Meal Plan — Week of March 30, 2026
Season: Spring (Northeast US)
Seasonal Produce Featured: Asparagus, spinach, tomatoes, basil, zucchini, bell peppers, strawberries
Target Macros:
- Standard days: ~2,200 cal / 180g protein
- Saturday (long run): ~2,400 cal / 180g protein (extra carbs)
- Sunday (rest): ~2,000-2,100 cal / 180g protein
Weekly Schedule
| Day | Activity | Lunch | Dinner |
|---|
| Mon (Apr 6) | Lift | L1: Za'atar Chicken + Couscous | D1: Marry Me Chicken |
| Tue (Apr 7) | Run | L1: Za'atar Chicken + Couscous | D1: Marry Me Chicken (leftovers) |
| Wed (Apr 8) | Lift | L1: Za'atar Chicken + Couscous | D2: Chicken Caprese Skillet |
| Thu (Apr 9) | Run | L1: Za'atar Chicken + Couscous | D2: Chicken Caprese Skillet (leftovers) |
| Fri (Apr 10) | Lift | L1: Za'atar Chicken + Couscous | D3: Blackened Salmon Sheet Pan |
| Sat (Apr 11) | Long Run | Flexible (D4 leftovers suggested) | D3: Blackened Salmon (leftovers) |
| Sun (Apr 12) | Rest | Flexible (leftovers or snacking) | D4: Ratatouille Baked Chicken |
Weekly Summary
| Day | Calories | Protein | Carbs | Fat | Sodium | Notes |
|---|
| Mon (Lift) | 1,789 | 177g | 156g | 50g | 1,400mg | Add snack to reach ~2,004 |
| Tue (Run) | 1,785 | 189g | 125g | 57g | 1,888mg | Add snack to reach ~1,950 |
| Wed (Lift) | 1,669 | 176g | 139g | 49g | 1,515mg | Add snack to reach ~1,954 |
| Thu (Run) | 1,615 | 179g | 102g | 55g | 1,863mg | Add snack to reach ~1,830 |
| Fri (Lift) | 1,755 | 179g | 129g | 62g | 1,320mg | Add snack to reach ~1,905 |
| Sat (Long Run) | 2,090 | 182g | 184g | 67g | 1,170mg | Add carbs to reach ~2,400 |
| Sun (Rest) | 1,639 | 181g | 106g | 52g | 1,413mg | Rest day, lower is OK |
Weekly Averages (base plan): 1,763 cal / 180g protein
Weekly Averages (with suggested additions): ~2,007 cal / 189g protein
Improvement over last week: Base protein average is 180g (vs 169g last week). Every day hits within 5% of the 180g target without needing snack additions. The snack suggestions are now purely for calorie needs.
Meal Prep Schedule
Sunday Afternoon (April 5)
- Za'atar Chicken Sheet Pan (L1): Prep the sheet pan, bake 35-40 min. Shred chicken off bone, portion into 5 containers with couscous and cauliflower.
- Cook couscous: 1 1/2 cups dry couscous with chicken broth for extra flavor.
- Hard-boil eggs: Boil 8-10 eggs for the week's snacks (S4).
- Wash and prep berries: Rinse strawberries, blueberries, raspberries for parfaits (B2) and cottage cheese snacks (S3).
- Prep mushrooms/spinach: Slice mushrooms and portion spinach for Tue/Thu/Sun breakfast (B1).
Monday Morning
- Marry Me Chicken (D1): 45 min total. Makes 4 servings — eat 2 for dinner, save 2 for Tuesday.
Wednesday Evening
- Chicken Caprese Skillet (D2): 35 min total. Makes 4 servings — eat 2 for dinner, save 2 for Thursday.
Friday Evening
- Blackened Salmon Sheet Pan (D3): 35 min total. Makes 4 servings — eat 2 for dinner, save 2 for Saturday.
Sunday Evening
- Ratatouille Baked Chicken (D4): 70 min total (mostly hands-off oven time). Makes 4 servings — eat 2 for dinner, save extras for next week.
