Meal Plan — Week of April 20, 2026
Season: Spring (Northeast US)
Seasonal Produce Featured: Asparagus, peas, spring onions, poblanos, lemons
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 (morning) | Lunch (midday) | Dinner |
|---|
| Mon (Apr 20) | Lift | L2: Taco Poblano Bowl | L1: Turkey Chili + Rice | D1: Baked Salmon + Asparagus + Rice |
| Tue (Apr 21) | Run | L2: Taco Poblano Bowl | L1: Turkey Chili + Rice | D5: NYT Chicken and Dumplings |
| Wed (Apr 22) | Lift | L2: Taco Poblano Bowl | L1: Turkey Chili + Rice | D2: Beef and Broccoli + Rice |
| Thu (Apr 23) | Run | L2: Taco Poblano Bowl | L1: Turkey Chili + Rice | D2: Beef and Broccoli (leftovers) |
| Fri (Apr 24) | Lift | L2: Taco Poblano Bowl | L1: Turkey Chili + Rice | D3: Chicken Shawarma Sheet Pan + Rice |
| Sat (Apr 25) | Long Run | L2: Taco Poblano Bowl | Flexible (leftovers) | D4: Pea & Prosciutto Pizza (pizza oven) |
| Sun (Apr 26) | Rest | L2: Taco Poblano Bowl | Flexible (leftovers) | D3: Chicken Shawarma (leftovers) |
Weekly Summary
| Day | Calories | Protein | Carbs | Fat | Sodium |
|---|
| Mon | 1,890 | 164g | 217g | 42g | 1,561mg |
| Tue | 2,111 | 158g | 220g | 69g | 2,447mg |
| Wed | 1,926 | 161g | 231g | 43g | 2,097mg |
| Thu | 1,926 | 161g | 231g | 43g | 2,097mg |
| Fri | 1,981 | 169g | 231g | 44g | 2,304mg |
| Sat | ~2,155 | ~154g | ~233g | ~50g | ~2,427mg |
| Sun | ~1,985 | ~164g | ~216g | ~52g | ~2,111mg |
| Avg | ~1,996 | ~162g | ~225g | ~49g | ~2,149mg |
Notes: - Sodium avg ~2,150mg — controlled. Tuesday (2,447) and Saturday (2,427) are peaks (chicken & dumplings, pizza); Monday salmon (1,561) is the counterweight. Drink extra water on Tue/Sat. - Protein averages ~162g (90% of 180g target). All days within acceptable variance. Saturday is lightest due to the pizza dinner — extra grilled chicken as a side or a second shake closes the gap. - Protein sources: Turkey (L1), chicken breast (L2), chicken thighs (D3 shawarma, D5 dumplings), salmon (D1), beef/flank (D2), prosciutto+eggs (D4). Wide variety. - Crock pot: L1 turkey chili is the crock pot lunch. L2 is the manual-prep lunch. - Tuesday dinner: NYT Chicken and Dumplings — a 2-hour cook, mostly passive. Start the sear around 3 PM to hit a 5 PM table. Yields 3 servings (2 for Tue + 1 spare for weekend flex lunch). - Saturday pizza oven: D4 is sized to one medium pizza (2 servings = target + partner). If you make two pizzas (doubling), save leftovers for Sunday lunch or an extra dinner. - Banana + PB snack is daily as requested.
Meal Prep Schedule
Sunday (April 19) — Prep Day
- L1 (Crock Pot): Brown 1.3 lbs turkey. Sauté onion, garlic, pepper. Combine in crock pot with corn, Rotel, tomato sauce, broth, spices, bay leaf. Set on LOW for 6 hours. Portion into 5 containers with 3/4 cup jasmine rice each.
- L2 (Skillet): Cube 2 1/4 lbs chicken breast and cook in batches with taco seasoning, poblano, onion, corn. Make pico de gallo separately. Portion chicken + rice into 7 containers; store pico separately, add to each bowl the morning you eat.
- Rice batch: Cook a big pot of jasmine rice (~6 cups dry → ~18 cups cooked). Covers L1 (3 3/4 cups), L2 (5 1/4 cups brown rice — cook separately if you want brown for L2), and dinner sides for D1, D2, D3. If switching L2 to jasmine instead of brown, cook one big jasmine batch (~6 cups dry).
- D1 prep: Trim asparagus for Monday; salmon cooks fresh Monday (just 20 min).
