My favorite type of blog post to read as of late has nothing to do with fashion, beauty or home decor. It has to do with my other favorite thing… food. đ I’ve been so interested in food diaries as a way to get inspiration for meals! Since giving birth, I haven’t craved specific meals. I’m always hungry of course, but nothing sounds amazing so I’ve been browsing food diary blog posts to get some inspiration for meals.
I thought it would be fun to share what I eat in a typical day along with some of my favorite recipes for those meals. I also want to say that because I’m breastfeeding these meals aren’t always the same. I haven’t dieted yet since giving birth, I just try to eat healthy meals and then snack when I need to and I don’t deprive myself. If I crave a burger, I eat a burger. If I notice my supply is lower, I eat carbs and drink a glass of milk.
Breakfast
For breakfast, I typically have a cup of black coffee with oatmeal. If I want something extra in my coffee I put cinnamon in it as that’s a great little metabolism boost and gives some flavor without a ton of sugar-filled coffee creamers. I use regular oats and almond milk to make my oatmeal. I’ll top my oatmeal with berries or go for almond butter with cinnamon. If I’m tired of oatmeal, I love to make avocado toast on Ezekiel Bread. I’ll also sautĂ© cherry tomatoes in oil with salt and pepper and put that on top of the avocado. That’s more of a Saturday morning meal since it takes a little extra time. If I’m running out the door for breakfast I’ll have two Van’s Whole Grain Waffles and top with almond butter. I eat breakfast pretty early, around 6 a.m. so I’ll have a protein shake around 10 to tide me over until lunch. I haven’t found a protein I’m really loyal to just yet, so I’m always switching up brands and trying new ones.
Lunch
For lunch I either eat leftovers from the night before or my favorite Whole 30 meal: avocado egg salad. This is SO easy to make and you can add in a bunch of different things. For the avocado egg salad I take three hard-boiled eggs and half an avocado. I only use one whole egg and use the egg whites from the other two eggs. I mash the egg up using a food chopper and then combine half the avocado. I top with pink himalayan salt and pepper. This is great if you add one strip of bacon or a little green onion as well. I really try to listen to my body with carbs, so if I feel good I just eat it plain but if I need more I’ll add a slice of toast with this.
Dinner
Pictured is my favorite meal from Whole Foods! Dinner is always different, but I’ll share the most common things we have. When I am running low on time, I’ll pick up this grilled chicken from Whole Foods with their Kale Salad. This Kale Salad is my favorite and has cranberries and sliced almonds in it!  In general, I like to make Whole 30 meals for dinner as I can eat off of them days later and feel good about it. One thing I love to do is just put chicken in a crockpot with salsa and top it over sweet potatoes. Another thing we always have for dinner are zoodles. I’ll pick up different zoodles from Whole Foods [I know I could make them but #newbornlife] and I’ll cook ground turkey, add in pasta sauce and toss with the zoodles. It takes 10 minutes to make dinner and tastes wonderful! I also like to make cauliflower pasta which I got from The Style Scribe. Lastly, if I know we are going to have an insanely busy week I’ll order from Freshly. No, this isn’t sponsored by them! haha! They do not know I exist on this planet, my mom actually got me hooked on them. She orders from Freshly because she is the only person at my parents’ house that eats gluten-free so it’s easier for her to just have her separate meals. Check out my Pinterest board where I pin a lot of Whole 30 crockpot meals as well!
SnacksÂ
Snacks are the best part of eating right? Here are a few snacks I munch on throughout the day!
- Pure Growth Organics: I have to keep some sort of snack on me in my diaper bag otherwise if I get too hungry I’ll end up at a drive through. Breastfeeding hormones are so crazy and the hunger is far more intense than pregnancy hunger ever was. I feel better eating these as opposed to just regular old animal crackers, plus they taste SO good! The cinnamon brown sugar breakfast bars are the best!
- Chocolate Stampede Mix from Whole Foods: I like to keep this in our pantry in case I have a sweet tooth. A handful of this keeps my sweet tooth at bay. It’s a mix of nuts with dark chocolate pieces and white chocolate. You get the perfect balance of sweet vs. salty and just a few bites helps curb any cravings.
