75 Easy PCOS Recipes For Any Meal (from a Dietitian) (2024)

If you need easy PCOS recipes that taste good and will also make you feel better, I’ve got you covered!

This blog post will outline how a healthy PCOS diet can help you and what constitutes a balanced meal. I’ll provide you with 75 PCOS-friendly recipes to enjoy for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or snacks!

75 Easy PCOS Recipes For Any Meal (from a Dietitian) (1)

Contents

1 PCOS: Why Your Diet Matters

2 How To Make A Balanced Meal

4 PCOS Recipes for Lunch and Dinner

4.1 PCOS Chicken Recipes

4.2 Turkey Recipes

4.3 Beef or Pork Recipes

4.4 Seafood Recipes

4.5 Vegetarian or Vegan Recipes

5 PCOS Snack Recipes

6 More PCOS Posts You’ll Love

PCOS: Why Your Diet Matters

Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is a common hormonal disorder that affects up to 20% of women worldwide. While a PCOS diagnosis may be new to you, your symptoms probably aren’t new. Common symptoms of PCOS include irregular periods, weight gain, carb cravings, hair loss, hirsutism (aka unwanted facial or body hair growth), acne, and fatigue.

While the exact cause of PCOS isn’t known, it’s linked to insulin resistance and chronic inflammation, which are probably playing some role in your symptoms. Unfortunately, insulin resistance and inflammation increases your risk of developing certain health conditions such as type 2 diabetes, gestational diabetes in pregnancy, heart disease, high blood pressure, and fatty liver.

The good news is that a PCOS-friendly diet and lifestyle modifications are powerful tools and can drastically lower insulin resistance and inflammation, and in turn, manage your PCOS symptoms.

There is a lot of buzz and conflicting information around the internet and social media about which diet is the best diet for PCOS. Some people recommend the keto diet or intermittent fasting, while others recommend low carb or plant-based diets. The truth is that there has not been one specific diet identified as being the best way to manage PCOS.

I base my diet recommendations off of the current research and my clinical experience working with hundreds of women with PCOS to manage their condition. That said, I recommend a balanced diet – I usually don’t recommend cutting out gluten, dairy, soy, caffeine, or sugar right off the bat, unless you have a known allergy or intolerance. Everyone is unique and there just isn’t any evidence to support that everyone with PCOS needs to or should cut these foods out of their diet.

A balanced diet will promote stable blood sugar levels and include anti-inflammatory foods to lower inflammation. My clients are always pleasantly surprised to find this non-restrictive eating pattern works so well to manage their PCOS, from cravings and weight loss to more regular periods and less chin hairs!

Now, let’s dive into how to make a balanced meal that promotes blood sugar stability.

How To Make A Balanced Meal

A balanced meal will combine nutrients that raise your blood sugar slowly and prevent it from going too high. This allows your body to react accordingly and release an appropriate amount of insulin to slowly bring that blood sugar level back down. Eating balanced meals consistently will improve insulin sensitivity, meaning your body will become less insulin resistant.

To make a balanced meal, you should combine:

  • Protein. Protein maintains muscle mass, promotes satiety and balanced blood sugar levels. Put an emphasis on lean protein sources and plant-based proteins more frequently. Examples include chicken, turkey, lean red meat, fish, seafood, Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, tofu, tempeh, edamame, and protein powder.
  • Complex carbohydrates. Complex carbs contain fiber to slow down the blood sugar rise, keep you feeling full, and improve your gut health. Examples include fruits, vegetables, beans, chickpeas, lentils, edamame, and whole grains such as oats, rice, quinoa, and whole grain bread.
  • Healthy Fats. Healthy fats are necessary for hormone production, the absorption of certain vitamins, inflammation regulation, and satiety. Examples include olive oil, avocado, nuts, seeds, and fatty fish.

Additionally, including anti-inflammatory foods routinely is a great way to lower inflammation. Some examples of anti-inflammatory foods are salmon, oysters, olive oil, berries, chia seeds, flaxseeds, walnuts, beans, garlic, ginger, herbal teas, and plenty of vegetables like cruciferous vegetables, tomatoes, dark leafy greens, and bell peppers.

For more ideas and guidance on how to pull these diet principles together, be sure to check out this meal plan that is ideal for managing your PCOS: A Dietitian’s 7-Day PCOS Diet Plan (PDF Included).

Ok, now that we’ve covered that, let’s dive into those amazing recipes I promised you! These PCOS recipes are designed to be easy and use ingredients that you can find in most grocery stores. The recipe categories are broken down by meal. Then, the lunch and dinner recipes are even further broken down by protein source to make it as easy as possible for you to find what you like!

