Weight Watchers Friendly Meal Planning Ideas
Do you ever struggle with planning what to cook? I sure do.
Welcome To Weight Watchers Weekly Meal Plan #81 {SmartPoints}
So, on Saturdays I share samples/examples of my Weight Watchers Meal Plans, which provide a rough outline of what I'm planning for the week.
I hope they help you reach your goals.
Bon Appétit!
The Benefits Of Cooking At Home More
Since I like to cook I may be biased, but I've always believed that the food you cook for yourself is essentially good for you.
Taking the time to cook for yourself (and others you love) is a supremely nourishing act of kindness.
But, it doesn't mean I'm always in the mood to do it. And the older I get the less time I'm willing to spend in the kitchen.
My Overall Weight Watchers Meal Planning Strategy
Getting dinner on the table is so much easier when I've planned what I'm cooking and eating ahead of time. With my grocery shopping done and weight watchers recipes at the ready I can just walk into the kitchen and get cooking.
I don't always stick to my plan one hundred percent. Life happens.
But, it helps to have a rough guide and prevents me from reaching into the cookie jar or bag of chips too often.
Whoever said that failing to plan was planning to fail was spot on!
My approach to meal planning is simpler than most.
Just reading many of the meal plan programs out there suggesting a different breakfast, lunch and dinner every single day are enough to make me run from the kitchen screaming.
Are you kidding me? Who cooks like that?
Not me or anyone I know.
I've experimented with many of the sophisticated meal planning programs out there, but I've never been able to make them work for me.
Keeping it simple always works best for me.
If you are looking for a Healthy Meal Planning Solution (affiliate link) with lots of options including low carb and vegetarian diets with complete nutritional information and Weight Watchers SmartPoints, my WW friend Kristen, from Slender Kitchen has a really good one.
As far as I'm concerned the Slow Cooker is the best invention ever for folks trying to eat healthy and lose weight without losing their minds.
I use mine at least once a week, sometimes more. I'm absolutely, positively convinced that cooking with my crock-pot is directly linked to the success I've had keeping my weight off!
As a creature of habit, I tend to rotate between the same one or two breakfasts and lunches the days I eat at home each week.
And because we are a family of two, most recipes result in leftovers that we are happy to eat again or transform somehow.
So, I usually only cook from scratch three or four times a week, at most.
We like to eat out a couple of times, usually on the weekend.
If we end up with more food than we can eat, I portion it out, package it up and pop it in the freezer for future quick and easy lunches and dinners.
I hope these posts make it easier for you to stay on track with your weight loss and/or healthy eating goals too. It's a process that gets easier with practice.
And remember, there's a Weight Watchers Weekly Meal Plans Section on the blog so you can get inspiration from all of the previous weekly meal plans too.
The lower numbered ones all have PointsPlus values for those not making the switch to SmartPoints.
Enjoy!
Weight Watchers Meal Plan #81
BREAKFAST
I'm a creature of habit, especially where it comes to breakfast. I tend to alternate between these choices at the moment:
A large mug of Decaf Coffee (0SP) and:
1. My Favorite Protein Shake of the Moment is a Chocolate Banana Berry Concoction with (4SP): In the blender (affiliate link) I combine the following and blend till smooth: ½ cup Cottage Cheese (2SP), 1 scoop Chocolate Protein Powder (2SP), ½ Frozen Banana (0SP), ½ cup berries (fresh or frozen) ½ cup Water and a big handful of ice.
I don't count the banana or berries and don't need any extra sweetener because the Trim Shake Protein Powder I use has stevia in it.
Add sweetener to taste and adjust you points accordingly.
2. Cottage Cheese (1 cup – 5SP) and Fruit (0SP): One of my favorite quick and easy summertime choices for breakfast and/or lunch.
3. Whole Grain Toast (2SP) with 1 tablespoon Peanut Butter (3SP) and ½ banana (0SP)
4. Whole Grain Toast (2SP) with ¼ Avocado (2SP) and Fried Egg (2SP)
5. Slow Cooker Southwest Breakfast Casserole (8SP) and Fruit (0SP) (I make it on the weekend and warm it up during the week)
Lunch
Again, I tend to rotate between the same few lunch choices on days I don't eat lunch out. Here are some of my favorite quick and easy lunches right now:
1. Leftovers
2. Crunchy Tuna Salad (3SP) on a bed of Mixed Greens (0SP) with Tomatoes (0SP) and Cucumber (0SP) and Garden Vegetable Soup (0SP)
3. Egg Salad (3SP) stuffed into a tomato (0SP) or spread on a slice of whole wheat toast (2SP) with an Apple (0SP)
4. Greek Turkey Feta Mason Jar Salad (7SP) and Garden Vegetable Soup (0SP)
5. Baked Potato with Cottage Cheese and Salsa (7SP)
Dinner
Because we are a family of two most recipes I make result in leftovers that we are happy to eat again on another night or that I re-purpose somehow.
This means that I usually only cook from scratch 3 or 4 times a week because we usually eat out 1 – 2 times a week.
Any extras get packed up and put in the freezer for future quick and easy meals.
