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You asked, we answered! Hundreds of Start TODAY members have told us they want healthier, more balanced meal ideas to help them reach their health goals. This dietitian-designed meal plan will help you learn the building blocks of healthy eating and give you the flexibility to tackle spring and summer.
Meal planning is one of the easiest ways to eat healthier, reduce decision fatigue – stop wondering what’s for dinner at 3:00 p.m. – and save money. money by skipping prepared and take-out meals.
This week’s assortment keeps you on track with easy-to-assemble breakfasts and lunches and light dinners. To plan for the week ahead, review the recipes and make a list of the ingredients you need. Think about whether you’re going to make dinner every night or whether you’re going to double — or triple — a recipe to eat as leftovers later in the week. Then head to the store.
With your kitchen stocked and the menu planned, the next step is to prepare your meals. That’s where the real fun comes in: enjoying a range of healthy dishes from cold brew oats to creamy pasta to honey mustard glazed salmon.
What to eat this week, April 17
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Breakfast
Eating breakfast is associated with better energy and focus, so start your day off right with these easy-to-prepare breakfast options.
Avocado Baked Eggs by Adam Richman
Avocado and eggs go together like peanut butter and chocolate, don’t you think? While the avocado cuts are grilling, spread a piece of whole grain toast with Greek yogurt and top with smoked salmon and tomatoes. This will boost the protein, fiber-rich carbs, and vegetables in your meal.
Cold Brew Overnight Oatmeal by Frances Largeman-Roth, RDN
Cold brew is the smart liquid base for these wholesome rolled oats. While oats is a hearty breakfast rich in fiber, most people benefit from at least 20 grams of protein in the morning. To help you achieve this, pair your rolled oats with a side of plain or low-sugar yogurt.
Whole Grain Waffle Toaster
Spread the waffle with Greek yogurt (plain or low sugar) and garnish with berries.
Lunch
This week’s lunches are multi-tasking – both could be turned into a salad or a sandwich. We recommended one of each. Although leftovers are the consumer’s choice, we believe that the Edamame Roasted Corn Succotash would be a perfect packed lunch.
Waldorf Tuna Salad with Greek Yogurt by Carrie Parente
Replacing traditional mayonnaise with Greek yogurt not only saves calories but also boosts nutrition, providing calcium and gut-nourishing live and active cultures. We suggest serving this dish over green salads with whole grain crackers on the side, but you can also stuff it into a whole grain pita and have vegetables on the side.
Roasted chicken sandwich
Spread whole grain bread with mayonnaise and grainy mustard and pile with roast chicken, lettuce and tomatoes. Serve with baby carrots on the side. For a vegetarian optionuse mashed chickpeas.
Dinner
This week’s dinner lineup includes plenty of time-saving tactics, such as bottled salad dressing, frozen edamame, and a one-pot dinner. If something catches your eye, make enough for leftovers, the ultimate time saver.
Honey Mustard Glazed Salmon on a Plate with Broccoli and Sweet Potatoes by Katie Lee Biegel
A balanced dinner on a baking sheet means you don’t have to cook multiple dishes at once and cleanup is a breeze.
Edamame Roasted Corn Succotash by Adam Richman
Since edamame is a vegetable protein, you can easily serve this dish as a main dish without meat. However, if you want another easy source of protein, eat it with store-bought rotisserie chicken.
Chicken Lemon Tarragon by Kevin Curry
It’s a hard dish to mess up. The mixture of lemon juice, olive oil and fresh tarragon enhances ordinary boneless chicken thighs in less than 20 minutes. Serve over brown rice (frozen, if desired) and roasted vegetables.
Creamy Vegetable Pasta by Gesine Bullock-Prado
Pasta is an easy and affordable meal, and this version is the perfect blend of creamy and filling. What could be better?
Caesar Chicken Thighs with Broccoli by Nina Elder
A Caesar without lettuce? You bet! Store-bought Caesar dressing is an easy way to dress up your next chicken dinner. Since this Caesar doesn’t have croutons, serve it with a slice of sourdough bread to soak up any leftover dressing.
Snacks
Snacks that contain whole food sources of protein and fiber provide a winning formula that keeps you full for hours. Here are some ideas:
● Medjool dates with nut butter or without nuts
● Blueberries on ricotta cheese
● Celery spread with cottage cheese
● Baby carrots dipped in protein-enriched mashed avocado. To make the dip, mash the chickpeas or white beans into the avocado.
● Apple slices sprinkled with cinnamon and drizzled with tahini
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This article was originally published on TODAY.com