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You asked, so we answered! Hundreds of Start TODAY members have told us they want healthier, more balanced meal ideas to help them reach their health goals. Designed by a nutritionist, this meal plan gives you the flexibility to enjoy the comfort foods you desire while learning the basic elements of healthy eating.
This week’s menu is full of heart-warming dishes. Good news: You can already get a head start against heart disease by cooking most of your meals at home.The person who says Cook When you eat more at home, you’re more likely to eat less saturated fat, sugar, and salt, which contribute to your risk of heart disease. Eating at home more often also increases your intake of protective ingredients like vegetables, fruits, and whole grains.
This week’s meals include heart-protecting foods like whole grains, fruits, vegetables, beans, and seafood. From meatballs to roasted vegetable flatbread to spaghetti, our menu is sure to please both your heart and your stomach.
What to eat this week, October 2, 2023
>>Download this week’s meal plan
Monday
Tuesday
- breakfast: key lime piping
- lunch: buffalo chicken salad
- dinner: Roasted vegetable and herbed goat cheese flatbread with hot honey drizzle
- snack of choice
Wednesday
- breakfast: Oatmeal with pears, almonds and Greek yogurt
- lunch: leftovers
- dinner: Flavorful Swedish meatballs
- snack of choice
Thursday
Friday
- breakfast: Oatmeal with pears, almonds and Greek yogurt
- lunch: buffalo chicken salad
- dinner: Spaghetti aglio e olio with sautéed shrimp and salad
- snack of choice
breakfast
Cereal lovers will be satisfied with these delicious breakfasts that satisfy their sweet cravings without tons of added sugar. It also contains satiating protein and heart-healthy foods like nuts, seeds, fruit, and oats. Oats contain a lot of beta-glucan. Beta-glucan is a type of soluble fiber that helps raise blood sugar levels. cholesterol level. Make a big batch of oatmeal to eat throughout the week and add the toppings right before breakfast.
Oatmeal with pears and almonds
Francis Largeman Ross, RDN
Serve with plain Greek yogurt on top or on the side.
key lime piping
joy bauer
This recipe may sound like a dessert, but it can also be eaten as a nutritious breakfast. For extra fiber and nutritional value, enjoy in a cup or with fruit. Flavors of cherry, strawberry, pineapple, and banana complement this sweet-tart, protein-rich pudding.
lunch
Under exchange processed lunch meat Eating a veggie burger or rotisserie chicken is an easy way to reduce your risk of heart disease. Sodium and protein levels vary between veggie burgers, so choose one with less than 500 mg of sodium and at least 10 grams of protein.
Siri’s Mushroom and Lentil Veggie Burger
Siri Daly
Don’t have time to make your own? Cook frozen veggie burgers according to package directions. Serve layered with lettuce, tomato, onion, and avocado on a whole-wheat bun or English muffin. Enjoy with baby carrots.
buffalo chicken salad
Toss 1/2 cup of rotisserie chicken meat with 1 1/2 teaspoons mayonnaise, 1 1/2 teaspoons Greek yogurt, and hot sauce if desired. Scoop mixture over chopped romaine lettuce and diced cucumber. Serve with whole grain crackers (such as Triscuits).
dinner
This week’s dinner lineup includes two seafood dishes. Recommended by the American Heart Association. We also include favorites like meatballs and veggie-filled flatbreads that are sure to add to your recipe collection. To create heart-healthy dishes, she suggested substitutions, such as making flatbreads using whole-wheat pita or naan.
Valerie Bertinelli’s Roasted Cod with Cashew Coconut Topping
Valerie Bertinelli
A simple coconut-flavored spice topping transforms mild, flaky cod into a flavorful and impressive dish. Serve with sautéed spinach and brown rice (microwave or frozen, if desired).
Roasted vegetable and herbed goat cheese flatbread with hot honey drizzle
katie stilo
Between herbed goat cheese and a drizzle of hot honey, this veggie-filled flatbread is bursting with flavor. The recipe includes instructions for roasting vegetables while you’re preparing dinner, but preparing them ahead of time will make the meal come together in no time. For a heart-healthy flatbread, use whole-wheat pita or naan as the base and serve with a chickpea salad. To make the salad, toss drained and washed canned chickpeas with chopped tomatoes, cucumbers, and bottled vinaigrette.
Flavorful Swedish meatballs
joy bauer
A few stealth swaps make these meatballs healthier than the traditional version. Lean ground turkey replaces the classic ground beef and pork blend. And whole-grain oats replace regular bread flour. In this case, the creamy gravy is made without flour or butter, and instead of heavy cream, a small amount of light cream cheese is used. The result is a luxurious taste, but without unhealthy amounts of saturated fat. Serve the meatballs with steamed green beans and brown rice and egg noodles.
Chicken piccata sprinkled with parmesan cheese
Laura Vitale
Chicken piccata is usually cooked with 4 to 6 tablespoons of butter. This version reduces the butter to just 1 tablespoon and replaces the flour with almond meal, a nutrient-rich, grain-free alternative. Serve with roasted broccoli or baby potatoes.
Peperoncino spaghetti
monkey lamboria
Pasta is a staple of the Mediterranean diet and is often known as one of the healthiest meals. Here it is served as a side dish, as is done in the Mediterranean region. While the pasta is cooking, fry the shrimp in olive oil and serve as a main dish. Enjoy with a simple salad or your favorite vegetables.
snack
Snacks that include whole food sources of protein and fiber can help keep you full for hours. Here are some ideas:
- Baby carrots and roasted chickpeas.
- 1/2 grapefruit and nuts.
- Grape tomatoes and edamame.
- Snap peas with avocado dip. To make the dip, mash 1/3 avocado and 1/4 cup thawed frozen peas. Add fresh lime juice and salt and pepper to taste.
- Frozen blueberries (thawed) and ricotta cheese.
