Looking for meal inspiration? See what a registered dietitian eats in an average day in the summer. This weeks focus was keeping everything minimal effort with as little cooking as possible!
I hope everyone has been enjoying their summer! Is it just me or is this summer FLYING by? I truly cannot wrap my head around the fact that it's AUGUST! Even though July was gone in the blink of an eye, I have been trying to make the most of the warm weather here in Ontario! As Canadians we don't get warm weather for very much of the year so when it's here I am doing everything in my power to SAVOUR it! We have had cottage weekends, long weekend trips visiting friends in Newfoundland, and lots of time spent outdoors.
Which is why I have been relying on minimal prep, no cook options for my snacks and meals. By meal prepping a few things at the beginning of the week it has really been helping to make eating healthy easier during such a busy time of the year.
This is from our trip to Grose Morne National Park in Newfoundland!
As a registered dietitian, I get asked all the time for meal inspiration and to see what a day looks like in my life. So I thought since we're getting to the point in the summer when motivation may be a littler lower than normal when it comes to cooking- now would be the perfect time to share some inspiration!
I have outlined below ONE day of my life to show how I nourished my body this day. This week I was focusing on using up the fresh, local produce we had in the fridge and taking advantage of some meal prep staples I had ready for the perfect minimal prep, minimal cook summer meal options!
Please note that this post is only meant to be used as inspiration not for comparison. Everyone is different and what I eat one day may not look the same as what I eat the next.
What I had prepped this week:
- Berry Crumble Chia Pudding
- Mexican Street Corn Chicken Salad
- Washed Berries
- Protein Snack Cookies
*You can find all these recipes linked below!
Featured Recipes:
Below you can find all of the recipes I highlighted in today's 'What I Eat In A Day' video a long with some additional helpful nutrition resources!
Breakfast:
I have really been trying to prioritize choosing breakfast options that are higher in protein (meaning 20g+ of protein) and higher in fiber (more than 5g of fiber). This chia pudding is a great option make ahead o time if you know you are going to have a busy day or week ahead. They only take few minutes to prep and park in 21g of protein and 15g of fiber!
When I am having a coffee I always make sure to have it AFTER I finish my breakfast! Coffee can be an appetite suppressant and can spike your blood sugar and cortisol levels, so having it after a meal (when you don't have an empty stomach) is a great way to regulate these spikes.
Snack # 1:
As always, I was in the mood for a sweet snack in the mid-morning. This 4-ingredient higher protein peanut butter dip is always my go-to option for a quick snack. For a fun twist I turned it into an adult 'Dunkaroo' and paired it with Annie's graham cracker bunnies and some strawberries for dipping (and extra fiber)!
Lunch:
A meal prep chicken salad is ALWAYS my favorite thing to have on hand for busy weeks. I hate making lunch but whenever I know this is in the fridge I get SO excited. Today I used the chicken salad as the protein for a street corn inspired salad! I just paired it with some arugula, bell peppers, smashed avocado and Triscuits for a whole grain cracker!
Snack #2:
Once again the mid-afternoon snack craving hit today and I was in the mood for something a bit more savory! You truly can't beat a classic cheese + cracker combination so today I paired whole grain Triscuits with some marble cheese, and Lilydale turkey breast and served them with some cucumber slices.
Dinner:
Keeping with the theme of 'minimal effort' these sheet pan chicken shawarma bowls were the perfect easy summer dinner. The chicken, onions, cauliflower and peppers are cooked all together on a sheet pan and served over rice and greens with some optional toppings!
Sweet Treat:
TRUST ME make a batch of these vegan snack cookies, warm one up for 30 seconds in the microwave and pair with a bit of vanilla ice cream for the PERFECT post-dinner sweet treat!
+ I always finish the day off with some type of warm drink! It's become part of my nightly routine!
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Let's connect!
Do you ever struggle with a lack of motivation to cook meals during the day? Which meal do you struggle with the most? W I'd love to hear in the comments! If you decide to make any of these snack recipes or found this information helpful, don't forget to snap a photo and tag me on Instagram- @nourishedbynic.
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