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One dinner, two plates
GLP-1 Family Dinners: 4 Real Meals Cooked Once, Plated Two Ways
When one person in the house is on a GLP-1, dinner gets complicated. They want a small plate that leads with protein. Everyone else wants a normal dinner. Nobody wants to cook twice.
These are four dinners we actually cooked from HalfPlate plans, with photos of the real plates. Each one is a single recipe served two ways, with protein and calories for both plates.
A real dinner from this list. Same BBQ chicken, small plate on the left, full plate on the right.
BBQ Pulled Chicken Sandwiches with Slaw
About 20 minutes · Serves 4 · Uses a store-bought rotisserie chicken
Small plate BBQ chicken over a pile of coleslaw, no bun.
30g protein · 210 cal
10g carbs · 5g fat · 2g fiber
Full plate Loaded sandwich on a brioche bun with slaw and pickle chips.
34g protein · 490 cal
55g carbs · 14g fat · 3g fiber
Ingredients
1 rotisserie chicken, skin removed, meat shredded (about 4 cups)
3/4 cup BBQ sauce
1 bag (14 oz) coleslaw mix
1/3 cup coleslaw dressing
4 brioche buns
Dill pickle chips
Steps
Warm the chicken and BBQ sauce in a saucepan over medium-low for 8 to 10 minutes. Add a splash of water if it gets thick.
Toss the coleslaw mix with the dressing.
Small plate: a scoop of chicken over slaw. Full plate: chicken on a toasted bun with slaw and pickles.
Tip: Low heat keeps the chicken moist. Rotisserie chicken is the shortcut that makes this a 20-minute dinner.
Cheesy Beef Taco Skillet
About 25 minutes · Serves 4 · One skillet
Small plate A scoop of the beef and bean mixture over shredded lettuce, cheese on top.
30g protein · 260 cal
8g carbs · 12g fat · 3g fiber
Full plate A big bowl with tortilla chips, sour cream, and extra cheese.
35g protein · 520 cal
55g carbs · 18g fat · 8g fiber
Ingredients
1 lb lean ground beef (93/7)
1 packet taco seasoning
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
1 can (15 oz) black beans, rinsed
1 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend
Shredded lettuce
Tortilla chips and sour cream, for the full plates
Steps
Brown the beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Drain well.
Stir in the seasoning, tomatoes, and beans. Simmer 8 minutes.
Sprinkle the cheese over the top, cover, and let it melt for 2 minutes.
Small plate: a scoop over lettuce. Full plate: a big bowl with chips and sour cream.
Tip: Drain the beef well after browning. The dish ends up lighter and less greasy.
Skillet Mac and Cheese with Turkey
About 25 minutes · Serves 4 · Kid-friendly
Small plate A small cup of mac with extra turkey stirred in, sliced tomatoes on the side.
28g protein · 280 cal
18g carbs · 10g fat · 1g fiber
Full plate A big bowl of cheesy turkey mac with a bagged side salad.
32g protein · 510 cal
58g carbs · 16g fat · 3g fiber
Ingredients
8 oz elbow macaroni
1 lb ground turkey
1 tbsp butter
3/4 cup milk
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar
1/2 tsp garlic powder, salt, and pepper
2 tomatoes, sliced
1 bagged salad kit
Steps
Cook the macaroni in salted water until tender. Drain.
Brown the turkey in a large skillet with the garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
Turn the heat to low. Add the butter, milk, and cheddar and stir until smooth. Fold in the pasta.
Small plate: a small cup, heavy on the turkey, with tomatoes. Full plate: a big bowl with salad.
Tip: A boxed mac and cheese kit works too. Stir the turkey in after the cheese sauce is made so it stays creamy.
Hamburger Pie with Green Beans
About 45 minutes · Serves 5 · Baked in one oven-safe pot
Small plate A scoop taken mostly from the beef and green bean layer, with a thin layer of potato.
24g protein · 310 cal
20g carbs · 15g fat · 3g fiber
Full plate A big scoop with plenty of mashed potato and cheese.
38g protein · 590 cal
45g carbs · 29g fat · 6g fiber
Ingredients
1 1/2 lb lean ground beef (90/10)
1 small onion, diced
2 cans (14.5 oz) cut green beans, drained
1 can (10.75 oz) condensed tomato soup
4 cups mashed potatoes (homemade or refrigerated)
1 cup shredded cheddar
Steps
Heat the oven to 375°F. Brown the beef and onion in an oven-safe pot. Drain.
Stir in the green beans and tomato soup.
Spread the mashed potatoes over the top and sprinkle with cheddar.
Bake 20 to 25 minutes, until the cheese melts and the edges bubble.
Tip: Scoop the small plate from the bottom of the pot. Most of the protein is in the beef layer. Most of the calories are in the potatoes.
How to plate one dinner two ways
Cook one dinner for everyone. The small plate comes out of the same pot.Build the small plate around the protein. Fill it with meat, beans, or eggs first, then vegetables. Go light on the bread, pasta, chips, and potatoes.Add the extras to the full plates. Buns, chips, sour cream, and bigger scoops of the starch go on the family plates.Use a smaller plate. A salad plate makes a small portion look like a full dinner instead of leftovers.
More on this in our guide to cooking for the family when one person is on a GLP-1 .
Nutrition numbers are estimates for planning and change with brands and portion sizes. HalfPlate plans meals and doesn't give medical advice. Ask your prescriber or a dietitian about protein and calorie targets on your medication.
Grocery list for all 4 dinners
Print list
Proteins
1 rotisserie chicken
2 1/2 lb lean ground beef
1 lb ground turkey
Produce
1 bag (14 oz) coleslaw mix
1 bag shredded lettuce
2 tomatoes
1 bagged salad kit
1 small onion
2 1/2 lb potatoes (or 4 cups refrigerated mashed)
Dairy
2 1/2 cups shredded cheddar
1 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend
Milk
Butter
Sour cream
Coleslaw dressing
Pantry
BBQ sauce
1 packet taco seasoning
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
1 can (15 oz) black beans
2 cans (14.5 oz) cut green beans
1 can (10.75 oz) condensed tomato soup
8 oz elbow macaroni
4 brioche buns
Dill pickle chips
Tortilla chips
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