7-Day Whole Food Dinner Plan
Whether you're looking for a way to reset your eating habits or are simply looking for a few wholesome dinner ideas, this plan proves that eating more whole foods can be delicious and easy.
Reviewed by Dietitian Jessica Ball, M.S., RD
Get your diet back on track this week with these seven dinners that focus on real, whole food—no ingredients you don't recognize or processed, high-sugar ingredients. These dinners utilize fresh produce, whole grains and healthy fats and proteins to keep you satisfied and feeling your best.
If you're feeling like your diet needs a longer healthy reset, join our 30 Days of Whole Foods Challenge.
Day 1
Roasted Salmon with Smoky Chickpeas & Greens
Pictured recipe: Roasted Salmon with Smoky Chickpeas & Greens
In this healthy salmon dinner, you'll get a dose of greens and green dressing! Chowing down on 6 or more servings of dark leafy greens a week can help keep your brain in top shape. This dish features one of our Test Kitchen's go-to methods for doctoring a can of chickpeas: Spice them up and roast them until crispy.
Day 2
Sheet-Pan Pork & Cherry Tomatoes
Pictured recipe: Sheet-Pan Pork & Cherry Tomatoes
Rutabaga is a root vegetable that tastes like cabbage and turnips got together and had a baby. Start roasting it in the oven first while you prep the tomatoes and pork. As the tomatoes cook, they burst and create a delicious sauce to mix with the balsamic vinegar at the end.
Day 3
Chicken with Tomato-Balsamic Pan Sauce
Pictured recipe: Chicken with Tomato-Balsamic Pan Sauce
Fennel seeds give this tomato and balsamic sauce an extra kick, but if you don't have them on hand, try using cumin or coriander seeds, or 1 teaspoon of a ground herb or spice. Serve this easy chicken breast recipe with whole-wheat spaghetti or crusty bread to sop up the sauce. Save the unused chicken tenders in an airtight container in your freezer for up to 3 months. Once you have enough, thaw them out for another use.
Day 4
Spaghetti Squash Shrimp Scampi
Pictured recipe: Spaghetti Squash Shrimp Scampi
Give buttery shrimp scampi a healthy update with delicately sweet spaghetti squash. The parsley-flecked squash "noodles" slash calories, add fiber and leave this classic dish still plenty decadent.
Day 5
Creamy Vegan Butternut Squash Carbonara
Pictured recipe: Creamy Vegan Butternut Squash Carbonara
Carbonara, traditionally bathed in eggs, gets a vegan makeover using roasted and pureed butternut squash instead to make it ultra-creamy. A topping of ground almonds, garlic and sage gives it texture and an herby, savory flavor in place of the cheese and bacon.
Day 6
Green Veggie Bowl with Chicken & Lemon-Tahini Dressing
Pictured recipe: Green Veggie Bowl with Chicken & Lemon-Tahini Dressing
For this healthy 30-minute dinner, treat your veggies like pasta and cook until al dente or just done. To save time on another day, double or triple the lemon-tahini dressing so that you've got it on hand to quickly dress a salad or as a sauce for steak or shrimp.
Meal-Prep Tip: Cook extra chicken tonight for tomorrow's dinner.
Day 7
Kale Salad with Quinoa & Chicken
Pictured recipe: Kale Salad with Quinoa & Chicken
Toss the cooked chicken into this healthy 5-ingredient salad recipe while it's still warm to lightly wilt the kale, making it softer and easier to eat. Using store-bought salad dressing saves time, but you could also make your own Mediterranean vinaigrette.
