Eating well before your wedding day can be the last thing that’s on your mind, especially when you’re stressed with all the last-minute wedding preps.

But planning your meals before your wedding is super important, so make that a part of your wedding planning. Food and drinks can have a huge impact on how you look and feel. 

The foods you eat the night before can significantly affect how you feel on your big day.

Eating the right foods the night before your special day can help keep you energized and looking the best on your wedding, and eating the wrong thing (such as heavily processed foods) can make you feel bloated. You want to be in your full energy for your wedding party! You want to reduce bloating, so your wedding dress fits the way you want it to fit.

Consider the food you eat the night before your wedding one of the last pre-wedding things you need to do. And then, after the nourishing meal, put on a face mask, and afterwards get some beauty sleep, and you’re ready for your big day! Even if you’re having a rehearsal dinner, it’s still important to think about what you’ll eat.

You want to take advantage of the day before your wedding, because the things you do that day, can help you look and feel your best on your big day.

So, here are some food ideas on what to eat the night before your wedding.

What To Eat The Night Before Your Wedding

Salads

Salads are always good for you, but especially the day before your wedding. They will give you all of the nutrients you need for your big day, and they won’t leave you feeling bloated.

If you make a filling salad that has a source of protein in it as well (such as chicken), you will also get the energy you need.

Include veggies, a source of protein, and some healthy fats (nuts, avocado, etc.), and you have the perfect salad. You can also get your healthy fats in by including them in the dressing (greek yogurt, peanut butter, etc.). Another good idea is to add chia seeds on top of your salads as they’re a great source of fiber.

Here are some examples of filling salads that are great for you.

Avocado Chicken Fresh Salad

378 calories

Ingredients:

• 1 Tomato, medium - 22 calories

• 2 cups Leafy greens, spinach, raw - 14 calories

• ½ Avocado, small - 116.5 calories

• 6 oz Chicken breast, boneless, skinless, raw - 190 calories

• 2 Tbsp Vinaigrette, light (less than 50 calories per 2 Tbsp) - 35 calories

• 1 Salt, dash - 0 calories

• 1 Pepper, dash - 0 calories

Instructions:

1. Slice chicken in medium sized pieces.

2. Slice avocado and tomato.

3. Spray pan with an oil spray. Cook chicken pieces for ~8 minutes, turning regularly, until cooked through.

4. Mix all ingredients in a bowl.

5. No chicken? Use tofu, fish, or beans.

6. Note: I like Trader Joe’s fat free vinaigrette – but Paul Newman, Whole Foods, etc. all have good light dressings.

Cabbage Shrimp Salad

FRUIT

313 calories

Ingredients:

• 5 oz Shrimp, fresh or frozen - 140 calories

• 1 cup Cabbage, shredded - 22 calories

• 1 Orange, medium - 62 calories

• ¼ Onion, red - 13.75 calories

• 1 Tbsp Vinaigrette, regular (more than 50 calories per 2 tbsp) - 75 calories

• 1 Salt, dash - 0 calories

• 1 Pepper, dash - 0 calories

Instructions:

1. Spray pan with an oil spray.

2. Chop orange and onion into small pieces.

3. Cook shrimp on medium heat until cooked through. Drain any excess liquid.

4. Combine all ingredients into a salad. 

Chicken Greek Salad

422 calories

Ingredients:

• ⅓ cup Cheese, crumbled, feta - 133 calories

• 1 Cucumber, small - 32 calories

• 1 cup Tomatoes, grape - 32 calories

• 6 oz Chicken breast, boneless, skinless, raw - 190 calories

• 1 Garlic salt, dash - 0 calories

• 2 Tbsp Vinaigrette, light (less than 50 calories per 2 Tbsp) - 35 calories

• 1 Salt, dash - 0 calories

• 1 Pepper, dash - 0 calories

• 1 Basil, dash - 0 calories

• 1 Oregano, dash - 0 calories

Instructions:

1. Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces and season with garlic salt.

