As there isn’t any particular diet for thyroid disease, you need to eat well. And that means one needs to focus on balanced meals with loads of whole foods, including veggies, fruits, legumes, whole grains, and lean proteins.
You may be unaware that an underactive thyroid can slow down your metabolism, which is the process by which your body converts the food you eat into energy. This may lead to weight gain, constipation, and fatigue. You must choose more nutritionally dense foods. Even exercising can make you feel more energized and support a healthy weight to stay on top of your health.
In this article, we have provided a meal plan to prepare for 5 days.
Preparation Plan
This plan has been developed for two people. In certain instances, where noted, a recipe has to be doubled or halved.
You can use sturdy Tupperware and Mason jars to preserve pre-chopped veggies and leftovers fresh. Store ingredients that weren’t utilized where they belong, such as in your pantry or the refrigerator. As far as the shopping day is concerned, you can split these tasks into 2 days if required.
Monday
Breakfast Prep:
- Measure out the cherries, mixed berries, carrots, and almonds. Whole, sliced, or another nut can also be used, based on availability for your cherry berry smoothie bowl. Preserve inside a zip-top bag in the refrigerator until the next morning. Accordingly, you need not have to measure as much.
Lunch Prep:
- Prepare the tuna salad as per the recipe instructions. Here you can leave the celery out as this is the only recipe that uses it. You may apply cilantro or parsley, based on what you purchased, and if you don’t have any mayo, then swap in some of the Greek yogurts. Store the rest of the white beans in Tupperware inside the refrigerator for the potato soup you’ll prepare later on in the week.
- You can pack the salad for lunch, with a pita each.
- Double the recipe for two individuals.
Dinner Prep:
- Chop bell pepper, tomatoes, cucumber, and olives for the preparation of your ultimate chopped salad. Preserve in the fridge until Tuesday’s dinner.
Monday
Breakfast:
- Prepare a feta oatmeal bowl and savory spinach as per directions.
- Double the recipe for two individuals.
Lunch:
- Enjoy the ultimate chopped salad.
Dinner:
- Prepare vegetable enchiladas as per directions.
- Apply a few cilantro or parsley, whichever one you purchased, and Greek yogurt and olives as garnishes.
- Pack leftovers for lunch the next day.
Snack/Dessert:
- Prepare garlic parmesan popcorn as per directions.
- Pre-cut apples into slices and couple them with a tablespoon of nut butter of your preference
Tuesday
Breakfast:
- Blend the ingredients frozen on a shopping day with the remaining ingredients mentioned in the recipe.
Lunch:
- Pack pitas with the pre-prepped tuna salad and enjoy. Couple with fresh fruit.
Dinner:
- Try to finish the ultimate chopped salad. You can also apply dry oregano rather than fresh.
- Enjoy the salad with a loaf of whole pita bread.
- Store leftovers for lunch the next day.
Snack/Dessert:
- Prepare dark chocolate cake for two as per to directions.
- Combine or grind some rolled oats to make oat flour rather than purchasing a bag that you may not reuse, to save a few dollars.
- Enjoy 2-3 Brazil nuts as a snack
Wednesday
Breakfast:
- Prepare brown sugar-baked citrus with a honeyed yogurt bowl as per directions.
Lunch:
- Finish the leftover vegetable enchiladas.
Dinner:
- Make pesto-crusted salmon as per the directions. If the stem remains intact in the basil leaves, then place the rest into a small vase and it’ll remain the same for a week. You can also chop it up and freeze or dry it for future use.
- Prepare potato soup as per instructions. Leave the bacon if you don’t wish to have it.
- Half the potato soup recipe for preparing 4 cups only.
- Enjoy a cup of soup with 3 ounces of salmon for dinner. Pack leftovers for the next day’s lunch.
Snack/Dessert:
- Prepare whole grain mini berry crisps as per the directions.
- When you don’t have any whole wheat flour, swap in some oat flour by grinding or mixing two tablespoons of rolled oats. Utilize any nut you have at present. The nutmeg and cinnamon enhance the flavor. Buy a package of them if you use them later on.
- Half the recipe for two servings only.
- Mix eight baby carrots with 3-4 tablespoons of hummus
Thursday
Breakfast Prep:
- Prepare peanut butter cup chia as per the directions for a grab-and-go breakfast.
- Double the recipe for two individuals.
Dinner Prep:
- Simultaneously place the chicken for the tabouli salad in the oven with the salmon, for Thursday’s dinner. Just prepare it and sprinkle it with salt and pepper. Once ready, preserve it in Tupperware.
Thursday
Breakfast:
- Take pleasure in the peanut butter cup chia pudding prepared the previous night.
Lunch:
- Enjoy the remaining pesto-crusted salmon with a cup of potato soup.
Dinner:
- Prepare tabouli salad as per the instructions, utilizing the chicken from the previous day. Chop up the vegetables as the quinoa is cooking. Apply parsley or cilantro.
- Serve with fresh fruit
- Pack leftovers for Friday’s lunch.
Snack/Dessert:
- Make peanut butter banana yogurt parfait as per the instructions. Break up the dark chocolate bar and use it rather than the called-for cacao nibs.
- Popcorn
Friday
Breakfast Prep:
Chop up the garlic, bell pepper, onion, jalapeno, cilantro or parsley, and tomato to prepare your Mexican scramble quicker in the morning.
Friday
Breakfast:
- Make Mexican scramble as per the directions, with pre-chopped veggies from the previous night. Enjoy with a cup of creamy cocoa matcha latte, prepared as per the instructions.
- Double the latte recipe for two individuals.
Lunch:
- Enjoy the remaining tabouli salad.
Dinner:
- Make black bean tostadas as per the directions. Utilize the remaining spinach rather than arugula. Don’t use the red onion.
- Enjoy two tostadas for each person.
Snack/Dessert:
- Prepare dark chocolate avocado mousse as per the directions.
- Half the recipe for two servings only.
Conclusion
A balanced diet will help you achieve most of your nutrient goals. Be prepared with a proper meal plan, and prep ahead to reduce your workload throughout the week.
