7-day South Indian
diet plan
Built on rice, fermented batters, sambar, rasam, coconut, curd and vegetable poriyal — the food actually cooked in South India, not a north Indian week with the names changed.
What a South India day comes to
Seven-day average, per day
1,598kcal / day A week of South Indian home cooking on this chart runs 1,559–1,723 kcal a day with 57.1 g of protein and 43.8 g of fibre. It is entirely vegetarian, as most weeks in this region are.
ਸਰੋਤ·Computed from ThaliFacts food data·ਸਮੀਖਿਆ ਜੁਲਾਈ 2026
outer ring = portion on the plateinner ring = energy it carries
- Grainroti, rice, poha, idli, dosa 1.9katori 528kcal 19%of plate
- Dal & legumedal, chana, rajma, besan, soya, sattu 3.6katori 589kcal 37%of plate
- Vegetable & fruitsabzi, saag, salad, fruit 2.5katori 300kcal 26%of plate
- Dairy, egg & meatcurd, paneer, milk, egg, fish, chicken 1.2katori 97kcal 12%of plate
- Fat, nut & sweetchutney, pickle, nuts, mithai, chai 0.5katori 83kcal 5%of plate
Grain takes 19% ਪਲੇਟ ਦਾ ਤੇ 33% of the energy; vegetables take 26% ਪਲੇਟ ਦਾ ਤੇ 19% of the energy. Dal and legume sit at 3.6 katori a day. Portions are the seven-day average, in katori of 150 g — the same katori the serving weights and the grocery list use.
ਸਰੋਤ·Served weights and energy from the dishes in this chart·5 plate groups, composite dishes assigned whole·ਸਮੀਖਿਆ ਜੁਲਾਈ 2026
Coverage: The dataset covers this cuisine's everyday dishes well, so very little here is estimated.
What a South Indian week looks like
A fermented-batter breakfast, rice at both main meals, a legume-based sambar and one or two dry vegetables. The structure is genuinely good: fermentation, legumes at every meal and vegetables cooked with very little water. What tips it is the quantity of rice and the quantity of coconut oil.
Staples this plan runs on: Rice, fermented batters, sambar, rasam, coconut, curd and vegetable poriyal. Where: Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Kerala, taken together.
Every dish in this week is in the ThaliFacts dataset — nothing on this page is estimated.
How a South India week is put on the chart
- The meal library for this region is restricted to South India's own dishes: rice, fermented batters, sambar, rasam, coconut, curd and vegetable poriyal. Nothing outside that list can appear.
- Regional weeks are portioned to one reference band, 1,550–2,300 kcal, because the question here is what the region eats — not what a goal requires.
- Each serving carries a stated weight; a meal is the sum of its servings, a day the sum of its five meals, the week the sum of its seven days.
- Dishes missing from the underlying dataset were estimated for this site by recipe analysis and are marked est wherever they appear, never quietly substituted.
- The plate chart re-reads the same servings by group, so the region's shape — rice-forward, coconut-forward, dal-forward — is visible before any number is read.
serving = per-100 g value x serving weight (g) / 100 day = SUM of 5 meals week = SUM of 7 days per day = week / 7 katori = served grams / 150 g plate % = group served grams / day served grams
The week at a glance
| Day | Calories | Protein | Carbs | Fat | Fibre |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Day 1 · Monday | 1,723 | 64.4 g | 210.9 g | 67.3 g | 49.0 g |
| Day 2 · Tuesday | 1,564 | 55.2 g | 212.6 g | 52.2 g | 42.6 g |
| Day 3 · Wednesday | 1,598 | 57.4 g | 224.0 g | 51.1 g | 47.5 g |
| Day 4 · Thursday | 1,573 | 51.5 g | 222.8 g | 50.6 g | 36.3 g |
| Day 5 · Friday | 1,603 | 58.2 g | 180.6 g | 69.6 g | 42.6 g |
| Day 6 · Saturday | 1,564 | 55.2 g | 212.6 g | 52.2 g | 42.6 g |
| Day 7 · Sunday | 1,559 | 58.0 g | 208.4 g | 53.4 g | 45.7 g |
| 7-day average | 1,598 | 57.1 g | 210.3 g | 56.6 g | 43.8 g |
Week total 11,184 kcal ÷ 7 = 1,598 kcal a day. Every figure above is the sum of the meals on that day, and every meal is the sum of its dishes at the serving sizes shown. Nothing has been rounded to make a total work.
