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This week’s meal plan took more forever to put together! I’m getting burned out on breakfast hash, my sweet tooth is begging for something… anything to satisfy it, and I’m tired of all the meat!
AIP Diet Drawback: Relies Heavily on Meat
I was largely vegetarian/vegan for years prior to this diet. I only ate meat a couple times a week, if that, so switching to meat multiple times a day is rough. Of course, I’m opting only for humanely-raised, free-range, grass-fed, organic meats for both ethical and environmental reasons (which spiked my grocery bill – eek!). But even so, my body just isn’t a fan of trying to digest so much meat! It’s kind of a catch-22: my body isn’t enjoying all the meat, but I feel worse if I don’t get enough protein because of how much physical activity I do each day. And with the AIP diet, most of your protein comes from meat. Yes, vegetables DO actually contain protein, but with how active I am – and my current fitness goals involve adding some muscle – I would have to eat a RIDICULOUS amount of veggies to meet my goals.
A Possible Solution:
Luckily, I found a solution for all three of my problems – and an explanation for why it took me so long to meal plan this week. Over the last month, I’ve found several wonderful food blogs with AIP-friendly recipes. I spent a few hours (yes, hours…) browsing those blogs to get a better idea of what my options really are. Hallelujah! I found some grain-, nut-, and meat-free sweet breakfast options! For protein, they turn to AIP-friendly protein powder like Vital Proteins Collagen Peptides or Sports Research Collagen Peptides. While neither of these options are vegetarian or terribly inexpensive, they may offer some much-needed variety for me. I’ll start by trying out Meatified’s Tropical Plantain Bowls with Coconut and Mango – yum!
If you have a favorite AIP or Paleo-friendly protein powder, let me know in the comments! And without further ado, Here’s what we’re eating this week.
Breakfast
Breakfast Hash w/ Cinnamon Butternut Squash, Apples, Broccoli Slaw, Kale and Ground Turkey
Tropical Plantain Bowls w/ Coconut and Mango
Cereal, Yogurt, Eggs – for the rest of the fam
Lunch
Sandwiches – for the rest of the fam
Leftovers
Dinner
Cilantro Lime Salmon w/ Jicama Radish Slaw and Rice (Cauliflower Rice for me, Brown Rice for the rest of the fam)
Chicken Alfredo w/ Roasted Broccoli, Asparagus and Radishes
Jackfruit Stir Fry over Rice – Using Broccoli Slaw and Cauliflower Rice for me, and a bag of Frozen Stir-Fry Veggies and Brown Rice for the rest of the fam
Grilling Night – Hubs will handle the grilling of the meat (his choice) and I’ll make the Fries (Sweet Potato for me and Red Potato for the rest of the fam) and Salad
Snacks
Sweet Potato Chips w/ Guacamole
Crudite w/ Baby Carrots, Cucumber and Jicama
Cheese Sticks, Fruit, Crackers – for the rest of the fam