PCOS Breakfast Recipes

  1. Easy PCOS Overnight Oats (4 Different Flavor Variations)
  2. Carrot Cake Smoothie
  3. Spinach & Egg Scramble with Raspberries
  4. High Protein Chia Breakfast Bowl
  5. Protein Pancakes Without Protein Powder
  6. Southwest Tofu Scramble
  7. Savory Avocado Toast With Cottage Cheese
  8. Sweet Potato Breakfast Burrito
  9. Strawberry Cheesecake Smoothie
  10. Sausage & Potato Frittata Muffins
  11. Pumpkin Protein Pancakes
  12. Raspberry Peach Mango Smoothie Bowl
  13. High Protein Oatmeal with Berries & Peanut Butter
  14. Overnight Matcha Oats with Berries
  15. Freezer Black Bean Breakfast Burrito
  16. Triple Berry Oat Tropical Smoothie (Copycat Recipe)
  17. Chocolate Baked Oats (and other flavor variations)
  18. High Protein Pumpkin Pie Smoothie
  19. Breakfast Salad with Smoked Salmon & Poached Eggs
  20. Beans, Rice & Fried Egg Breakfast Bowl
  21. Strawberry Quinoa Breakfast Bowl

For some more breakfast ideas, check out this post: 12 Easy PCOS Breakfast Ideas.

75 Easy PCOS Recipes For Any Meal (from a Dietitian) (2)

PCOS Recipes for Lunch and Dinner

PCOS Chicken Recipes

  1. Sweetgreen Crispy Rice Bowl (Copycat Recipe)
  2. Sheet Pan Chicken Fajita Bowls
  3. Brussel Sprout Pasta Salad
  4. Chicken Soup With Cabbage
  5. Lemony Greek Chicken Stew With Beans
  6. Sheet Pan Chicken Sausage With Broccoli, Peppers, & Potatoes
  7. One Pan Balsamic Chicken With Veggies
  8. Asian Chicken Sheet Pan Dinner
  9. Meal Prep Chili Lime Chicken Bowls
  10. White Chicken Chili
  11. Chicken & Zucchini Quesadilla
  12. Cashew Chicken With Broccoli – serve with brown rice or soba noodles
  13. Chicken Edamame and Noodles Stir-Fry
  14. Slow Cooker Seasoned Chicken, Potatoes, and Green Beans
  15. Greek Chicken Meal Prep Bowls
  16. Mediterranean Grilled Chicken Wrap

If you want even more PCOS lunch ideas, check out this post: 20 Easy PCOS Lunch Ideas.

Turkey Recipes

  1. Turkey Wraps With Avocado Cream
  2. Ground Turkey Skillet With Zucchini, Corn, & Black Beans
  3. Turkey Stuffed Peppers
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Beef or Pork Recipes

  1. Instant Pot Chili
  2. Beef & Broccoli
  3. Egg Roll In A Bowl
  4. Chili Topped Sweet Potatoes
  5. Ground Beef & Pasta Skillet
  6. Veggie Soup With Ground Beef

Seafood Recipes

  1. Honey Garlic Salmon Bites with Honeynut Squash
  2. Sheet Pan Shrimp Tacos
  3. Miso Ginger Salmon with Broccoli
  4. Garlic Shrimp Spaghetti
  5. Sheet Pan Maple Dijon Salmon
  6. Tuna Sandwich With Avocado
  7. Blackened Fish Tacos

Vegetarian or Vegan Recipes

  1. Fall Kale Salad with Butternut Squash, Pomegranate, and Pepitas
  2. Carrot and Lentil Soup
  3. Greek Salad With Edamame (not dairy free)
  4. Lentil & Turmeric Soup
  5. Mediterranean Falafel Bowls
  6. Easy Cabbage Tofu Stirfry
  7. Chickpea Ratatouille
  8. Creamy Butternut Squash Butter Beans
  9. Vegan Buddha Bowl
  10. Vegetarian Chili
  11. Black Bean Cauliflower Rice Bowl
  12. Thai Pasta Salad
  13. Quinoa & Kale Protein Power Salad
  14. Three Bean Quinoa Salad
  15. Green Goddess Sandwich
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PCOS Snack Recipes

  1. Peanut Butter Yogurt Dip
  2. High Protein Ranch Dip
  3. Stuffed Mini Sweet Peppers
  4. Peanut Butter Banana Baked Oatmeal Cups
  5. Savory Cottage Cheese Bowl
  6. Chocolate Peanut Butter Chia Pudding
  7. White Bean Dip