The seven days in full
Day 1 · Monday
| When | What | kcal | Protein | Carbs | Fat | Fibre |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Breakfast | 433 | 20.1 g | 44.2 g | 19.4 g | 14.7 g | |
| Mid-morning | 113 | 3.4 g | 2.0 g | 10.1 g | 1.8 g | |
| Lunch |
Roti, dal, sabzi, curd and salad
Roti (Chapati) ×2 · Toor Dal (Arhar) Tadka ×1 · ਮਿਲੀ-ਜੁਲੀ ਸਬਜ਼ੀ ×1 · Curd (Dahi) ×1 · Green Salad ×1
|
577 | 21.1 g | 74.6 g | 21.0 g | 16.2 g |
| Evening snack |
Two idli with chutney
ਇਡਲੀ ×2 · Coconut Chutney ×0.5
|
134 | 4.1 g | 23.6 g | 2.2 g | 2.5 g |
| Dinner |
Roti, dal and mixed sabzi
Roti (Chapati) ×2 · Toor Dal (Arhar) Tadka ×1 · ਮਿਲੀ-ਜੁਲੀ ਸਬਜ਼ੀ ×1
|
466 | 15.7 g | 66.5 g | 14.6 g | 13.8 g |
| Day total | 433 + 113 + 577 + 134 + 466 = | 1,723 | 64.4 g | 210.9 g | 67.3 g | 49.0 g |
Day 2 · Tuesday
| When | What | kcal | Protein | Carbs | Fat | Fibre |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Breakfast |
Dosa with sambar and chutney
Plain Dosa ×2 · Sambar ×1 · Coconut Chutney ×0.7
|
406 | 9.6 g | 55.7 g | 15.2 g | 8.5 g |
| Mid-morning |
Bowl of curd
Curd (Dahi) ×1
|
90 | 4.7 g | 4.5 g | 6.0 g | 0.0 g |
| Lunch |
Chana dal, roti and sabzi
Chana Dal ×1 · Roti (Chapati) ×2 · ਮਿਲੀ-ਜੁਲੀ ਸਬਜ਼ੀ ×1
|
510 | 18.2 g | 72.9 g | 15.2 g | 16.3 g |
| Evening snack |
Bowl of sprouts
Moong Sprouts Salad ×1
|
92 | 7.0 g | 13.0 g | 1.2 g | 4.0 g |
| Dinner |
Roti, dal and mixed sabzi
Roti (Chapati) ×2 · Toor Dal (Arhar) Tadka ×1 · ਮਿਲੀ-ਜੁਲੀ ਸਬਜ਼ੀ ×1
|
466 | 15.7 g | 66.5 g | 14.6 g | 13.8 g |
| Day total | 406 + 90 + 510 + 92 + 466 = | 1,564 | 55.2 g | 212.6 g | 52.2 g | 42.6 g |
Day 3 · Wednesday
| When | What | kcal | Protein | Carbs | Fat | Fibre |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Breakfast | 433 | 20.1 g | 44.2 g | 19.4 g | 14.7 g | |
| Mid-morning |
One banana
Banana ×1
|
105 | 1.3 g | 24.0 g | 0.3 g | 1.8 g |
| Lunch |
Roti, dal, sabzi, curd and salad
Roti (Chapati) ×2 · Toor Dal (Arhar) Tadka ×1 · ਮਿਲੀ-ਜੁਲੀ ਸਬਜ਼ੀ ×1 · Curd (Dahi) ×1 · Green Salad ×1
|
577 | 21.1 g | 74.6 g | 21.0 g | 16.2 g |
| Evening snack |
Banana
Banana ×1
|
105 | 1.3 g | 24.0 g | 0.3 g | 1.8 g |
| Dinner |
Roti, moong dal and lauki
Roti (Chapati) ×2 · Moong Dal ×1 · Lauki Sabzi ×1
|
378 | 13.6 g | 57.2 g | 10.1 g | 13.0 g |
| Day total | 433 + 105 + 577 + 105 + 378 = | 1,598 | 57.4 g | 224.0 g | 51.1 g | 47.5 g |
Day 4 · Thursday
| When | What | kcal | Protein | Carbs | Fat | Fibre |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Breakfast |
Four idli with sambar and chutney
ਇਡਲੀ ×4 · Sambar ×1.2 · Coconut Chutney ×1
|
380 | 12.3 g | 62.0 g | 8.4 g | 10.7 g |
| Mid-morning |
Glass of chaas
Chaas (Buttermilk) ×1
|
75 | 4.0 g | 3.8 g | 5.0 g | 0.0 g |
| Lunch |
Dal, rice, bhindi and curd
Toor Dal (Arhar) Tadka ×1 · Boiled White Rice ×1 · Bhindi Masala ×1 · Curd (Dahi) ×0.7
|
518 | 15.4 g | 66.9 g | 20.4 g | 9.3 g |
| Evening snack |
Two idli with chutney
ਇਡਲੀ ×2 · Coconut Chutney ×0.5
|
