Healthy Meal Plan For Family Of 4 On A Budget

Let's face it, most of us are busy, busy, busy. And if you're trying to meal plan for yourself, plus a partner and a few kids — the task can become even more challenging! You probably put little-to-no thought into your own nutrient needs and just grab whatever is convenient (i.e., cheese, pastries, pretzels, etc).

Well, now is the time to change your ways and start eating superfoods to boost your immune system. With this plan, you'll learn to make quick, delicious meals the whole family can enjoy. Plus you can spend some extra time on the weekends prepping healthy options for the coming week. You can even double (and triple) up on recipes to create a stash of home-cooked meals in your freezer.

Make scrambled eggs using the recipe found here. Serve with 1 slice of whole grain toast and 1 tablespoon whipped butter, jam or 1 piece of fruit.

Week Healthy Summer Meal Plan With Grocery List

Prepare 1/2 cup dry oats with water. Top with 1/2 cup chopped fruit and 2 tablespoons chopped walnuts. Add an optional sprinkle of cinnamon and 1 tablespoon of maple syrup, honey or sugar.

Prepare Joy's protein pancakes using the recipe found here. Serve with 1 optional teaspoon of maple syrup or 1 dollop of low-fat Greek yogurt.

For this restaurant option, order 1 house salad appetizer with 1 tablespoon vinaigrette (or substitute for shrimp cocktail, grilled calamari, or a cup of soup.) Order fish or skinless chicken prepared grilled, roasted, broiled or poached for a main dish. Add a side of steamed, grilled or roasted veggies.

Weekly Meal Plan With Free Shopping List Week 100

Top mixed greens with 5 ounces of protein (chicken, turkey, salmon, shrimp or tofu). Add 1/2 cup beans and unlimited non-starchy vegetables. Dress with 2 tablespoons vinaigrette.

Wrap 4 ounces grilled chicken breast, spinach leaves and preferred veggies in a whole grain tortilla. Serve with a side of red pepper sticks or other crunchy, plain veggies.

Order or make 5 pieces of maki roll or 4 pieces of sushi (bonus points for brown rice). Serve with a side of miso soup and 1 cup edamame.

Tips For Meal Planning And Eating Healthy On A Budget

Serve 1 portion of pesto pasta using the recipe found here. You can increase the portion size to 2 servings of the same recipe if you substitute zucchini noodles for traditional pasta. On the side, enjoy a salad with unlimited non-starchy veggies dressed with 2 tablespoons vinaigrette.

Make 1 serving of slow cooker oatmeal using the recipe found here. Top with 1/2 chopped apple, 2 tablespoons chopped walnuts and 1 teaspoon maple syrup. On the side enjoy 1 scrambled egg and 3 egg whites combined with preferred veggies and 2 tablespoons shredded cheese.

Make turkey burgers using the recipe found here. Serve on a whole grain bun with 1 tablespoon ketchup, 1 teaspoon optional mayo, lettuce, tomato, onions, and pickles. Serve sweet potato fries on the side using the recipe found here.

Healthy Family Meal Plans

Enjoy 2 slices of any thin-crust veggie pizza (frozen, restaurant or homemade). For a homemade version with a sweet potato crust use the recipe found here or this version with a cauliflower crust. On the side, serve a salad with non-starchy vegetables and 2 tablespoons vinaigrette.

Order chicken and broccoli with 1/2 cup brown rice. For an extra healthy option, order steamed chicken and broccoli with sauce on the side. Use just 1 to 2 tablespoons of sauce and a few dashes of reduced-sodium soy sauce.

Make 1 serving of chili using the recipe found here. Serve with an optional dollop of Greek yogurt and 1/4 cup reduced-fat shredded cheddar cheese. On the side, enjoy 1/2 cup brown rice. If you're looking to add a little extra spice, you can also try Joy's Slow Cooker Chicken and Vegetable Curry recipe which can be found here.I received a question from a reader this week asking for tips on how she could transition her family to clean eating.

Grocery Haul And Meal Plan

First of all, you have to go into this with the expectation that you WILL get off track. You will eat foods that aren’t clean, but that’s okay. It even makes the transition much easier. Trying to be perfect all the time would be overwhelming and set you up for failure. My personal goal is to stick to clean eating 80% of the time. The other 20% I still eat reasonably healthy with an occasional indulgence. However, my family probably only eats clean 50% of the time. If I make it for them, they eat it. But if it’s up to them, they still like to grab easy, unhealthy, junk food. I just make sure that I buy healthy snacks, and I encourage them to grab some fruit or veggies when they are hungry.

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Keep in mind that consistency is the key to change. What you do the majority of the time really does make a difference and adds up over time. I’ve lost 30 pounds in the last 3 months eating clean, and that included a stall in my progress when I was traveling over the holidays.

The new recipes I’m trying this week come from SkinnyMom.com’s new Supper Club which just started in January. Check it out. It’s awesome, and it’s FREE! Not all of the recipes she includes are clean, but she does include a lot of healthier substitutions.

How I Plan Our Weekly Meals

Since I aim to follow clean eating 80% of the time, I don’t feel bad throwing in a few recipes that aren’t completely clean. If I can make even further substitutions to keep it clean, I always do that. One of my favorite is making homemade Cream of Chicken soup instead of using it from a can.