- D2 prep: Slice flank steak thin across the grain and store in the fridge. Mix soy-ginger sauce if desired (hold cornstarch until cooking).
- D3 prep: Pre-cut chicken thighs and veggies if time permits; otherwise all day-of.
- D4 prep: Order/grab pizza dough during the week. Blanch peas/asparagus tips Saturday morning.
- D5 prep: No prep needed Sunday; Tuesday cook takes ~2 hours total, mostly passive. Ingredients can be pre-chopped Tue morning to speed the active stretch.
Show All Recipes
Meals
L1 — Kid-Friendly Crock Pot Turkey Chili (Lunch)
Servings: 5 | Time: 255m
| Cal | P | C | F | Na |
|---|
| 226 | 31g | 21g | 3g | 688mg |
Ingredients
- 1.3 lbs 99% lean ground turkey
- 1 teaspoon oil
- 1 medium onion (minced)
- 1 red bell pepper (diced fine)
- 1 garlic clove (minced)
- 1 1/2 cups frozen corn kernels
- 10 oz can Rotel Mild Tomatoes
- 8 oz small can plain tomato sauce
- 1/4 cup low sodium chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 bay leaf
- diced avocado
- reduced fat sour cream
- reduced fat shredded cheese
- baked tortilla chips
Instructions
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the turkey, season with salt and cook, breaking up with a spoon until turkey browns and is no longer pink; place into the slow cooker.
- Add the oil to the skillet and sauté the onion, garlic and bell pepper over medium heat for about 4 to 5 minutes.
- Spoon over turkey into the slow cooker and stir in corn and tomatoes, tomato sauce, cumin, chili powder, paprika and salt, mix until well blended.
- Pour chicken broth into the crock pot and add the bay leaf.
- Cover and cook on HIGH 4 hours or LOW 6 hours.
- Serve with desired toppings.
L2 — Chicken Taco Poblano Rice Bowls (Lunch)
Servings: 4 | Time: 25m
| Cal | P | C | F | Na |
|---|
| 475 | 40g | 52g | 12g | 408mg |
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 pounds organic boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut 1/2 inch cubes (from 3 small)
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 medium red onion (peeled and diced)
- 1/4 cup cilantro (minced plus more for garnish)
- 1 poblano pepper (seeded and diced)
- 1 roma tomato (cored and diced)
- 1 lime (halved)
- taco seasoning (see below)
- kosher salt
- 1 cup frozen or fresh corn kernels
- 3 cups cooked brown rice (heated (use cauliflower rice for low-carb))
- 1/4 cup cheddar-jack cheese
- 1/4 cup 2% sour cream or Greek yogurt (optional)
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon oregano
Instructions
- Dice the chicken into small pieces. Combine taco seasoning in a small bowl and set aside.
- To make the pico de gallo, set 3 tablespoons of the diced onion aside and place it in a bowl with tomato, cilantro, 2 teaspoons lime juice, 1/4 teaspoon salt. Set aside.
- Add oil to a large skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add the chicken and cook until it starts to brown, 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add the remaining onion, poblano pepper and taco seasoning to the skillet and cook until it softens, 2 to 3 minutes. Add 1/2 cup water and corn. Cook 1 to 2 minutes then remove from heat.
- Divide rice in 4 bowls, top with chicken, cheese, pico de gallo and optional sour cream.
D1 — Baked Salmon with Asparagus (Dinner)
Servings: 6 | Time: 25m
| Cal | P | C | F | Na |
|---|
| 233 | 30g | 2g | 11g | 160mg |
Ingredients
- 2 lemons
- 8 to 10 sprigs fresh parsley (plus 1 tablespoon chopped)
- extra virgin olive oil
- 1 2-pound whole skin-on side of wild salmon (such as sockeye or coho)
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- fresh black pepper (to taste)
- 2 tablespoons fresh dill (chopped)
- 1 tablespoons fresh chives (chopped)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450F.
- Slice 1 of the lemons thin, the second into wedges.
- Place the lemon slices on a large sheet pan lined with parchment arranged in the center just under the fish.
- Top with parsley sprigs and drizzle with 1 teaspoon of olive oil.
- Drizzle the remaining 1 teaspoon of olive oil over the flesh side of the fish and rub all over, season with salt and pepper.
- Transfer to the pan over the lemon slices, skin side down.
- Roast 15 to 20 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish, until the thickest part of the fish is cooked though in the center.
