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Sheet-Pan Dinners for Healthy Aging (& Shopping List!)
- These sheet-pan dinners help you get more protein, fiber and nutrients that support healthy aging.
- Each recipe uses a sheet pan (or two), so cleanup is fast and simple.
- Packed with veggies, lean proteins and complex carbs, these dinners are satisfying.
Are you strength training four times a week? Walking 10,000 steps a day? Doing it while wearing a weighted vest? While juggling? Just kidding about that last one, but these days doesn’t it seem like we have to jump through hoops to support healthy aging and ensure we live long, healthy lives? Here at EatingWell, we think choosing meals that provide plenty of protein (10 grams or more) and fiber (5 grams or more) or a good source of vitamin D or calcium is a small step you can take to nourish and support your body as you age. And this week’s dinners make it easy to get those nutrients, since they all meet our Healthy Aging parameters and they all come together on a sheet pan. Let’s dig in!
Your Weekly Plan
Sunday: One-Pan Chicken Bake
Monday: Buffalo Cauliflower Grain Bowl
Tuesday: Salmon with Sweet Potatoes & Broccoli
Wednesday: Turkey Meatballs with Zucchini & Potatoes
Thursday: Shrimp Fajitas
Friday: Honey-Garlic Chicken Thighs with Carrots & Broccoli
Our column, ThePrep, has everything you’ll need to make dinner planning and grocery shopping as easy as can be. Nutritional needs differ from one individual to another, and we invite you to use these dinner plans as inspiration and adjust them as you see fit. Sign up to get a dinner plan delivered to your inbox every Saturday!
Sunday: One-Pan Chicken Bake
Chicken and plenty of veggies cook together on the same pan and get drizzled with a lemon-Dijon dressing for a simple, flavorful dinner. Pounding the chicken breasts thin ensures that they cook through in the same amount of time as the potatoes and carrots. And waiting to add the asparagus until everything else has had a head-start keeps it crisp-tender. Serve with a whole-wheat baguette.
Monday: Buffalo Cauliflower Grain Bowl
Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Stylist: Lindsey Lower
These easy grain bowls feature the flavors of Buffalo wings, but using cauliflower and chickpeas in place of chicken really packs in the fiber and plant-based protein. A bed of brown rice makes the bowls hearty and even more satisfying, while carrot ribbons add crunch. A little avocado provides some heart-healthy fat too.
Tuesday: Salmon with Sweet Potatoes & Broccoli
Dressing up salmon, sweet potatoes and broccoli with spicy mayo, feta cheese, cilantro and lime gives this dinner elote vibes. Besides great flavor, it also offers an array of nutrients to support healthy aging, from the omega-3s and vitamin D in the salmon to the fiber in the sweet potatoes and broccoli.
Wednesday: Turkey Meatballs with Zucchini & Potatoes
Photographer Victor Protasio, food stylist Chelsea Zimmer, and prop stylist Hannah Greenwood.
These turkey meatballs start with a mixture of panko and milk to ensure that they don’t dry out, and then fresh spinach, feta, garlic and lemon are mixed in to make them taste great. You’ll roast zucchini and potatoes on one sheet pan and the meatballs on the other to make sure each is perfectly cooked. A yogurt sauce adds even more protein to the dish.
Thursday: Shrimp Fajitas
Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist: Lydia Purcell
Fajitas are such a quick and easy meal, and they come together even faster when you use shrimp, which need only five minutes to cook through. The peppers, onions and shrimp all get tossed in a bold spice mixture. Once everything is ready, just warm and fill the tortillas and add your favorite toppings. Serve some mixed greens with your favorite dressing on the side.
Friday: Honey-Garlic Chicken Thighs with Carrots & Broccoli
Brie Goldman
Marinating the chicken thighs in a honey-garlic sauce gives them a delightful sweet-savory flavor. Chicken thighs are a great source of protein, and they’re more forgiving to cook than chicken breasts, which can dry out more easily. Pairing the thighs with fiber-rich broccoli and vitamin A–packed carrots means this dinner is not only tasty but also provides you with beneficial nutrients.
I wish you all a great week, and I hope you enjoy this dinner plan. If you try a recipe, remember to add a review.
