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It’s a holiday week! Enjoying the festivities doesn’t have to derail your healthy eating plan. Instead, focus on packing your plate with nutritious foods up front, so you can loosen the reigns later in the week.
This week’s meal plan allows you the flexibility to enjoy the holiday (and your favorite dishes!) while still making room for healthful fare like cold brew oats, creamy pasta and honey mustard-glazed salmon. Whether you’re traveling this week or prepping a big meal to host family and friends, we’ve got energizing breakfasts, filling lunches, and simple dinners to power you through.
What to Eat This Week, November 20, 2023
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Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Breakfast
Eating breakfast is associated with better energy and concentration — two things we need a lot of during a holiday week. So get your day off to the right start with these easy-to-make breakfast options.
Baked Eggs in Avocado by Adam Richman
Avocado and eggs go together like peanut butter and chocolate, don’t you think? While the avocado cups are broiling, spread a piece of whole-grain toast with Greek yogurt and top with smoked salmon and tomato. This will bolster the protein, fiber-rich carbs, and veggies in your meal.
Cold Brew Overnight Oats by Frances Largeman-Roth, RDN
Cold brew is the clever liquid base in these wholesome overnight oats. While oats are a fiber-rich satisfying breakfast, most people benefit from getting at least 20 grams of protein in the morning. To help hit this goal, pair your oats with a side of plain or low-sugar yogurt.
Whole-Grain Toaster Waffle
Spread waffle with Greek yogurt (plain or low sugar) and top with berries.
Lunch
This week’s lunches are easy to assemble and take on the go. They are great options for a quick lunch in between meetings and errands or as a brown bag option if you’re traveling this week.
Waldorf Tuna Salad with Greek Yogurt by Carrie Parente
Swapping traditional mayo for Greek yogurt doesn’t just save calories, it also boosts nutrition, providing some calcium and gut-nourishing live and active cultures. We suggest serving this dish over salad greens with whole-grain crackers on the side, but you could also stuff it into a whole-grain pita and have veggies on the side.
Veggie-Packed Sandwich
Mash some rinsed and drained canned chickpeas into store-bought hummus. Spread the mixture over 2 slices of toasted whole-grain bread. Layer jarred, roasted red peppers and baby spinach between the two bread slices and fold into a sandwich. Serve with some baby carrots.
Dinner
This week’s dinner lineup includes timesaving tactics like bottled salad dressing and a one-pan meal. They also help you pack in the veggies early in the week, so you can enjoy the Thanksgiving spread and leftovers.
Creamy Kitchen Garden Pasta by Gesine Bullock-Prado
Pasta is an easy and affordable meal, and this version is the perfect mix of creamy and nourishing. What could be better?
Sheet-Pan Honey Mustard-Glazed Salmon with Broccoli and Sweet Potatoes by Katie Lee Biegel
A balanced sheet-pan dinner means you don’t have to have multiple dishes cooking at once, and clean up is a breeze.
Caesar Chicken Thighs with Broccoli by Nina Elder
A lettuce-less Caesar? You bet! Store-bought Caesar dressing is an easy way to dress up your next chicken dinner. Since this Caesar has no croutons, serve with a slice of sourdough bread to sop up leftover dressing.
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:
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Medjool dates with nut or nutless butter.
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Blueberries over ricotta cheese.
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Celery spread with cottage cheese.
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Baby carrots dipped in protein-boosted mashed avocado. To make the dip, mash chickpeas or white beans into avocado.
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Apple slices sprinkled with cinnamon and drizzled with tahini.
This article was originally published on TODAY.com