Deciding what to cook every single day is exhausting — and it usually ends with the same two or three meals on repeat. A weekly timetable fixes that: you plan once, shop once, and eat a balanced, varied week without thinking about it. Here is a free one built entirely from real Nigerian dishes, with the actual calories per serving from Ilera's dish library.
Why a food timetable works
- Balance without effort. Rotating protein, carbs and vegetables through the week covers more nutrients than eating the same meal daily.
- One shop, less waste. Planning seven days means a single list and fewer forgotten ingredients going bad.
- No daily decisions. The hardest part of eating well is deciding — a timetable makes the decision once.
The 7-day timetable
A balanced week for the whole family. Each meal links to its full macros and cost; the day total is the sum of standard servings — scale portions up or down for adults, teens and children.
| Day | Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner | ≈ kcal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mon | Boiled yam & egg sauce455 kcal | White rice, stew & fish542 kcal | Efo riro & eba931 kcal | ≈1928 |
| Tue | Moi moi & pap400 kcal | Jollof rice, grilled chicken & salad597 kcal | Okra soup & eba876 kcal | ≈1873 |
| Wed | Sweet potato & egg sauce378 kcal | Beans & plantain486 kcal | Vegetable soup & pounded yam521 kcal | ≈1385 |
| Thu | Beans, egg & plantain480 kcal | Chicken & vegetable sauce with rice559 kcal | Fish pepper soup311 kcal | ≈1350 |
| Fri | Boiled plantain & garden egg sauce421 kcal | Peppered liver & rice572 kcal | Egusi soup & pounded yam769 kcal | ≈1762 |
| Sat | Moi moi & egg with pap379 kcal | Asaro (yam porridge) with fish519 kcal | Grilled chicken & salad317 kcal | ≈1215 |
| Sun | Boiled yam & egg sauce455 kcal | White rice, stew & fish542 kcal | Chicken pepper soup326 kcal | ≈1323 |
Snacks & fruit: fill gaps with fruit, groundnuts or fruit & yogurt rather than sugary drinks and biscuits.
Make the week balanced
A simple rule of thumb for each plate: a palm-sized protein, a controlled portion of carbohydrate (rice, swallow, yam or plantain), and a generous helping of vegetables. Keep palm and vegetable oil modest — they are calorie-dense — and add fruit through the day.
Adapt it to your household
This timetable is a template. If you are eating for weight loss, see our 7-day Nigerian weight-loss plan; if budget is the priority, read what it costs to eat healthy in Lagos. Or let Ilera build a week around your goal and household size, with the shopping list priced at your local market.