Sometimes all it takes to stick to a healthy diet is a plan and preparation. Moms are busier than ever these days. Heck, people are busier than ever, but moms especially. It seems that the demand to keep up with homework, school events, sports, activities, and your kids’ social lives requires more energy as they get older. On top of that there is housework, volunteering, budgeting, groceries, endless cooking, squeezing time in with your spouse, and if you work outside the home, your job. The idea of eating a healthy diet and getting enough exercise and sleep for yourself is exhausting. However, as challenging as it can be, it should be your number one priority to take care of yourself. Luckily, I’m making the healthy diet part simple for you with a ready made plan for the perfect healthy diet day, along with alternate choices to cover your whole week.
The Plan for a Perfect Healthy Diet Day
Meal #1
Breakfast: Meal Replacement Protein Shake
If you are busy this is the quickest and easiest way to a healthy breakfast. It is packed with all the good things that fuel you and give you the energy you need to keep up, not just in the morning, but throughout the day. I have one every single morning (just about), no matter how jammed packed our day is or how crazy our morning is going. Its nearly as much of a staple as my must have coffee. The key is to find a meal replacement protein powder that you like. To qualify as a meal replacement it has to have 200-280 calories per serving. My favorite comes from Isagenix, but there are several reputable nutrition companies out there, or you can try some off the shelves of your local nutrition store. Find the right one for YOU.
If meal replacement protein powder isn’t your thing try a make at home morning smoothie like the green monster spinach smoothie or this banana almond smoothie. To make it quick you can have your ingredients prepped and stored in snack size baggies in the fridge or the freezer.
Breakfast Alternatives
- Power Cakes– These are so easy to make ahead and have on hand for your week. I like to use a silicone muffin pan for the easiest clean up.
- Banana Breakfast Cookies– Everybody loves cookies. Bonus, these are healthy and also a meal you can make ahead of time for easy on-the-go eating in the morning.
- Blueberry Quinoa Breakfast– Cook your quinoa and keep it available in your refrigerator for fast assembly of this meal. Not a blueberry fan? Substitute with any other berry or fruit of your choice.
- Overnight Oats– These are my favorite alternative option. I actually eat these as my snack often. Prep them the night before in wide mouth mason jars and they are ready to go in the morning. Plus, there are so many ways you can make them. Click the link above for ideas.
Meal #2
Morning Snack: Celery+Cream Cheese+Flava
This snack is all about the flava. Yes, that is an official word for this post. Ingredients needed: Celery, cream cheese (light or regular), and Trader Joe’s Everything But the Bagel Seasoning.
Directions: Wash and cut your celery. Fill it up with the cream cheese, and sprinkle on the seasoning. Feel free to thank me later 😉
Snack Alternatives
- Sweet Potato Toast. There are so many things you can pile on top of a toasted slice of sweet potato to make a satisfying snack. Check out the link for ideas.
- Trail Mix + Cheese Stick. Try making a healthy trail mix at home or grab one you like from your favorite market. Then pair your mix with a cheese stick or a Babybel cheese round because who doesn’t like cheese!
- Energy Balls. This is a best loved snack in our house. I also pack these in my kids’ school lunches and send them to work with my husband for a mid-day pick-me-up. Follow the link to find 8 different ways to make them so you never get bored.
- Baked Tomato Parmesan. This snack is sort of a twist on bruschetta, only without the guilt.
Meal #3
Lunch: Chopped Salad
You can find this type of chopped salad kit at your local grocer and because everything you need is included inside, it is a super quick meal to make. There are a variety of salad choices from Sweet Kale, to Asian, to Caesar. I usually eat half the bag for my meal, which is around 200-250 calories.
Lunch Alternatives
- Tuna Stuffed Avocado. It’s a fresh and easy lunch to make that tastes so good. You can also try it with salmon.
- Protein Boxes. These are the adult version of lunchables. Pick and choose a few items and prep a some of these for your week using divided food containers for convenience. Find even more ideas here.
