Meal Plan — Week of April 13, 2026
Season: Spring (Northeast US)
Seasonal Produce Featured: Asparagus, bell peppers, corn, lemons, limes, cilantro
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
- This week (no snacks): Expect ~1,700-1,900 cal daily from meals alone. Protein stays in the 167-175g range (93-97% of target, within 10% variance). Add a quick snack if needed to bridge the gap.
Weekly Schedule
| Day | Activity | Lunch | Dinner |
|---|
| Mon (Apr 20) | Lift | L1: Salsa Chicken + Rice | D1: Baked Cod + Asparagus + Rice |
| Tue (Apr 21) | Run | L1: Salsa Chicken + Rice | D2: Chicken Fajitas *(dinner for 4)* |
| Wed (Apr 22) | Lift | L1: Salsa Chicken + Rice | D3: Lemon Asparagus Stir Fry + Rice |
| Thu (Apr 23) | Run | L1: Salsa Chicken + Rice | D3: Lemon Asparagus Stir Fry (leftovers) |
| Fri (Apr 24) | Lift | L1: Salsa Chicken + Rice | D4: Air Fryer Pork Chops + Broccoli + Rice |
| Sat (Apr 25) | Long Run | Flexible (leftovers) | D4: Air Fryer Pork Chops (leftovers) |
| Sun (Apr 26) | Rest | Flexible (leftovers) | D4: Air Fryer Pork Chops (leftovers) |
Weekly Summary
| Day | Calories | Protein | Carbs | Fat | Sodium |
|---|
| Mon | 1,705 | 168g | 193g | 30g | 2,167mg |
| Tue | 1,587 | 167g | 173g | 33g | 2,011mg |
| Wed | 1,726 | 173g | 193g | 31g | 2,030mg |
| Thu | 1,726 | 173g | 193g | 31g | 2,030mg |
| Fri | 1,886 | 170g | 201g | 36g | 1,966mg |
| Sat | 1,943 | 171g | 214g | 36g | 1,966mg |
| Sun | 1,652 | 154g | 151g | 33g | 1,495mg |
| Avg | 1,746 | 168g | 188g | 33g | 1,952mg |
Notes: - No snacks this week by request. This brings average daily calories to ~1,746 (vs. ~2,200 target), a ~20% reduction. Protein averages 168g (93% of 180g target), within acceptable 10% variance. If the calorie reduction feels too aggressive, the easiest additions are: banana (~105 cal), apple + almond butter (~165 cal), or hard-boiled eggs (~140 cal for 2). - Sodium is notably improved over last week — averaging 1,952mg vs. last week's 2,441mg. No individual day exceeds 2,200mg. The crock pot salsa chicken is the highest-sodium meal at 866mg, but it's balanced by very low-sodium dinners (D3 at 437mg, D4 at 373mg). - Protein sources: Chicken (L1, L2, D2, D3), cod (D1), pork (D4) — good variety across the week. Cod is a first-time addition, breaking the salmon streak from the past 3 weeks. - Crock pot meal prep: L1 is the crock pot recipe as requested — set it Sunday morning and portion by afternoon. Minimal hands-on time. - Tuesday for 4: D2 (Chicken Fajitas) serves exactly 4 at its default recipe size. Fun interactive dinner for guests.
Meal Prep Schedule
Sunday (April 19) — Prep Day
- L1 (Crock Pot): Combine corn, beans, seasoned chicken, and salsa in the slow cooker. Set on LOW for 6 hours. Shred chicken when done, add cheese. Portion into 5 containers with rice.
- L2: Season and brown chicken in batches. Make the coconut sauce. Portion into 7 containers with jasmine rice.
- Rice: Cook a big batch of jasmine rice (~7 cups dry). Used for L1 (3 3/4 cups cooked), L2 (5 1/4 cups cooked), and dinner sides throughout the week (D1, D3, D4).
- D2 Prep: Marinate fajita chicken with lime and spices. Store in fridge for Tuesday.
- D1 Prep: Trim asparagus for Monday dinner. Cod cooks fresh Monday — just 12 minutes.
Show All Recipes
Meals
L1 — Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken with Black Beans and Corn (Lunch)
Servings: 4 | Time: 360m
| Cal | P | C | F | Na |
|---|
| 414 | 42g | 43g | 13g | 866mg |
Ingredients
- 2 cups fresh or frozen corn
- 15 ounce can reduced sodium black beans (rinsed and drained)
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts halved lengthwise (16 oz)
- 1/2 teaspoon adobo seasoning (or salt to taste)
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 1/4 cups chunky mild salsa
- 1 cup shredded cheddar (reduced fat Sargento)
- chopped cilantro for garnish
- optional (serve with avocado and brown rice)
Instructions
- Combine corn and beans and put them in the slow cooker.
- Season the chicken with adobo (or salt), garlic powder and cumin then place in the slow cooker and top with salsa.
- Cover and cook LOW for 6 hours.
- Top with cheese, cover and cook until melted, about 5 minutes. Garnish with cilantro.
- To serve, transfer the chicken and vegetables with a slotted spoon and serve over rice or cauliflower rice.
L2 — Coconut Chicken Rice Bowl (Breakfast)
Servings: 4 | Time: 30m
| Cal | P | C | F | Na |
|---|
| 429 | 40g | 40g | 10g | 562mg |
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lbs diced chicken breast
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano or dried herbs
- 1/2 onion (minced)
- 3 cloves of garlic
- 1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger (or more if you like it extra gingery (I added 1 tablespoon))
- 1/4 cup chicken broth
- 1 1/4 cup canned light coconut milk (from 1 can)
- 1 tbsp of tomato paste
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- fresh cilantro
- 3 cups cooked jasmine rice or basmati
- more coconut milk (optional for topping)
Instructions
- Season the chicken with salt, paprika and dried herbs.