134 | 4.1 g | 23.6 g | 2.2 g | 2.5 g |
| Dinner |
Roti, dal and mixed sabzi
Roti (Chapati) ×2 · Toor Dal (Arhar) Tadka ×1 · ਮਿਲੀ-ਜੁਲੀ ਸਬਜ਼ੀ ×1
|
466 | 15.7 g | 66.5 g | 14.6 g | 13.8 g |
| Day total | 380 + 75 + 518 + 134 + 466 = | 1,573 | 51.5 g | 222.8 g | 50.6 g | 36.3 g |
Day 5 · Friday
| When | What | kcal | Protein | Carbs | Fat | Fibre |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Breakfast | 433 | 20.1 g | 44.2 g | 19.4 g | 14.7 g | |
| Mid-morning | 113 | 3.4 g | 2.0 g | 10.1 g | 1.8 g | |
| Lunch |
Roti, dal, sabzi, curd and salad
Roti (Chapati) ×2 · Toor Dal (Arhar) Tadka ×1 · ਮਿਲੀ-ਜੁਲੀ ਸਬਜ਼ੀ ×1 · Curd (Dahi) ×1 · Green Salad ×1
|
577 | 21.1 g | 74.6 g | 21.0 g | 16.2 g |
| Evening snack |
Roasted peanuts with black tea
Peanuts ×0.6 · Black Tea, no sugar ×1
|
88 | 3.9 g | 3.0 g | 6.0 g | 1.3 g |
| Dinner |
Two dosa with sambar
Plain Dosa ×2 · Sambar ×1.2
|
392 | 9.7 g | 56.8 g | 13.1 g | 8.6 g |
| Day total | 433 + 113 + 577 + 88 + 392 = | 1,603 | 58.2 g | 180.6 g | 69.6 g | 42.6 g |
Day 6 · Saturday
| When | What | kcal | Protein | Carbs | Fat | Fibre |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Breakfast |
Dosa with sambar and chutney
Plain Dosa ×2 · Sambar ×1 · Coconut Chutney ×0.7
|
406 | 9.6 g | 55.7 g | 15.2 g | 8.5 g |
| Mid-morning |
Bowl of curd
Curd (Dahi) ×1
|
90 | 4.7 g | 4.5 g | 6.0 g | 0.0 g |
| Lunch |
Chana dal, roti and sabzi
Chana Dal ×1 · Roti (Chapati) ×2 · ਮਿਲੀ-ਜੁਲੀ ਸਬਜ਼ੀ ×1
|
510 | 18.2 g | 72.9 g | 15.2 g | 16.3 g |
| Evening snack |
Bowl of sprouts
Moong Sprouts Salad ×1
|
92 | 7.0 g | 13.0 g | 1.2 g | 4.0 g |
| Dinner |
Roti, dal and mixed sabzi
Roti (Chapati) ×2 · Toor Dal (Arhar) Tadka ×1 · ਮਿਲੀ-ਜੁਲੀ ਸਬਜ਼ੀ ×1
|
466 | 15.7 g | 66.5 g | 14.6 g | 13.8 g |
| Day total | 406 + 90 + 510 + 92 + 466 = | 1,564 | 55.2 g | 212.6 g | 52.2 g | 42.6 g |
Day 7 · Sunday
| When | What | kcal | Protein | Carbs | Fat | Fibre |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Breakfast | 433 | 20.1 g | 44.2 g | 19.4 g | 14.7 g | |
| Mid-morning |
One banana
Banana ×1
|
105 | 1.3 g | 24.0 g | 0.3 g | 1.8 g |
| Lunch |
Roti, dal, sabzi, curd and salad
Roti (Chapati) ×2 · Toor Dal (Arhar) Tadka ×1 · ਮਿਲੀ-ਜੁਲੀ ਸਬਜ਼ੀ ×1 · Curd (Dahi) ×1 · Green Salad ×1
|
577 | 21.1 g | 74.6 g | 21.0 g | 16.2 g |
| Evening snack |
Filter coffee
South Indian Filter Coffee ×1
|
66 | 1.9 g | 8.4 g | 2.6 g | 0.0 g |
| Dinner |
Roti, moong dal and lauki
Roti (Chapati) ×2 · Moong Dal ×1 · Lauki Sabzi ×1
|
378 | 13.6 g | 57.2 g | 10.1 g | 13.0 g |
| Day total | 433 + 105 + 577 + 66 + 378 = | 1,559 | 58.0 g | 208.4 g | 53.4 g | 45.7 g |
Adjusting it
At 1,598 kcal a day this week sits well below a typical adult maintenance intake — a mild deficit for many adults, and genuinely light for anyone active. To move it in either direction, the lever in South India is the same as everywhere else and it is not the cuisine: it is the grain. One katori of rice instead of two, or two rotis instead of three, moves a day by two to three hundred calories on its own and leaves everything you actually taste untouched.
