Light and healthy meal plan
Our appetites tend to lean towards light and healthy foods when summer is in the air, but eating a low-calorie, low-fat diet year round can help you maintain a healthy weight. Plus, you can still enjoy a wide range of tasty foods. It's important to keep both caloric and fat consumption in check to ward off the love handles and sneaky weight gain that can come when the weather cools.
Nutrition experts recommend that the percentage of dietary fat you consume should not exceed 30 per cent of your total calories. The math may sound complicated, but it's simple to do when enjoying a diet full of fruits and vegetables, whole grain products, fish, legumes and eggs. This light and healthy meal plan meets that recommendation, keeps the calories under 1800 all week and even allows for the occasional ice cream. Just think...no need for boot camp before bathing suit season next year!
Aim to drink 8 cups of water throughout each day.
To view our week-long meal plan PDF you will need Adobe Acrobat. If you don't have it, click the logo below for a free software download.
| Breakfast • 1 cup bran flake cereal with ¼ cup skim milk • 1 banana, sliced • 1 cup skim milk |
| Snack • 2 tbsp hummus • 1 pita |
| Lunch Quick Salad Niçoise • 2 hardboiled eggs, sliced • 1 cup mixed salad greens • ¼ cup steamed green beans • ½ cup canned tuna fish • ¼ cup sliced olives • 1 tbsp vinaigrette dressing • 2 slices whole wheat toast • 1 pear |
| Snack • 1 low-fat yogurt • 2 ginger snaps |
| Dinner • ½ cup steamed rice • 1 cup steamed broccoli • ½ cup ice cream |
| Totals 43.6 g fat, 1599 kcal |
| Breakfast • 1 cup low-fat cottage cheese • ½ cup sliced strawberries • 1 whole wheat, toasted English muffin • 1 tsp butter |
| Snack • 4 graham crackers • ½ cup grapes • 1 cup skim milk |
| Lunch Roast turkey sandwich • 2 slices whole wheat bread • ½ cup lettuce • 1 slice tomato • 2 oz sliced roast turkey • 1 tsp mustard • 2 carrots, cut in sticks • 1 pickle • 1 apple |
| Snack • 1 yogurt • 2 rice cakes |
| Dinner • Asian pasta primavera (add ½ cup chopped tofu for protein) • ½ cup applesauce |
| Totals 25.8 g fat, 1769 kcal |
| Breakfast • 1 cup yogurt • ½ cup blueberries • 1 cup orange juice |
| Snack • 1 apple • 2 oz. cheddar cheese |
| Lunch • ¼ cup almonds • 2 celery stalks, cut in pieces |
| Snack • 1 cup chocolate milk • 1 muesli pita |
| Dinner • 2 whole wheat tortillas • ½ cup frozen yogurt • ½ cup strawberries |
| Totals 53.8 g fat, 1792 kcal |
| Breakfast • 1 cup oatmeal • ¼ cup raisins • 1 cup skim milk |
| Snack • 1 hardboiled egg • 10 baby carrots |
| Lunch • Leftover Sizzlin' fajita-style supper • 1 cup cooked rice Simple green salad • 1 cup salad greens • ¼ cup chopped cucumber • ¼ cup grape tomatoes |
| Snack • ½ cup bagel chips • 1 cup yogurt |
| Dinner • 1 cup cooked brown rice • 2 tbsp low-fat sour cream |
| Totals 24.1 g fat, 1407 kcal |
| Breakfast • 1 cup bran flakes • ½ cup milk • ½ cup blueberries • 1 cup orange juice |
| Snack • 1 banana |
| Lunch • Leftover Fiery squash chili • 1 cup cooked rice • 2 plums |
| Snack • 10 baby carrots • 2 oz cheese |
| Dinner • ½ cup cooked penne • 1 spinach salad • 1 cup fresh spinach • ½ cup sliced mushrooms • 1 quartered orange • 2 tbsp low-fat dressing • 1 biscotti cookie |
| Totals 45.7 g fat, 1753 kcal |
| Breakfast • ½ toasted whole wheat bagel • 1 tbsp peanut butter • 1 cup skim milk • 1 orange |
| Snack • 1 yogurt |
| Lunch • 1 tuna salad sandwich • ½ can canned tuna with 1 tbsp mayonnaise • ½ cup shredded romaine lettuce • 2 slices tomato • 2 slices cucumber • 2 slices whole wheat bread • 1 cup vegetable soup |
| Snack • 4 whole wheat crackers • 2 oz cheese slices |
| Dinner • 1 cup cooked brown rice • 1 cup sorbet with ½ cup raspberries |
| Totals 53.9 g fat, 1765 kcal |
| Breakfast • 3 small pancakes • 1 tbsp maple syrup • ½ cup blueberries • 1 cup skim milk |
| Snack • 1 latte • 1 apple |
| Lunch • Leftover Indian spiced ratatouille • 1 cup brown rice |
| Snack • 2 rice cakes with 2 oz melted cheese |
| Dinner Wrap-and-roast sole • 1 cup steamed green beans • 1 cup cooked basmati rice • 1 cup strawberries • ½ cup vanilla ice cream |
| Totals 40.3 g fat, 1637 kcal |
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