Meal Planning Ideas

christinafoulkes
christinafoulkes Posts: 25 Member
edited November 22 in Food and Nutrition
I’m going into week four of meal planning and love some new ideas! For breakfast I have been eating White egg omelet or steel cut oats with raisins. Snacks I’ve eaten cottage cheese w fruit, grapes with cheese, apple with cheese, veggies and hummus. Lunch is quinoa turkey and veggies, stuffed peppers with veggies, Veggies/Pita/Hummus. Dinner has been White Egg Omelet, Chicken Breast w black bean salad, Turkey stuffed pepper, Quinoa/Turkey.

Replies

  • livingleanlivingclean
    livingleanlivingclean Posts: 11,751 Member
    Try changing up your protein - whole eggs, seafood (salmon is delicious), beef, pork, yoghurt, different beans/legumes.

    Try different add instead to your oats - I don't find oats particularly satisfying, but think some Pb and berries would be delicious.

    Try new vegies or prep methods - stir fry, roasted, soup, raw in salad.

    Cook with different herbs and spices
  • RodaRose
    RodaRose Posts: 9,562 Member
    Breakfast: small pork chop or bacon with some veggies like broccoli cooked ahead of time.
    Lunch: black bean tacos
    Dinner: broiled or baked fish, with brown rice and sauteed tomatoes and zucchini.
  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
    Do you have any dietary restrictions? If not, you can eat anything. And as much variety as practically possible is optimal for health, as well as for adherance.

    I'm going with my usual suggestion - build your meals up from components: Protein (meat, fish, eggs, seafood, beans), fat (butter/oil), starch (grains, starchy vegetables), fruit, non-starchy vegetables, dairy, nuts/seeds, and mix&match to your preference. There are so many foods in each category, and so many ways to combine them, that it's pointless to just say "eat this" (and still, that's a billion dollar industry, telling people what to eat, like there's some secret miracle diet, and we readily buy that message, we have all done it) - eating isn't that complicated - get yourself a cookbook, google recipes, try to remember what you like to eat, go to the store, look at what they offer, try new things.
  • JeromeBarry1
    JeromeBarry1 Posts: 10,179 Member
    I kinda like the way I finished yesterday. Breakfast was 2 hardboiled eggs. Lunch was my green smoothie. Dinner was my pizza, followed by snacks of cookies, ice cream and chocolate, to finish under my calorie budget.
  • MeechyLA
    MeechyLA Posts: 159 Member
    You're eating great! I also recommend the universe of low-fat chili recipes out there using lean ground beef or chicken breast. Add some brown rice and veggies and you have a satisfying meal that's high in protein and easy to reheat.
  • Lounmoun
    Lounmoun Posts: 8,423 Member
    edited November 2017
    I don't restrict the type of foods I eat so much just calories.
    For breakfast I have stuff like oatmeal, yogurt, granola bar, cottage cheese, fruit, dinner leftovers, or a sandwich.
    For lunch I usually have dinner leftovers, salad or a sandwich.
    For dinner I plan something different for every night. Usually soup once a week.
    Snacks are stuff like carrots, fruit, popcorn, cheese, chocolate, chips and salsa, yogurt, cottage cheese.

    Recently for dinner:
    Turkey chili
    Macaroni and cheese, green beans
    Scrambled eggs, toast, fruit
    Minestrone
    Tandoori style chicken, rice and cabbage
    Grilled sandwich and salad
    French toast
    Chicken thigh, scalloped potatoes and broccoli
    Taco pie
    Spaghetti and meatballs, salad
    Thin crust cheese pizza with meatballs, salad
    Chicken curry, rice

    I find food ideas on Pinterest a lot.
    http://www.budgetbytes.com
    http://www.skinnytaste.com
    http://www.allrecipes.com
    http://www.ohsheglows.com
    http://www.kalynskitchen.com/
  • YosemiteSlamAK
    YosemiteSlamAK Posts: 1,230 Member
    For fruits and vegetables you can't go wrong eating what is in season. That will give you a variety through the year and diversify your intake.
    I cook the same meals for a week & rotate my proteins so I don't get burned out on eating the same one all the time. I rotate beef, chicken, turkey, pork and vegetarian dishes.
    I found 3 breakfasts I rotate through- oatmeal & yogurt; black beans & potatoes; omelets
    Find meals that fit into your calorie range for each time of day, if you like a small breakfast and a large dinner find meals that you enjoy that met your needs. I visit food websites regularly looking for new ideas, healthier preparations, etc.
  • pisces1983
    pisces1983 Posts: 10 Member
    Meal planning is what I am doing right now and it’s midnight here. I just google healthy recipes with things that I have on hand. I wanted something high protein but simple so I can take it to work tomorrow. Ended up with black beans, 1/2 avocado, tomato, cilantro, corn and shrimp salad.
  • christinafoulkes
    christinafoulkes Posts: 25 Member
    edited November 2017
    How does your avocado get to work without looking all nasty?
  • sarasmiles124
    sarasmiles124 Posts: 138 Member
    You should look up the blog Sweet Peas and Saffron. She actually does a lot of posts for meal prepping with a great variety of proteins and options. She also has a meal planning/prepping challenge that you can enter with a whole bunch of people. She has good, flavorful recipes.

    I also use Skinnytaste and Oh She Glows for great meal ideas.

    Christina, try putting some citrus on it. I find it keeps it from going brown by the time you eat. And I keep the pit in the avocado half I take with me.
  • maybe1pe
    maybe1pe Posts: 529 Member
    Recently I've made:

    spaghetti squash - all the ways, twice baked spaghetti, buffalo chicken, green chile chicken enchilada, broccoli cheese, yakisoba. every way I've tried it has been very few calories very filling.

    Stir fry can be low calorie if you watch your sauce. I like sesame chicken (campbells makes one that isn't too high in calories that I use when I'm feeling lazy) Or honey garlic chicken.

    Chicken Shwarma - yum (or Shwarma style chicken with the spices but bake it instead)

    garlic parm chicken with potato wedges.

    cajun spiced salmon with some roasted veggies.

    There's also a really good recipe out there somewhere for blackened tilapia with cucumber avocado salsa.... super good. I make extra to take for lunches.
  • laur357
    laur357 Posts: 896 Member
    christinafoulkes wrote: »
    How does your avocado get to work without looking all nasty?

    I cut an avocado in half, leave on the skin and the pit, and immediately wrap in plastic wrap so it's touching the fruit. The key is to reduce the amount of time it's exposed to air. Or, squeeze a little acid on it - lemon or lime juice. It'll be fine for a day or two, but you're probably not going to manage a whole work-week of cut avocado without it looking pretty terrible.
    Wholey guacamole 100 calorie packs are also great.
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