5-Day Meal Plan

Weekly Nutrition Plan

5-Day Low-Carb
Meal Plan

Dinners at home · Lunches out · 2 people · Heart-healthy · Chicago

Low Carb No Added Sugar Air Fryer + Instant Pot Under 1 Hour Mariano's List

Dinners

~45

Min avg

Lunch Spots

Core Proteins

♻

Min. Waste

♻ Ingredient Overlap — Minimal Waste Strategy

Chicken breasts used Mon + Wed (air fryer) and Thu (Instant Pot soup) — buy 3 lbs total
Salmon used Tue + Fri — buy one large fillet (~1.5 lbs) and portion it
Olive oil, garlic, smoked paprika, lemon used across every dinner
Broccoli used Wed side + Thu soup — buy one large head, pulls double duty
Green beans used Thu soup alongside broccoli
Spinach used Tue dinner + Fri side
Cherry tomatoes used Tue + Fri
Frozen cauliflower rice (Mariano's) used Mon + Wed — grab 2 bags

Monday

Easy start to the week

Dinner ~35 min

🌯

Lunch Out

Chipotle

One of the easiest fast-casual spots to go low-carb. Full control over every ingredient.

Order: Keto Salad Bowl (it's on the real menu) — romaine base, chicken or steak, fajita veggies, fresh tomato salsa, guacamole, cheese, sour cream.
Skip: Rice, beans, tortilla, corn salsa, chips.

Dinner — Air Fryer

Air Fryer Chicken + Cheesy Cauliflower

Your go-to — seasoned chicken breasts in the air fryer with frozen cauliflower rice and cheesy roasted cauliflower.

Air Fryer~35 minSee Recipes tab

Tuesday

Omega-3 day

Dinner ~20 min

🥗

Lunch Out

Cava

Mediterranean bowls — arguably the most naturally low-carb fast-casual chain. Start with a greens base and skip the pita and rice.

Order: Greens bowl (SuperGreens or Arugula base) + Grilled Chicken or Braised Lamb — add Crazy Feta, tzatziki, cucumbers, tomato salad, Kalamata olives. Greek vinaigrette or lemon herb tahini dressing.
Skip: Pita bread (they offer it free), rice, lentils, falafel, pita chips.

Dinner — Air Fryer

Garlic Butter Salmon + Sautéed Spinach & Cherry Tomatoes

Air fryer salmon fillet with garlic, butter, lemon. Spinach and cherry tomatoes wilted in olive oil on the stovetop.

Air Fryer + Stovetop~20 minSee Recipes tab

Wednesday

Quick midweek dinner

Dinner ~35 min

🥙

Lunch Out

Panera Bread

Watch out for the "health halo" — most items are carb-heavy. Stick to breadless sandwiches or salads with no croutons.

Order: Caesar Salad with Chicken — no croutons, dressing on the side. Or the Green Goddess Chicken Cobb Salad (dressing on the side). Or any sandwich — ask for no bread, served over greens.
Skip: Bread bowls, soups, all baked goods, smoothies, croutons, sugary dressings.

Dinner — Air Fryer

Air Fryer Chicken + Parmesan Broccoli + Cauliflower Rice

Season chicken differently than Monday — oregano, lemon, garlic. Broccoli florets roasted in air fryer alongside, finished with Parmesan. Frozen cauli rice as base.

Air Fryer~35 minSee Recipes tab

Thursday

Hands-off Instant Pot night

Dinner ~30 min

🐔

Lunch Out

Chick-fil-A

Better low-carb options than most fast food. Grilled — not fried — is the key word here.

Order: Grilled Chicken Cool Wrap without the flatbread (ask for it as a salad) — or the Grilled Market Salad with no granola and dressing on the side. Grilled Nuggets as a protein add.
Skip: Fried anything, waffle fries, mac & cheese, biscuits, frosted lemonade.

Dinner — Instant Pot

Instant Pot Chicken, Broccoli & Green Bean Soup

Chicken breast, broccoli florets, green beans, celery, garlic, low-sodium chicken broth, Italian seasoning. Shred chicken inside the pot. Hearty, filling, almost zero carbs.

Instant Pot~30 minSee Recipes tab

Friday

End the week strong

Dinner ~20 min

🥬

Lunch Out

Sweetgreen

Salad-focused chain — naturally easier to eat clean here. Avoid grain bases and choose greens instead.

