With the start of the school year, and fall sports, it’s easy to get into a pattern of skipping breakfast or grabbing takeout dinner. But to make sure you have enough energy all day long, it’s key to eat healthy meals and snacks. Read on for some recipe ideas that are weekday-friendly!
Breakfast
Eating a good breakfast will help kickstart your day. So, what makes for a good breakfast? Ditch the sugary cereals and opt for something that fills you up. A mix of protein, carbohydrate, and fat is the recipe for success. A great option that you can make in a big batch over the weekend is an egg muffin. Check out my version! If you’re not feeling eggs in the morning, give a yogurt parfait a try! Start with yogurt, then layer fruit and granola on top. Another quick breakfast option is one of my go-to comfort foods – a filling bowl of oatmeal.
Lunch
Lunch is often one of the trickiest meals to figure out, especially during high school. Making a wrap sandwich is super easy and can be customized to include whatever you’re feeling that day! My secret ingredient is some shredded Monterey Jack cheese for a little flavor kick! If you’re sick of sandwiches, a Bento box is a great alternative. There are so many possible combos!
Dinner
Let’s tackle dinner! If you have afternoon practice or a game, then dinner should be your most filling meal of the day. But don’t wait until evening to get started. Break out the slow cooker in the morning for turkey + bean chili. Add all the ingredients, give it a good stir, then set it and forget it! Here’s my favorite recipe. Another family favorite is make-your-own personal pizzas. Change it up by using Naan bread for the base.
Snacks
Don’t forget to snack in-between meals, especially in the afternoon. But beware – a lot of snacks tend to overdo it on the sugar and/or fat content. For a snack to be filling, it needs to contain carbohydrate + protein. So, skip the vending machines and give a high-protein muffin a try! A more classic snack idea is pairing up cheese, nuts + fresh or dried fruit. My go-to post-workout snack is a refreshing fruit + yogurt smoothie.
There you have it! Meal and snack ideas for the entire day. Remember – it doesn’t have to be complicated to eat healthy. Start small – work on improving one meal (or snack) at a time. Which recipes will you try this week?