- Protein Shakes and Bars: I’ll have one protein shake and protein bars a day around 10 in between breakfast and lunch
I’m not a dietician by any means, so this definitely isn’t perfect and I don’t follow this to a tee every single day! If a girl wants a cookie, a girl wants a cookie! And to be honest, the ICEE machine is the ONLY reason I go to the movies. Not even joking. I’m a very black and white person, but when it comes to food I think a gray area is far more attainable and leads to greater success for me. I just try to make up for it with lots of lemon water throughout the day and by avoiding sugar when I can like with coffee creamer! If you are a vegan, you may use this guide to Brooklynâs vegan bakery scene to enjoy vegan bread and pastries.
So now I want to hear from you! What are your go-to meals throughout the day?! I’m telling you, I LOVE hearing/reading about this stuff!
I hope you have a great day and thank you so much for reading!
Photography by: Madison Katlin
Place Mats: Ballard Designs
Your meals are so healthy and colourful. I wish I ate that healthily, haha!
Charmaine Ng | Architecture & Lifestyle Blog
http://charmainenyw.com
Thank you so much!! xo
Im looking forward to trying that egg salad recipe and hitting up whole foods when im short on time! Great idea! I did whole 30 as well and I find myself still going for whole grains (like quinoa)
I add quinoa to salad with whafever other ingredients I’m in the mood for and it makeseems the best side dish!
Thanks for this post!
Hi Alex!
What do you add to your quinoa? Water or chicken broth?! I’m still trying to find a great way to make it! Thanks girl! xo
I always use low sodium chicken broth when I make quinoa! It gives the perfect flavor!
I have used both but mostly i just use water and a little salt! And then once its cooked I add some healthy greek or italian salad dressing and other yummy ingredients (spinach, avocado, tomatoes, goat cheese)
These are my favorite kind of posts too!!! Lately I have been roasting two huge trays of veggies (sweet potatoes, red potatoes, carrots, onions, and bell peppers w/ salt, pepper, EVOO, and paprika) and making a big portion of brown rice or quinoa. Then I make rice/quinoa bowls throughout the week! My favorite additions are crockpot salsa chicken and hot sauce, Tessamae’s balsamic vinaigrette and plain roasted chicken, or ill just do quinoa/rice, avocado, tuna, and cherry tomatoes with either salsa, cilantro, and lime or balsamic and lemon juice!
Ive also been switching out my smoothies for banana pancakes some days–I just add 1/2 a banana, 1 egg, a few spoonfuls of Greek yogurt and oats, cinnamon, vanilla, and about 1/4 cup of almond milk and blend, and then use it as pancake batter! It’s great with fresh berries on top and I usually add chocolate chips, maple syrup, or Nutella on the weekends!
I would love to see you do more of these…I feel like we have such similar tastes in food and love the recipe inspiration!
I LOVE roasting veggies! Paul is always like, “Ummm why are we eating vegetables for dinner?!” lol Those rice bowls sound amazing! I need to try! xo
Great post lady! Like you, I love hearing about food. I need to grab some of those Pure Growth Organic Animal Crackers
xo Laura Leigh
http://www.louellareese.com
Thank you so much for reading! xo
Nice post. I love your dishes. These are so classic.
Greetings Katie
Thank you, Katie! xo
Hi Katey! I absolutely love reading your blog! Here are my two favorite recipes…
I am all about convenience and things that are quick to make. These southwestern egg rolls are so yummy! The prep work is a little time consuming, but the recipe makes a ton so it is perfect for leftovers. (http://www.familyfoodonthetable.com/baked-southwestern-egg-rolls/)
If you have a sweet tooth, these sweet potatoes are incredible! (https://www.averiecooks.com/2017/01/honey-butter-smashed-sweet-potatoes.html)
Enjoy!!
You are going to be my husband’s favorite person today for sharing the sweet potato recipe! He LOVES sweet potatoes and honey! lol Going to make those this weekend, thank you girl!! xo
I totally love hearing what other people eat as well – I always end up finding new healthy snacks I want to try! That Chocolate Stampede Nut Mix looks SO GOOD đ
For breakfast, I was always eating oatmeal as well but have recently turned over to hard boiled eggs and I really think the protein gives me the extra energy I need in the mornings!
Always,
Allie
http://www.champagne-tuesdays.com
So true!! I know people say oatmeal keeps you full because it sticks to your stomach but I ALWAYS have to have a protein shake after, it doesn’t fill me up as much as extra protein. Thanks for reading! xo
Hi Katey! Love this post! I am currently doing the Whole 30 myself so I am interested in trying your avocado egg salad! Side note though, what do you usually put in your protein shakes?
