9 Well-Balanced Meal Ideas

Creating a balanced meal is key to ensuring that you are nourished, satisfied, and energized. Although it might seem complicated, creating a balanced meal is simple, so here are 9 well-balanced meal ideas you can use to create healthy meals.

Learning how to create a balanced meal is one of the most helpful tools you can learn to ensure you are eating a balanced diet. Put simply; to create a balanced meal it must include all three macronutrients; protein, carbohydrate, and fat.

By prioritizing whole foods and including protein, carbohydrates, fiber, and fat in your breakfast, lunch, and dinner you can help to ensure you are consuming a more optimal balance of macronutrients, fueling your body appropriately, balancing your blood sugar, increasing your satiety level, and supporting your micronutrient intake (1).

Think of it like ticking a box; at breakfast, lunch, and dinner, ensure there is a source of protein, carbohydrates, fiber, and fat on your plate or bowl. You can tick each box more than once (i.e. include more than one vegetable for fiber or avocado and salad dressing for fat), but the protein, carbohydrate, fiber, and fat boxes must be ticked at each meal to ensure it’s well-balanced.

Examples of Well-Balanced Meals

Here are some examples of balanced meals that you can enjoy for a healthy breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

1. Oatmeal with Yogurt, Almonds, and Berries

Why this is a Balanced Meal: 

• Protein = Greek Yogurt
• Carbohydrates = Oats
• Fiber = Berries
• Fat = Almonds

Oatmeal is a classic healthy breakfast, however, on its own, it is not well-balanced. By serving a bowl of oatmeal with a topping of Greek yogurt, chopped almonds, and berries you can create a balanced meal and a more satisfying meal to start the day. In addition to yogurt, you can use cow’s milk to add protein to oats, egg whites like in my egg white oatmeal, or protein powder like in my high-protein overnight oats.

2. Avocado Toast with Eggs and Orange

Why this is a Balanced Meal:

• Protein = Eggs
• Carbohydrates = Bread
• Fiber = Orange
• Fat = Avocado

Eggs and toast is a go-to breakfast and does contain protein, carbohydrates, and healthy fats on its over, however, by adding avocado and orange slices (or any fruit) you can make it more filling and well-balanced. If you’re not a fan of avocado, you can try my ricotta pesto fried eggs instead.

3. Sausage Scramble with Potatoes

Why this is a Balanced Meal:

• Protein = Sausage
• Carbohydrates = Potatoes
• Fiber = Spinach and Cherry Tomatoes
• Fat = Olive Oil

Sausages are not always thought of as a breakfast food, but they are a versatile ingredient that is packed full of protein and delicious with eggs or on their own. While you can make this with pork sausages if you want to reduce the fat and/or calorie content you can make it with chicken sausages or lean ground beef instead. This balanced meal idea is also great for meal prep as both the scramble and breakfast potatoes keep well in the fridge for days, or you can add some eggs, for an extra boost of protein and fat, and make my breakfast egg bake casserole instead.

4. Tuna Salad Pita

Why this is a Balanced Meal:

• Protein = Tuna
• Carbohydrates = Pita
• Fiber = Lettuce and Apple
• Fat = Mayonnaise

Sandwiches are a highly underrated balanced meal idea. While bread has a reputation for being “unhealthy”, good bread is a great source of complex carbohydrates, and by adding some protein, such as tuna or turkey, some fat, such as mayonnaise or cheese, and extra fiber in the form of vegetables, you can create a well-balanced meal in minutes. My tuna salad pita is one of my go-to healthy lunch ideas and it could also be made with my avocado tuna salad or curried chicken salad instead.

5. Tofu and Brown Rice Bowl

Why this is a Balanced Meal: 

• Protein = Tofu
• Carbohydrates = Brown Rice
• Fiber = Green Beans and Bell Peppers
• Fat = Peanut Butter Sauce

If you are following a vegetarian or vegan diet, tofu is a great plant-based protein source that you can include in your meals. While it is not a complete protein on its own, by pairing it with brown rice or another whole grain such as quinoa or farro, you can ensure it contains all essential amino acids while adding a source of complex carbohydrates at the same time. If you’ve never tried tofu before, give my tofu meal prep bowls with spicy peanut sauce, tofu and broccoli bowl, or sheet pan and tofu with veggies and tahini sauce a try.

6. Protein Snack Plate

Why this is a Balanced Meal: 

• Protein = Eggs and Cottage Cheese
• Carbohydrates = Crackers
• Fiber = Carrots
• Fat = Hummus

Snack-style lunches are a quick and easy way to create a balanced meal in minutes. In fact, many bistro box lunch ideas can be made with no-cook protein sources to cut down on prep time and clean up, store well in the fridge, and are easy to grab and go whenever you need them. My charcuterie bistro boxes are a great example of a well-balanced no-cook lunch idea, while my chicken salad meal prep bowls are a good example of how to turn a lunch classic into a fun meal prep idea.

7. Pesto Chicken Pasta with Broccoli

Why this is a Balanced Meal:

• Protein = Chicken Breasts
• Carbohydrates = Pasta
• Fiber = Broccoli
• Fat = Pesto

While pasta is thought of as a poor food choice, it’s a wonderful source of complex carbohydrates and fiber made with high-protein grains. Both regular pasta and whole-grain pasta can easily be included in a healthy diet when paired with protein, healthy fats, and fiber to create a well-balanced meal. My chicken pesto pasta is one of my most popular healthy dinner recipes and can be made with chicken breasts or chicken thighs. If you’re not a fan of pesto, you can try my chicken and vegetable pasta instead.

8. Salmon Stir-Fry with Rice

Why this is a Balanced Meal:

• Protein = Salmon
• Carbohydrates = Rice
• Fiber = Zucchini and Carrots
• Fat = Sesame Oil

Stir-fries are a great healthy dinner idea for a busy weeknight when you are short on time because they are quick to make and super versatile. From beef to shrimp to salmon and fried rice to cauliflower fried rice, you can create endless flavor combinations while still ensuring you eating a well-balanced meal. Alternatively, you can keep things simple and combine some protein with veggies, rice, and a good sauce, like my spicy salmon roll bowls, to create a quick weeknight meal.

9. Lentil and Sweet Potato Curry

Why this is a Balanced Meal:

• Protein = Lentils
• Carbohydrates = Sweet Potatoes
• Fiber = Spinach
• Fat = Coconut Milk

Curries are one of my go-to healthy dinner recipes because they are quick to make and packed full of flavor. While commonly made with chicken and beef, vegetarian curries are just as nutritious and a great way to make a delicious dinner with plenty of leftovers for lunch. Beans, lentils, and chickpeas are good ways to add some plant-based protein to veggie curries while boosting the fiber content at the same time. My chickpea peanut curry, lentil sweet potato curry, and spinach chickpea curry are all examples of well-balanced vegetarian recipes.

More Balanced and Healthy Meal Ideas

• Chickpea Shakshuka
• Tortilla Egg Bake
• Chicken Caprese Sandwich
• Sausage and Peppers Pasta
• Chicken Burrito Casserole
• Salmon and Quinoa Bowls
• Spicy Pork Noodles