What A Nutritionist Eats In A Day | Jolene Carlson MaEd, MS, LN

NWWstaff

February 22, 2022 • 10:15AM

Even with the best of intentions, choosing healthy meals throughout the day can be challenging. At the end of a long day (and a long week), wouldn’t it be easier to just order takeout or munch on those processed goodies hanging out in the pantry?

If you’ve been with us for any length of time, you know that we are all about real food. We encourage eating food that comes from the ground, the plants, and the animals as opposed to what’s in a box. So, we’ve asked our licensed nutritionist Jolene Carlson what tips SHE uses to help her stay nourished and energized to make it through her days. Afterall, not only has she successfully lost 100 pounds and kept them off, she takes care of a 70-acre hobby farm, has 4 children, and is an Officer in the MN Army National Guard, in addition to seeing clients in our busy Wayzata office and cohosting the Dishing Up Nutrition radio show. Let’s learn some tips from this busy (and healthy) lady!

Tips for Food Prep

Jolene, how do you plan for a week of real food?

I look at recipes (typically on our Nutritional Weight & Wellness site or other keto-friendly sites since they tend to have lower carbohydrate dishes) and pick 1-3 items for the week. I also try to follow the following practices, which keeps things simple so I don’t have to think too hard about it each week:

Make two breakfast items for entire week on Sunday (typically Frittata and Zucchini Pancakes or hard-boiled eggs)
Boil bulk chicken thighs and store in fridge (protein)
Make one roast (protein)
Always have salad ingredients on hand (primary lunch)
Shop for vegetables of choice for week

These are the basic staples that I always rely on and then I add to them as needed throughout week to make meals. It makes grocery shopping easy having regular items I always put into the cart.

What are your top five items used in the kitchen?

Blender
Cast iron skillet
Slow cooker
Sheet pans
Salad mixer

What tricks do you use that make meal prep easier?

I prep proteins and breakfast items on the weekend or on a day off. That way they are ready to go on busy workdays.
I roast a sheet pan of vegetables each morning during breakfast to have “on hand” throughout the day.
I have staples for flavor to add variety to any dish: like garlic, different seasoning blends, cilantro, avocado, basil, etc.
Buying a rotisserie chicken for “chicken-based recipes” makes meal prep easier! You can use the chicken to top a salad, throw in a soup or stew, or make a chicken salad for snacks and meals.

What do you always keep on hand?

Items that can be added to any food for flavor/taste
Grass fed butter, olive oil, and avocado oil
Heavy cream and/or grass-fed whole milk
Greens – the mixed greens in the clamshell containers are super handy
Herbs/spices
Assortment of vegetables (both fresh and frozen)

Get a customized eating plan with ideas for meal planning in a nutrition counseling appointment with Jolene or one of our other nutritionists and dietitians.

What To Eat

Armed with a plan and some regular go-to options, what does that look like when put into practice? Jolene took us along for the ride on her meal train to show us how to combine her favorites into a days’ worth of delicious, satisfying, healthy meals and snacks:

Breakfast: I typically have coffee and put in some Paleo Vanilla Protein Powder with Espresso Key Greens, full-fat coconut milk, and cinnamon.

I also like to make a Breakfast Caprese: 4% fat cottage cheese + tomatoes + fresh basil + balsamic vinegar + salt/pepper to taste. I add chicken sausage or turkey sausage if I need more protein.

Morning Snack: Yogurt Parfait (I make this once a week in a big batch)

One container of Greek Goodness plain yogurt + 3 cups berries of choice + 1 scoop Berry Key Greens + 1 scoop Paleo Vanilla Protein + 1 cup heavy whipping cream (whipped). Mix and store in refrigerator for the week – kids love this one too!

Lunch: During the winter, soups are my go-to. In summer, I like more salads. Pictured here is my Chicken Enchilada Soup made with lots of veggies, spices, broth, chicken and topped with favorite flavors of sour cream, avocado and cilantro.

Afternoon and/or Evening Snack: The Nutritional Weight & Wellness Pumpkin Custard. I double the recipe and make it in casserole baking dish to have for the whole week. Kids love this one too!

Dinner: To ensure I get more vegetables, I like to find “stuffed vegetable meals”, for example stuffed peppers, tomatoes, and mushrooms. These are portabella mushrooms that I roast in olive oil and salt/pepper until the tenderness that I desire. I stir fry cabbage, carrots, and ground meat of choice (this is ground bison) and add sesame oil and Primal Kitchen Sesame Ginger Sauce, place into mushrooms, and broil for a couple of minutes. Top with goat cheese when done.

And there you have it! When you’re busy and living a full life, it’s important to feed your brain and body the nutrients it needs to have energy, focus, and to function properly. Pick a couple dishes to make for the week, prep proteins on slow days or the weekends, have a variety of spices for different flavor profiles, and have a couple things you do each week to make it simple (like picking up a rotisserie chicken or whipping up a yogurt parfait with your favorite protein powder!).

For more information on eating real food and meal prepping, check out these additional resources: