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your work week dinner game plan

3 · Oct 27, 2019 · Leave a Comment

5 quick and easy, balanced dinner ideas to get you (or your whole family!) through the work week!

5 more easy weeknight meal ideas to help make the week ahead a little more organized and a little less stressful!

If you want even more dinner inspiration – find all my Work Week Dinner Game Plans here!

MONDAY: White bean & veggie pesto pasta

white bean & veggie pesto pasta // cait's plate

this easy vegetarian white bean & veggie pesto pasta comes together in minutes and is sure to please the whole household – a great option for an easy weeknight meal!

  • Serves: 4-6
  • Done in: 15 minutes
  • Tips: Feel free to mix this up in whatever way you want. Use whatever pasta you like best. If you prefer meat, throw some rotisserie chicken in here and mix up the veggies to suit you and your family’s preferences!

TUESDAY: 5 minute chicken souvlaki salad

5 minute chicken souvlaki salad // cait's plate

This easy chicken souvlaki salad comes together in just minutes, is hearty enough for dinner and is full of mediterranean flavor!

  • Serves: 1 (but can easily serve more!)
  • Done in: 5 minutes
  • Tips: If serving to a toddler, serve the elements separately. If they don’t like salad, just dice a few tomatoes and skinless cucumbers.

WEDNESDAY: Ultimate veggie-packed burrito

ultimate veggie-packed burrito || cait's plate

this easy burrito is loaded with veggies and comes together in just minutes making it a perfect weekday lunch or dinner!

  • Serves: 1 (but can easily serve more!)
  • Done in: 5 minutes
  • Tips: If serving to a toddler, serve the elements separately on a plate or make theirs into a quesadilla for ease of eating!

THURSDAY: Apple cider glazed chicken with roasted autumn produce

apple cider glazed chicken with roasted autumn produce // cait's plate

this apple cider glazed chicken comes together in 30 minutes or less and is bursting with fall flavor. it’s the perfect way to use up fall produce while getting dinner on the table in no time!

  • Serves: 6
  • Done in: 30 minutes
  • Tips: Serve with some hearty bread or your favorite grain (couscous or farro would be great here!)

FRIDAY: One Pot 3-Bean Vegetarian Chili

one pot 3-bean chili - a super simple, satisfying meal that can be on the table in under 30 minutes! // cait's plate

this protein-loaded vegetarian chili comes together quickly making it a perfect weeknight dish for the cooler temps!

  • Serves: 4
  • Done in: 20 minutes
  • Tips: Top this with all your favorite toppings plus some crunchy tortillas chips for scooping! If serving to a toddler, decrease the amount of chili powder.
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MEAL IDEAS, WORK WEEK DINNER PLANS

please note: items in these posts may contain affiliate links which simply means I earn a small amount of money if you click on them (at no additional cost to you).  this money is always re-invested in cait’s plate so I can continue to create free content to you!

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it took a while for me to get to a point where I r it took a while for me to get to a point where I realized I was chasing something that wasn't working for me.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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we're constantly told that thinner is better, that being healthy takes willpower and discipline.  that ‘pain is weakness leaving the body.’⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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it took me years of being miserable as I tried to adhere to all of diet culture's rules before I got to my 'ah-ha' moment.  what I was doing was not only making me unhappy, but it was harming not only my physical health, but my mental health too.  and wasn't I supposed to be doing all of this in the NAME of health?⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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I wish I could go back to my younger self and tell her it wasn't worth it.  all the rigidity, missing out and being so unhappy - all in the name of doing what I thought would lead to my happiest, healthiest life.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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we’re taught we can’t trust ourselves to know what’s best.  that we need to follow someone else’s plan for us in order to live a happy, healthy life.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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but for whatever it’s worth to anyone out there that might need to hear this: I’m always my happiest, healthiest self when I lean into my own body and my own experiences - not someone else’s idea of what it should be.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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#caitsplatenutrition #caitsplate #antidietculture #nondietdietitian #bodyrespect #breakthedietcycle #dietsdontwork #antidietculture #foodfreedom #intuitiveeatingjourney #intuititveeating #disorderedeatingrecovery
it's not officially fall for me until I've had thi it's not officially fall for me until I've had this harvest wrap.  it's quick, easy and the perfect melt of my favorite fall flavors.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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here's what I put in it:⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
* mixed greens⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
* roasted sweet potatoes⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
* diced apple⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
* diced pear⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
* chickpeas (could also use chicken!)⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
* red onion⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
* dried cranberries⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
* walnuts (can also use pecans)⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
* goat cheese (feta would also be great)⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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I drizzle the whole thing with olive oil and balsamic glaze.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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printable recipe on @caitsplate: https://caitsplate.com/vegetarian-harvest-wrap/⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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#caitsplatefood #caitsplate #vegetarianlunch #easymeal #fallfood #f52community #thefeedfeed #vegetarianrecipes #vegetarianmeals #vegetarianfoodshare
walk through the grocery store and you’re bound walk through the grocery store and you’re bound to find “natural” prominently featured on any number of products.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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the idea of something being “natural” has infiltrated marketing messages in everything from our toiletries & cleaning products to food & beauty items.  that companies have found this term so useful for sales is no wonder - it’s heavily promoted in our society as being “better” for us.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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yet, we’re often told by this same health and wellness culture not to trust our natural, internal signs and signals.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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we’re told to push through exhaustion even if what our bodies really need is rest, we’re told to ignore our signals of hunger and fullness in deference to a pre-set plan, we’re constantly told to fix, resize and reshape our bodies from their natural states.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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it’s worth noting that there’s little profit to be made off us trusting and honoring our body’s innate signals and states.  if we could simply trust our own bodies, we would have no need to buy solutions to “fix” our wellness “problems.”⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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it then begs the question, is it truly our health and wellness, or simply the chance to profit, that motivates so much of the messaging in our health and wellness culture?⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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part of freeing yourself from diet culture is unraveling the pervasive messaging we often take as hard truth and picking it apart based on our lived experience and knowledge.  this can help us determine what truly serves our overall wellbeing versus what is simply padding the pockets of the industry.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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#caitsplatenutrition #caitsplate #dietsdontwork #intuitiveeatingjourney #ditchthediet #bodyrespect #foodfreedom #nondietapproach #bodyacceptance #nondietdietitian #nofoodrules #antidiet #antidietculture #breakfreefromdieting
white bean & veggie farro soup! a latest spin on white bean & veggie farro soup!  a latest spin on one of my favorite soup recipes.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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super simple to pull together, perfectly comforting and great to make ahead and reheat for easy meals (my favorite kind 🙌)⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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recipe is linked in my profile (@caitsplate)⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
https://caitsplate.com/white-bean-veggie-farro-soup/⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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#caitsplatefood #caitsplate #f52community #soupseason #vegetarianrecipeshare #meatless #souprecipe #easymeal #easycooking #recipeshare
one of the things I hear most often from individua one of the things I hear most often from individuals looking to break free form diet culture and embrace intuitive eating is “I feel like all I’m doing is thinking and analyzing my food behaviors and all I want to do is stop thinking so much about food.”

this is completely understandable.  when food and food rules have owned your life for so long, and you finally embrace the thing that’s supposed to help you break that cycle, it can feel like a lot.

the difference is, while intuitive eating may require a deeper dive at the outset, it ultimately sets you *free* from all the over-thinking and analyzing of food & food choices, setting you up for a peaceful relationship with food that can last a lifetime.

dieting and food rules feel simple at the outset, but keep us in a never-ending cycle of distress around food.

#caitsplatenutrition #caitsplate #intuitiveeating #disorderedeating #disorderedeatingrecovery #bodydysmorphia #redefiningbeauty #i_weigh #antidietculture #nondietdietitian #intuitiveeatingjourney #antidiet #nondietdietitian
pumpkin turkey meatballs! done in less than 30 mi pumpkin turkey meatballs!  done in less than 30 minutes with less than 10 ingredients.  a perfect easy fall meal!⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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grab the recipe details on @caitsplate (link in profile): https://caitsplate.com/pumpkin-turkey-meatballs/⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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#caitsplatefood #caitsplate #pumpkinseason #pumpkinrecipes #easymeal #easydinner #dinnerrecipes #dinnertonight #f52community #thefeedfeed

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