10 Easy (& Delicious!) Dinner Ideas for Busy Weeknights

Article posted in: Diet & Nutrition

The Nutrisystem program is a powerful tool for those looking to lose weight and eat healthy. It not only provides prepared, portioned meals that cater to all of your nutritional needs, it also allows you to create your own healthy options with flex meals. Flex meals put the culinary power in your hands, allowing you to learn healthy cooking habits to set you up for a lifetime of eating success.

Flex Meals & The Nutrisystem Meal Plan Explained

Read More

Need a quick refresher on what exactly a flex dinner is? We’ve got you covered! Flex dinners consist of:

1 SmartCarb: Nutrient-rich foods that fall low to medium on the Glycemic index with slow digesting carbohydrates. One serving of SmartCarbs should contain 80-120 calories and at least one gram of fiber.

2 PowerFuels: High-quality proteins that contain amino acids and healthy fats that keep you feeling fuller longer. One serving of PowerFuels should contain 80-120 calories and at least five grams of protein.

Note: Each flex dinner should contain at least 1-2 servings of non-starchy veggies to meet your daily nutritional needs.

We’ve dug into our arsenal of creative and tasty dinner ideas to uncover some delicious flex-worthy options you can try out in your own kitchen.

1. Edamame Quinoa Burgers

Quinoa Edamame Burgers
These Quinoa Edamame Burgers are so delicious and satisfying, you won’t miss the bun… or the meat! Top with cheese for a flex-worthy dinner!

2. Caprese Turkey Burger

Turkey Burger
Trust us: You’re going to love this savory spin on the favorite flavor blend of mozzarella cheese and fresh tomato. Bonus—this tasty recipe takes mere minutes to prepare!

3. Cheese & Spinach Stuffed Chicken

stuffed chicken
This stuffed chicken recipe is so simple to make and so delicious to taste! How did they stuff all that taste into one healthy meal?!

4. Shrimp Scampi with Zucchini Pasta

shrimp scampi
A light, veggie-spin on an otherwise indulgent meal! Featuring succulent shrimp and a mix of noodles and “zoodles,” this delicious dish is like paradise on a plate.

5. Loaded Mexican baked Sweet Potato

loaded potato
Calling all potato-heads! You won’t want to miss this cheesy, tangy take on the potato! The best part? This delicious Loaded Mexican Baked Sweet Potato is as tasty as it is healthy.

6. Pistachio-Crusted Salmon with Asparagus and Rice

pistachio crusted salmon
You’ll go nuts for this perfectly portioned twist on a classic. It might sound fancy, but this elegant dish is actually super simple to make.

7. Ground Turkey and Veggie Curry with Brown Rice

veggie curry
Who knew healthy could taste so good? This Lean Ground Turkey and Vegetable Curry is packed with flavor and spices.

8. Chicken and Broccoli Stir-Fry

chicken and broccoli stir-fry
Winner, winner, Chicken and Broccoli Stir-Fry dinner! You can’t go wrong with this one-pan dish.

9. Southwest Spaghetti Bowl

spaghetti squash
The spaghetti squash lovers in the crowd will love this flex meal favorite, which features a delicious and surprisingly filling blend of veggies and cheese.

10. Meatless Mushroom Chili

meatless mushroom chili
This delicious meal goes meat-free, not flavor-free! (Bonus, click the header of this recipe, and you’ll get extra meatless meals to satisfy your flex dinner needs!)