Order: Any bowl with a greens base (not a warm grain base) — add grilled chicken or steelhead salmon, avocado, cucumbers, tomatoes. Opt for a vinaigrette or pesto dressing on the side.
Skip: Warm grain bases (rice, quinoa, farro), croutons, tortilla strips, anything labeled "sweet" or with dried fruit.

Dinner — Air Fryer

Lemon Herb Salmon + Sautéed Spinach

Second salmon portion — light lemon-herb variation. Spinach in olive oil and garlic as a quick side. Fast and clean way to close the week.

Air Fryer + Stovetop~20 minSee Recipes tab

Lunch Restaurant Guide

Low-carb ordering cheat sheet for each spot. All available in Chicago.

🌯

Chipotle

Mexican Fast-Casual

★★★★★

Best for
Low-Carb

Keto Salad Bowl — on the actual menu. Romaine, chicken/steak, fajita veggies, fresh tomato salsa, guacamole, cheese, sour cream. ~6g net carbs.

Use the Chipotle app nutrition calculator to preview exact carbs before ordering.

Custom Bowl — romaine base, chicken or barbacoa, skip rice & beans, add guac + cheese + sour cream.

⚠ SkipRice (white or brown), beans, tortillas, corn salsa, chips, lemonade.

🥗

Cava

Mediterranean Fast-Casual

★★★★★

Most
Naturally LC

Greek Salad Bowl — already low-carb as-is (~10g net carbs). Add grilled chicken for protein.

Build Your Own Greens Bowl — SuperGreens or Arugula base, grilled chicken or braised lamb, Crazy Feta or tzatziki, cucumbers, tomatoes, Kalamata olives, Greek vinaigrette.

Say no to the free pita — they always offer it at checkout.

⚠ SkipPita, pita chips, rice, lentils, falafel, harissa honey (has sugar).

🥙

Panera Bread

Bakery-Café

★★★☆☆

Requires
Customizing

Caesar Salad + Chicken — no croutons, dressing on the side. Simple and reliable.

Green Goddess Chicken Cobb — dressing on the side. Good protein from chicken + eggs + bacon.

Any sandwich, no bread — ask to serve it over greens. Chipotle Chicken Avocado Melt without bread is a solid pick.

⚠ SkipEverything baked, all bread bowls, all soups (most have 20g+ carbs), smoothies, croutons, sugary dressings.

🐔

Chick-fil-A

Fast Food

★★★★☆

Good
Grilled Options

Grilled Market Salad — no granola, dressing on the side. One of the best fast food salads around.

Grilled Nuggets — straight protein, zero carbs. Great add-on to a salad.

Grilled Cool Wrap, no flatbread — ask for it served as a salad bowl instead.

⚠ SkipAnything fried, waffle fries, mac & cheese, biscuits, frosted lemonade (62g sugar!), sweet tea.

🥬

Sweetgreen

Salad Fast-Casual

★★★★☆

Great
Greens Options

Build Your Own Bowl — start with any greens base (not warm grain base), add grilled chicken or steelhead salmon, avocado, cucumber, tomato. Vinaigrette on the side.

Shroomami (customized) — ask to swap the warm rice base for extra greens. Great flavors.

⚠ SkipWarm grain bases (rice, quinoa, farro), croutons, tortilla strips, anything with dried fruit or maple dressings.

💡 Universal Low-Carb Ordering Rules for Any Restaurant

Always swap grain/bread bases for greens or just a bowl of the protein + toppings
Ask for dressings on the side — most contain hidden sugar
Olive oil + lemon/vinegar is always the safest dressing choice
Guacamole and avocado = healthy fats, good for cholesterol — lean into them
Skip the "healthy" smoothies — most are 40–60g of sugar
Water, unsweetened iced tea, or sparkling water to drink — always

Dinner Recipes

Air Fryer Chicken (Base Recipe)

Air Fryer · ~35 minMon & Wed — different seasonings

Ingredients (serves 2)

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 tbsp olive oil
Salt, pepper, garlic powder, smoked paprika
Mon: add smoked paprika + onion powder
Wed: add dried oregano + lemon zest

Steps

Pat chicken dry. Rub with olive oil and seasoning of the day.
Preheat air fryer to 380°F for 3 min.
Cook 10 min, flip, cook another 8–10 min until 165°F internal.
Rest 5 min before slicing.

