You can still eat well if you're culinarily challenged or just pressed for time. Instead of fast food or cheese and crackers, this plan focuses on simple foods like bagged salads, pastas, and fresh fruit.

Day 1

Breakfast

1 whole-grain frozen waffle

1 banana

2 teaspoons maple syrup

1 cup skim or low-fat milk

Lunch

1 take-out baked potato with 2 tablespoons grated reduced-fat Cheddar

1/4 cup fresh or frozen broccoli, steamed

1/2 cup pomegranate juice

Snack

1 apple

2 tablespoons peanut butter

9 multigrain mini rice cakes

Dinner

Turkey Meatballs and Spaghetti

Spinach Salad: Combine 2 cups fresh baby spinach, 1 thinly sliced button mushroom, 1 sliced plum tomato, 2 tablespoons unsalted sunflower seeds, and 1 tablespoon Italian dressing.

Dessert

1 8-ounce container low-fat yogurt

1/2 cup frozen blueberries, thawed

Day 2

Breakfast

1 cup instant oatmeal

1/4 cup raisins

1 banana

1 cup skim or low-fat milk

Lunch

Turkey Wrap: Wrap 3 ounces sliced turkey breast, 1 slice Swiss, 1 leaf romaine lettuce, 3 slices tomato, and 1 tablespoon Italian dressing in a spinach tortilla. Serve with 1/2 cup sliced cucumbers tossed with 2 teaspoons rice vinegar.

Snack

1/2 cup baby carrots

1/2 cup fresh broccoli florets

2 tablespoons low-fat ranch dressing

7 multigrain mini pretzels

Dinner

Take-out chicken taco

1 apple

Snack

2 Fig Newtons

Day 3

Breakfast

1 cup high-fiber cereal

1 cup skim or low-fat milk

1 apple

Lunch

1 cup 1 percent fat cottage cheese

1 kiwi

1 whole-wheat English muffin

1 tablespoon jam

Snack

1 cup low-fat popcorn

1 orange

Dinner

1 frozen herbed chicken with green beans dinner (such as South Beach Diet)

Arugula Salad: Combine 1 cup baby arugula, 1/4 cup dried cranberries, and 1 tablespoon Italian dressing.

1/2 cooked sweet potato with 1 teaspoon butter or 1 tablespoon maple syrup

Dessert

1 frozen fruit bar

Day 4

Breakfast

1 1/2 hard-boiled eggs (1 whole egg and 1 egg white)

1 plum tomato

1/2 whole-wheat English muffin with 1 teaspoon butter

1 cup skim or low-fat milk

1/2 grapefruit

Lunch

Sandwich with grilled vegetables (such as a Subway 6-inch Veggie Delight Sandwich)

1 8-ounce container low-fat yogurt

1/2 cup fiber-rich cereal

Snack

2 Quaker rice cakes, lightly salted

1 pear

Dinner

Chinese take-out steamed chicken (1/2 cup) and broccoli with 1 tablespoon garlic or black bean sauce

1/2 cup brown rice

1 orange

Dessert

Homemade Trail Mix: Mix 3 tablespoons unsalted shelled sunflower seeds, 1/2 cup Cheerios, 1 mini box raisins (2 ounces), and 1 tablespoon semisweet chocolate chips

1 cup skim or low-fat milk

Day 5

Breakfast

2 whole-grain frozen pancakes

2 teaspoons maple syrup

1/2 cup orange juice

Lunch

2 slices frozen cheese pizza

1 1/2 cups packaged romaine lettuce

1 tablespoon Italian salad dressing

Snack

2/3 cup unsalted roasted almonds

1/4 cup raisins

Dinner

1 frozen salmon dinner (such as Lean Cuisine)

1/2 cup boil-in-a-bag brown rice

1 cup fresh or frozen broccoli, steamed

Dessert

4 graham cracker squares

1 cup skim or low-fat milk

1/2 cup canned fruit in 100 percent juice

Day 6

Breakfast

1 cup high-fiber cereal

1 cup skim or low-fat milk

1 banana

Lunch

Chicken and Vegetable Pita Pocket: Stuff 1 whole-wheat pita with 1 tablespoon store-bought basil pesto, 3 ounces fully cooked Italian-style grilled chicken breast (such as Perdue), 1/4 cup jarred roasted red peppers, and 1/2 cup fresh baby spinach.

Snack

6 rye toast crackers

1 orange

Dinner

1 frozen shrimp marinara with pasta dinner (such as Smart Ones)

1 cup frozen mixed vegetables, steamed

1/2 cup frozen shelled edamame, thawed

Dessert

1 8-ounce container low-fat vanilla yogurt

Day 7

Breakfast

1 cup fiber-rich cereal

1 cup skim or low-fat milk

1 orange

Lunch

Turkey Sandwich: 2 slices whole-wheat bread, 1 tablespoon mayonnaise, 3 ounces sliced turkey breast, 1 1/2 ounces sliced Swiss, 2 slices tomato, and 1/4 cup packaged romaine lettuce.

Snack

15 sesame crackers

1 cup red grapes

Dinner

1 cup boil-in-a-bag brown rice

3 ounces canned tuna packed in water, drained

1 cup baby carrots

1 cup sugar snap peas

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Dessert

2 oatmeal cookies

1 cup skim milk

1 cup applesauce