I love having a Breakfast, Lunch and Snack Rotation to follow! I believe that it makes life easier in lots of ways! To demonstrate just how easy it is, I have created a series of posts showing my Rotation in action… here’s the plan for Tuesday!
Breakfast: Pancakes with Sliced Banana and Chopped Walnuts
Pancakes… a classic breakfast treat! Unfortunately, most pancakes are high in calories and low in nutrients. Whenever I order pancakes at a restaurant, I do enjoy them, but I’m always left feeling overly stuffed and sluggish. So, in order to justify eating pancakes at home (and feeding them to my family) I set out to search for some brands that 1) were actually healthy, full of fiber, protein, and natural ingredients, and 2) quick and easy to make on a weekday morning.
Luckily, I discovered that healthier pancake products do exist! And you don’t even need milk or eggs! Just water, a bowl, a whisk, and some coconut oil (or butter) for the pan! Easy peasy… and much better than those microwaveable things! (Of course, there’s always homemade pancakes… but that’s too much effort for me on weekdays!)
Some of my favorite go-to (just add water) brands include: Kodiak Cakes, FlapJacked and Birch Benders. They all offer different flavors (like dark chocolate and pumpkin) and even have gluten-free options! I find them at Target, Whole Foods and, of course, Amazon (affiliate link).
I must emphasize how super easy these pancakes are to prepare! If they weren’t easy, I guarantee I wouldn’t be making them at 6:00 in the morning twice a week! (My son eats at 6:00 a.m. and my daughter and I eat at 8:00 a.m. during school days.)
To save even more time, I like to make one large pancake, instead of 2 or 3 small ones. I heat my skillet on medium and drop a 1/2 a teaspoon or so of Coconut Oil in. As the coconut oil melts, I swirl it around and then add the pancake mixture. Patience is key. If you’ve ever made pancakes before, you know there is a bit of an art to it! Although, I have to say that all of these brands are really easy to work with. They flip easily and perfectly every time! It takes just a couple of minutes each side.
On Tuesday we top our pancakes with sliced banana, chopped walnuts and a small drizzle of 100% Pure Maple Syrup. For a beverage, I mixed things up and decided to have hot chocolate instead of my usual coffee or tea! I combine my natural hot chocolate mix with unsweetened Almond Milk for added calcium.
You can feel good about serving, and eating, these pancakes! (I used the FlapJacked Buttermilk brand for today’s pancake!) This is a hearty, healthy breakfast that will satisfy you and provide you with lasting energy!
Lunch: Turkey, Cheese, Spinach and Hummus Sandwich + Fruit + Nuts with Chocolate Chips
Tuesday’s lunch consists of a classic turkey sandwich. Hummus, instead of mayonnaise or mustard, takes it to the next level! It adds an extra layer of flavor (with lots of different flavors to try). After spreading the bread with hummus I add a thin slice of Swiss cheese and then a few slices of deli turkey. I always purchase Boars Head Low Sodium Turkey, thinly sliced, and fresh from the deli. On top of the turkey goes some baby spinach and it’s all held together with Dave’s Killer Bread: Thin Sliced. A side of fruit (seedless red grapes) and nuts (raw almonds with mini chocolate chips) round out this healthy, quick and easy lunch!
(Side Note: Deli meat is generally loaded with sodium because of preservatives and additives. A regular slice of turkey can have over 600 mg of sodium, whereas, the lower sodium version is around 360 mg per slice. So, to keep your sodium intake in check, consider choosing “lower-sodium” deli meat.)
I actually make all of our lunches the night before. It’s engrained into my routine at this point! I love to use EasyLunchboxes (affiliate link). I discovered these several years ago and ever since “lunch prep” has been much easier and more enjoyable! They are perfect for adults and kids, help with portion control, stack easily in the fridge and are reusable. The lids come in different colors, so each member of the family has their own color. Since our lunches are somewhat different, this makes it less confusing when grabbing it from the fridge in the morning!
Snack: Celery + Nut Butter
Another classic… celery and peanut butter! Of course, you can use any type of nut butter… almond butter, sunflower butter, cashew butter, mixed nut butter. Sweeten it up with some raisins and make “ants on a log”! The combination of protein-rich nut butter and crunchy celery is a hit! I buy a bunch of celery weekly to be used in my Tuna Waldorf Salad, dinner meals, salads, and, or course, this snack. If there’s any lingering in the fridge come the weekend… it’s getting dipped in peanut butter!
Perfect for an on-the-go snack! I will usually put some nut butter in a small container, such as EasyLunchbox Dippers (affiliate link). However, if I’m feeling lazy I just grab a convenient to-go pack, like this one from Jif.
So there you have it… Tuesday’s breakfast, lunch and snack rotation! Modify or change any meal to suit your needs and tastes! Need another snack? A protein bar is an excellent option (especially pre or post workout) or check out my list of 15 Healthy Snacks for more ideas!
You can always reference and print the complete Breakfast, Lunch and Snack Rotation at the top of the blog under “Meal Rotations”.
Check out other posts in this series:
- Breakfast, Lunch and Snack Rotation (an introduction)
- Breakfast, Lunch and Snack Rotation for Monday
- Breakfast, Lunch and Snack Rotation for Wednesday
- Breakfast, Lunch and Snack Rotation for Thursday
- Breakfast, Lunch and Snack Rotation for Friday
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