What to Eat During Perimenopause: A Simple Nutrition Approach That Actually Works

A quick google search of “What are the best foods for perimenopause?” will give you a list of boring foods that you 'must eat' that no doubt will make you think that your days of cake and pasta are behind you (they're not!).

I'm a nutritionist, and I'm a big believer that food should support your life, not take it over. I'm not interested in giving you another list of rules. But what does that mean in reality?

I use a really simple idea called Crowding In.

Instead of starting with everything you need to cut out, restrict or avoid, we start by crowding in more of the foods your body needs to thrive.

We start with protein, fibre, and probiotics. With this as our foundation, there's naturally less room (and often less desire thanks to the awesome work of our microbiome but more about that another time), for the foods that don't support you quite as well.

And the choice is always yours.

Life is for living and cake is for eating after all!

What are the best foods to eat during perimenopause?

There isn't one magic perimenopause food.

Your body doesn't suddenly need a completely different diet because you're in your 40s. But the hormonal changes of perimenopause can make things like muscle maintenance, appetite, energy, cardiovascular health, bone health and body composition increasingly important.

So rather than looking for one miracle food, I prefer to look at the overall pattern of your diet.

My starting point is to crowd in:

• Protein to support muscle and repair

• Fibre-rich plants to support gut, heart and metabolic health

• Fermented foods where you enjoy and tolerate them

• Whole-food carbohydrates to provide energy and nutrients

• Healthy fats to support overall health

• Variety because your body needs more than three “superfoods”

You don't need to eat perfectly.

You need a pattern that you can actually live with.

The Crowd-In approach

One of the biggest mistakes I see women make in midlife is trying to fix everything by taking something away.

Less food.

Less carbs.

Less sugar.

Less alcohol.

Less calories.

More rules.

And eventually, less enjoyment.

Crowding In takes a different approach. Instead of asking, “What do I need to stop eating?” ask, “What does my body need more of?” That's a much more useful question.

1. Crowd in protein

Protein is having a serious moment right now, and for good reason.

As we move through midlife, maintaining muscle becomes increasingly important. Muscle supports strength, physical function and metabolic health, and resistance training combined with adequate protein is one of the best ways to support it.

Protein also helps with satiety, which can make it easier to feel satisfied between meals.

You don't need to turn every meal into a protein challenge, but I do encourage women to make protein a deliberate part of their meals.

Good sources include:

• tofu and tempeh

• beans and lentils

• eggs

• Greek yoghurt

• fish and seafood

• chicken and other lean meats

• cottage cheese

• nuts and seeds

Protein needs vary from woman to woman depending on body size, activity, health and goals. For many active midlife women, around 1.2–1.6g of protein per kilogram of body weight per day can be a useful range, particularly when maintaining or building muscle is a priority.

Rather than becoming obsessed with hitting one perfect number, start by asking:

“Where is the protein in this meal?”

That's crowding in.

And remember that nutrition and movement work together. Protein can support muscle, but strength training gives your body the reason to keep building and maintaining it.

Read more: Why You Need to Get Stronger During Perimenopause, Not Just Exercise More

2. Crowd in fibre

Protein might be the celebrity nutrient right now, but fibre is the quiet achiever that deserves far more attention.

Fibre supports healthy digestion, helps you feel fuller after meals, supports cardiovascular health and provides fuel for beneficial microbes in your gut. It can also help moderate the rise in blood glucose after a meal, particularly when you're eating fibre-rich carbohydrates alongside protein and healthy fats.

For most women, aiming for around 30g of fibre a day is a useful target and the easiest way to get there isn't by buying a tub of fibre powder. It's by crowding in more plants.

Think:

• vegetables

• fruit

• legumes

• whole grains

• nuts

• seeds

And whilst you won't find one magical “hormone-balancing” vegetable, variety in plants will ensure you are eating enough fibre each day.

Different plants provide different types of fibre and micronutrients, so eating a wide range of plant foods is a much more useful strategy than obsessing over one particular superfood.

Fibre is also an important part of the removal of toxins from our body. You may have heard that fibre “gets rid of excess oestrogen” but that's an oversimplification. Fibre is involved in normal bowel function and having regular bowel movements, helps to excrete toxins including those associated with our hormones.

