Enjoy healthier versions of comfort food favorites in this weekly meal plan
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This week’s meals center around vegetables, fruits, whole grains, lean proteins and healthy fats, like extra virgin olive oil. But the theme is convenience, showing you how to nourish your body without spending endless hours in the kitchen.
You’ll find many easy staples, like eggs, tuna, canned beans, rotisserie chicken and low-sugar barbecue sauce. From a Greek Egg Scramble to a Barbecue Chicken Quinoa Salad to Sheet Pan Flounder and Turkey Bolognese, you’ll enjoy healthy meals that take little effort. Dinners are mainly sheet pan and one-pot meals, and most take less than 20 minutes of work. Enjoy!
What to Eat This Week, August 26, 2024
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Monday
Breakfast: Breakfast Wrap
Lunch: Tuna Macaroni Salad
Dinner: Slow-Cooker Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole
Snack of choice
Tuesday
Breakfast: Sweet Potato Parfait
Lunch: Barbecue Chicken Quinoa Salad
Dinner: Spicy White Bean Soup with Greens and Turkey
Snack of choice
Wednesday
Breakfast: Breakfast Wrap
Lunch: Tuna Macaroni Salad
Dinner: Joy Bauer’s Sheet-Pan Roasted Chicken and Brussels Sprouts
Snack of choice
Thursday
Breakfast: Sweet Potato Parfait
Lunch: Barbecue Chicken Quinoa Salad
Dinner: Sheet Pan Flounder with Roasted Tomatoes and Black Olives
Snack of choice
Friday
Breakfast: Breakfast Wrap
Lunch: Leftovers
Dinner: Walnut-Lentil Bolognese
Snack of choice
Breakfast
Many people wonder if eggs are okay on a heart-healthy diet. According to the American Heart Association (AHA), they are. Most people can safely eat a whole egg per day or seven per week, though it also helps to include them in a plant-forward diet that limits saturated fat, sodium and added sugars.
Dylan's Breakfast Delight Wraps by Dylan Dreyer
This wholesome wrap has eggs, avocado, spinach and cheese. It's full of protein to keep you full and it's easy to prep ahead of time.
Sweet Potato Parfait by Joy Bauer
Rather than choosing processed carbs, like a bagel, sugary cereal or a piece of white toast, at breakfast, give sweet potato a try. It’s a better choice for taming hunger and giving your body the nutrients it needs to thrive. Meal prep the sweet potato puree in advance and then assemble the rest of the parfait the morning of.
Lunch
Two minimal meal prep options save you time and money this week. Quinoa — like other whole grains — will keep in the fridge for several days and freezes well, so consider making a big batch to use throughout the week and to freeze for later.
Tuna Macaroni Salad by Al Roker
Tuna is one of our favorite pantry staples because it’s a quick and budget-friendly source of protein and heart-healthy omega-3 fish fats. Here it’s mixed with another ingredient superstar — chickpea pasta— to boost the fiber and nutritiousness. The combo makes a versatile salad, so stuff it in a whole-grain pita with a side of baby carrots one day and serve it over arugula another. If you batch-cooked some quinoa, a spoonful would add a hearty, grainy element to the chickpea-tuna-arugula salad.
Barbecue Chicken Quinoa Salad by Gaby Dalkin
Barbecue chicken and quinoa are prepped in advance and then tossed with a few ingredients to create a tasty and filling lunch. If you don’t feel like making the chicken, use a store-bought rotisserie chicken instead. And choose a barbecue sauce with no more than 6 grams of added sugar per serving. You can also swap in unsalted canned or frozen corn for the corn on the cob to streamline the recipe further.
Dinner
This week’s dinner lineup features meals that are full of flavor but light on hands-on time. Whether you’re in the mood for a cozy casserole or a fish dish that will wow your diners, there’s something for everyone.
Slow-Cooker Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole by Casey Barber
Spend 15 minutes chopping and combining ingredients in your slow cooker in the morning, and come home to a comforting casserole later that day. Though the recipe says any type of milk will work, we recommend low- or fat-free milk to keep the saturated fat low. Serve with sautéed green beans.
Spicy White Bean Soup with Greens and Turkey by Melissa Clark
Loads of beans make this soup heart-healthy. Keep the sides simple and serve it with a basic green salad.
Sheet-Pan Roasted Chicken and Brussels Sprouts by Joy Bauer
Just 10 minutes of prep and your work is done. Every night should be this easy! Serve your chicken and veggies with a side of the quinoa you batch-cooked to make the Barbecue Chicken Quinoa Salad lunch.
Sheet Pan Flounder with Roasted Tomatoes and Black Olives by Julia Turshen
The rich combo of roasted tomatoes and black olives are the perfect flavor match for mild, flaky flounder. Though it’s an easy meal to put together, the results are impressive. And the best part is it dirties just one pan. Serve it with an arugula salad and some crusty whole-grain bread to soak up the juicy tomatoes.
Walnut-Lentil Bolognese by Radhi Devlukia Shetty
This pasta dish gets some healthy upgrades, such as lentils and walnuts for ground beef. Serve it over pasta (ideally whole grain or bean-based) with roasted broccoli or another veggie of your choosing.
Snacks
Snacks that contain whole food sources of protein and fiber offer a winning formula that keeps you full for hours. Here are a few ideas:
Apple slices with nutty dip. To make the dip, mix plain Greek yogurt with nut or nutless butter.
Ricotta cheese topped with grape tomatoes.
Red peppers with goat cheese-pesto dip. To make the dip, mix store-bought pesto with goat cheese. Thin with olive oil if needed.
Frozen spiced bananas with tahini. To make, sprinkle cinnamon and cacao powder over banana slices and freeze until firm. Drizzle with tahini.
Baby carrots with hummus.
This article was originally published on TODAY.com
