450-Calorie Sheet-Pan Dinners (Weekly Plan & Shopping List!)
Delicious and easy dinners for when you're out of ideas!
Reviewed by Dietitian Jessica Ball, M.S., RD
While I really enjoy cooking, I don’t always know what to make for dinner. When I’m out of ideas, I rely on simple sheet-pan recipes. What I love about sheet-pan meals is that they not only help streamline your prep but also minimize the number of dishes you need to wash. Plus, these meals contain around 450 calories per serving, a level at which most folks feel satisfied. However, that number is simply meant to be a guide, so be sure to listen to your hunger and fullness cues.
Your Weekly Plan
Sunday: Hasselback Caprese Chicken
Monday: Zucchini Pizza
Tuesday: Roasted Salmon & Vegetables
Wednesday: Honey-Garlic Chicken Thighs with Carrots and Broccoli
Thursday: Shrimp Fajitas
Friday: Mini Meatloaves with Green Beans & Potatoes
Sunday: Hasselback Caprese Chicken
If you like stuffed chicken but feel like it’s a fuss, try hasselbacking it instead—all you need to do is cut slits into each breast and stuff it with tasty ingredients, like the tomato and mozzarella used here. Cooking broccoli alongside is a simple way to add a serving of veggies. For a quick cooking whole-grain side, I'll serve it with millet.
Total calories: 459 (including ½ cup cooked millet)
Monday: Zucchini Pizza
With summer approaching, I’m craving seasonal veggies like tomatoes, cucumbers and zucchini. And this sheet-pan dinner delivers fresh summer flavor in one of my favorite foods—pizza. The key to a crispy crust is thinly slicing the zucchini and patting it dry before adding it to the pizza. I’ll toss some salad greens with Lemon-Basil Vinaigrette to serve alongside.
Total calories: 448 (including 2 cups salad and 2 Tbsp. dressing)
Tuesday: Roasted Salmon & Vegetables
Photographer: Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless
This recipe is an anti-inflammatory winner. Salmon is particularly rich in omega-3 fatty acids, while tomatoes and red bell peppers are good sources of two antioxidants—lycopene and vitamin C. These three nutrients are known to help reduce chronic inflammation. To round out the meal, I'll warm some whole-wheat pita in the oven during the last few minutes of roasting.
Total calories: 495 (including 1 small whole-wheat pita)
Wednesday: Honey-Garlic Chicken Thighs with Carrots and Broccoli
Brie Goldman
Some people wonder if chicken thighs are actually healthy, and they are! Chicken thighs are rich in selenium and niacin (vitamin B3), two nutrients that support your overall health. That said, if you’re watching your saturated fat intake, you may choose to remove the skin. If you do, we recommend doing that after roasting (so the chicken stays moist) and before you drizzle on the remaining sauce (so you don’t lose any of that luscious flavor)!
Total calories: 475
Thursday: Shrimp Fajitas
Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist: Lydia Purcell
If there’s one dish I could eat every day, it is tacos! And if it’s shrimp tacos, even better. Not only is shrimp a good source of lean protein, but it cooks in a flash, making it a great option for busy nights. The mix of spices—chili powder, cumin, garlic and chipotle powder—delivers a nice adobo-style flavor to these fajitas. For another serving of veggies, I’ll make a Simple Cabbage Salad to serve alongside.
Total calories: 473 (including 1 serving of salad)
Friday: Mini Meatloaves with Green Beans & Potatoes
If you’re a meatloaf lover like me, you’ll drool over this mini version. And the nice thing about this meal is that the meatloaves and the sides are made in the oven, so you’ll have everything ready at the same time. Added bonus: green beans and potatoes are veggies that help improve your gut health, thanks to their fiber and resistant starch contents, respectively.
Total calories: 436
I wish you all a great week, and I hope you enjoy this dinner plan. If you try a recipe, remember to add a review.
Read the original article on Eating Well.
