A meal exchange plan is designed to help people eat the right amounts of healthy foods, usually following the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Pyramid. An 1800-calorie meal plan is intended for people who want to lose weight at a healthy rate.
A typical healthy diet consists of 2,000 calories per day, so an 1800-calorie diet would help people lose about 1 lb. per week, depending on the person's usual food intake, age, physical activity and other factors.
Exchanges
Under a meal exchange plan, you are allowed to eat a certain number of servings (exchanges) for several food categories. These examples are from University of Florida Cooperative Extension Service and are typical of most 1800-calorie programs. The daily exchanges in that program include 10 starch exchanges, four fruit exchanges, two milk exchanges, six vegetable exchanges, five meat exchanges and six fat exchanges.
Depending on your nutritional needs, a nutritionist or dietitian may recommend more or less of a specific food group. Depending on the program, you may have to eat a specific amount of exchanges at each meal, or you may be allowed to eat what you like as long as you meet each day's requirements.
Free Foods
Free foods may be eaten whenever you wish in any amount. These usually include black coffee, unsweetened tea, condiments, sugar and/or salt substitutes, among others.
Breakfast
The University of Florida's 1800-calorie meal plan recommends a breakfast of three starches (equal to one small whole wheat bagel and 1/2 cup of cereal, one fat (such as 1 tbsp. of cream cheese, one half of a milk exchange (such as a 1/2 cup of fat-free milk, one fruit exchange (like a small orange) and a "free food," such as coffee or tea.
Snacks
The mid-morning snack could be two starch exchanges (such as 10 crackers), one meat and fat (equal to one piece of cheddar cheese), one fruit (such as 1/2 cup of apple juice. The afternoon snack could be one milk and one fat (such as a cup of low-fat plain yogurt), two fruit exchanges (such as one large banana and a free food (such as a sugar substitute). An evening snack may include one starch (a slice of bread) one fat, a tsp. of margarine and one half of a milk exchange (1/2 cup of fat-free milk)
Lunch
The 1800-calorie plan includes a lunch of two starches (two slices of whole wheat bread) with one fat (a teaspoon of margarine), two vegetables (a cup each of salad and mixed vegetables) and two free foods (fat free dressing and unsweetened ice tea).
Dinner
Dinner may be include four meat exchanges (such as 4 oz. of broiled fish), two starches (a total of 2/3 cup of white rice), four vegetables (plain, steamed or roasted vegetables) and one fat (such as fat-free dressing) and a free food (such as plain coffee or tea).
Warning
Those who follow an exchange plan because of a chronic condition, such as diabetes, should follow it as closely as possible. Eating more or less than the recommended number of each exchange could result in health problems. An 1,800-calorie diet is not typically intended for rapid weight loss.
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