This 7-day meal plan has quick and healthy dinners for a busy week

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These days, we’re all too busy. Easy meal prep will help free you up for the things at the top of your to-do list. Meal planning isn’t as daunting as it sounds.

Spend just 10 or 15 minutes mapping out your meals, jot down what you need and head to the store. That’s it.

Since you’re busy enough and don’t need another thing on your to-do list, we’ve also got suggestions for streamlining meal prep — and, best of all, you can even take the weekends off if you’re dining out or getting together with family and friends.

What to Eat This Week, October 14, 2024

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Monday

Breakfast: Slow Cooker Breakfast Sweet Potatoes

Lunch: Cottage Cheese Toast With Tomato

Dinner: Tuna Macaroni Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette

Snack of choice

Tuesday

Breakfast: Slow Cooker Breakfast Sweet Potatoes

Lunch: Edamame Brown Rice Bowl

Dinner: Smashed Avocado Fish Tacos

Snack of choice

Wednesday

Breakfast:  Slow Cooker Breakfast Sweet Potatoes

Lunch: Cottage Cheese Toast With Tomato

Dinner: Ziti with Crispy Cauliflower, Cherry Tomatoes and Lemon

Snack of choice

Thursday

Breakfast: Slow Cooker Breakfast Sweet Potatoes

Lunch: Edamame Brown Rice Bowl

Dinner: Leftovers

Snack of choice

Friday

Breakfast: Breakfast Snack Plate

Lunch: Cottage Cheese Toast With Tomato

Dinner: Chicken Fajita Stuffed Peppers

Snack of choice

Breakfast

Cook once, eat four times with this versatile breakfast recipe. You’ll batch cook wholesome sweet potatoes and add a variety of toppings to keep things interesting. Then throw together a quick snack plate on Friday morning.

Slow-Cooker Breakfast Sweet Potatoes by Casey Barber

The recipe makes four sweet potatoes, so cook them in advance and make ? of the topping the morning of.

Breakfast Snack Plate

Have two boiled eggs, fruit and nuts or seeds (such as pumpkin seeds).

Lunch

Talk about low-maintenance: You can throw together these recipe-free lunch options in minutes.

Edamame Brown Rice Bowl

Warm frozen edamame and frozen brown rice according to package instructions. Toss edamame with pre-shredded matchstick carrots and diced red peppers. (Pro tip: Cut extra red pepper strips to snack on this week.) Season the mixture with soy sauce or coconut aminos and sriracha to taste. Serve over brown rice.

Cottage Cheese Toast With Tomato

Protein-packed cottage cheese is having a moment. Here, it’s used on top of toast to make a filling and nutritious, easy lunch. Toast 1-2 slices of whole grain bread and spread cottage cheese over each piece. Top each with thickly sliced tomatoes or sliced cherry tomatoes, pumpkin seeds and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar. Serve with a cup of lower-sodium canned or boxed vegetable soup.

Dinner

We’ve lined up low-prep dinners to make this week. If you have a busy week or just want to spend less time cooking, double up on one (or more) of the recipes to serve as leftovers later this week. Be sure to also include the suggested side dish to keep your meal nutritiously balanced.

Tuna Macaroni Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette by Carrie Parente

Pasta is the perfect delivery vehicle for veggies, and this dish serves them up with a Mediterranean flair. The best part: prep is only 20 minutes. If you want to make this meal heartier, double up on the tuna, veggies and dressing.

Smashed Avocado Fish Tacos by Gaby Dalkin

The combination of avocado and cod make these fish tacos high in protein and healthy fats. They are filling and oh-so-easy to make. Whip these up in no-time for a simple and tasty weeknight dinner.

Ziti with Crispy Cauliflower, Cherry Tomatoes and Lemon by Casey Barber

This simple and veggie-forward pasta dish is ready in just 20 minutes. It's a healthy and flavorful vegetarian main that you can feel good about eating.

Chicken Fajita Stuffed Peppers by Anna Painter

Adding black beans to the chicken in these stuffed peppers helps you eat more plant foods and boost your fiber and antioxidant intake while reducing your meat consumption. That’s a win-win. Serve this meal over brown rice from frozen or batch cooked earlier in the week to save time. Once you cut into the cooked pepper, everything will come together to form a delicious, balanced meal.

Snacks

Snacks that contain whole food sources of protein and fiber offer a winning formula that keeps you full for hours. Here are a few ideas:

• Baby carrots dipped in protein-boosted mashed avocado. To make the dip, mash chickpeas or white beans into avocado.

• Apple slices sprinkled with cinnamon and drizzled with tahini.

• Frozen blueberries (thawed) with ricotta cheese.

• Red pepper strips with goat cheese.

• Unsweetened dried fruit and nuts or roasted chickpeas.

This article was originally published on TODAY.com