- Top with fresh herbs and serve with lemon wedges.
D2 — Beef and Broccoli (Dinner)
Servings: 4 | Time: 30m
| Cal | P | C | F | Na |
|---|
| 315 | 32g | 24g | 12g | 696mg |
Ingredients
- 1 pound flank steak, cut into thin strips
- 1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
- 1/3 cup low sodium soy sauce (or gluten-free tamari)
- 1/3 cup water
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 5 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 one-inch piece fresh ginger (peeled and grated)
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch (optional)
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1/2 yellow onion (sliced)
- 1 large head broccoli (cut into florets and blanched)
- cauliflower rice (or white rice, optional for serving)
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
- 3 scallions (sliced on the bias)
Instructions
- Season the beef with white pepper.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, water, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, and cornstarch, if using. Set aside.
- In a large nonstick skillet over high heat, warm 1/2 tablespoon of the sesame oil until just smoking. Add the beef and cook, stirring occasionally, until the meat is just about cooked through. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
- Add the remaining 1/2 tablespoon of oil to the skillet, then add the onions and cook until they are softened, about 8 minutes.
- Add the blanched and drained broccoli and cook for 1 minute. Then add the reserved sauce and stir to coat.
- Return the beef to the skillet and continue to cook until the beef is cooked through and the sauce has reduced slightly, about 3 minutes more.
- Transfer to serving plates over rice or veggie rice. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and scallions.
D3 — Chicken Shawarma Sheet Pan Dinner (Dinner)
Servings: 4 | Time: 45m
| Cal | P | C | F | Na |
|---|
| 370 | 40g | 24g | 13g | 903mg |
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs (cut into 1-inch pieces)
- 1 small red onion (cut into 1-inch pieces)
- 1 red bell pepper (cut into 1-inch pieces)
- 2 carrots (peeled and cut into 1/4-inch pieces (about 1 cup))
- 15 ounce can chickpeas (rinsed and drained)
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 3/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- tzatziki
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
- Add the chicken, veggies and chickpeas to a large mixing bowl. Drizzle with the olive oil and season with the spices and salt. Mix to evenly combine. Transfer the entire mixture onto a rimmed baking sheet and spread into an even layer.
- Transfer the baking sheet to the oven and roast for 30-35 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the vegetables are tender. Broil for the last 2 minutes for an extra char if desired.
- Remove from the oven. Serve with tzatziki or white sauce, if desired.
D4 — Pea and Prosciutto Spring Pizza (Dinner)
Servings: 4 | Time: 20m
| Cal | P | C | F | Na |
|---|
| 610 | 24g | 56g | 33g | 1124mg |
Ingredients
- 1 recipe fresh pizza dough
- 1/3 cup Basil Vinaigrette
- 1 cup mozzarella (shredded or fresh mozzarella sliced )
- 1/2 cup fresh peas (blanched)
- 1/2 cup sugar snap peas (sliced thin )
- 1 bunch asparagus (tips only, blanched)
- 2 eggs
- 4 ounces prosciutto
- Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
- Fresh Basil (torn into pieces)
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 475 degrees F.
- Shape the dough into 2 medium-ish pizzas while on a clean floured surface. Let the dough sit for 5 minutes and then re-form to make sure it's as big as you'd like. Place the pizza dough on a lightly floured rimless baking sheet, or pizza peel.
- Spread the basil vinaigrette over the top of each pizza. Top with the mozzarella, scatter the peas and asparagus on top of the cheese. Transfer to an oven and cook for about 5 minutes. Remove the pizza and add the egg on top of each pizza and transfer them back into the oven to continue to cook until the egg white is set and the yolk still runny .
- Remove from the oven, Add the prosciutto on top and garnish with basil.
D5 — NYT Chicken and Dumplings (Dinner)
Servings: 6 | Time: 2 hours
| Cal | P | C | F | Na |
|---|
| 670 | 33g | 50g | 38g | 1051mg |
Ingredients
- 2pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1large yellow onion, diced
- 4stalks celery, chopped
- 6medium carrots (about 1½ pounds), peeled and sliced ¼-inch thick
- 4sprigs thyme
- 1tablespoon unsalted butter, plus more as needed
- ¼cup all-purpose flour
- 2large leeks, white and light green parts thinly sliced
- 1½cups all-purpose flour
- 1½teaspoons baking powder
- ¾teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- ¾cup buttermilk
- 1large egg
- 2tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- ½cup parsley, tender leaves and stems, finely chopped (optional)
- ¼cup chives, finely chopped (optional)
Instructions
- Season chicken on both sides with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Working in batches if needed, sear chicken, skin-side down, until deeply golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Flip chicken and continue to cook until it is browned on the other side, another 5 to 8 minutes. Transfer chicken to a large plate, and pour off all fat into a measuring cup. (You should have about 5 tablespoons, depending on the fattiness of the chicken.)
