Healthy winter meal plan for a chilly autumn
It is starting to get cold now, isn’t it? The sort of weather that you just want a warming meal and to snuggle up on the sofa with a blanket or wrap up warm outside. Here I have for you a delicious healthy winter meal plan full of toasty warm recipes that will keep you warm whatever the weather.
Dieting with this meal plan
If you follow Slimming World, Weight Watchers (WW), Noom or any other weight loss plan you can usually count the ingredients within this recipe in your allowances. It is of course important to check yourself any plan you follow and remember all nutritional information and ingredients are found in the recipe card below.
What sort of foods are perfect for the winter?
When it is cold the best foods are properly hot like casseroles and soups and pasta bakes. In weather like this, I hardly ever want things like salad or chips, and if I do it is just once a week, perhaps. This is why I wanted to write you a healthy winter meal plan.
When you wake up in the morning and put on slippers to make a cuppa you want a nice warm breakfast don’t you? That is not always possible but baked oats are the perfect breakfast for these days, especially if you have made it ready to pop in the oven while you are in the shower or getting dressed.
Do you put tea in the slow cooker in the morning to be ready for when you get home? It is a great way to make sure that you don’t have to spend ages cooking when you get in after a long day. I sometimes put everything in the evening before while I am cooking tea and then add the meat in the morning before turning it on.
How to make the most out of your slow cooker
If you don’t want to spend hours cleaning your slow cooker after each meal like the ones in this healthy winter meal plan then I highly recommend using slow cooker liners and just throwing them away after serving up. Another alternative is to boil a kettle and as soon as the slow cooker is empty pour it in. This prevents the food from sticking to the, still hot, slow cooker pot while you are eating.
Healthy Winter meal plan
Monday
- Breakfast: Gingerbread baked oats with an apple.
- Lunch: Broccoli and stilton soup.
- Dinner: Cowboy potato bake made with either minced beef or Quorn mince.
Tuesday
- Breakfast: Banoffee overnight oats with a pear.
- Lunch: Hearty vegetable pasta soup.
- Dinner: Gardener’s pie with homemade gravy.
Wednesday
- Breakfast: Raspberry and white chocolate baked oats with extra raspberries.
- Lunch: Spinach and pea frittata with carrot sticks and hummus.
- Dinner: Lentil and vegetable moussaka.
Thursday
- Breakfast: Chocolate orange baked oats with a satsuma.
- Lunch: Roast plum, sweet potato and quinoa salad.
- Dinner: Leek macaroni cheese.
Friday
- Breakfast: Cherry Bakewell overnight oats with an apple.
- Lunch: Minestrone soup.
- Dinner: Malaysian red pepper curry with chicken or Quorn and boiled rice.
Saturday
- Breakfast: Cheese and mushroom omelette with grilled tomatoes.
- Lunch: Butternut squash and red pepper soup with 60g wholemeal bread.
- Dinner: Sausage Casserole.
Sunday
- Breakfast: 2 Sausages, egg, baked beans, mushrooms and toast.
- Lunch: Jacket potato with cheese, baked beans and salad.
- Dinner: Pasta Arrabiata.
Other articles and meal plans you may enjoy
If you are looking for warming healthy meals then check out my slow cooker recipe guide here. If you want to take warm lunches but do not have anywhere to warm lunch up then a soup is perfect. Here is my soup guide.
How to have a healthy winter this year
If you are planning how to feel good this winter then you need to add a healthy diet to that. Whether you follow a weight loss plan or just eat a little healthier it should be easy to plan a healthier winter. A few simple swaps like grilled chicken instead of fried chicken could make all the difference.
Soup is always a popular winter meal but not always filling. Pasta soups can help and become a staple on your winter meal plan alongside the classic beef stew.
Are you starting the day with a healthy filling breakfast? Try overnight oats or baked oats for a good start to the day as an alternative to porridge and I am sure you won’t feel hungry until lunch. Why not pop your tea in the slow cooker at the same time as you make breakfast to save time? Most recipes can easily be adapted for the slow cooker.
If you hate meal planning I have winter meal plans that could help you, why not take a look at the warming winter meal plan? If you need a big boost then my syn free meal plan might be perfect too.
Don’t forget to keep an eye on nutrients too with things like cranberry juice drinks and ensuring any recipes you make have plenty of vegetables.