What we do know is that a fibre-rich dietary pattern is associated with a range of health benefits, including better cardiovascular and metabolic health and both of these are increasingly important as we move through midlife.

And that's what I'm interested in. Supporting your whole body, rather than chasing one symptom at a time.

3. Crowd in fermented foods

Your gut microbiome is another reason I don't want you to think about nutrition as simply calories, protein and weight. The trillions of microorganisms living in and on your body interact with your digestive system, immune system and many other aspects of health.

Fermented foods can be an enjoyable way to introduce live microorganisms into your diet.

Depending on the food, examples can include:

• natural yoghurt with live cultures

• kefir

• kimchi

• sauerkraut

• some fermented vegetables

• other traditionally fermented foods

But here's an important distinction: not every fermented food is automatically a probiotic food.

“Probiotic” has a specific scientific meaning. It refers to live microorganisms that, when consumed in adequate amounts, provide a health benefit.

Regularly including fermented foods that you enjoy and tolerate will have a real benefit to your overall health. Your gut microbes will also benefit from the fibre and plant diversity you feed them.

In other words, your gut doesn't just need probiotics, it needs a good food supply too.

4. Don't be afraid of carbohydrates

This is possibly the point at which you breath a sigh of relief!

If you've been around the internet for more than five minutes, you could be forgiven for thinking that carbohydrates are responsible for every problem women experience in midlife.

They're not.

You do not need to eliminate carbohydrates during perimenopause. Carbohydrates are an important source of energy, and foods such as fruit, vegetables, legumes, potatoes and whole grains can provide fibre, vitamins, minerals and other beneficial compounds. They are important for our physical and mental health.

The type of carbohydrate matters.

So does the overall meal.

Rather than eating a highly refined carbohydrate on its own and wondering why you're hungry again an hour later, try combining carbohydrate with protein, fibre and healthy fats.

For example:

• oats + Greek yoghurt + berries + nuts

• wholegrain toast + eggs + avocado

• lentils + vegetables + olive oil = delicious salad

• fruit + yoghurt + seeds

This is one of the reasons I don't believe in demonising individual foods because context matters.

What about blood sugar during perimenopause?

You may have noticed that you're suddenly much more aware of energy crashes, cravings or feeling ravenous between meals. Hormonal changes, sleep, stress, activity, diet and changes in body composition can all influence metabolic health and appetite.

Rather than trying to micromanage your blood sugar all day long, start with the basics.

Build meals around:

protein + fibre-rich plants + quality carbohydrates + healthy fats.

This combination tends to be much more satisfying than eating carbohydrates alone and gives you a more balanced foundation for your day.

And if your energy is all over the place, don't automatically assume that nutrition is the only answer.

Sleep and stress matter too.

Read more: Why You're Waking Up at 3am in Perimenopause

Read more: The Mental Load of Midlife Women — And Why Perimenopause Makes It Harder

What if I'm gaining weight during perimenopause?

This is one of the biggest concerns I hear from women. Your body can start to feel unfamiliar. Clothes fit differently. Your usual approach to food doesn't seem to work in the same way. You might be exercising more and eating less, yet still feel like your body is changing.

But I don't want you to conclude that your metabolism has simply “broken”.

Changes in body composition across midlife are influenced by many things, including ageing, muscle mass, activity, sleep, stress, appetite, hormonal changes and overall energy balance.

So the answer isn't necessarily to eat less and exercise harder.

Instead, start by looking at the bigger picture:

Are you eating enough protein?

Are you getting enough fibre and plant foods?

Are your meals satisfying?

Are you moving your body and maintaining muscle?

Are you sleeping well?

How much stress are you carrying?

This is why I don't believe in treating perimenopause as a collection of individual symptoms.

Your body is a system and nutrition is one piece of that system.

What should I eat for breakfast during perimenopause?

Breakfast is one of the meals where I see women struggle to get enough protein and fibre.

And if you're someone who starts the day with coffee and a piece of toast, only to find yourself starving by 10am, it may be worth experimenting with a more balanced breakfast.

Like me, you may have grown up being told that breakfast is “the most important meal of the day”. And in the last 10 years we've been encouraged to fast through breakfast. So which one is correct? For women in midlife, reducing the cortisol that naturally spikes in the first 30 minutes after waking, can have many benefits.