- Next week's meal prep alongside D4 cooking.
Show All Recipes
Meals
B1 — Mushroom-Spinach Scrambled Eggs (Breakfast)
Servings: 1 | Time: 15m
| Cal | P | C | F | Na |
|---|
| 271 | 22g | 10g | 17g | 218mg |
Ingredients
- 1/2 tbsp olive oil
- 1/4 cup onions
- 1 1/2 cups thin sliced mushrooms
- 1/2 cup fresh baby spinach
- 2 large eggs
- 1 large egg whites
- 1 teaspoon water
- kosher salt and black pepper
- 2 tablespoons cheese such as gruyere, cheddar or DF cheese ((optional))
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk eggs, egg white, 1 tablespoon water, 1/8 tsp salt and pepper until blended.
- In a medium nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium heat.
- Add onions and cook until tender and golden, 3 to 4 minutes.
- Add the mushrooms and cook and stir 3-4 minutes or until tender. Add spinach; cook and stir until wilted.
- Add egg mixture; cook and stir just until eggs are thickened and no liquid egg remains. If you want to add cheese, add it with the eggs.
B2 — Greek Yogurt Berry Parfait (Breakfast)
Meal Options: Breakfast
Complexity: Easy (5 min active)
Source: Target staple — no database recipe
Macros (per serving)
| Calories | Protein | Carbs | Fat | Sodium |
|---|
| 260 | 24g | 32g | 4g | 80mg |
Ingredients (1 serving)
- 1 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
- 1/2 cup mixed berries (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries)
- 1/4 cup low-sugar granola
- Drizzle of honey (1 tsp, optional)
Instructions
- Spoon yogurt into a bowl or jar.
- Top with mixed berries and granola.
- Drizzle with honey if desired.
L1 — Za'atar Chicken Sheet Pan Dinner (Lunch)
Servings: 6 | Time: 50m
| Cal | P | C | F | Na |
|---|
| 412 | 46g | 15g | 19g | 550mg |
Ingredients
- 3 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken leg quarters
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons za'atar
- 1 head cauliflower, cut into small florets
- 3 large shallots, quartered
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons za'atar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 to 2 garlic cloves, minced
- Hummus
- Tahini Sauce
- Tzatziki
- Couscous
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F with a rack in the center position.
- Pat the chicken completely dry with paper towels.
- In a small bowl, stir together the olive oil, 2 teaspoons of the salt, and za'atar.
- On a rimmed sheet pan, toss the cauliflower and shallots with half of the za'atar mixture. Coat the chicken with the remaining mixture and arrange skin side up between the vegetables. Sprinkle the chicken all over with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer.
- Make the za'atar oil. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, za'atar, salt, and garlic until combined.
- Drizzle the chicken with the za'atar oil and serve with hummus, tahini sauce, tzatziki or couscous, if desired.
D1 — Marry Me Chicken (Dinner)
Servings: 4 | Time: 45m
| Cal | P | C | F | Na |
|---|
| 419 | 55g | 7g | 18g | 605mg |
Ingredients
- 4 boneless, skinless, chicken breasts, about 2 pounds
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup chicken stock
- 1 teaspoon chicken flavor "Better Than Bouillon", or 1 chicken bouillon cube
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 (7-ounce) jar sun-dried tomatoes, drained and roughly chopped
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, (optional)
- 1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh basil leaves
- Cooked pasta or mashed potatoes, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels. Season all over with 1 teaspoon of the salt. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil is glistening, add the chicken and cook, undisturbed, until golden brown, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.
- Reduce the heat to medium and add the garlic to the same skillet. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the heavy cream, chicken stock, bouillon, 1/4 cup of the Parmesan cheese, sun dried tomatoes, Italian seasoning, black pepper, red pepper flakes (if using), and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Whisk until combined and smooth.
- Return the seared chicken to the skillet, nestling it into the sauce. Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook until the sauce has thickened slightly and the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer, about 8 to 10 minutes.
- Remove from heat and top the chicken with the fresh basil and remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle with additional red pepper flakes, if desired. Serve over pasta or mashed potatoes, if desired.