I’d love to hear some feedback on your path to clean eating. Do you eat clean? Does your family? Have any tips to share about your transition? If so, please leave a comment below.Hi friend! I am so glad you have stopped by the site. We have such a wonderful community of moms here and we would LOVE for you to join us as we share life and learn together!

As women striving to serve the Lord and our families better, meal planning is a wonderful strategy to help you provide a healthy,   home-cooked meal with the awesome added benefit  of saving time, money and stress!

Healthy Family Meals Planning: Simplifying Nutrition For Busy Families

In addition to the two meal plan charts below, is a list of links to many of the recipes featured.  Our hope is that this will be a great resource  and encouragement for you whether you’re just getting started with meal planning, or are a seasoned expert.

We’d also like to provide you with a free meal planning template perfect for creating your own weekly meal plans. Select from the following two options: •Meal plan template PDF •Meal plan template EXCEL

Healthy

To learn more about meal planning, please check out:Mastering Meal Planning.To print the meal plans provided below, simply click on the images and they will open into a new window for easier printing.

Day Healthy Family Meal Plan

Monday, Nov 26 •Dinner: Chicken Parmigiana w/Marinara Pasta andGarden Salad w/Balsamic Vinaigrette(GF) •Lunch: Nut Butter, Banana & Raw Honey Wrap(GF Option) and Vanilla Yogurt(GF) w/Diced Pears • Breakfast: Cinnamon Streusel Muffins(GF), Eggs Over Easy andFruit Smoothie(GF)

Tuesday, Nov 27 •Dinner: Grilled Shrimp & Veggie Kebobs(GF) w/Saffron Rice(Gluten-Free) •Lunch: Leftover Marinara Pasta andRaw Veggies w/Ranch Dip(GF) • Breakfast: Veggie Egg Scramble and SproutedToast w/Butter

Wednesday, Nov 28 •Dinner: Turkey Enchilada Casserole w/Guacamole(GF) •Lunch: Greek Hummus Dip, Raw Veggie Kabobs, Grain-Free Crackers(GF) andApple Slices • Breakfast: Whole Grain Bagel w/Cream Cheese, Boiled Eggs and Fruit Salad

Healthy Back To School Meal Plan; Meal Planning — » Blog — Transfit

Thursday, Nov 29 •Breakfast for Dinner: Huevos a la Mexicana(GF), Buttermilk Biscuits and Nitrate-Free Sausages and Fruit Salad •Lunch: Carrot-Cheddar(GF) Sandwiches andPineapple Slices • Breakfast: Greek Yogurt Banana Splits andSprouted Toast w/Butter

Friday, Nov 30 •Dinner: Personal Veggie Pizzas andCaesar Salad •Dessert: Hot Apple Crisp(GF) •Lunch: Turkey & Raw Cheese Cracker Stackers Lunchable andGrapes • Breakfast: Egg & Cheese Biscuit Sandwich andFruit Smoothie(GF)

Saturday, Dec 1 •Dinner: Italian Sausage & Bean Soup(GF), Sourdough Rolls w/Butter and Mesclun Salad w/Ranch Dressing(GF) •Lunch: Turkey-Cranberry Salad Sandwiches and Pear Slices • Breakfast: Baked Apple Oatmeal(Gluten-Free Option) w/Walnuts and Poached Eggs

Feeding My Family For $5 Or Less

Sunday, Dec 2 •Dinner: Turkey & Veggies w/Dumplings andSpinach Salad w/Honey-Mustard Dressing(GF) •Lunch: Leftover Italian Sausage & Bean Soup(GF), Salad and Sourdough Rolls w/Butter • Breakfast: French Toast, Nitrate-Free Bacon andFresh Berries

Monday, Dec 3 •Dinner: Lemon-Garlic Chicken(GF) w/Herb Potatoes & Carrots(GF) and Buttermilk Biscuits •Lunch: Tuna Salad(GF) w/Grain-Free Crackers(GF) andApple Slices • Breakfast: Healthier Cinnamon Toast(GF Option), Scrambled Eggs and Fruit Smoothie(GF)

Tuesday, Dec 4 •Dinner: Grilled Fish Provencal(GF) andWild Rice w/Steamed Asparagus •Lunch: Leftover Roasted Chicken Sandwiches andApple Slices • Breakfast: Boiled Eggs, Buttermilk Biscuits w/Jumbleberry Jam(GF) and Fruit Smoothie(GF)

May Healthy Family Meal Plan

Wednesday, Dec 5 •Dinner: Zucchini-Feta Pasta(Gluten-Free) and Spinach Salad w/Ranch Dressing(GF) •Lunch: Avocado Egg Salad(GF) Sandwiches andCucumber-Tomato Salad • Breakfast: Fruit & Yogurt Parfaits(Gluten-Free Option) and Boiled Eggs

Thursday, Dec 6 •Dinner: Turkey & Veggie Quesadillas w/Guacamole(GF), Lacto-Ferm Salsa(GF) and Cultured Sour Cream •Lunch: Pizza Bagels and Apple Slices • Breakfast:Homemade Granola(Gluten-Free Option) w/Fresh Berries & Almond Milk

Friday, Dec 7 •Dinner: Turkey-Veggie Guacamole Burgers, No-Bake Baked Beans(GF) andCarribean Carrot Salad(GF) •Lunch: Cheese Quesadillas w/Guacamole and Raw Veggies w/Ranch Dip(GF) • Breakfast: Breakfast Burritos and Fruit Smoothie(GF)