Whole foods meal plan, planned to your goal
A whole foods meal plan is built mostly from unprocessed foods: fresh meat and fish, eggs, plain dairy, whole grains, legumes, fruit and vegetables. In Cauli, a meal counts as whole foods when processed ingredients such as deli meats, bacon, jarred sauces and dressings are at most 10% of its grams, and at least two-thirds of your week's main meals meet that bar.
What counts as whole foods in Cauli
Processed catalogue ingredients (deli meats, bacon, sausages, jarred sauces, dressings, cooking spray and the like) are at most 10% of the dish's grams.
| Leans toward | Fresh meat and fish, eggs, plain dairy, whole grains, legumes, fruit and vegetables. |
|---|---|
| Steers away from | Processed meats, jarred sauces and dressings as the base of a dish. |
| In the Week's reasons | "Built on whole foods" |
Checked in code from each dish's ingredients and USDA numbers, never written by a model. These thresholds are Cauli's current rules and may be tuned before launch.
Why plan it, not just follow a list
Whole foods is less about rules than about what the base of each meal is. A measurable line (90% of the grams unprocessed) keeps it honest without banning a spoonful of pesto.
How Cauli plans a whole foods week
- Two-thirds of your main meals. At least two-thirds of the week's breakfasts, lunches and dinners meet the whole foods bar. Snacks and the Evening treat are too small to count.
- Still on target. Every day lands within 5% of your calories with protein close behind, from your goal: lose fat, build muscle, recomp or maintain.
- Around your week. Each meal is a Cook, a Batch or a Leftover, planned around the nights you can't cook.
- Combine focuses. Hold several; each must reach two-thirds of your main meals on its own. Pick it in onboarding or just tell Cauli.
- Never overrides the basics. Allergies, the foods you won't eat and your Daily target always come first.
What we don't claim
We say a dish is built on whole foods or mostly unprocessed. We never say clean or toxin-free. A Food focus is a way of eating, not a medical diet. If you have a medical condition, plan with your doctor or a registered dietitian.
Other Food focuses
- High fiber
- Anti-inflammatory
- Gut-friendly
- Mediterranean
- Low carb
- Low sugar
- Plant-forward
- High protein
Cauli is on the App Store for iPhone.
Questions people ask
Does whole foods mean no sauces?
No. A dish can use a little of a jarred sauce or dressing as long as processed ingredients stay at or under 10% of its grams.
Can I combine whole foods with another Food focus?
Yes. You can hold several, and each must reach two-thirds of your main meals on its own.
Is a whole foods week still portioned to my calories and protein?
Yes. A Food focus tilts which meals Cauli chooses. Every day still lands within 5% of your calorie target with protein close behind, and the focus never overrides your allergies or the foods you won't eat.
