How much meat per week? Set your budget
There's no single official number, but cancer-prevention guidance (WCRF/AICR) suggests keeping red meat to about three portions a week and processed meat close to zero. Whatever cap you choose, it's easier to hold when you can see the whole week — set yours below and print the plan.
| Day | Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner |
|---|
🌱 = meat-free · 🍖 = meat meal. Swap slots freely — the cap is what matters, not the layout.
How the plan is built
A week has 21 meals (three a day, seven days). Your cap fills dinner slots first — where meat meals feel most like an occasion — then lunches, then breakfasts. The layout is a starting point, not a rule: swap any two slots and the budget still holds. The health context comes from the World Cancer Research Fund / American Institute for Cancer Research recommendations on red and processed meat; this is a habit tool, not medical advice.
Keep reading
- How Much Meat Is Too Much Per Week? The Numbers
Health bodies suggest under 350–500 g of cooked red meat per week and minimal processed meat. What that looks like in real meals, and how to count it.
- What Is a Flexitarian Diet? A Plain-English Guide
The flexitarian diet explained: mostly plants, meat on your own terms, no forbidden foods. What it means, what you eat, and how to start.
- How to Track Meat Free Days (and Why It Works)
Why tracking meat free days beats counting calories, what to record, and simple ways to do it — from a wall calendar to a cow-powered app.