2. Spray a pan with an oil spray. Cook chicken pieces for 8-9 minutes on medium heat, or until cooked through.

3. Combine feta, cucumber (chopped), tomatoes (halved), and chicken.

4. Top with dressing and seasonings.

5. No chicken? Use tofu or fish. No dairy? Use a dairy-free cheese or avocado.

6. Note: I like Trader Joe’s fat-free vinaigrette – but Paul Newman, Whole Foods, etc. all have good light dressings

Bowls

Similar to salads, bowls can get you all of the nutrients and food groups you need.

For the base, you can use a healthy carb (like sweet potato or rice), or some grilled veggies, or even something like cauliflower rice.

Then, you include a source of lean protein (chicken, salmon, etc.), a source of fiber (veggies), and a source of healthy fats (nuts, avocado, greek yogurt for the dressing, etc.), and you have a delicious, filling, and healthy meal, that will make you look and feel your best on your big day.

Bowls are definitely a good thing to eat the night before your wedding (and the day before your wedding as well, not just for dinner), so here are some ideas.

Chicken Fajita Bowl

393 calories

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Cauliflower rice, raw (already riced) - 38 calories

• ½ Bell pepper, red - 18.5 calories

• ¼ cup Salsa - 16 calories

• ¼ Onion, red - 13.75 calories

• ½ Avocado, small - 116.5 calories

• 6 oz Chicken breast, boneless, skinless, raw - 190 calories

• 2 slice Lime, slice - 0 calories

• 1 tsp Red pepper flakes, dash - 0 calories

• 1 Cumin, dash - 0 calories

• 1 Salt, dash - 0 calories

Instructions:

1. Slice peppers and chicken into small pieces.

2. Spray pan with oil spray.

3. Stir-fry chicken for ~8 minutes on low heat, stirring occasionally.

4. Add in peppers and cauliflower rice for another ~6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until you see some browning with the cauliflower rice.

5. Combine all ingredients in a bowl.

6. Top with seasonings and squeeze lime juice in bowl.

7. No chicken? Use tofu or fish.

Copycat SweetGreen Harvest Bowl

STARCH/FRUIT

475 calories

Ingredients:

• 1 Apple, small - 77 calories

• 1 cup Leafy greens, kale, raw - 15 calories

• 1 cup Leafy greens, spinach, raw - 7 calories

• 1 Tbsp Almonds, slivered (Tbsp) - 39 calories

• ½ Potato, sweet, medium, 5 inches - 56 calories

• ¼ cup Rice, brown, cooked - 60 calories

• 4.8 oz Chicken breast, boneless, skinless, raw - 152 calories

• ½ oz Cheese, goat - 51.5 calories

• 1 Tbsp Vinaigrette, light (less than 50 calories per 2 Tbsp) - 17.5 calories

• 1 Salt, dash - 0 calories

Instructions:

1. Cook rice as instructed on package.

2. Cut chicken into small pieces. Dice apple.

3. Poke holes in potato with fork on top and bottom. Microwave whole potato (not 1/2 at a time) for 4 minutes on each side. When cool, slice into bite-sized pieces.

4. Spray a pan with an oil spray. Cook chicken for ~8 minutes on low-medium heat, until cooked through.

5. Combine all ingredients.

6. Top with dressing and seasoning.

7. No chicken? Use fish, tofu, or beans. No dairy? Use a dairy-free cheese, or more almonds.

Note: I like Trader Joe’s fat-free vinaigrette – but Paul Newman, Whole Foods, etc. all have good light dressings

Lean Meat & Veggies

If you don’t like salads or bowls, you can still create dishes that include all the right things.

Make sure you eat veggies, a lean protein (chicken, salmon, shrimp, turkey, chickpeas for a veggie option, etc.), and healthy fats (nuts, greek yogurt, peanut butter, avocado, good olive oil, etc.), and you’ll be great on your big day!

If you eat those foods the day before your wedding, you will be energized and not bloated, which is something everyone wants.

When it comes to drinks, drink a lot of water, and if you want juice, drink freshly squeezed juice, not carbonated beverages like Coca Cola, because drinks can have an impact on the way you look and feel as well.

Good luck with your wedding planning!

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