How to plan your daily eats during busy weeks

As a registered dietitian, the number one thing I hear from my clients is that they are too busy to eat healthy. I am here to debunk this ideology!

The past month has been the busiest for me by far between moving, traveling (California, DC, NYC, Florida, Georgia, Las Vegas) and keeping up with work, exercise, family and friends. It really tested me and so I put together this little cheat sheet to help guide your healthy meals – yes, even during those busy, busy weeks!

Breakfast

In the morning, it is important to fuel up on high quality carbohydrates, fiber and protein. These components will satiate you, give you energy and won’t weigh you down. For protein, I like hardboiled eggs (make a batch at the beginning of the week) or yogurt. For fiber/carbs, you can’t go wrong with a piece of fruit. For additional carbs/fiber and meet one of your whole grain servings for the day, opt for a low sugar granola or oatmeal. I also the new Voortman Sugar Free breakfast biscuits because they come in packs of two which make them easy to throw in your purse or gym bag on the go. They come in yummy flavors like apple cinnamon, chocolate banana and oatmeal blueberry.

Lunch

Lunch is a chance to really load up on the veggies. I usually throw together whatever is left in my fridge, toss with a protein like tuna, chicken or legumes and a homemade dressing like lemon tahini. I also always want something sweet after lunch so I’ll pack chocolate or granola.

Snack:

Build a snack with staying power by pairing protein with fiber! Fiber sources include fresh fruits, vegetables and whole grains like crackers and toast. Easy protein sources for midday snacks include peanut butter, raw nuts, sting cheese and roasted chickpeas. I almost always have some variation of this combo in my purse and carry-on.

Dinner:

Protein and fat should be the stars of your dinner but I almost always include some kind of carbs as well like sweet potato or brown rice. Since we are less active in the evening, I usually tell my clients they can scale back on carbs since we don’t need all the energy as we would when going about our day. Some of my favorite easy dinners include roasted sheet pans pairing veggies with a protein like salmon or chicken. One skillet meals are also a favorite with brown rice or quinoa, veggies and a protein.