Want Variety?

This sample meal plan has it!

Mix up your meal planning! Think about variety and lots of it.

1. Aim for:

At least 3 different food groups in each meal.
At least 2 food groups in each snack.
A variety of foods.

2. Now, how to build a meal:

Choose your whole grain: barley, brown rice, corn, corn tortillas, oats, quinoa, whole grain bread, whole grain pasta, or whole wheat flour tortillas.
Choose your protein food: beans, chicken, edamame, fish, lentils, meat, nut butter, nuts, peas, seeds, shellfish, or tofu.
Make half your plate veggies and fruits.
Include dairy for strong teeth, nails, and bones.

This sample menu includes a variety of meal options. Choose 1 or 2 to try this week. Think about using ingredients in more than 1 way to avoid wasting food. For example, use the onion in the chicken dish and the chili. Next week, try a new food or recipe to add variety to your meals. Make meal planning easier by using themes. Use a theme anytime you need new ideas or want to make a meal more interesting.

Day 1

Breakfast:
Whole grain toast
Eggs with spinach and Greek Seasoning Blend
Berries
Milk

Snack 1:
Mini whole grain bagel
Tropical Yogurt Smoothie

Lunch:
Peanut Butter and Strawberry Sandwiches
Bell peppers
Milk

Snack 2:
Whole grain crackers
Fruit of choice
Water

Dinner:
Sheet Pan Chicken and Veggies
Water

Day 2

Breakfast:
Creamy Banana Walnut Oatmeal
Milk

Snack 1:
Ants on a Log
Raisins
Water

Lunch:
Crunchy Hummus Wrap
Juice

Snack 2:
Jicama
Easy Guacamole
Milk

Dinner:
Triple Bean Chili
Whole wheat spaghetti noodles
Water

Health EKitchen

Recipes in teal can be found in our Health eKitchen Meal Planner. You can find it on the dashboard.