Breakfast can be a really useful opportunity to crowd in protein, fibre and nourishing foods right from the start of your day.

Think:

• oats with yoghurt, berries and seeds

• eggs with wholegrain toast and avocado

• tofu scramble with vegetables and wholegrain toast

• yoghurt with fruit, nuts and seeds

I created the Peri Brekkie Blueprint because breakfast was one of the meals I found hardest to make both nutritious and interesting. It's a simple guide to a balanced breakfast without eating the same thing every morning.

You can download the free Peri Brekkie Blueprint here

You don't need a perfect diet

This is probably the most important thing I want you to take away from this article.

You don't need to eat perfectly to support your body through perimenopause.

You don't need to give up carbs.

You don't need to live on salads.

You don't need to count every gram of food.

And you definitely don't need to feel guilty because you ate the cake.

Instead, think about crowding in.

More protein.

More fibre.

More plants.

More variety.

More nourishing foods.

More meals that actually satisfy you.

And then there is still room for the foods you love.

Life is for living and cake is for eating!

The goal isn't perfection. The goal is to create a way of eating that supports the woman you are becoming while still allowing you to enjoy your life.

And nutrition is only one part of that picture.

The way you move, sleep, manage stress and care for yourself all interact with the way you feel during perimenopause.

Not sure where to start?

You don't need to overhaul your entire life tomorrow.

If you're feeling exhausted, struggling with sleep, noticing changes in your body or simply don't feel like yourself, your biggest opportunity might not actually be nutrition.

It could be sleep.

It could be stress.

It could be movement.

It could be energy.

That's why I created the Perimenopause Snapshot Quiz.

It takes a few minutes and gives you a clearer picture of where your body may need the most support right now.

Take the free Perimenopause Snapshot Quiz

Find out where to start, without trying to change everything at once.

TAKE THE FREE SNAPSHOT QUIZ

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the best foods to eat during perimenopause?

There isn't one best food for perimenopause. A balanced eating pattern built around protein, fibre-rich plants, whole-food carbohydrates, healthy fats and plenty of variety is a better approach.

How much protein should I eat during perimenopause?

Protein requirements vary between women. For many active midlife women, around 1.2–1.6g per kilogram of body weight per day can be a useful range when maintaining or building muscle is a priority. Spreading protein across meals can also make it easier to meet your needs.

How much fibre should I eat during perimenopause?

Around 30g of fibre per day is a useful target for many women. Increase your intake through vegetables, fruit, legumes, whole grains, nuts and seeds, and increase gradually if your current intake is low.

Should I stop eating carbohydrates during perimenopause?

No. Carbohydrates don't need to be eliminated during perimenopause. Choose mostly minimally processed carbohydrate sources such as fruit, vegetables, legumes, potatoes and whole grains, and combine them with protein, fibre and healthy fats.

Can nutrition help with perimenopause weight gain?

Nutrition can support healthy body composition, but weight changes during midlife are influenced by many factors, including muscle mass, activity, sleep, stress, hormonal changes and overall energy balance. Focusing on nourishing, satisfying meals is generally more useful than simply trying to eat as little as possible.

Do I need to eat probiotic foods during perimenopause?

You don't need a specific number of probiotic foods every day but aiming for 3 serves is a good target. Fermented foods such as yoghurt, kefir, kimchi and sauerkraut can be included as part of a varied diet if you enjoy and tolerate them. Fibre-rich plant foods are also important because they provide fuel for many beneficial gut microorganisms.

What should I eat for breakfast during perimenopause?

A useful starting point is to combine protein, fibre-rich foods and a source of carbohydrate and/or healthy fat. For example, yoghurt with berries and seeds, eggs with wholegrain toast and avocado, or oats with yoghurt, fruit and nuts.

What foods should I avoid during perimenopause?

There isn't a universal list of foods every woman needs to avoid. Rather than starting with restriction, try crowding in more of the foods your body needs. This leaves room for flexibility and enjoyment while improving the overall quality of your diet.

About Louise

Louise is a nutritionist specialising in women's nutrition and lifestyle during perimenopause and midlife. Through The Peri Protocol, she helps women understand the changes happening in their bodies and build practical nutrition and lifestyle strategies to feel more energised, rested and confident through this stage of life.

Last updated: September 2026