To push protein up without changing the character of the food, add a second katori of the dal or legume that is already on the plate. That is cheaper than any other option and it is already in your kitchen.
The same chart, another kitchen
Twelve other regional weeks, each portioned from its own staples.
The questions that come after the chart
What does a normal South Indian day of food add up to?
On this plan, 1,598 kcal and 57.1 g of protein a day on average, across five eating occasions. Individual days run from 1,559 to 1,723 kcal. A festival day or a restaurant meal sits well above this.
Is this a real South Indian plan or a north Indian plan renamed?
It is built from South India's own dishes: rice, fermented batters, sambar, rasam, coconut, curd and vegetable poriyal. Where a signature dish is not in the underlying nutrition dataset it has been estimated specifically for this site and marked, rather than swapped for a north Indian dish with a regional name attached.
Where does South Indian food usually go wrong nutritionally?
A fermented-batter breakfast, rice at both main meals, a legume-based sambar and one or two dry vegetables. The structure is genuinely good: fermentation, legumes at every meal and vegetables cooked with very little water. What tips it is the quantity of rice and the quantity of coconut oil.
Can I use this to lose weight?
At 1,598 kcal a day this week sits well below a typical adult maintenance intake — a mild deficit for many adults, and genuinely light for anyone active — it was written to show what the region eats, not to create a deficit. If you want a deficit built on similar food, the goal-based plans are the place to start. The honest answer is that the regional pattern matters far less than the serving count: two katoris of rice instead of one moves the number more than the cuisine does.
Calories and macros are computed from the ThaliFacts dataset, which is based on the Indian Food Composition Tables 2017 (ICMR–NIN), plus the regional dishes estimated for this site and marked est wherever they appear. Energy reconciles against 4P + 4C + 9F on every build. Every source, with the date it was last checked, is listed on the sources page. General information only — not medical or nutrition advice. These are illustrative plans built on average values; they are not prescriptions and cannot account for allergies, conditions or medication.
ਸਰੋਤ·Computed from ThaliFacts food data·ਸਮੀਖਿਆ ਜੁਲਾਈ 2026
The people behind these sites
Follow the build
This site and nine others like it are built and photographed by two people: Amit Sharma — behind the build; Geeta Patel — the poses, demonstrated. New work goes up on Instagram and Facebook before it reaches a page here.
Following changes nothing here — every page stays open, with no account and no wall.