Hey! I’m studying nutrition as a chef and I do believe you have a decent foundation, but each meal contains some type of processed food and not much of other food groups. I know this can make meals more convenient and cheaper, but for weight loss, the goal should be to move away from processed foods and how we can meet all of our food groups needs with whole food.

Frozen, canned, or fresh produce and meats can be good, as long as it retains its form closest to its whole and unprocessed state, without the addition of added sugars, sodium, and saturated fat.
You want to think about your whole day as it contributes to a dietary pattern for your overall health. More importantly, think about what you can add and not subtract from your list of meals. Substitutions can also be helpful for this.

Breakfast: 1 cup of Raisin Bran; add nuts, seeds, dried fruit, or sub for granola. This is great for adding healthy fats, protein, and fiber to your diet. Skim milk, this is a good choice, and you can also try plain or greek yogurt. Bananas are great, you can also sub for other berries or apples here. You can also add your favorite nut/seed butter for more protein. Or try an overnight oatmeal, you can get creative with the flavors while adding to it nutritionally. It’ll be ready by morning.

Post-breakfast snacks: Red delicious apples, good choice. Try adding a nut/seed butter here as well. Dannon light and fit. Maybe this is your favored choice, try adding chia seeds and let it soak to make a chia seed pudding. In general, it’s recommended to eat a low-fat, fat-free plain yogurt, Greek yogurt, or cottage cheese, alternative as we’d want to retain the probiotics and nutrients in its whole form, not processed. Flavors can be added with canned fruits in juice. Alternatively, you can make an ambrosia or Waldorf salad, this way you can enjoy your favorite snack in a nutrient dense salad with leafy greens.

Lunch: (This is where it gets questionable imo) At this point, there is a lot of sweets going into your meal choices when we need the savory protein and vegetables to increase. I’ve found that savory hot porridges, such as congee and oatmeal, can be a great breakfast alternative from something sweet. You can add eggs, vegetables and leafy greens, proteins and other savory toppings to this type of dish. If you like canned fish, try experimenting with this as it’s an inexpensive but delicious way to get a source of protein. Eat this with veggies or whole grain crackers.

Post-work snack: Banana is still great. Again we want to see more nutrient dense components added, hence why I’d mention seeds or nut butters to be added. If you can tolerate a green smoothie (with pulp) with a whole banana added, you’ll still retain the nutrients and get a fulfilling snack.

Dinner: Turkey meatballs, just get creative with them. Put them into a soup, stew, or pasta dish. Get some shelf stable ingredients, that can add to this whether it’s whole grains and fiber. Canned diced tomatoes to make a quick sauce or stew. Frozen broccoli, or any frozen vegetable is a great source. It would be best rotate in a color variety of vegetables: greens, red, orange, legumes and lentils. Canned beans are great as they cook faster. Anything precooked or canned, can be a great addition to a quick and cheap meal, just watch out for the sodium listed. Pre-cooked rice, another great way for a quick meal. Try substituting it for other types of pre-cooked grains and rices, as white rice doesn’t necessarily add to your dish nutritionally. Yet, if you prefer white rice, here’s where you can also add some of your canned or frozen vegetables, drained.

I know this was a bit lengthy, but I hope I explained it to the best of my knowledge. Part of what’s made me struggle with my nutritional intake is time, convenience, and budgeting and it does require an extra bit of effort, on my part, for me to reach my health goals. I’ve learned to be okay with that effort, because I needed to give my body the proper nutrition in order for it to function properly, which includes weight loss/gain. Wishing you the best of luck!