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I eat the same dietitian-approved lunch almost every day. It’s got protein and fiber — and it’s a breeze to prep in advance

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When I lived in a big city, I used to love treating myself to lunches at trendy salad spots. Tasty as these take-out meals were, they were terrible for my wallet, and I didn’t have full visibility into or control over the ingredients that went into them.

I’ve since turned into an avid meal-prepper and make my own lunch — almost always a fiber- and protein-packed grain bowl — for a fraction of the price.

It’s a recipe that aligns with the 80/20 nutrition principle I follow, meaning I eat nutrient-dense foods 80% of the time and don’t worry about nutrition for the other 20%.

The grain bowls are so nourishing that I feel relaxed about occasionally going out for a slightly less nutrient-dense lunch, since I know I’m hitting my nutrition goals most of the time.

Here’s how to make the everyday lunch that helps me stay on track.

The grain bowl is easy to prep and customize


rachel hosie grain bowl recipe

The grain bowls are nearly impossible to mess up and highly customizable.

Rachel Hosie



I play around with the ingredients I put in my grain bowls every week, but they always follow the same formula:

  • Grains, such as quinoa, buckwheat, or wholegrain rice
  • Beans or pulses, such as edamame, chickpeas, or lentils
  • A protein source, such as tofu or chicken
  • Roasted vegetables, such as butternut squash, bell peppers, cauliflower, broccoli, or zucchini
  • Raw vegetables, such as chopped cucumber, tomatoes, beetroot, or scallions
  • A flavorful add-in, such as crumbled feta, avocado, or hummus
  • Greens, such as lettuce or spinach
  • Seeds and nuts of choice
  • Spices and herbs of choice
  • A dressing of choice

The recipe is flexible, so there’s no need to add ingredients in a specific order. It’s truly hard to mess up.

You can also adjust the quantity based on your needs. I typically make six portions — three for me, and three for my husband — because there’s usually a day or two during the week when we eat with colleagues or friends.

Plus, after three days of eating the same meal, I’m typically ready to mix it up.


rachel hosie grain bowl recipe

I drizzle a tahini mixture on top of my bowl for added flavor.

Rachel Hosie



To add variety to my days, I prep these with dressings and protein sources.

When it comes to dressings, my favorite is a creamy tahini mixture. Combine tahini, Greek yogurt, lemon juice, garlic granules, salt, pepper, olive oil, and water until you get a dressing-like consistency.

I also make a satay-style sauce with crunchy peanut butter, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, lime, and sesame oil.


rachel hosie grain bowl recipe

Chickpeas and avocado are delicious, filling protein sources.

Rachel Hosie



There’s also flexibility when it comes to protein source. Nichola Ludlam-Raine, a dietitian and the author of “How Not to Eat Ultra-Processed,” recommends adding oily fish, such as salmon or tinned mackerel, for omega-3s, which support heart and brain health.

When I include meat in the grain bowls, I typically use a modest portion since I always throw in plenty of plant-based protein. This approach provides a fiber boost from plant-based proteins and keeps the ingredient list affordable.

If you’re predominantly eating plant-based, make sure you’re getting enough iodine by using dairy yogurt in your dressing or swapping in the occasional white fish.

Having a balanced lunch prepped and ready to go helps me stay consistent


rachel hosie grain bowl recipe

Incorporating a mix of roasted and raw vegetables gives the bowls texture.

Rachel Hosie



My grain-bowl formula has lean proteins, produce, legumes, and whole grains — all the workings of the Mediterranean diet.

According to Ludlam-Raine, “It’s essentially a Mediterranean-style pattern of eating in bowl form, which is linked with better cardiometabolic and long-term health outcomes.”

She added that it delivers “an abundance of plant diversity,” which is beneficial for gut health.

The well-rounded meal also has fiber-filled whole grains, slow-release carbohydrates, pulses for plant protein and additional fiber, protein for satiety and muscle maintenance, vegetables for polyphenols and micronutrients, and healthy fats from seeds, nuts, and olive oil.


rachel hosie grain bowl recipe

We store the bowls in our refrigerator throughout the week.

Rachel Hosie



Strategizing my meals in advance helps me maintain a healthy, balanced diet throughout the week, and this grain bowl is the backbone of my meal plan.

“Overall, what you’ve got is a brilliant example of a practical and sustainable approach to meal prep. It’s balanced, fiber-rich, protein-sufficient, and easy to adapt week to week, which is key for long-term adherence,” Ludlam-Raine said. “You’re making the healthy choice into the easy choice.”

The best part? I don’t get bored with eating the same thing on repeat.




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Longevity influencer Peter Attia steps down from protein bar brand after being named in the Epstein files

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Longevity doctor and media personality Peter Attia has stepped down from his role at a popular wellness brand after newly released documents revealed friendly exchanges with the late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Attia stepped down as chief science officer of David Protein, a protein snack bar company he helped promote and invest in, the company confirmed on Monday.

The move comes after the Department of Justice released a new tranche of Epstein-related court documents last week, drawing scrutiny to Attia’s past correspondence with Epstein.

“Dr. Peter Attia has stepped down from his role as Chief Science Officer at David. We remain focused on serving our customers,” founder Peter Rahal wrote on X.

