Meal planning can help keep your health goals on track. Consider purchasing and prepping ingredients over the weekend in order to save time during the week.
An effective weekly meal plan includes nutritious foods that meet your calorie requirements and can be adjusted based on personal tastes and dietary restrictions.
Breakfast
Breakfast provides our bodies with essential energy-restoring fuel after an overnight fast, helping regulate blood sugar levels and increasing mental alertness – an essential aspect of learning for kids.
Breakfast should include nutritious carb sources like whole grains and fruit that provide fiber and help fill you up quickly. Look for low-sugar fruits and whole grain breads to minimize added sugar.
This week’s plan features an assortment of breakfast ideas, from this sweet-savory blueberry muffin and an immune-boosting green smoothie bowl, to quick egg and vegetable microwave breakfast sandwiches and protein-packed frittata with veggies and cheese, and an easy strawberry banana smoothie. Plus, using your slow cooker provides you with an opportunity to save time and money by pre-cooking meals ahead of time and ensure they contain more nutritional value than those purchased on-the-go which often contain added sodium and added sugars!
Lunch
Lunch is the midday meal which provides energy throughout the afternoon and into the evening, helping maintain stamina through to dinnertime. Packing a healthy lunch may also reduce reliance on sugary snacks and excessive takeout meals while simultaneously saving money.
An ideal lunch should include complex carbohydrates (like whole grains, quinoa and brown rice) with fibre to promote satiety as well as protein to support brain function as well as healthy fats found in avocado, nuts and seeds that promote heart health.
No matter your level of experience with lunch packing, this dietitian-approved meal plan can give you all of the tools to start eating healthier. Each week includes four healthy recipes and an in-depth grocery list; designed for just one but easily modified for up to four people with leftovers making great dinner and lunch choices the following day!
Dinner
Nourish your body and delight your taste buds with these healthy dinner recipes! From easy chicken and vegetable stir frys to hearty soups, these weeknight meals are packed with healthy ingredients. Many can even be prepared ahead of time and frozen – check each recipe for instructions on making ahead and storing.
Roasted balsamic chicken with cranberries makes an easy and flavorful weeknight dinner option that takes 30 minutes or less to prepare! Enjoy this delectable dish for dinner tonight!
Sheet pan chicken fajitas make the ideal no-hassle dinner option, pairing perfectly with cilantro lime rice to provide a healthy yet quick and convenient dinner solution.
Creamy and cheesy, these healthy creamy chicken enchiladas will quickly become one of your weekly go-to dishes! Perfect for meal prepping!
15-minute lo mein is quick and healthy alternative to takeout! Packed full of fresh vegetables and coated in an aromatic sauce.
Snacks
Snacking on nutritious treats between meals can help stave off hunger and nutrient deprivation. A balanced snack should include proteins, carbohydrates and fats for energy boost.
Food is fuel, and when we don’t eat enough, our minds become foggy and productivity drops significantly. Snacking plays an integral role in maintaining stable blood sugar levels that prevent unexpected spikes and crashes in blood sugar.
The best snacks combine protein and carbs for maximum satisfaction, such as whole fruit with cottage cheese or carrot sticks with hummus. Nuts provide both protein and healthy fats to further increase filling power of these options.
Avoid snacks high in sugar or salt for an instant energy boost that could later cause sugar cravings and stomachaches. Instead, aim to snack every three hours on something healthy to stave off hunger while providing your body with enough energy to perform its tasks of work or study.