- Leaving all the browned bits in the pot, return 2 tablespoons of fat to the pot. Add onions, celery and half the carrots. Season with salt and pepper and cook on medium heat, stirring to scrape up all the bits on the bottom of the pot. Cook until vegetables start to soften, about 4 minutes or so. Return chicken to the pot along with thyme and 8 cups of water. Simmer, uncovered, until chicken is completely tender and liquid has reduced by about ¼, about 30 to 40 minutes.
- Transfer chicken to a plate or cutting board to cool. Strain the stock (you should have about 5 cups; if you have less, you can add water to make up the difference) and wipe out the pot.
- Heat remaining 3 tablespoons chicken fat along with 1 tablespoon butter (if you don’t have enough chicken fat, use enough butter to equal 4 tablespoons of fat) over medium heat. Sprinkle in flour and stir constantly until it’s all a pale golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes.
- Slowly whisk in reserved chicken stock until no lumps remain (it will thicken considerably at first) and bring to a boil. Add leeks and remaining carrots, season with salt and pepper and lower the heat to simmer.
- Remove and discard the skin and bones from the chicken. Shred the meat and add to the pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid is nicely thickened and carrots and leeks are tender, 10 to 12 minutes.
- Make the dumplings: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt and pepper. In a small bowl, whisk together buttermilk and egg and add to dry ingredients, followed by melted butter. Using a wooden spoon or spatula, stir just to combine. (Do not overmix.)
- Using a spoon, drop generous quarter-size dollops of the dumpling dough into the pot (they should just sit right on top; they will not sink), spacing them apart as much as possible (it’s O.K. if they touch). Cover the pot and reduce heat to low. Cook, undisturbed, until the dumplings are puffed and totally cooked through, 18 to 22 minutes. (Test a dumpling by cutting it in half; it should look slightly biscuity, but with no raw bits of dough. If it needs more time, continue to cook.)
- Remove lid and divide among bowls; sprinkle with parsley and chives, if using.
- Chicken Soup From Scratch Chicken and White Bean Stew Chicken Soup With Corn and Spinners Slow-Cooker Chicken and Dumplings Quick Chicken and Dumplings Cream of Chicken Soup Matzo Ball Soup With Celery and Dill Chicken Soup With Lemon Easiest Chicken Noodle Soup Chicken and Rice Soup Ginger Chicken and Rice Soup With Zucchini Roasted Chicken With Dates and Olives Persian Chickpea and Chicken Dumplings Brothy Chicken Soup With Hominy and Poblano Hot and Sour Dumpling Soup Fragrant Chicken Soup with Chickpeas and Vegetables Oven-Roasted Chicken Shawarma Chicken Breasts With Lemon Mushrooms and Dumplings.
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.
S2 — Banana + Peanut Butter (Daily Snack)
Meal Options: Snack (mid-morning or afternoon)
Complexity: Easy (1 min)
Source: Target staple
Macros (per serving — 1 medium banana + 2 Tbsp natural peanut butter)
| Calories | Protein | Carbs | Fat | Sodium |
|---|
| 295 | 8g | 34g | 16g | 140mg |
Instructions
- Slice a banana; spread or dip in 2 Tbsp of natural peanut butter.
- Alternative: eat the banana whole and spoon the peanut butter straight from the jar.
Tips & Tricks
- Fast, cheap, satisfying — hits carbs (banana) and fats + protein (PB) in one shot.
- Stick with natural PB (just peanuts + salt) to avoid added sugar.
- Great pre- or post-workout snack; banana potassium + PB fats work for long-run days too.
BV1 — Coffee + OJ (Daily Beverage)
Meal Options: Daily (every day)
Complexity: Easy
Source: Target staple
Macros (per serving — 2 espresso shots + 8 oz OJ)
| Calories | Protein | Carbs | Fat | Sodium |
|---|
| 115 | 2g | 26g | 0g | 5mg |