Comforting Winter Meals for Busy Days
In the midst of unpredictable winter weather, when temperatures fluctuate and days feel chaotic, turning to hearty yet simple comfort foods becomes essential. Slow cooker dishes, such as Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken with Black Beans and Corn, offer the perfect solution by allowing you to prepare everything in the morning and let it cook unattended until dinnertime arrives. Similarly, Instant Pot recipes like Italian Pulled Pork Ragu provide a faster cooking option that is incredibly versatile, often yielding delicious leftovers for additional meals throughout the week.
For those unfamiliar with these meal plans, they represent a series of complimentary 7-day flexible healthy eating guides designed specifically to support weight loss efforts. These plans serve merely as a flexible framework, offering substantial flexibility to incorporate extra items like additional servings of food, coffee, various beverages, fresh fruits, snacks, desserts, wine, or any other preferences. You have the freedom to substitute any suggested recipes with alternatives that suit your taste by exploring options categorized by course in the comprehensive recipe index. Tailor your intake based on personal objectives, aiming for a minimum of 1500 calories daily, though this can vary considerably depending on factors such as age, current weight, activity level, and specific goals.
Each plan comes equipped with a meticulously organized grocery shopping list that streamlines the entire shopping process, reducing stress and saving both time and money in the long run. By following this approach, you will naturally cut down on dining out, minimize food waste, and ensure all necessary ingredients are readily available to maintain consistency with your healthy eating routine.
Weekly Meal Schedule
This 7-day plan structures breakfast and lunch portions for one person from Monday through Friday, while dinners and all weekend meals are scaled to serve a family of four. Certain recipes generate sufficient leftovers to cover additional dinners or the following day’s lunch, promoting efficiency. The accompanying grocery list is thorough, encompassing every item required to prepare all the meals outlined in the plan.
MONDAY (2/16)
- B: Breakfast Burritos paired with an orange
- L: Tuna and White Bean Salad
- D: Kung Pao Tofu served with ¾ cup brown rice
Total Calories: 1,166*
TUESDAY (2/17)
- B: Breakfast Burritos paired with an orange
- L: Tuna and White Bean Salad
- D: Slow Cooker Chicken Enchilada Stuffed Sweet Potatoes accompanied by Black Bean, Avocado, Cucumber Salad
Total Calories: 1,266*
WEDNESDAY (2/18)
- B: Breakfast Burritos paired with ½ a grapefruit
- L: Turkey Club with an apple
- D: Baked Pasta with Sausage and Spinach alongside Massaged Raw Kale Salad
Total Calories: 1,237*
THURSDAY (2/19)
- B: Breakfast Burritos paired with ½ a grapefruit
- L: Leftover Baked Pasta with Sausage and Spinach
- D: Chicken and Broccoli served with ¾ cup brown rice**
Total Calories: 1,124*
FRIDAY (2/20)
- B: Air Fryer Breakfast Banana Split
- L: Leftover Baked Pasta with Sausage and Spinach
- D: Skillet Cajun Spiced Fish with Tomatoes, ¾ cup rice, and String Beans with Garlic and Oil
Total Calories: 1,152*
SATURDAY (2/21)
- B: Instant Pot Steel Cut Oats
- L: Tuna Melt (recipe doubled) with an apple
- D: DINNER OUT
Total Calories: 560*
SUNDAY (2/22)
- B: Potato Cheddar Chive Bake with a kiwi
- L: Italian Sub Broccoli Salad
- D: Korean Beef Bowls
Total Calories: 1,119*
*These figures serve as a general guideline only. Women typically target around 1500 calories daily. Utilize a reliable calculator to determine your personalized calorie requirements. The plan intentionally includes ample flexibility to accommodate extras like coffee, beverages, fruits, snacks, desserts, wine, and more.
