Curious about what's on my plate, my go-to snacks, or what I usually order at a restaurant? Don't worry, I've got you covered with all the delicious details! What I, a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, eats in a week is a fun series where I show you everything I eat, the good, bad, and indulgent. If you ask 100 Registered Dietitian Nutritionists what they eat in a week, you will get 100 different answers. I always think it's fun to see what other people eat (maybe I am the only one, haha), so I'm putting my meals on blast for 7 days. This week was a typical week for me with some meals at home, a few social events, a boozy Sunday brunch, and lots of dessert.

Like always, I never want anyone to feel like they should eat the way I do or use my meals as a guide for their own life. I hope to show some perspective on how I balance eating out, cooking at home, all while trying to squeeze in my proper food groups. My diet is not perfect but I having a mix of dessert, wine, salad, and drunken chicken dumplings is necessary for my personal happiness. Now, let's see what was on my plate this week!

WHAT A REGISTERED DIETITIAN NUTRITIONIST EATS IN A WEEK

MONDAY

Breakfast: Raisin bran cereal with 2% milk, Cutie Mandarins, and coffee with 2% milk. Snack: Peanut butter dark chocolate Kind Bar. Lunch: Pork with a roasted carrot, way too many thyme roasted potatoes (I only ate about half because I got so full!), some roasted onion, and ketchup. Dinner: Slow cooker chicken and cauliflower curry with coconut milk, onion, fresh ginger, and edamame beans, topped with cilantro and chopped almonds, served with brown rice.

 

Tuesday

Breakfast: Homemade yogurt mixed with strawberry jam, Cutie Mandarins, and coffee with 2% milk. Lunch: Leftover roasted salmon with sautéed zucchini and brown rice. Dinner: Met up with a friend at The Gladly and ordered their Original Chopped Salad and grilled fish tacos with a side of roasted potatoes. I had about two bites of the tacos and took the rest home because I was so full!

 

Wednesday

Breakfast: Raisin bran cereal with 2% milk, banana, and coffee with 2% milk. Lunch: Leftover fish tacos from last night, some cherry tomatoes, and a store-bought bagged chopped cabbage and kale salad with a honey mustard dressing. Snack: Recipe tested some chocolate horchata. Dinner: Sheet pan dinner of roasted chicken drumsticks, eggplant, and a beet with a side of my leftover potatoes from last nights dinner.

 

Thursday

Breakfast: Raspberries topped with yogurt, a hardboiled egg, GoodBelly probiotic juice, and coffee with 2% milk. Lunch: Leftover roasted chicken drumsticks, eggplant, and brown rice with store-bought bagged chopped cabbage and kale salad with a honey mustard dressing. Dinner: Mark and I went to the Bourbon Street themed Nirvana Food Festival with some friends and tried so many little bites and drinks. I honestly tried so many New Orleans-inspired small plates and sips of bourbon cocktails, it was hard to take pictures of it all!

 

Friday

Breakfast: Smoothie made with spinach, yogurt, banana, peanut butter, and milk, along with a hardboiled egg, and coffee with 2% milk. Lunch: Store-bought shrimp spring rolls, spicy tuna hand rolls, and leftover roasted beets. Dinner: Sous vide pork, with thyme roasted potatoes, carrots, and onion. Finished the meal with a scoop of Tillamook vanilla caramel ice cream.

 

Saturday

Breakfast: Homemade yogurt with mixed in strawberry jam, a hard boiled egg, Cutie Mandarin, and coffee with 2% milk. Lunch: Simple Greek grilled chicken pita bowl with lentils, vegetables, topped with greek dressing. Snack: Went to a baby shower and snacked on (and forgot to take pictures of!) some nachos and salad along with a cocktail and some small pastries. Dinner: Went to Clever Kio and ordered the drunken chicken dumplings, pork ramen (couldn't finish it all!), with glass of wine and a spritz cocktail, finishing the meal with sesame ice cream and bites of beignets dipped in caramel sauce.

 

Sunday

Brunch: Celebrated an early birthday at my in-laws, with several salads, roast beef, and a delicious slice of cake. My Mother-in-laws three salads were full of vegetables, one with roasted cauliflower, the other with shredded carrots, and another with torn herbs, cucumber, and watermelon. We also had about two glasses of red wine to celebrate! Dinner: Chipotle beef burrito bowl with a side of guacamole and kids chips.

My food philosophy is focused on cooking at home and making vegetables an essential component of the meal, but also leaving room for life, wine, and dessert. Everyday I try to find a balance between homemade vs. convince, sometimes teeter tottering more heavily on one versus the other. My love of cooking happily leans towards scratch cooking with lots of homemade essentials, like yogurt, steamed rice, and hardboiled eggs. I also love the convince of grabbing some pre-made food items at the grocery store or stopping by a fast-casual restaurant for something quick when I am on the go. I never feel bad about eating out or eating something indulgent, as long as I enjoy and savor every bite, then try to rebalance the next day by ensuring I am putting more fruits and vegetables on my plate.

I hope you enjoyed the little peek into my week and have a new perspective on how I define healthy eating. If you want even more, check out my last 'What a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist Eats in a Week' post - it is just as delicious as this post!