This was quite the unusual week. A few extra treats were hanging around my house, so I had to get creative with portion control. Even with the challenges, I still managed to get my minimum of 5 fruits/veggies a day, so I consider that a win!
As usual, a few recipes are included below, including a new one my kids have declared their FAVORITE! 🙂
This is my last food journal post for a while, since I’m heading into a busy time of work + my son’s baseball season. I hope the photos and meal ideas have been helpful!
Make today a healthy one!
DAY ONE: SATURDAY
Breakfast: Black coffee; Oatmeal with unsweetened almond milk, drizzle of honey, cinnamon, berries, and almonds.
Lunch: Veggies and hummus; Tuna salad; Multigrain crackers; Grapes; Crust from my daughter’s grilled cheese sandwich. I filled up fast, so ended up putting some of this food back for another time.
Afternoon Snack: I made pies for my church and had a little leftover dough. I made a pie-dough cinnamon bake and ate a couple pieces. Had to get it out of sight so I wouldn’t eat the whole pan. 🙂
Supper: Slow cooker white chicken chili; Organic tortilla chips; Kale salad.
Evening snack: Apple crisp made from extra pie apples. There’s a reason I only make pie once a year…It’s a big-time weakness of mine! I made a cup of decaf coffee, which helped cut the sweetness. Also cut back on the sugar in the recipe and used half whole-wheat, half all-purpose flour in the crumb topping.
DAY TWO: SUNDAY
Breakfast: Black coffee; Ezekiel English muffin with peanut butter; Orange slices.
Lunch: Cucumbers and tomatoes with hummus; Tuna salad wrapped in a provolone slice; Grilled cheese crust from my son’s sandwich.
Afternoon Snack: Funky monkey yogurt parfait
Supper: Leftover white chicken chili; Organic tortilla chips; Apple.
Evening snack: Air-popped popcorn.
DAY THREE: MONDAY
Breakfast: Black coffee; Oatmeal with unsweetened almond milk, drizzle of honey, cinnamon, berries, and almonds.
Morning Snack: Banana; Spoonful of crunchy peanut butter.
Lunch: This day was so jam-packed with work that I forgot to eat lunch (something I never do!). I ended up grabbing something quick and easy in the afternoon — Ezekiel toast with peanut butter + Plain yogurt with peanuts and semisweet chocolate. No fruits and veggies, but this worked in a pinch.
Supper: Cucumber and tomatoes with hummus; Tuna salad with a provolone slice; A few bites of cheese tortellini (not pictured).
Evening snack: Multigrain chips; Apple.
DAY FOUR: TUESDAY
Breakfast: Black coffee; Ezekiel toast with peanut butter; String cheese; Banana.
Morning Snack: Larabar (apple pie flavor).
Lunch: Salad with spinach, blueberries, goat cheese, toasted pecans, and balsamic vinaigrette; Tuna salad on a provolone slice; Root vegetable chips.
Afternoon Snack: Plain yogurt with peanuts and semisweet chocolate; Kashi Heart to Heart cereal.
Supper: Baked Asian salmon; Sweet potato; Salad with romaine, shredded cheese, and clean ranch dressing; Grapes (not pictured).
Evening snack: Multigrain chips; Apple.
DAY FIVE: WEDNESDAY
Breakfast: Black coffee; Scrambled eggs; Orange slices.
Morning Snack: Tall nonfat chai latte from Starbucks.
Lunch: Meeting with my mentor at Firehouse Subs – Hook and Ladder Light sandwich; Dill pickle; SunChips. (This was a higher carb and sodium meal than I usually eat. I loaded up on water and green tea in the afternoon!)
Afternoon Snack: (on the go) – Kashi Heart to Heart cereal.
Supper: Leftover turkey chili (reheated from frozen); Organic tortilla chips; Watermelon.
Evening snack: Apple; Plain yogurt with peanuts and semisweet chocolate.
DAY SIX: THURSDAY
Breakfast: Black coffee; Scrambled eggs; Orange slices.
Lunch: Homemade “lunchables” with whole wheat crackers, colby cheese, and Hormel Natural Choice deli ham; Baby carrots; Watermelon.
Afternoon Snack: (on the go): Multigrain chips; Banana.
Supper: Breakfast for dinner – French toast casserole using whole wheat bread (I cut WAY back on the maple syrup called for in the recipe) – This was a big hit with the family!; Uncured bacon and chicken breakfast sausage; Frozen mixed berries slightly thawed.
Evening snack: Air-popped popcorn + a couple oatmeal cookies (not pictured – Not a usual nighttime snack for me. I had people over and served cookies that I’d baked previously and frozen. I lightened up the recipe when I made them, and thawing a limited quantity helped with portion control.)
DAY SEVEN: FRIDAY
Unfortunately I ended up with a nasty stomach bug overnight, so this day consisted of water and a few saltine crackers. I also added an electrolyte/vitamin drink later in the day to replenish the nutrients I’d lost.
My guiding principles when it comes to food:
1. Aim for mostly whole foods that are minimally processed.
2. Eat at least 5 fruits and vegetables each day. I don’t worry about the ratio…I just focus on variety and what’s available at the moment.
3. Pay attention to hunger cues and portion sizes.
4. If I slip up and/or knowingly eat an unhealthy food, I try not to compensate with disordered eating patterns (i.e., starving myself at the next meal, saying “forget it” and bingeing, etc.). A healthy view of food means making the best choice right now, no matter what I ate at the last meal.