- Preheat a large skillet over high and spray with oil then brown the chicken in an even layer, 3-5 minutes.
- Once browned, remove the chicken, reduce heat and spray with more oil. Add the onion, garlic, ginger, and cook 1 minute, then add the broth to deglaze the pan.
- Simmer about 1 minute then add in the tomato paste, coconut milk, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
- Bring the sauce to a simmer for a few minutes to thicken, add the chicken back along with any juices and cook on medium heat 3 to 4 minutes.
- Serve over jasmine rice and garnish with cilantro and drizzle with more coconut milk, if desired.
D1 — Baked Cod with Asparagus (Dinner)
Servings: 4 | Time: 15m
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- 1 1/2 pounds cod
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F with a rack in the top position.
- In a small bowl combine butter, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, and pepper.
- Pat the cod dry with paper towels. Arrange the cod on a rimmed baking sheet, then brush the top of each filet with seasoned butter. Bake on the top rack until the fish is opaque and flakes easily with a fork, 10-12 minutes.
- Garnish the cod with parsley before serving.
D2 — Chicken Fajitas (Dinner)
Servings: 4 | Time: 40m
| Cal | P | C | F | Na |
|---|
| 299 | 39g | 27g | 10g | 423mg |
Ingredients
- 16 oz boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 red bell pepper (cut into strips)
- 1 green or poblano pepper (cut into strips)
- 1 medium onion (cut into strips)
- 3 tbsp lime juice
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- pinch ancho or Mexican chili powder ( to taste)
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 8 reduced-carb whole wheat flour tortillas (or corn tortillas for GF)
- 1/2 cup reduced fat shredded Mexican cheese
- reduced fat sour cream (optional)
- guacamole (optional)
Instructions
- Marinate the chicken with lime juice, and season with chile powder, salt, pepper, garlic powder and cumin.
- Season vegetables with salt and pepper and toss with olive oil.
- To grill the onions and peppers outside on the grill, use a cast iron skillet and grill covered over medium heat until tender, about 15 minutes.
- Or, to cook them indoors, you can use a large skillet on the stove over medium heat for 16 to 18 minutes, covered until the onions and peppers are soft.
- Heat an outdoor grill or indoor grill pan over medium heat; grill chicken until cooked through, about 8 minutes on each side.
- Transfer to a cutting board when done and cut into strips.
- Once cooked, combine with the peppers and onions.
- Serve immediately with warmed tortillas, cheese and toppings.
D3 — Chicken and Asparagus Lemon Stir Fry (Dinner)
Servings: 4 | Time: 30m
| Cal | P | C | F | Na |
|---|
| 268 | 41g | 10g | 8g | 437mg |
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds skinless chicken breast (cut into 1-inch cubes)
- Kosher salt (to taste)
- 1/2 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons reduced-sodium shoyu or soy sauce (Coconut aminos for GF, W30)
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch (arrowroot powder or tapioca starch for whole30)
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 tbsp canola or grapeseed oil (divided)
- 1 bunch asparagus (ends trimmed, cut into 2-inch pieces)
- 6 cloves garlic (chopped)
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- fresh black pepper (to taste)
Instructions
- Lightly season the chicken with salt.
- In a small bowl, combine chicken broth and soy sauce.
- In a second small bowl combine the cornstarch and water and mix well to combine.
- Heat a large non-stick wok over medium-high heat, when hot add 1 teaspoon of the oil, then add the asparagus and cook until tender-crisp, about 3 to 4 minutes.
- Add the garlic and ginger and cook until golden, about 1 minute. Set aside.
- Increase the heat to high, then add 1 teaspoon of oil and half of the chicken and cook until browned and cooked through, about 4 minutes on each side.
- Remove and set aside and repeat with the remaining oil and chicken. Set aside.
- Add the soy sauce mixture; bring to a boil and cook about 1-1/2 minutes.
- Add lemon juice and cornstarch mixture and stir well, when it simmers return the chicken and asparagus to the wok and mix well, remove from heat and serve.
D4 — Crispy Air Fryer Pork Chops (Dinner)
Servings: 6 | Time: 22m
| Cal | P | C | F | Na |
|---|
| 378 | 33g | 8g | 13g | 373mg |
Ingredients
- olive oil spray
- 6 center cut boneless pork chops (3/4-inch thick, 5 oz each trimmed)
- kosher salt
- 1 large egg (beaten)
- 1/2 cup panko crumbs (check labels for GF)
- 1/3 cup crushed cornflakes crumbs
- 2 tbsp grated parmesan cheese (omit for dairy free)
- 1 1/4 tsp sweet paprika
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/4 tsp chili powder
- 1/8 tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Lightly spray the basket with oil.
- Season pork chops on both sides with 1/2 tsp kosher salt.
- Combine panko, cornflake crumbs, parmesan cheese, 3/4 tsp kosher salt, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder and black pepper in a large shallow bowl.
- Place the beaten egg in another. Dip the pork into the egg, then crumb mixture.
- Transfer to the air fryer basket, spritz the top with more oil and air fry 400F in a single layer in batches as needed.
- Air fry 12 minutes turning half way, spritzing both sides with oil.
S1 — Protein Shake (Daily Fixed)
Meal Options: Daily (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.
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 |