**Prepare an additional 3 cups of rice for Friday dinner if you prefer.
Comprehensive Shopping List
Produce
- 2 medium oranges (any variety)
- 1 large grapefruit
- 2 medium limes
- 1 medium lemon
- 5 medium (ripe) bananas
- 4 medium kiwis
- 1 dry pint blueberries (or 1 small bag frozen)
- 5 medium apples (any variety)
- 2 medium (6-ounce) Hass avocados
- 1 small PLUS 2 medium red bell peppers
- 1 small green bell pepper
- 2 small heads garlic
- 1 (4-inch) piece fresh ginger
- 1 small PLUS 1 medium English cucumber
- 2 medium zucchini
- 1 small bunch celery
- 1 large carrot
- 1 pound green beans
- 1 medium Russet potato
- 4 medium sweet potatoes
- 1 ½ pounds broccoli florets
- 2 medium bunches scallions
- 1 small bunch/container fresh chives (can sub 2 tablespoons scallion greens in Potato Bites, if desired)
- 1 small bunch/container fresh dill
- 1 small bunch/container fresh basil
- 1 small bunch fresh cilantro
- 1 small head Iceberg lettuce
- 1 (5-ounce) clamshell/bag baby arugula or spinach
- 1 medium bunch Lacinato kale
- 1 dry pint cherry or grape tomatoes
- 5 medium PLUS 1 large vine-ripened tomatoes
- 1 small red onion
- 1 medium yellow onion
Meat, Poultry and Fish
- 1 pound 93% lean ground beef
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 pound thin-sliced boneless, skinless chicken breast cutlets
- 1 pound raw sweet Italian chicken sausage
- 1 package center-cut bacon
- 1 small package genoa salami (if buying from deli counter, you need 3 ounces)
- 1 small package sliced deli ham (if buying from deli counter, you need 3 ounces)
- 1 package sliced deli turkey (if buying from deli counter you need 6 ounces)
- 1 ½ pounds (4) white fish fillets, such as flounder, fluke or tilapia
Condiments and Spices
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Canola oil
- Cooking spray
- Olive oil spray (or get a Misto oil mister)
- Kosher salt (I like Diamond Crystal)
- Pepper grinder (or fresh peppercorns)
- Pure maple syrup
- Ground cinnamon
- Cinnamon sticks
- Hot sauce (optional, for serving with Breakfast Burritos)
- Garlic powder
- Dijon mustard
- Paprika
- Light mayonnaise
- Red wine vinegar
- Oregano
- Unseasoned rice vinegar
- Dry sherry
- Reduced sodium soy sauce*
- Samal Oelek (ground chili paste)
- Toasted sesame oil
- Bay leaves
- Crushed red pepper flakes
- Mirin
- White pepper (can sub black pepper in Chicken and Broccoli, if desired)
- Sesame seeds
- Cajun seasoning
- Gochujang sauce
Dairy & Misc. Refrigerated Items
- 1 (14-ounce) package extra-firm tofu
- 1 18-pack large eggs
- 1 pint liquid egg whites
- 1 (5.3-ounce) container low fat cottage cheese
- 1 (5.3-ounce) container nonfat plain Greek yogurt
- 1 small container light sour cream
- 1 (15-ounce) container fat-free ricotta cheese
- 1 (8-ounce) container 2% milk
- 1 (8-ounce) container skim, soy or unsweetened almond milk
- 1 (16-ounce) bag shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 (8-ounce) bag shredded part-skim mozzarella
- 1 small package fresh mozzarella
- 1 small block or sliced reduced fat provolone cheese
- 1 package sliced reduced fat cheddar or American cheese
- 1 small wedge fresh Parmesan cheese
- 1 small wedge fresh Pecorino Romano cheese (can sub ½ cup Parmesan in Baked Pasta, if desired)
Grains***
- 1 package (8-inch) low carb flour tortillas (such as Ole Extreme Wellness)
- 1 loaf sliced whole grain bread (I like Dave’s Killer Bread)
- 1 small package steel cut oats
- 1 medium package dry brown rice (or 12 cups pre-cooked)
- 1 package rigatoni pasta
Canned and Jarred
- 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes (I like Tuttorosso)
- 1 (10-ounce) can enchilada sauce (or ingredients to make your own)
- 2 (3-ounce) packets of tuna in water
- 2 (4.5-ounce) cans tuna in water
- 1 small jar sliced pepperoncini
- 1 small jar capers
- 1 (14.5-ounce) can chicken broth
- 1 (15.5-ounce) can black beans
- 1 (15.5-ounce) can Navy beans
- 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas
Frozen
- 1 (10-ounce) package chopped spinach
Misc. Dry Goods
- 1 small package light brown sugar
- 1 small package granulated sugar
- 1 small package pecan halves (if buying from bulk bin, you need 2 tablespoons)
- 1 small package lightly salted peanuts (if buying from bulk bin, you need 2 tablespoons)
- Cornstarch
- Colored sprinkles (optional, for Breakfast Banana Split)
Non-Food Items
- Heavy duty aluminum foil
*You can buy gluten free, if desired
