This 7-day healthy meal plan proves that you don't have to sacrifice taste to eat more plants
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All of the world’s healthiest diets have a plant slant, and studies show you don’t have to give up animal products completely to reap the benefits of eating more plants.
So this week, we’re showing you how to create plant-forward menus without giving up animal foods, like dairy, eggs, chicken, seafood and meat. We accomplished this goal by packing the menu with nuts, seeds, beans, fruits, vegetables and whole grains — delivering the goodness of plant foods in everything from a chicken burrito bowl to pesto spaghetti. Plus, we’ve included some meatless meals that are hearty, filling, and full of protein.
What to Eat This Week, August 12, 2024
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Monday
Breakfast: Vegetable Frittata Muffins with fruit
Lunch: Tuna-Chickpea Salad Sandwich
Dinner: Copycat Burrito Bowls
Snack of choice
Tuesday
Breakfast: Whole Grain Toaster Waffle with Greek Yogurt, Berries and Chia Seeds
Lunch: Leftovers
Dinner: Super Green Spaghetti with Zucchini Pesto with Shrimp
Snack of choice
Wednesday
Breakfast: Vegetable Frittata Muffins with fruit
Lunch: Caprese Pasta Salad with Chicken
Dinner: One-Pan Teriyaki Salmon
Snack of choice
Thursday
Breakfast: Vegetable Frittata Muffins with fruit
Lunch: Tuna-Chickpea Salad Sandwich
Dinner: Sheet-Pan Honey-Chile Chicken with Corn, Zucchini and Peppers
Snack of choice
Friday
Breakfast: Whole Grain Toaster Waffle with Greek Yogurt, Berries and Chia Seeds
Lunch: Caprese Pasta Salad with Chicken
Dinner: Chicken Pesto Smashed Burger with Baked Carrot Fries
Snack of choice
Breakfast
Mornings are hard enough, so keep your breakfast routine simple. Make a batch of the frittata muffins in advance for a grab-and-go option or throw together an easy meal with staple ingredients.
Vegetable Frittata Muffins by Joy Bauer
Serve with 1 cup or 1 piece of fruit.
Whole Grain Toaster Waffle with Yogurt and Berries
Spread toasted waffle with Greek yogurt or cottage cheese and topped with berries and chia seeds.
Lunch
Continuing with the plant-slant theme, we’ve got some plant-forward ideas for you that are easy to assemble the day of or just before your meal.
Tuna-Chickpea Salad Sandwich
To make, mix 1 can tuna (drained), with ½ can chickpeas (rinsed and drained), 1-2 tablespoons mayonnaise, and 1 tablespoon sunflower seeds. Stuff half the mixture in a whole wheat pita stuffed with lettuce and tomato.
Caprese Pasta Salad with Chicken by Laura Vitale
This pasta salad stands alone as a substantial lunch. With protein-rich chicken and plenty of veggies, this well-balanced meal will keep you full until dinner.
Dinner
We’ve rounded up five dinners that feature plants in a variety of ways. For instance, the spaghetti includes a mix of vegetable and traditional noodles, plus zucchini in the pesto. These are strategies you can apply to your family favorites, too.
Copycat Burrito Bowls by Casey Barber
This hearty bowl is basically a blueprint for balanced eating. Carbs come from rice and beans (which also supply some protein), healthy fats come from avocado, and protein comes from the chicken chicken. It’s also topped with salsa to meet your veggie requirements.
Super Green Spaghetti with Zucchini Pesto by Mia Rigden
This recipe offers the best of both worlds: A combination of spaghetti and zucchini noodles means you’ll get the benefits of veggies and the satisfaction of pasta. To balance out your meal with some protein, use chickpea or lentil pasta, or serve it with some chicken or shrimp.
One-Pan Teriyaki Salmon by Jessica Sepel
This dinner is a rarity — it’s just as quick to make as it is impressive. And by cooking veggies right on the sheet-pan, you have a complete meal with little cleanup.
Sheet-Pan Honey-Chile Chicken with Corn, Zucchini and Peppers by Casey Barber
This sheet-pan meal has all the elements of a nutritionally balanced meal, so you don’t need to make anything to go along with it. Adding a touch of honey to your seasonings is a research-backed strategy to help you sustain healthy eating habits.
Chicken Pesto Smashed Burger by Melissa Knific
Carrot Fries by Joy Bauer
A delicious chicken burger with plenty of lean protein, tasty pesto and melted cheese makes a satisfying dinner. Serve it with tasty carrot fries.
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:
Clementine and nuts
Grape tomatoes and lentils (canned and rinsed) seasoned with lemon juice or vinegar.
Pineapple and cottage cheese
Red peppers with goat cheese-pesto dip. To make dip: Mix store-bought pesto with goat cheese. Thin with olive oil if needed.
Snap peas and hummus
This article was originally published on TODAY.com
