Meal Plan #103 & Cold and Flu Hacks

Happy meal planning Monday! Enjoy this week’s healthy recipes and 5 cold and flu hacks to help you battle the winter sicknesses naturally.

As we head into the thick of the winter months, it pays to stock up your medicine cabinet with some home remedies. There are so many colds and viruses going around, especially if you have little ones in school, and these cold and flu hacks are sure to be useful to your and your family! (Remember to consult your doctor before using any of these remedies!)

Whip up a batch of chicken noodle soup

It’s true – science has proved that chicken noodle soup really does help fight colds! The steam rising from the bowl helps clear congestion, and there are anti-inflammatory properties in the broth. To kick it up a notch, add two peeled and minced garlic cloves to your soup for some additional antiviral sulfur compounds.

Sip echinacea tea

Echinacea tea works by strengthening defense mechanisms against infections. You can also gargle the teas up to three times a day to soothe a sore throat.

Cool off your fever

When a fever hits, bring it down by giving a sponge bath about every hour or so. If the it persists, you can also try sipping ginger tea, which promotes sweating, the body’s way of cooling itself.

Use thyme to fight a cold

Did you know that thyme is a natural expectorant? You can brew a pot of thyme tea to fight off a persistent cough. Sweeten with honey and sip two to three cups a day.

Battle the flu with elderberry

If you think you’ve caught the flu bug, drink three to four cups of elderberry tea daily. Elderberry has a long history of being an antiviral herb, and research proves it.

Now onto this week’s meal plan!

In case you missed any posts last week you can read them here!

Healthy Weekly Meal Plan #103

MY COOKING PHILOSOPHY IS TO KEEP IT “HEALTHY AND EASY.”

RECIPES AT HAMMERS N HUGS WILL INCLUDE ALL-NATURAL INGREDIENTS THAT CAN OFTEN BE FROZEN AND HAVE BEEN TESTED AND APPROVED BY FRIENDS AND FAMILY!

Download a healthy weekly meal plan with a grocery shopping template for macro-friendly recipes to promote fat loss and make meal planning easy.

Click HERE to download a macro-friendly healthy weekly meal plan to your phone/desktop with linked recipe instructions and a digital grocery list template to make your life easier!

Watch the video below to see how to use my digital meal plan and grocery list template.

All of these recipes include macros per serving and can be added to My Fitness Pal by typing “fat macro” etc in the ingredient search tool.

Bon appetit!

This skillet sausage and peppers recipe can be prepped, made, and served in 15 minutes for a quick and easy dinner!

Juicy with the perfect hint of spice, Z’s spicy baked chicken and veggies sheet pan recipe is a versatile melt-in-your-mouth family favorite!

This slow cooker chili (made with ground turkey!) recipe is packed with protein and loaded with veggies that can be adjusted to taste.

With a homemade acai bowl mix that you can store in a 1 qt container for quick prep and the most delicious granola blend, this easy granola acai bowl can be customized with a variety of toppings creating a nutrient-dense power house that the whole family will enjoy!