1. Slow Cooker Pulled Pork (6SP) with Light Bun (2SP), Broccoli Slaw (4SP) and Watermelon (0SP) and Skinny Baked S'mores (3SP)
2. Summer Slow Cooker Vegetable Soup (3SP) with Simple Tossed Green Salad (0SP) with Light Balsamic Vinaigrette (2SP) and Crusty Bread (2SP) with Wedge of Laughing Cow Cheese (1SP)
3. Turkey Burgers (4SP) with Light Bun (2SP) and Chopped Greek Salad (4SP)
4. Chicken Fajitas (2SP) on Salad Greens (0SP) with Avocado (¼th - 2SP) and Salsa (0SP)
5. Leftovers
Snacks
I try to limit my snacks to one in the late afternoon which keeps me from being overly hungry when I'm getting dinner ready. I try to only snack when I'm hungry enough to eat an apple.
To prevent snacking while I’m making dinner, I often chew gum.
A former Cheez-Its junkie, I've pretty much given up on processed, packaged snack-y foods that I can never seem to get enough of once I begin. Weight Watchers calls them Trigger Foods for good reason!
Here are some of my favorite go-to snacks at the moment:
1. Sliced Apple or Pear (0SP) with a String Cheese (2SP) and Almonds (7 – 1SP)
2. Hard Boiled Egg (2SP) and Grape Tomatoes (0SP)
3. Triscuits (6 – 3SP) and Laughing Cow Cheese (1SP)
4. Guacamole (¼ cup – 3SP) and Baby Carrots (0SP)
5. Watermelon (0SP)
6. Light Popcorn (3 cups - 2SP)
Click Here For More Healthy Snack Ideas
Dessert
With the New SmartPoints Plan, sweet treats are a lot more "expensive" than they were with PointsPlus.
I usually try to limit indulgent desserts to once or twice a week.
Other times, if I feel like I want a "little something" after dinner, I've been opting for a cup of decaf or herb tea instead, which can be surprisingly satisfying.
I don't keep many sweets around the house.
You can't eat what you don't have?
Through the years I've convinced myself not to waste my valuable points on ho-hum sweet treats. But it's still an ongoing practice!
Here are some of my go-to sweet treats at the moment:
1. Sliced Banana and Strawberries (0SP) drizzled with Chocolate Syrup (2 t. – 2SP) and a dollop of canned Reddi-Wip whipped topping (2T – 1SP)
2. Pineapple Whip (2SP) – Blend together ½ cup Fat Free Cottage Cheese (2SP) and ½ cup Frozen Pineapple (0SP) and Sweetener of Choice until the consistency of soft serve ice cream. You may need just 1-2 tablespoons of water or skim milk too. (Any fruit will work. I frozen mixed berries and frozen mango too.)
3. Creamy Chocolate Greek Yogurt (1SP) – plain non-fat Greek yogurt, cocoa powder and sweetener of choice is a cold and creamy way to satisfy a chocolate craving. I want to try this with a little PB2 (affiliate link) (peanut butter flour (affiliate link)) too.
4. Microwave Baked Apple with Cranberries and Maple Syrup (2SP)
5. Skinny Baked S'mores (3SP)
6. Sliced Apple "Cookies" (3SP)
Have a wonderful week!
PS…If you make one of our weight watchers recipes, we would love for you to take a picture and share it on Instagram. Use the hashtag #simplenourishedliving. We want to see what you are making and would love for you to follow us on Instagram.
PPS…And remember, there's a Weight Watchers Meal Plans with PointsPlus section on the blog so you can get inspiration from all of the previous weekly meal plans too.
*PointsPlus® and SmartPoints® calculated by Simple Nourished Living; Not endorsed by Weight Watchers International, Inc. All recipe ingredients except optional items included in determining nutritional estimates. SmartPoints® values calculated WITHOUT Weight Watchers Zero Points fruits and vegetables using the WW Recipe Builder.
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Aledra
I see your pictures of weekly plan for #81. When I click on it and all around it, it does not open. Are the pictures the plan?
Sorry to be dense.
Martha McKinnon
Hi Aledra, There are no pictures, The plan and links out to the recipes are within the text of the post. I'm working on premium meal plans that will be more streamlined with grocery lists. Hope this helps.
Tricia
Hi Martha. I bought the bundle items and it came with one week of a "Simple Nourished Living Bonus Meal Plan #1). I loved the set up of this. I found it extremely useful with the Menu Plan on top with each day listed and the Shopping list. In addition, all of the recipes were provided as well. Is this something that I purchased too? Are there more of these available? I wasn't able to find them for this week and I am winging it with other recipes etc. but I was hoping to find more of these.
Thank you so much for your time!
Tricia
Martha McKinnon
Hi Tricia, Thanks for your feedback. I don't have more meal plans available in this format yet, but stay tuned!!
Sara
I love your website. So much information and great recipes. Found it by accident when I was looking for WW recipes. I became a lifetime member in in 1973 (a long, long time ago). Unfortunately I did not stay with the program and now at age 74 I'm ready to go back on program. The good news is I have lost 65 lbs by myself over the past 6 years. The not so good news - have 50 more lbs to go but with WW there is a silver lining.
Martha McKinnon
Hi Sara, So nice to hear from you. Congrats on losing 65 on your own! That's terrific. I love what you say about there being a silver lining with Weight Watchers. So true.