Thanks!<3
Lauren
Hi Lauren! I usually blend in a blender with ice and almond milk! Right now I’m using Vega protein but I don’t *love* it and want to find a brand I love! đ
Katey – I have been using and loving Julian Bakery Paleo Protein, its higher in protein but less, fat, sugar and carbs etc. that the vega (plus no grains or dairy). Itâs Paleo (and I think Whole 30) and tastes much better (doesnât have the gritty texture)! I usually blend with coconut or almond milk, Âœ frozen banana, cinnamon, spinach, whatever berries are around and sometimes chia seeds or flax. I have tried both vanilla nut and chocolate in the grass fed beef protein version and enjoyed bothï Hope you do too! – Lindsay
here – https://www.amazon.com/Protein-Grass-Fed-Powder-Probiotics-Vanilla/dp/B01FGJ9W2Q/ref=pd_bxgy_121_img_2?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B01FGJ9W2Q&pd_rd_r=8VZPK0MMZKEFC5JTAHEP&pd_rd_w=z81Fk&pd_rd_wg=bNmV3&psc=1&refRID=8VZPK0MMZKEFC5JTAHEP
I love reading your blogs! I’m a PR girl in Dallas and I always grab a cup of coffee when I get to work, sit down and read your latest post- I know my girlfriends do the same! Thanks for being so fun, genuine and a great example for all of us!
Hi Emily! Oh my gosh, you are so so sweet! Thank you so much for your kind words! <3
I love posts like this! I’m really wanting to try the Whole 30, so I’ll be checking out your crockpot meal ideas! My go to meal these days is baked chicken breast, topped with pepper jack cheese and avocado, served with green beans or cauliflower rice. So yummy and it makes me feel like I’m getting a Mexican food fix đ
YUM!! I need to try that to get my Mexican food fix too!! xoxo
Good morning Katey! I love reading your posts every morning. It’s my favorite way to start my day.
I really like these types of posts to see what other people are eating and to get new ideas! My current favorites right now are Siggi’s vanilla yogurt, homemade coconut vanilla granola, and strawberries with Tazo zen green tea for breakfast, leftovers/adult lunchables for lunch, and chicken thighs and veggies for dinner. I’ll definitely be trying to avocado egg salad soon!
Thank you so much for sharing, Whitney! I’ve not tried Siggi’s and need to! xo
Hi Katey!
I’m currently 15 weeks pregnant and am constantly hungry! I was wondering, what kind of protein shakes do you drink? Is it a powder mix?
Thanks for the great post!
Korey đ
Hi Korey! Congratulations!! Right now I’m drinking Vega protein powder and I just mix it with almond milk. I’ll be honest, it isn’t my favorite! I need to find a brand I love!
I totally love these kinds of posts too! I am doing Whole30 right now (only 5 days left!!) and before Whole30 I used to have avocado toast every single night, either on bread or on a rice cake so of course I had to find a way to make some Whole30 compliant avo toast haha! I’ve been slicing up sweet potatos and popping those in the oven and then topping with my avocado mixture. It’s obviously not quite the same, but it is SO GOOD, I am totally still going to eat it after I finish. It’s really easy and relatively fast (other than oven time) and it’s actually super filling.
I’ve been wondering how sweet potato toast was! So glad to hear you love it, I’m going to try that now! xo
Hi Katey!
Food posts are my f-a-v! Over the last two years or so, I have been trying all different protein shakes to try and find my go-to shake. It wasn’t until my most recent purchase that I found one that I will not only purchase again, but likely keep for a long time. It is called, IdealLean and I love the vanilla flavor. They have several other flavors as well but I enjoy it the most because it doesn’t require a ton of other “stuff” to make it taste good. I just pop a scoop of that with about 6-8 oz of unsweetened almond milk and it not only taste good, but the consistency is smooth too! Hope this is helpful!
Reading your posts are the best part of my day! Love all things food/home decor/ beauty and baby ????
I am currently 37 weeks pregnant and my go to dinner has been Pesto Chicken! Boneless skinless chicken breasts, topped with pesto, let it bake until almost done, then top with a slice or two of tomato and let it finish baking. To go with this we make pesto pasta or brown rice and a veggie! So easy and my hubby never complains ????