More PCOS Posts You’ll Love

How To Lower Testosterone In Women With PCOS

5 Best Prenatal Vitamins For PCOS

PCOS and Alcohol: The Best Drinks For PCOS

8 Ovasitol Benefits For PCOS

Ashwagandha For PCOS: What You Need To Know

75 Easy PCOS Recipes For Any Meal (from a Dietitian) (2024)

FAQs

What should I eat for dinner with PCOS? ›

Tips for Following the PCOS Diet

Here are tips to maintain a healthy PCOS-friendly diet: Opt for fresh and minimally processed foods: Include a variety of fresh fruits, vegetables, dairy/milk products, and lean protein sources like nuts and seeds.

Which diet plan is best for PCOS? ›

“Research shows that people with PCOS show evidence of all-over inflammation, which is associated with heart disease and other illness. The Mediterranean diet eliminates saturated fats, processed meats and refined sugar, which makes it a powerful tool to address inflammation,” Stathos says.

What PCOS should eat for breakfast? ›

Breakfast ideas for PCOS
  • Porridge: Oats are a great source of soluble fibre which can help improve LDL cholesterol. ...
  • Toast… ...
  • Protein smoothie: Smoothies are a great way to sneak in extra nutrients, for example iron and anti-inflammatories in spinach and frozen berries.
Oct 24, 2023

Is bacon bad for PCOS? ›

Avoid red meat or any meat or fish that's fried or prepared with a lot of salt, butter, and/or oil. Lean cuts of poultry cooked without the skin are good picks. Eggs are another good choice. Avoid processed meats such as hot dogs, sausage, lunch meat, and bacon, which are high in sodium, trans fat, and additives.

What causes PCOS belly? ›

Insulin is the hormone that transports glucose, your body's main fuel source, from your blood and into your cells, where your body uses it for energy. If you have PCOS, your cells resist insulin signals, causing your body to produce more insulin. These hormonal imbalances promote fat gain in your midsection.

What is a PCOS meal? ›

A PCOS Diet emphasizes eating whole, unprocessed healthy food to enable vitamin absorption, nutrient intake, and weight loss. It is important to stay away from refined sugars, white flour, and excessive sugary beverages. These products increase blood insulin, which results in greater androgen production...

What snacks are good for PCOS? ›

Well, to put it simply, the best snacks for PCOS will include a complex carb (which generally means a high-fiber, less processed choice), a protein, and healthy fats. For example, instead of just eating some fruit on its own, try pairing it with protein (like cheese or yogurt) and some nut butter!

Should you avoid eggs with PCOS? ›

Eggs are also a great diet component for women with PCOS. Not only are they a wonderful source of protein, but they're packed with nutrients that improve the symptoms of PCOS.

Is pizza OK for PCOS? ›

Women with PCOS should avoid or limit highly-processed foods such as white bread, ready-meals, pizza dough, muffins, breakfast pastries, sugary desserts, many breakfast cereals, anything made with white flour, pasta noodles that list their first ingredient as semolina, durum flour, or durum wheat flour this is because ...

What lunch meat is good for PCOS? ›

Choose unprocessed meats like roasted beef or chicken rather than deli meat. Make sure to add some greens and a little avocado too. Vegetable-oil-free dressings like these can make things pop.

Is chicken bad for PCOS? ›

Lean protein sources like tofu, chicken, and fish don't provide fiber but are a very filling and nutritious dietary option for people with PCOS. Foods that help reduce inflammation may also be beneficial.

How many meals a day for PCOS? ›

Rather than having three large meals each day, try eating a small meal or snack every three to five hours. Aim to include a small amount of lean protein or vegetable within each.

What I eat in a day with PCOS? ›

What foods should I add to my PCOS diet?
  • high fiber vegetables, like broccoli.
  • lean protein, like fish.
  • anti-inflammatory foods and spices, like turmeric and tomatoes.

How do you balance meals for PCOS? ›

For PCOS symptom management, it is supportive to combine carbohydrates with protein, fat and fiber. These components come together to form a balanced meal that will cause a more gradual rise and fall in blood sugar, rather than a steep spike and crash.

Can I have cheat meals with PCOS? ›

Thought cheat day is not bad you can once or twice in a month to satisfy your cravings but don't make it your weekly habit. As for your concern is weight gain by cheat meals just because you have PCOS it will have the same effect in comparison to the women who don't have PCOS.

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