D2 — Chicken Caprese Skillet (Dinner)
Servings: 4 | Time: 35m
| Cal | P | C | F | Na |
|---|
| 419 | 48g | 21g | 16g | 585mg |
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar (divided)
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon honey (divided)
- 4 small boneless (skinless chicken breasts (24 oz))
- 1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt (divided)
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper (divided)
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (divided)
- 1 small red onion (diced (about 1 cup))
- 4 cloves garlic (minced (about 4 teaspoons))
- 4 cups sliced tomatoes: halved cherry or grape tomatoes ((2 pints) or 1/2- inch- diced peak season plum or other garden tomatoes)
- 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
- 4 ounces part- skim mozzarella pearls ((scant 1 cup) or 4 ounces block- style part- skim mozzarella cheese cut into bite-sized cubes)
- 1/4 cup tightly packed fresh basil leaves (thinly sliced)
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, combine 1/2 cup of the balsamic vinegar and 1 tablespoon of the honey. Gently simmer over medium- low heat, stirring occasionally, until thickened and reduced by a little more than half, about 15 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and set aside.
- While the balsamic reduces, arrange the chicken on a cutting board and stretch a large sheet of plastic wrap over the top. Lightly pound the chicken breasts into an even 1/2- inch thickness. Discard the plastic, then sprinkle the chicken with 3/4 teaspoon of the salt and 1/4 teaspoon of the pepper, seasoning both sides.
- In a large, heavy- bottomed skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium- high heat. Once the oil is hot but not smoking, add the chicken breasts top- sides down, being careful of oil that may splatter. Let cook undisturbed for 4 minutes, or until lightly browned.
- Flip and cook an additional 3 minutes. Check for doneness. The chicken should reach 165 degrees F at the thickest part when tested with an instant- read thermometer, and when sliced, the juices should run clear.
- If it needs additional time, flip again and continue cooking for a few minutes on each side, until done. The total cooking time will vary depending upon the size of your chicken. Remove to a plate and cover to keep warm.
- Without wiping out the pan, reduce the skillet heat to medium. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil, swirl to coat the pan, then add the red onion and let cook until slightly softened, about 3 minutes, scraping the browned bits off the bottom of the pan as it cooks.
- Add the garlic and let cook 30 seconds, just until fragrant.
- Add the tomatoes, thyme, and remaining 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar, 1 teaspoon honey, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Increase the heat back to medium high and cook until the tomatoes begin to soften, about 2 minutes.
- Return the chicken to the pan, nestling it into the tomatoes, and scatter the mozzarella throughout.
- Cover the pan and remove from the heat. Let stand for 1 to 2 minutes to allow the mozzarella to become soft and melty.
- Uncover, drizzle the balsamic reduction over the top, and sprinkle with the fresh basil. Serve warm.
D3 — Blackened Salmon Sheet Pan with Asparagus (Dinner)
Servings: 4 | Time: 35m
| Cal | P | C | F | Na |
|---|
| 505 | 51g | 11g | 29g | 390mg |
Ingredients
- 1 (1 1/2-pound) salmon filet, skin on
- 1 pound asparagus, ends trimmed
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- Pinch of cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 bunch cilantro, leaves and stems (ends trimmed)
- 2 teaspoons minced peeled fresh ginger
- 1 garlic clove, smashed
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
- 1/4 cup fresh orange juice (from 1 orange)
- 1/2 teaspoon honey
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F with a rack in the center position. Line a rimmed sheet pan with parchment paper or foil.
- Place the salmon, skin side down, on the sheet pan. Pat dry with a paper towel. Arrange the asparagus around the salmon and drizzle everything with the olive oil. Season the asparagus with the salt and toss to coat.
- Make the blackening seasoning. In a small bowl, combine the paprika, cayenne, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, oregano, thyme, ginger, and brown sugar. Reserve 1 teaspoon of seasoning for the cilantro ginger sauce. Sprinkle the remaining spice blend over the salmon, rubbing to coat.