💡 Mon: serve with cheesy cauliflower. Wed: serve with air-fried Parmesan broccoli + frozen cauli rice (microwave per bag instructions).

Air Fryer Salmon (Two Ways)

Air Fryer · ~20 minTue & Fri

Ingredients (serves 2)

2 salmon fillets (6 oz each)
1 tbsp olive oil + 1 tbsp butter
3 garlic cloves, minced
½ lemon, juiced
Salt, pepper, smoked paprika
Fri variation: add dried herbs (thyme or dill)

Steps

Pat salmon dry. Rub with olive oil, garlic, paprika, salt, pepper.
Preheat air fryer to 400°F. Place skin-side down.
Cook 10–12 min until internal temp hits 145°F.
Finish with butter pat + lemon squeeze.

Spinach Side (both nights)

Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium. Add minced garlic, 30 sec.
Add fresh spinach + cherry tomatoes (Tue) or just spinach (Fri). Cook 2–3 min until wilted. Season and serve.

Air Fryer Parmesan Broccoli

Air Fryer · 12 minWed side dish

Ingredients (serves 2)

2 cups broccoli florets (from the large head)
1 tbsp olive oil
Garlic powder, salt, pepper
2 tbsp grated Parmesan (finish)

Steps

Toss broccoli with olive oil, garlic powder, salt, and pepper until coated.
Air fry at 400°F for 9–11 min, shaking halfway, until tips are crispy and slightly charred.
Sprinkle Parmesan immediately out of the fryer and toss to coat.

💡 Cook alongside the chicken — add broccoli to the basket in the last 10 min of the chicken cook time so everything finishes together.

Instant Pot Chicken, Broccoli & Green Bean Soup

Instant Pot · ~30 minThu Dinner

Ingredients (serves 2–3)

2 chicken breasts
1.5 cups broccoli florets (remaining from the large head)
1 cup green beans, trimmed and halved
2 celery stalks, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1 tbsp olive oil, salt & pepper

Steps

Set Instant Pot to Sauté. Add olive oil, garlic, and celery. Cook 2 min.
Add chicken, broccoli, green beans, broth, and seasoning.
Seal lid. Pressure cook High for 15 min.
Quick release. Shred chicken with two forks inside the pot. Stir and serve.

💡 Add the broccoli and green beans after shredding if you prefer them with more bite — use the Sauté function for 3–4 extra minutes at the end.

Mariano's Grocery List

For 2 people · Dinners only (Mon–Fri) · Minimal waste

🛒 Shopping List

Grab a basket — this should be a quick one. Items marked "shared" used in multiple dinners.

🥩 Proteins

Chicken breasts, ~3 lbs (covers Mon, Wed, Thu) shared
Salmon fillet, ~1.25 lbs — ask to cut into 4 portions (Tue + Fri)

🥦 Produce

Broccoli, 1 large head (Wed side + Thu soup) shared
Green beans, ~8 oz fresh or frozen (Thu soup)
Baby spinach, 5 oz bag (Tue + Fri side) shared
Cherry tomatoes, 1 pint (Tue dinner) shared
Celery, 1 bunch (Thu soup)
Garlic, 1 head shared
Lemons, 3 shared

❄️ Frozen

Frozen cauliflower rice, 2 bags (Mon + Wed) shared
Frozen cauliflower florets, 1 bag (Mon cheesy cauli)

🧀 Dairy

Shredded cheddar or Gruyère, 8 oz (Mon)
Parmesan, small shredded bag (Mon cheesy cauli + Wed broccoli)
Butter, small stick shared

🫙 Pantry

Low-sodium chicken broth, 32 oz (Thu)
Olive oil (if low) shared

🧂 Spices

Smoked paprika shared
Garlic powder shared
Onion powder
Dried oregano
Italian seasoning
Salt & black pepper

🫀 Why This Plan Works for Triglycerides & Cholesterol

Salmon twice a week delivers the omega-3s most directly proven to lower triglycerides
All dinners use olive oil — best studied fat for reducing LDL cholesterol
Frozen cauliflower rice = zero-prep carb swap, no guilt
Lunch spots chosen for customizability — you stay in control even eating out
No refined carbs, no added sugar across any dinner this week