This summer, the ThedaCare Outpatient Nutrition and Diabetes Education team is offering inspiration to kick-start your weekly meal planning and tame your to-do list. Visit the ThedaCare booth on selected Saturdays throughout the season for a themed meal plan. Collect them all for a well-rounded recipe repertoire.
Too Hot to Cook
For days when it’s too hot to even imagine turning on the oven, we’ve got a set of cool meals to feed you and your family — heating up the kitchen not required. With this simple plan, you won’t break a sweat, even on the most sweltering days.
Meal Plan
Whether you’re a vegetarian or trying to increase plant-based sources of protein, this meal plan gives you flexible options.
| Option 1 | Option 2 | |
| Breakfast | Hard-boiled eggs with in-season melon | Low-fat Greek yogurt topped with raspberries and granola |
| Lunch | Power Greens Bowl | Leftover lunch or dinner from previous days |
| Dinner | Tuna salad | Chicken salad sandwhich on whole-wheat toast |
Lunch
Power Greens Bowl, 5 servings
Ingredients
- Spinach
- Cucumber, sliced
- Tomatoes, sliced
- Bell pepper (any color), sliced
- Cooked quinoa
- 1 2/3 cup rinsed chickpeas— or protein of your choice, such as chicken or tofu
- 10 tablespoons olive oil + 5 tablespoons balsamic vinegar to make balsamic vinaigrette salad dressing
Instructions
- Place desired amount of spinach in the bottom of salad bowl and top with sliced vegetables and cooked quinoa.
- Rinse chickpeas and add to bowl, or use protein of your choice.
- Dress with balsamic vinaigrette salad dressing, and enjoy.
Dinner
Option 1: Tuna Salad, 3 Servings
Ingredients
- 9 ounces low-sodium tuna
- 6 tablespoons low-fat Italian salad dressing
- 1 ½ cup whole-grain shell pasta or quinoa
- 1 ½ cup celery, diced
- 1 ½ cups shredded lettuce
- 1 ½ cup canned artichoke hearts in water, chopped
Instructions
- Cook pasta or quinoa according to package instructions.
Add to mixing bowl once cooled to room temperature. - Drain tuna and add to a mixing bowl.
- Prep vegetables and add to the mixing bowl.
- Add Italian salad dressing. Mix until thoroughly combined
and serve.
Option 2: Chicken Salad, 2 servings
Ingredients
- 6 ounces cooked chicken breast, chopped
- 2 tablespoons low-fat plain Greek yogurt
- 4 tablespoons grapes, halved
- 2 tablespoons walnuts, crushed
- 2 slices of leaf lettuce per open-faced sandwich (4 total)
- 2 slices of whole-wheat toast per meal (4 total)
Instructions
- Chop chicken breast into bite-sized pieces.
- Halve grapes and crush walnuts. Add to the bowl with the chicken.
- Dollop low-fat Greek yogurt into the bowl.
- Mix well.
- Layer leaf lettuce on whole-wheat toast and top with chicken salad.
Shopping List
Protein
- Cooked chicken breast or buy chicken breast and grill or cook at home
- 9 ounces low-sodium tuna (packed in water)
- One dozen eggs
- Optional: 1 pound of chicken breast or 1 block of extra-firm tofu for grain bowl
Canned goods
- 15.5-ounce can of chickpeas
- 14-ounce can of artichokes in water
Dairy
- 1 tub low-fat plain Greek yogurt
Grains & Bread
- Whole-wheat bread
- Whole-grain shell pasta or quinoa
- Low-sugar granola
Produce
- Leaf lettuce
- Shredded lettuce
- Spinach
- Celery
- Cucumbers (2-3 medium)
- Tomatoes (3-4 medium)
- Bell pepper, any color (1-2)
- Melon (1)
- Grapes
- Raspberries, fresh or frozen
Nuts
- Walnuts
Dressings & Oils
- Low-fat Italian dressing
- Olive oil
- Balsamic vinegar
Meal Prep Plan
Prepare breakfast ingredients
- Hard boil eggs
- Cut melon into 3 portions
- Portion 2 breakfasts of:
- Low-fat plain Greek yogurt
- Raspberries
- Granola (store separately if desired)
Prepare Power Greens Bowl (5 servings)
- Wash and dry spinach
- Slice cucumber, tomatoes, and bell pepper
- Cook quinoa and allow to cool
- Rinse chickpeas OR cook chicken OR tofu for salads
- Mix balsamic vinaigrette:
- 10 tablespoons olive oil
- 5 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- Store ingredients separately and assemble when ready
to serve
Prepare Tuna Salad (3 servings)
- Cook pasta or quinoa
- Drain tuna
- Dice celery, shred lettuce and chop artichokes
- Mix ingredients with Italian dressing
- Portion into containers
Prepare Chicken Salad (2 servings)
- Cook and chop chicken
- Prepare grapes
- Crush walnuts
- Mix chicken, grapes and walnuts with Greek yogurt
- Store chicken salad mixture in airtight container
- Keep lettuce and bread separate for sandwiches until ready
for assembly
See More Meal Plans and Recipes
ThedaCare is pleased to offer nutrition and diabetes care. If you’d like to connect with a registered dietitian or diabetes educator, ask your care team for a referral.
Tags: Summer Meal Plan Series
