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You asked, we answered! Hundreds of Start TODAY members told us they wanted more healthy, balanced meal ideas to help them reach their health goals. This dietitian-designed meal plan gives you the flexibility to ease into a new month — all while learning the building blocks of healthy eating.
What to Eat This Week This Week: March 20, 2023
Spring is when we think about fresh starts, and the bounty of seasonal produce invites you to try a new veggie or two. This week’s menu features seasonal MVPs, including snap peas, carrots, avocado, asparagus, and lettuce. You’ll find these ingredients in meals from Steak Caesar Salad to Chickpea Burgers, showing you how to enjoy foods and flavors you love in healthy ways.
Breakfast
If you’re not a breakfast eater, let these low-maintenance ideas inspire you to make it a habit. Take 10 minutes to prep the scrambled eggs in advance (they’ll last up to four days in your fridge) and reheat a portion before assembling your tacos. The grapefruit meal is easy to put together, and you can broil the fruit while making your coffee.
Breakfast tacos? Yes, please! The recipe calls for one egg, which doesn’t provide sufficient protein in the morning, so we recommend topping your tacos with canned, drained black beans. You could also double up on the eggs, provided you have no more than 7 per week.
Broiled Grapefruit with Yogurt, Nuts and Honey
Section ½ grapefruit, sprinkle with cinnamon, and drizzle with honey. Broil until the topping bubbles and the grapefruit begins to caramelize. Then top your grapefruit with plain or lower-sugar Greek yogurt and nuts or seeds (such as pumpkin or hemp seeds).
Lunch
Sandwiches and salads are standard lunch go-to's, but these versions are anything but typical. With some minimal advanced prep, assembling these meals before you head to work or sit down to eat is a cinch.
Here’s an easy lunch wrap that combines the flavors of your favorite salads. Though the recipe involves making a quick dressing, you could skip this step and use bottled dressing instead. Then, add some avocado slices to your wrap. Serve your wrap with sliced red pepper strips and a dip made with Greek yogurt mixed with pesto to taste. This will amp up the protein and veggie goodness.
Tired of the same old salad? Here’s a lettuce-less salad with four types of veggies, noddles, and a rich-flavorful dressing. Prep the dressing and salad in advance (making enough for leftovers) and combine them when you’re ready to eat. Toss with shelled edamame–a great source of plant-based protein.
Dinner
We rounded up several recipes to help you enter into spring. This week’s focus is feel-good meals featuring seasonal produce. Bonus: None of these recipes require more than 20 minutes of hands-on time.
Serving steak over salad is a healthy way to enjoy red meat, and it’s a filling combo that feels light, too. Plus, the salad’s mix of little gem lettuce and snap peas makes for the perfect crunch.
When you don’t have time to do much cooking, buy a store-bought rotisserie chicken to pair with this quick, veggie side dish. Whip up a big batch of this pesto and freeze what you don’t use to season other meals later on. If your meal doesn’t feel complete without a starch, serve it with quinoa. Using a frozen version means everything will be ready to eat in 15 minutes or less.
Chickpea burgers are easy to make with a food processor. Do yourself a favor and make a big batch to freeze and enjoy later. Serve your burger on a whole grain pita with all the fixings and have roasted carrots on the side.
This is a gluten-free, dairy-free, low-carb version of chicken piccata, but don’t let that put you off. The chicken is breaded in seasoned almond flour and cooked until golden brown, and the sauce is rich and creamy. While it’s served over zucchini noodles, you could mix them with whole grain or legume-based pasta if you’d like.
Layering lasagna on a busy weeknight is a hard no for me. Take a pass on that and dump your ingredients in a pan for this fuss-free version that tastes like the real deal. Serve with a side salad.
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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