Attia was also named among 19 new CBS News contributors just days before the emails between him and Epstein were made public. CBS editor in chief Bari Weiss has since faced public calls to cut ties with him.

CBS News and David Protein could not be reached for comment.

In emails from 2015 and 2016, included in the latest release, Attia used joking and familiar language with Epstein, including references to Epstein’s “outrageous” lifestyle and a crude sexual joke.

On Monday, Attia issued a public apology, calling some of the emails “embarrassing, tasteless, and indefensible,” and saying he was “ashamed of myself for everything about this.”

Attia, 52, is a well-known antiaging and longevity expert with roughly 1.6 million Instagram followers.

“I am not asking anyone to ignore the emails or pretend they aren’t ugly,” he wrote on X. “They simply are.”

He said he was not involved in any criminal activity and said his interactions with Epstein had nothing to do with Epstein’s sexual abuse or exploitation.

“The man I am today, roughly ten years later, would not write them and would not associate with Epstein at all,” he said.




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Everything a heart health dietitian eats in a week, including plant-based protein sources and ‘joy foods’

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As a registered dietitian, Lena Beal first learned about nutrition from her own family.

“My great-grandparents were farmers, so they grew nearly everything they ate, made their own preserves, the whole thing,” Beal, a cardiovascular dietitian at Piedmont Atlanta Hospital and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, told Business Insider.

Her roots inspired her profession. “It was generational wisdom,” she said. “The foods that give us the most nutrients, the most pleasure, they’re the most sustainable and practical.” In her own life, she focuses on a minimally processed, plant-packed diet, incorporating chicken, fish and eggs on occasion.

Still, it doesn’t mean there isn’t room for flexibility.

Once a week, Beal eats what she calls “joy foods”: things she enjoys, like sweets and alcohol, which are best consumed in moderation. A Christian, Beal links joy foods to her Sabbath, or day of rest.

Eating her joy foods on Sundays is her version of the 80/20 diet, helping her stay on track with eating mostly heart-healthy foods — with the occasional treats. “That way, I can enjoy them intentionally, but without feeling like I’m constantly negotiating with myself,” she said.

Beal shared what she eats in a week to get enough protein — and what a typical Sunday of fun looks like.

She leans on plant-based protein sources


Grain bowl

Beal includes lots of beans and legumes to get extra protein.

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Given her focus on cardiovascular health, Beal said she has always focused on heart-healthy foods to keep her fueled throughout the day.

“It’s subliminal,” she said. “Those things are extremely important to me: making sure I have hearty, fiber-rich, high-omega-3 foods with those macronutrients.”

On a typical day, her meals look like this:

  • A high-protein, fiber-rich breakfast such as oatmeal with nuts and fruit
  • Lunch, her biggest meal of the day, is usually a hearty salad, grain bowl, or soup. She focuses on plant-based protein sources like legumes, dried beans, and chickpeas, but will sometimes include chopped egg or a piece of fish.
  • Snacks such as mixed nuts, granola bars, or fresh berries with yogurt
  • A light, mostly plant-based dinner such as steamed cabbage with brown rice and black-eyed peas

She focuses a lot on protein because she works out at least 3 to 4 days a week, including resistance training, brisk walking, and yoga. She said her target is reaching 150 minutes of moderate physical activity a week, the recommended goal for most people.

Her diet helps her stay on track. “Because my eating pattern is relatively consistent, it supports strength, energy, and flexibility,” she said.

Cutting down on red meat

Beal was never interested in intentionally following a strict vegan or vegetarian diet. Instead, her diet evolved over the past eight years to naturally involve less red meat.

“I wasn’t a heavy red meat-eater in the first place.” she said. “I no longer enjoyed it. It was heavy for me.” Having it once a week was easier for her because it didn’t feel like much of a sacrifice.

On occasion, she’ll eat leaner animal-based protein sources like chicken or turkey during the week, which have less saturated fat.

Joy meals include mimosas and French toast


French toast

One of Beal’s favorite joy meals is French toast.

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When Sunday rolls around, she doesn’t exactly go all out on sugar or cocktails, either. She still aims to stick to her normal habits, like eating a light dinner, because it ties into better sleep.

“I don’t go too far out of bounds,” she said. Treating herself might look like French toast, a mimosa, or fish in a richer cream sauce than she would pick during the week.

It’s been the easiest way to keep a balance in her life. Beal, who’s taught weight management classes in the past, said that words like “diet” or “cheat foods” can bring up a lot of negative feelings for people.

“I shy away from that language,” she said. “I call them ‘joy foods’ because they absolutely fit if you leave room for them intentionally.”

She focuses on flexibility

Beal takes a few supplements — vitamin D and iron — based on recommendations her doctor made, given her age and medical history.

Otherwise, she gets all her nutrients from her diet, which she feels is easy to maintain because she eats whole foods she loves during the week, while being flexible enough to enjoy a sweet treat or glass of wine, too.

“Healthy eating works best when it leaves room for living,” Beal said. “It ought to feel like when you get up from a meal that you have good feelings, whether it’s nostalgic, whether it satiates you. That’s what food is.”




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