7-Day Meal Plan

BY Karen Roth, MS, CNC

This one-week eating plan will help recalibrate your sense of healthful portion sizes using some recipes from this January/February 2011 issue of VT. Each day’s menu has about 1,600 calories.

 

 

BREAKFAST

SNACK 1

LUNCH

SNACK 2

DINNER

 
2 eggs (or 5oz. firm tofu) scrambled with 1 tsp. butter, 2 cups spinach, and 1/2 cup diced tomatoes1 slice sprouted whole-grain toast with 1/2 tsp butter 15 dry-roasted unsalted almonds1 cup blueberries 1 3/4 cups low-sodium prepared lentil soup1 Wasa Crispbread1 large orange 1 medium apple, sliced, served with 2 Tbs. raw almond butter 1 wedge Tortilla LasagnaTossed salad (2 cups lettuce, 6 cherry tomatoes, 1/2 cup shredded carrot, 2 tsp. crumbled feta, and 2 Tbs. vinaigrette)
1 cup Overnight Chai Steel-Cut Oats1/2 cup blueberries 7 oz. plain nonfat Greek yogurt topped with 1 Tbs. chopped walnuts and 2 Tbs. pomegranate seeds 1 1/2 cups Fennel and Tomato SoupVeggie wrap (1 sprouted whole-grain tortilla filled with 1/2 mashed avocado, 1 romaine lettuce leaf, 2 slices tomato, 3 strips red bell pepper, and 3 slices red onion 10 unsalted pecan halves 1 cup Mac-and-Cheese Style Cauliflower1/2 cup steamed brown riceSpinach sauté (sauté 3 cups spinach in 2 Tbs. low-sodium vegetable broth, top with 1 Tbs. chopped walnuts)
1 cup low-fat, low-sodium cottage cheese1 small pear, sliced 2 celery stalks with 2 Tbs. raw almond butter 1 wedge Tortilla LasagnaTossed salad (2 cups lettuce, 1 slice red onion, 4 sliced radishes, 3/4 cup broccoli sprouts, 1/2 sliced red bell pepper, and 2 Tbs. oil-free dressing 7 oz. plain nonfat Greek yogurt topped with 1/2 cup blueberries 1 3/4 cups Stuffed Grape Leaves Casserole1 1/2 cups Fennel and Tomato Soup
1 cup Overnight Chai Steel-Cut Oats1 persimmon 1 sliced apple1/2 sliced avocado lightly dusted with cayenne pepper 1 cup Mac-and-Cheese-Style CauliflowerTossed salad (2 cups lettuce, 1 slice red onion, 4 sliced radishes, 3/4 cup broccoli sprouts, 1/2 sliced red bell pepper, and 2 Tbs. oil-free dressing 1 medium cucumber, sliced, served with 3 Tbs. cream cheese 3 slices Pistachio-Crusted Eggplant Cutlets1 cup cooked quinoa1 medium banana, sliced and topped with 2 Tbs. raw almond butter and 1 Tbs. honey
Egg taco (scramble 1 egg or 4 oz. tofu with 2 Tbs. salsa; serve in medium corn tortilla with 1 Tbs. shredded cheese and 1/2 chopped avocado 1 medium banana, sliced and sprinkled with 1 Tbs. ground flaxseed 1 1/2 cups Fennel and Tomato Soup1 slice garlic toast1/2 cucumber, sliced and lightly dusted with cayenne pepper 20 dry-roasted unsalted almonds 1 3/4 cups German Cabbage and Potato Casserole with Caraway1 1/2 cups Mushroom and Pappardelle Soup with Gremolata
Yogurt parfait (7 oz. plain nonfat Greek yogurt layered with 1/2 cup sliced strawberries and 3/4 cup whole-grain cereal such as Kashi Autumn Wheat) 1/2 sliced red bell pepper with 1/2 cup plain hummus 1 cup Mac-and-Cheese-Style Cauliflower1 medium apple 1 1/2 cups Mushroom and Pappardelle Soup with Gremolata 1 3/4 cups Stuffed Grape Leaves CasseroleTossed salad (2 cups lettuce, 1 slice red onion, 4 sliced radishes, 1/2 cup broccoli sprouts, 1/2 sliced red bell pepper, and 2 Tbs. oil-free dressing
1 cup Overnight Chai Steel-Cut Oats1/2 grapefruit 1 Wasa Crispbread topped with 2 Tbs. raw almond butter1 small apple 1 3/4 cups Mushroom and Papardelle Soup with GremolataEgg salad pita (1 small whole-grain pita stuffed with 1 cup egg salad or eggless tofu salad) 1/2 red bell pepper, sliced and served with 1/2 cup plain hummus 1 3/4 cups German Cabbage and Potato Casserole with Caraway8 asparagus spears roasted with 1 Tbs. olive oil and 1/2 tsp salt