- No-Bread Turkey Club. If you are looking for low-carb, look no further. This satisfying lunch option even includes bacon! To make it quick have your bacon precooked for fast assembly.
- The Ultimate Veggie Sandwich. This is one of my personal favs. So much goodness between two pieces of bread. The homemade spread is what sends this one over the top. I like to use Killer Dave’s or Ezekiel Bread.
Meal #4
Afternoon Snack: Power Cake
Just the name alone makes you want to eat one of these babies, because by afternoon time we all need a little more power. All you need is a plain rice cake and toppings. Topping options: Nut butter of your choice, bananas, berries, dried fruit, dark chocolate chips, chia seeds, ground flax, or cinnamon. My personal favorite topping combo is Justin’s vanilla almond butter, dried cranberries, Enjoy chocolate chips, and chia seeds.
Snack Alternatives
- Greek Yogurt fruit dip. It’s the perfect healthy dip to accompany your fruit. Apples, Strawberries, bananas, grapes, or whichever you choose will make a nice, light afternoon snack.
- 3-Ingredient Cookies. These healthy cookies made with just quick oats, bananas, and cocoa powder will satisfy any sweet craving and they are easy to make. I like to top mine of with a dollop of nut butter.
- Hummus + Veggies. In my opinion homemade hummus is always the best but if you are looking for convenience you can’t go wrong with a quality brand from the store. Slice up some veggies and dip away.
- Yogurt Bowls. I always use Fage plain Greek Yogurt and sweeten it up with raw honey, maple syrup, or agave. Then I add in my choice of granola, fruit, and other healthy stuff like chia seeds, flax seed, or a little protein powder.
Meal #5
Dinner: Grilled Salmon with Avocado Salsa
I love salmon, but salmon on the grill is simply out of this world delicious. Try grilling your salmon on these cedar wood planks for the best flavor. The avocado salsa reminds me of summer and is so refreshing anytime of the year. Serve this next to a side of lemon & garlic kale or roasted broccoli to complete your healthy dish.
Dinner Alternatives
- Turkey Taco Bowls. This is a filling meal with lots of flavor. To make this healthier be sure to substitute the white rice with brown rice, quinoa, or riced cauliflower.
- Spaghetti with Zoodles. Spaghetti is a family meal staple and a go-to dinner when we are crunched for time. To make this alternative for the adults (because I know my kids prefer regular noodles) I use my trusty vegetable spiralizer. Use lean turkey to improve it even more.
- One Pan Meals. You can find a number of one pan meal ideas online. This Lemon Chicken with Asparagus is one of our family favorites. The best part is clean up is a cinch.
- Quinoa & Broccoli Casserole. It’s the perfect casserole to prep ahead of time and pop in the oven when you get home, or set your automatic timer so its ready right when you walk in the door from evening activities.
So there you have it friends. One perfect healthy day diet that you can stretch into a whole week of wholesome eating.
More tips for a healthy week:
Meal prep. Make a list of the ingredients you need for your meals and snacks that week, then see what you can prep ahead of time. This is a great way to lessen the crazy that happens during your week days.
Drink half your body weight in ounces of water each day. It is so important to stay hydrated and this is a great goal to aim for. Tip: Find a favorite water bottle and take it with you everywhere!
Limit your alcohol consumption. I definitely have a drink or two on the weekends, but during the week I try to cut out any alcoholic beverages. They are just empty calories and leave me feeling groggy in the morning when I wake up.
Move your body. Exercise goes without saying when it comes to being healthy, but it is another action that you need a plan for. Check out my popular She’s Got Body workout or visit my 28-day workout plan for ideas to add into your fitness schedule. You can even start with the 4-minute workout that you can do at your bathroom counter.
Great ideas, thank you for sharing! I’m always looking for easy, healthy meal ideas.
The blueberry quinoa breakfast sounds tasty! I will have to try it!