7 Day Winter Meal Plan

Written By Judy Doherty, MPS, PCII

7-Day Winter Meal Plan - To stay on track with your New Year's "bucket list," here is a Winter Healthy Plate Meal Plan. This plan emphasizes the "Healthy Plate" method—balancing 1/2 plate of non-starchy vegetables, 1/4 plate of lean protein, and 1/4 plate of whole grains—while utilizing seasonal produce found at local farm stands or stores like Aldi and Sprouts.

Day One

Breakfast: Apple Cinnamon Oats: Steel-cut oats with sautéed seasonal apples and walnuts.

Lunch: Kale & White Bean Salad: Massaged kale, cannellini beans, and pomegranate seeds.

Dinner: Sheet-Pan Chicken & Veg: Chicken thighs roasted with Brussels sprouts and sweet potato.

Day Two

Breakfast: Savory Quinoa Bowl: Warm quinoa topped with a poached egg and sautéed spinach.

Lunch: Leftover Sheet-Pan Plate: Chicken, sprouts, and sweet potato with a side of hummus.

Dinner: Lentil & Root Veg Stew: Hearty lentils with carrots, parsnips, and celery. Serve with a small whole-wheat roll.

Day Three

Breakfast: Citrus Greek Yogurt: Plain Greek yogurt topped with seasonal clementines and chia seeds.

Lunch: Winter Grain Salad: Farro mixed with roasted beets, feta, and a lemon-mustard dressing.

Dinner: Pan-Seared Salmon: Salmon fillet with a double portion of roasted cauliflower and wild rice.

Day Four

Breakfast: Sweet Potato Toast: Sliced roasted sweet potato topped with almond butter and hemp seeds.

Lunch: Turkey & Veg Soup: Lean ground turkey, cabbage, and diced tomatoes in a clear broth.

Dinner: Taco Stuffed Peppers: Bell peppers stuffed with lean beef (or lentils), black beans, and brown rice.

Day Five

Breakfast: Pear & Ginger Smoothie: Spinach, seasonal pears, fresh ginger, and protein powder.

Lunch: Mediterranean Chickpea Plate: Chickpeas, cucumbers, olives, and a big scoop of tabbouleh.

Dinner: Baked Cod with Gremolata: White fish topped with herbs and lemon, served with sautéed kale and quinoa.

Day Six

Breakfast: Shakshuka: Poached eggs in a spicy tomato sauce with roasted acorn squash cubes.

Lunch: Brussels Sprouts & Steak Salad: Thinly sliced steak over a bed of shredded sprouts and apples.

Dinner: Roasted Veggie Pasta: Whole-wheat pasta tossed with roasted broccoli, garlic, and white beans.

Day Seven

Breakfast: Winter Berry Buckwheat: Buckwheat porridge with frozen (peak-picked) berries and seeds.

Lunch: Harvest Cobb Salad: Rotisserie chicken, roasted squash, pecans, and hard-boiled eggs.

Dinner: Sundown Pot Roast: Slow-cooked lean beef with a mountain of carrots, onions, and turnips.

Shopping List

This shopping list is organized by department to help you move through the store efficiently. It includes seasonal specials for produce.

Produce (The "1/2 Plate" Foundation)

  • Leafy Greens: 2 large bunches of Kale, 1 large bag of Spinach.

  • Cruciferous: 1 bag Brussels sprouts, 2 heads Broccoli, 1 head Cauliflower.

  • Root Veggies: 1 bag Carrots, 1 bunch Parsnips, 1 bag Onions, 1 bulb Garlic, 1 bunch Beets.

  • Squash/Starchy Veg: 3-4 large Sweet Potatoes, 1 Acorn Squash.

  • Fruit: 1 bag Apples, 1 bag Clementines or Oranges, 2-3 Pears, 1 Pomegranate (or a container of seeds).

  • Aromatics: Fresh Ginger, 1 bunch Parsley, 1 bunch Cilantro.

Proteins (The "1/4 Plate" Lean Power)

  • Poultry: 1.5 lbs Chicken Thighs (skinless), 1 lb Lean Ground Turkey, 1 Rotisserie Chicken (for easy lunches).

  • Seafood: 2 Salmon fillets, 2 White Fish fillets (Cod or Tilapia).

  • Beef: 1 lb Lean Beef (flank steak or stew meat).

  • Dairy/Fridge: 1 carton Large Eggs, 1 tub Plain Greek Yogurt, Feta cheese.

Pantry & Grains (The "1/4 Plate" Fiber)

  • Grains: Steel-cut Oats, Quinoa, Farro, Brown Rice, Whole-wheat Pasta.

  • Canned Goods: 2 cans Chickpeas, 1 can Cannellini (White) beans, 1 can Black beans, 2 cans Low-sodium Chicken or Veggie broth, 1 jar Marinara or Crushed tomatoes.

  • Nuts/Seeds: Walnuts, Almond butter, Chia seeds or Hemp seeds.

  • Bakery: 1 pack Whole-wheat rolls.

Kitchen Staples (Check your cupboards!)

  • Olive oil, Balsamic vinegar, Lemon juice.

  • Honey or Maple syrup.

  • Cinnamon, Salt, Pepper, Garlic powder, Cumin.

Judy Doherty, MPS, PCII

Judy’s passion for cooking began with helping her grandmother make raisin oatmeal for breakfast. From there, she earned her first food service job at 15, was accepted to the world-famous Culinary Institute of America at 18 (where she graduated second in her class), and went on to the Fachschule Richemont in Switzerland, where she focused on pastry arts and baking. After a decade in food service for Hyatt Hotels, Judy launched Food and Health Communications to focus on flavor and health. She graduated with Summa Cum Laude distinction from Johnson and Wales University with a BS in Culinary Arts, holds a master’s degree in Food Business from the Culinary Institute of America, two art certificates from UC Berkeley Extension, and runs a food photography & motion studio where her love is creating fun recipes and content.

Judy received The Culinary Institute of America’s Pro Chef II certification, the American Culinary Federation Bronze Medal, Gold Medal, and ACF Chef of the Year. Her enthusiasm for eating nutritiously and deliciously leads her to constantly innovate and use the latest nutritional science and Dietary Guidelines to guide her creativity, from putting new twists on fajitas to adapting Italian brownies to include ingredients like toasted nuts and cooked honey. Judy’s publishing company, Food and Health Communications, is dedicated to her vision that everyone can make food that tastes as good as it is for you.

Next

4 Easy Activities for Nutrition Month