comments

I love that you repeat meals so you can use leftovers. Since I'm cooking for one person, it makes following this meal plan easier.

Angela - 2013-05-18 22:54:52

I will try this

Marina - 2013-04-18 11:14:19

Would love to see vegetable alternatives for soy and dairy.

Jackie - 2013-03-24 16:50:32

I love the idea, but because of allergies this will not work for me. Gluten free options would be great - but even some gluten free foods (rice, corn, soy) are not allowed with my allergies. I would love to see some options that exclude these foods as well.

Alexis - 2013-02-10 16:13:50

I love this menu. Most eating plans have you eating something different for every meal. I don't have that kind of time. This is much the way I eat so something I will be able to easily follow! Since I am new to vegetarian eating this is very helpful to me.

Tara - 2013-02-09 14:13:31

I,m a susbscriber of Vegetarian Times plus Heathy Eating already

Rosa Sousa - 2013-02-06 15:21:48

I'm allergic to tofu and soy products What can I do to substitute these items? Also I canot eat lactose produts.

Rosa Sousa - 2013-02-06 15:19:22

I am wondering why for the dinners the meals have been repeated. I have resisted going on a commercial diet because I am vegetarian. I was excited to see this 7 day plan but was disappointed to see the repeated meals during the week. If you can make other suggestions for the repeat meals that would be great.

Patricia Knepper - 2013-01-30 15:06:22

I just looked closer at the printing format, and noted there is a VT advertisement strip across the bottom of the second page which is what blocks out the bottom of the 7th day plan. Could the online editors of VT kindly move the advertisement down to the next page and the file printing would work, at least for me. Rose, Lynne, Hollie and Anna are quite correct: the printing does not work the way it's set up. If the VT editors cannot move the advertisement banner, I will try Theresa and Susan's recommendations for printing. Thanks ladies!

Sarah - 2013-01-25 15:58:04

This looks very do-able and delicious, and I plan to simplify it so as to use on-hand and fewer ingredients and use leftovers. I will try printing recommendations suggested, as the format of this does not allow it to be printed as a file, as it cuts off the bottom of the 7th day meals. so it appears I will have to resort to the other means, which is a bit inconvenient and time consuming. I would also like to see 2-4 weeks of this. The overall plan looks healthy and yummy. Very nicely done! Many thanks.

Sarah - 2013-01-25 15:46:15

Yummy!

Sabra - 2013-01-25 02:07:26

Please share some vegan gluten free ideas for a 7 day portion control menu!

Maribeth - 2013-01-25 01:36:27

I'm going to try - sounds delicious - but, will wait until after the weekend as I have to obtain some of the supplies.

Diana K Cass - 2013-01-25 00:22:19

Thank you guys sooooooo much! my hubby released 25 lbs and I 19lbs since the last 3 months, and I was just going crazy trying to eat healthier maintain our current weight so this help means a lot to me; because I get very bored very quickly with food so this will help a great deal! Thank you VT :) KAS.

Kas Hibbert - 2013-01-24 15:12:30

I would love to try this, but I am allergic to eggs, diary and gluten...any suggestions....?

Sarah Lester - 2012-12-09 21:29:23