With the weather getting colder, many of us are thinking about how to stay healthy and fight off colds and influenza. While there’s no magic elixir, eating a healthy diet comprised of foods known to have immunity-boosting qualities may help. Several nutrients have been noted to have these properties, such as protein, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, and zinc. A diet that includes lots of fruits and vegetables high in vitamins A and C including citrus fruits such as oranges and grapefruit, strawberries, raspberries, broccoli and carrots, foods with vitamin E such as avocado, and lean meats and legumes as sources of protein can be low in fat, low in calories and delicious. Check out this immunity-boosting meal plan to see how to work these cold and flu fighters into your diet.
Aim to drink 8 cups of water throughout each day.
Monday
| Breakfast
• 1 cup yogurt
• ½ cup strawberries, halved
• 1 cup orange juice
|
| Snack
• 4 graham cracker squares
• 1 tbsp almond butter
|
| Lunch Tuna-sunflower wrap • 2 hardboiled eggs, sliced
• 1 whole wheat tortilla
• ½ cup lettuce
• ½ cup (60 g) tuna (mixed with 1 tsp mayonnaise)
• 1 tbsp sunflower seeds
• 1/3 avocado, sliced
|
| Snack
• 10 baby carrots
• 1 cup skim milk
|
| Dinner Honey ‘n’ lime glazed salmon • ½ cup cooked green beans
• ½ cup cooked brown rice
• ¼ canteloupe, cut in chunks
|
| Total Calories: 1729 |
| Breakfast
• 2 rice cakes
• 2 tbsp almond butter
• 1 grapefruit
• 1 cup green or black tea
|
| Snack
• 1 orange
• 1 cup skim milk
|
| Lunch Leftover Honey ‘n’ lime glazed salmon • 1 cup green leaf lettuce
• ¼ cup sunflower seeds
• 1 whole wheat pita
Option: Use pita to make a Honey n’ lime glazed salmon pita sandwich or simply eat pita quarters as a side |
| Snack
• 1 cup yogourt
• ½ cup strawberries
|
| Dinner Chard ‘n’ cheese pie Green salad • 1 cup green or red leaf lettuce
• ½ cup sliced mushrooms
• ½ cup sliced cucumber
• 5 grape tomatoes
• 1 tbsp salad dressing
|
| Total calories: 1747 |
| Breakfast 1 yogourt smoothie • 1 cup yogourt
• ½ cup raspberries
Blend together until desired consistency |
| Snack Quick Avocado-Cheese snack • ½ whole wheat pita
• ¼ avocado
• 1 oz cheddar cheese
|
| Lunch Leftover Chard ‘n’ cheese pie • 1 whole wheat roll
• 1 cup skim milk
|
| Snack
• ¼ cup almonds
• 1 orange
|
| Dinner Grilled teriyaki-orange turkey breast • ½ cup cooked quinoa
• 1 cup kale, stir-fried with 1 chopped garlic clove and 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 cup vanilla frozen yogourt
|
| Total calories: 1811 |
| Breakfast
• 1 cup whole grain cereal
• ¼ cup blueberries
• 1 cup yogourt
• 1 cup green tea
|
| Snack
• 1 apple
|
| Lunch Arugula-Tuna Wrap • 1 whole grain tortilla
• ½ can (60 g) tuna (mixed with 1 tsp mayonnaise)
• ½ avocado, sliced
• ½ cup arugula
• 1 cup skim milk
• 1 plum
|
| Snack
• 10 carrot sticks
|
| Dinner Feta, rapini and sweet red pepper pasta • ½ grapefruit
|
| Total calories: 1856 |
| Breakfast
• 1 cup mixed fruit yogurt
• ½ cup raspberries
• 1 cup green tea
• 2 rice cakes
• 1 tbsp almond butter
|
| Snack
• 1 grapefruit
• 4 graham crackers (1 large rectangle)
|
| Lunch Leftover Feta, rapini and sweet red pepper pasta • 1 small whole wheat roll
• 1 orange
|
| Snack
• ½ whole wheat pita
• 2 oz cheddar cheese
|
| Dinner Superb pressed lemony chicken • ½ cup cooked brown rice
• 1 cup steamed broccoli
• 2 ginger snaps
|
| Total calories: 1835 |
| Breakfast
• 1 cup cooked oatmeal
• ¼ cup raisins
• 1 cup orange juice
|
| Snack
• 1 apple
• 2 oz cheddar cheese, cubed
|
| Lunch Beefy Caesar Salad with hot garlic bread |
| Snack
• 2 cups air-popped popcorn
• 1 cup green tea
|
| Dinner Chunky fall chili • 1 cup brown rice
• 2 tbsp grated cheddar cheese
• 1 cup frozen yogurt
|
| Total calories: 1765 |
| Breakfast 3 pancakes • ½ cup strawberries
• 1 cup skim milk
|
| Snack
• 1 pear
|
| Lunch Leftover Chunky fall chili • ½ cup cooked brown rice
• 2 tbsp grated cheddar cheese
|
| Snack
• 3 stalks celery
• 2 tbsp peanut butter
|
| Dinner Chicken-and-almond stir-fry • 1 cup couscous, cooked
• 1 cup stir-fried red and yellow pepper strips
• ½ red pepper
• ½ yellow pepper
• ½ tsp olive oil
• ½ cup ice cream
|
| Total calories: 1687 |