and you’re kind of missing the point. Eating this way can definitely be healthy, but don’t let weight loss be the main reason for doing the Daniel Fast.

What’s included in this meal plan?

I created a week’s menu of breakfast, lunches, and dinners. Here’s what’s inside the meal plan:

• 2 breakfasts
• 2 lunches
• 6 dinners

This simple plan serves 2-3 people, which means the dinners should create leftovers to help with lunch the next day, plus the 7th day’s meal.

The foods in here are relatively cheap and easy to find. You can also read my post on how to do the Daniel Fast on a budget, if you need to save money.

Hopefully these easy recipes will make your 3 full weeks a bit less stressful!

Download the Daniel Fast Meal Plan

Get the full recipes AND shopping list down below:

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE MEAL PLAN PDF

Daniel Fast Menu

Here are the meals that are in the meal plan. To get the actual recipes, make sure you download the free PDF!

Breakfast

Oatmeal

Oats are a staple when I do the Daniel Fast. They’re full of fiber and a good source of protein, both of which keep you full longer.

I like to add unsweetened almond milk, peanut butter, nut/seeds, and chopped fruit. You can’t add sugar, but the fruit definitely helps sweeten it.

Smoothie

If you need something that’s more on-the-go, smoothies are great. You can add lots of fruits and vegetables for nutrients, plus peanut butter or other nut butters for extra protein and fat.

And if you’re in a hurry, you can pre-package smoothie ingredients individually. That way you can just throw it all in the blender and be off!

Lunch

Kidney bean salad

Kidney beans are one of my favorite foods to eat during the Daniel Fast. I use my Instant Pot to cook a whole bag of dried beans, and use them for most of the week.

Brown rice helps add substance and fiber, while hummus and sunflower seeds give healthy fats.

Black bean bowls

Like kidney beans, I’ll also cook a huge batch of black beans. Beans are a HUGE source of protein on the Daniel Fast, so I include them as often as I can.

These black bean bowls can be served on a salad or over rice or quinoa. And with this, and many of the other recipes, you can substitute another kind of bean like pinto beans!

Dinner

Vegetarian chili

A lot of these dinners include the same ingredients, which help you save money. If you chop up all the vegetables when you get home, dinnertime is a breeze!

This chili uses 2 kinds of beans, as well as tomatoes, onions, zucchini, and green bell peppers.

Burrito bowls

When my family does the Daniel Fast, we eat a lot of Mexican-inspired food. This means lots of burritos and bowls!

We also use a lot of lettuce, so I buy the big packages of Romaine hearts and chop them myself. This is a GREAT way to save money!

Chickpea curry

Curry is another amazing vegetarian meal. Coconut milk makes this dinner incredibly creamy; and frozen stir fry veggies makes this meal even easier!

Chickpeas (Or garbanzo beans) are full of protein and fiber. I like to cook in bulk in my Instant Pot, but canned beans are just as good- and much easier!

Mexican sweet potatoes

See what I mean about Mexican food? To me, sweet potatoes and black beans go SO well together. I try to include the two whenever I make a meal like this.

You just bake the sweet potatoes, put together the black bean salsa, and dinner’s ready!

Spaghetti squash spaghetti

There are different opinions on whether you can eat whole wheat pasta on the Daniel Fast. Some say yes, some say no.

We choose not to eat pasta, but instead will buy spaghetti squash! It’s definitely not the same texture, but it’s a nice change from actual spaghetti.

Lentil soup

Soups and Mexican-style foods are definitely my go-tos. They’re really filling because of all the foods you can stuff in there.

Like beans, lentils have a TON of protein and fiber. If you want, you can serve this soup over cooked brown rice!

What about snacks?

I did not include snacks in the meal plan, but you’re definitely allowed to snack!

Whatever you choose, make sure it’s compliant to the Daniel Fast. Here are some of my favorites:

• Miscellaneous nuts (Peanuts, almonds, cashews) and raisins
• Larabar (The ones without added sugar)
• Vegetables and hummus or guacamole
• Fruit and peanut butter
• Roasted chickpeas
• Edamame

Top tips

• Plan, plan, plan! If you don’t make a plan for every day, you run the risk of not having fast-friendly food in the house.
• Read the labels on your foods! Look for any extra added ingredients that aren’t fast-friendly. Sugar makes its way into a lot of foods you wouldn’t think of.
• Drink tons of water! Feel free to add sliced lemon or lime for a little extra flavor.
• You don’t have to be legalistic. If you’re stressing about “messing up”, it might be time to rethink your fasting strategy. Perhaps remove one or two things from your diet instead. God cares about your heart, not how well you follow the rules!

Other Daniel Fast recipes

Looking for more recipes than what I have here? I get a lot of inspiration from Ultimate Daniel Fast. She has a TON of recipes and tips to help you get through the fast.

Other related Daniel Fast posts

• How to Do the Daniel Fast on a Budget
• Daniel Fast Food List Printable