Hi Katey! Your meals look a lot like ours and as a new mama of a 3-week old, I am trying to down as much oatmeal and lactation-inducing foods (not sure if that’s a phrase). Anyway, I get tired the typical bowl of oats, so I started making oatmeal bars on Sunday to have each morning with some berries or an egg. Here are my favorite two recipes! You just zap the bar for 10-15 seconds and viola, you have breakfast! http://iowagirleats.com/2017/01/27/blueberry-oatmeal-breakfast-bars/ http://iowagirleats.com/2017/04/21/maple-cinnamon-oatmeal-breakfast-bars/
Keep in mind, her recipes are GF, but I made them with reg oats & they were great! Enjoy!
I am OBSESSED with sweet potatoes right now. I’ll steam them, or my favorite is to chop them up and throw them in the oven with olive oil and garlic salt. I eat them with breakfast, or they make the perfect easy side for dinner! I usually do them at 400 for about 30 minutes and it’s so easy to throw them in and then run around the house cleaning up or finishing other dinner things.
Avocado toast is ALWAYS a good go to! I top mine with an over easy egg if I want a little extra something, but tomatoes sound SO good!
I LOVE Chike High Protein Coffee protein powder. I usually have it in the morning instead of coffee because it has added caffeine. Low sugar, too!
Great post, Katie! Thanks for always posting things that we love to read! Have you tried Kodiak Protein Cakes yet? They are so yummy and so easy to make. They are full of protein and fiber. My daughter and husband love them too. I’ll make them for breakfast or dinner. A side of fruit and some turkey sausage…perfect!
Great food ideas and photos! I’m obsessed with toast with avocado, scallions, and feta cheese! I can eat that everyday for lunch!
Hey Katey! I also try to stay with in the whole 30 guidelines as much as I can but sometimes it’s a little trickey (: when I get home from class and need a quick snack I love to make sautĂ©ed spinach with garlic (sometimes I add cherry tomatoes if I have them) and top it with an olive oil fried egg!! So yummy and so quick to make! When I drink coffe I use plain almond milk and stevia and it tastes better than any creamer I’ve had and it’s gluten and suger free!
Hey Katey! I try to stay in the whole 30 guidelines as much as I can too but it’s not always that easy (: if I come home from class and I need a quick snack, I like to sautĂ© spinach with garlic (I sometimes add cherry tomatoes if I have them) and top it off with an olive oil fried egg. So quick and easy and totally whole 30 friendly! When I drink coffee I use plain almond milk with stevia and I swear it taste better than any creamer I’ve had!
Oh my goodness, I’m going to have to try that avocado egg salad and the chicken, salsa, sweet potato crock pot recipes this week! Those are some of my favorite things! Have you tried Noosa yogurt? I mix granola into the blueberry flavor or dark chocolate chips into the salted caramel flavor and it’s such a treat!! I also love the vegan chicken salad from Whole Foods for a lunch treat đ For dinner, I love making ground turkey with spaghetti sauce and spaghetti squash!
Garden of Life- Raw Organic Protein w/ greens is my favorite Protein!! I get it at Whole Foods or on Amazon. Highly recommended!
I LOVE that kale salad from Whole Foods, too! If you haven’t tried Nuzest protein, you should give it a try! It’s the only protein I’ve found that doesn’t taste chalky or upset my stomach.
I LOVED this post!
Please do more like this, and pregnancy new mom tips!
Your blog is the first thing on my calendar every morning when I get to work đ
Where are your blue & white placemats from?! LOVE!!!
I see where they are from now! *palm to forehead* đ LOVE reading about this kind of stuff too!
Love your food posts and when you share recipes! I am a big fan of shredded chicken done in the crockpot (so easy!) and then roasting whatever veggies I am craving that week.
I love this post, and I agree, I love seeing what people eat! My go to meal that I can eat tons of is sautĂ©ing one whole zucchini, one whole squash, diced onion, cherry tomatoes and corn with some garlic and salt and pepper. It is such a yummy side dish with chicken and kale salad. Some days I just like to eat a bowl of that! haha. I also use FitMiss BCAA powder in my water in the morning and after lunch (I don’t know that you can use this while breastfeeding so ask your doctor) and it helps me keep my muscles from my work outs and helps my metabolism so when I do work out I can make the most out of it. It comes in a variety of flavors but so far my favorite is strawberry margarita:)