- Roast in the oven until the asparagus is tender and the salmon flakes easily with a fork, 10-12 minutes depending on the thickness of the salmon and asparagus.
- Meanwhile, make the cilantro-ginger sauce. To a blender or a food processor, add the cilantro, ginger, garlic, olive oil, orange zest, orange juice, honey, salt, and the reserved 1 teaspoon blackening spice. Blend until mostly smooth.
- Divide the salmon and asparagus among 4 plates and drizzle with the cilantro-ginger sauce to serve.
D4 — Ratatouille Baked Chicken (Dinner)
Servings: 4 | Time: 70m
| Cal | P | C | F | Na |
|---|
| 543 | 64g | 28g | 20g | 340mg |
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 8 bone-in chicken thighs (skin removed)
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 small yellow onion (roughly chopped)
- 5 garlic cloves (minced)
- 1 large eggplant (peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes)
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme
- 2 medium zucchini (cut into 1/2-inch dice)
- 1 yellow bell pepper (cut into 1/2-inch squares)
- 5 vine-ripened tomatoes (cut into 1/2-inch dice)
- 1 cup fresh basil leaves (finely chopped)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Set a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add 1/2 tablespoon olive oil and heat to shimmering.
- Pat the chicken dry with paper towels, season on all sides with salt and pepper, and set the chicken down in the pan. Cook, without moving, until nicely browned and the meat releases from the pan, about 5 minutes.
- Flip and continue cooking until the other side begins to brown, about 3 minutes. Remove the chicken to a plate and set aside.
- Reduce the heat to medium and add the remaining olive oil, onion, garlic, and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften, about 3 minutes.
- Add the eggplant and another pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the eggplant begins to soften, about 5 minutes.
- Add the tomato paste and thyme and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.
- Add the zucchini, bell pepper, tomatoes, another pinch of salt, and a twist of black pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until all of the vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the heat.
- Partially submerge the chicken into the vegetables. Transfer the pot to the oven and cook, uncovered, until the thickest portion of the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 160 degrees F, about 20 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and let stand for 10 minutes. Stir in the basil and serve.
S1 — Protein Shake (Snack)
Meal Options: Snack (flexible timing)
Complexity: Easy (2 min)
Source: Target staple
Macros (per serving)
| Calories | Protein | Carbs | Fat | Sodium |
|---|
| 160 | 40g | 0g | 0g | 150mg |
Instructions
- Mix protein powder with water or milk per package directions.
S2 — Apple with Almond Butter (Snack)
Meal Options: Snack
Complexity: Easy (2 min)
Source: Target staple
Macros (per serving)
| Calories | Protein | Carbs | Fat | Sodium |
|---|
| 165 | 4g | 21g | 9g | 0mg |
Ingredients
- 1 medium apple, sliced
- 1 tablespoon almond butter
Instructions
- Slice apple. Serve with almond butter for dipping.
S3 — Cottage Cheese with Berries (Snack)
Meal Options: Snack
Complexity: Easy (2 min)
Source: Target staple
Macros (per serving)
| Calories | Protein | Carbs | Fat | Sodium |
|---|
| 150 | 18g | 12g | 3g | 350mg |
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup low-fat cottage cheese
- 1/4 cup mixed berries
Instructions
- Scoop cottage cheese into a bowl. Top with berries.
S4 — Banana + Hard-Boiled Eggs (Snack)
Meal Options: Snack
Complexity: Easy (2 min)
Source: Target staple
Macros (per serving)
| Calories | Protein | Carbs | Fat | Sodium |
|---|
| 215 | 13g | 27g | 10g | 140mg |
Ingredients
- 1 medium banana
- 2 hard-boiled eggs
Instructions
- Peel banana. Peel eggs. Eat.
BV1 — Coffee + OJ (Daily Beverage)
Meal Options: Daily (every day)
Complexity: Easy
Source: Target staple
Macros (per serving)
| Calories | Protein | Carbs | Fat | Sodium |
|---|
| 115 | 2g | 26g | 0g | 5mg |