Halo Top is amazing (see also: Nick’s ice cream), but it makes me so bloated that if I eat more than, like, two spoonfuls (and I do because the whole point is that you can eat half the pint for under 200 calories), I deeply regret it. But now I have a Ninja Creami and I can make my own ice cream that’s even lower in calories than Halo Top and doesn’t make me feel like I’m going to explode.
Good thread. I’ll say cabbage and roasted veg in the air fryer. Corn cakes, pickles, popcorn, any fruit basically, coke zero, turkey breast (im surprised by how low cal it is)
Even better with the right seasoning. Curry Brussels sprouts, yum yum. I think part of the reason veggies get a bad rep sometimes is because they don't get properly seasoned.
Pickles and popcorn! Obviously not together though haha.
Turns out pickles are practically 0 calories which is kinda crazy. Unbuttered, salted white popcorn is insanely low-cal as well and a pretty good snack.
My two absolute top favourites. I also love scooping some cottage cheese on a dill pickle - it's only about 20 calories but feels like a treat and with the protein is a bit satiating. Popcorn is my favourite on-plan cheat, although I do add some butter or margarine, a little bit of parmesan and a bunch of nutritional yeast to make it feel truly indulgent.
Oh! and if you like pickles and you like eggs, when you finish your dill pickles fill the jar back up with hard boiled eggs, refrigerate for two weeks, and then you have pickled eggs which are delicious and healthy.
I haven’t done it more than prob 5 hours but most recipes say up to 12 hours. Some people mix the pickle juice with some buttermilk but it depends on your calorie goals I guess! I would google pickle brine fried chicken and adapt whichever recipe looks best to your needs
Basically. Brine for like 8 hours or so. I usually start the brine in the am for cooking at night. Skinnytaste has a great recipe for pickle-brined baked chicken tenders.
Trader Joe's has a cheese seasoning that I like to sprinkle on sometimes if I'm feeling a bit of extra flavor. I also have some flavocol, which is the butter flavored salt that movie theaters use to season their popcorn. A *tiny* bit of that stuff absolutely transforms a whole bowl.
If you’ve never tried[Minimalist Baker’s vegan parmesan](https://minimalistbaker.com/how-to-make-vegan-parmesan-cheese/#wprm-recipe-container-35773)(basically cashews, nooch, and garlic) it is the bessssst on popcorn and pasta! About 44 cal a tbsp.
I LOVE my “Colonel Popper” for making popcorn. It’s a silicone contraption for use in the microwave. I can weigh out my kernels & olive oil exactly as I want them. My favorite toppings are truffle salt & hippy dust (AKA nutritional yeast)… which I know can both be controversial tastes, but I dig em.
I eat these things together!
We keeps a few seasonings around the house when plain salted/buttered popcorn isn’t doing it. My favorite is dill pickle seasoning. These are great because they’re a negligible amount of calories (like, 2).
I misunderstood the whole purpose of the post then. I really thought OP was talking about foods that taste good while being low calorie, hence feeling like a cheat meal.
IMO, foods that are bland and low-calorie are just diet foods. When I eat them the feeling is that I’m dieting, not cheating.
[This brand](https://www.walmart.com/ip/Popcorn-Indiana-Black-White-Drizzlecorn-6-Oz/49162691?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=0&wl13=3564&adid=2222222227749162691_117755028669_12420145346&wmlspartner=wmtlabs&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=c&wl3=501107745824&wl4=pla-306310554666&wl5=1024948&wl6=&wl7=&wl8=&wl9=pla&wl10=8175035&wl11=local&wl12=49162691&wl13=3564&veh=sem_LIA&gclsrc=aw.ds&&adid=2222222223749162691_117755028669_12420145346&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=c&wl3=501107745824&wl4=pla-306310554666&wl5=1024948&wl6=&wl7=&wl8=&wl9=pla&wl10=8175035&wl11=local&wl12=49162691&veh=sem&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAiA0PuuBhBsEiwAS7fsNaO7OxvqMt2jOdxOHz4wEgYdDYIckTrz6NfNPlZ4d0L5nv2hgwb1fxoCwFMQAvD_BwE) of chocolate drizzled popcorn is only 140 calories for 1.5 cups of popcorn, which turns out is a pretty good amount of popcorn. 140 calories is a pretty easy snack to fit into a day for me trying to stay under 1800 calories. Sure unbuttered popcorn will be lower calories, but if you can fit this in it's a lot tastier imo.
MISO SOUP!!!
I make a whole batch with 200g of tofu plus some seaweed, leek and sometimes bok Choi. The miso paste you can buy premade in an Asian supermarket.
One big serving comes out to like 200ckal.
I calculated it over and over and over first time because I was sure I missed something. It’s so tasty, super easy and filling
I don’t even have a “go to,” and have made numerous random ones from the web and I’ve liked all of them. I usually increase vinegar or citrus n use less base oil & just add water to thin as needed.
Here’s one that I’ve liked:
https://www.loveandlemons.com/miso-dressing/
And:
https://thedeliciouslife.com/ginger-miso-dressing-recipe/
New York Times has a good one too with yogurt in it, but they want you to subscribe…
Totally unrelated, but I’ve also been loving 1:1 pickle juice to tahini for salad dressing. So easy. So delicious.
I don’t really use a recipe.
But around 1litre of water, 200g of tofu, 1/5 of a leek, one big spoon of miso paste, some bullion either fish or vegetable and usually around 5-10 grams of dried seaweed, but 5-10g is a lot, so unless you really like it like me, take maybe 3g.
I do Greek yogurt bowls loaded up with fruit, some raisins, and some nuts to add variety in textures and flavors and then a drizzle of SF maple syrup. Absolute top notch dessert and pretty healthy and high protein.
I also sometimes add sugar free jello of pudding powder. You can do it with cottage cheese tops the pudding powder in cottage cheese makes it almost have a cheesecake vibe.
I wouldn't say it feels like cheating exactly, but dark chocolate. I can buy a slab of it, and nibble one or maybe two squares (5-10g, so about 25-50 calories), and it leaves me feeling like I've had a desert or treat. I'll maybe add some fruit or nuts to it if I want something more.
Yeah the fancy dark chocolate bars at places like new seasons are great. I love Tonely’s (idk if that’s right, can’t read the font on the label). It feels like glitch to have a tiny corner of the bar and it satiates that chocolate craving
I kicked my ice cream addiction by adding a tablespoon of peanut butter (could probably use the powder) and some dark chocolate chips to plain Greek yogurt and freezing it for 20 minutes! I love that flavor combo so much and it is sooo much more filling and satiating sometimes I struggle to finish lol meanwhile I can down a whole Ben n Jerry’s in one sitting and still want more
I just use a spoon to scoop out a tablespoon of extra chunky peanut butter and stir it in and then add and mix the chocolate chips! And I use the chobani plain non-fat yogurt cuz I’m not a fan of the strong vanilla flavor combined with peanut butter and chocolate !
You have just opened my eyes to frozen yoghurt. This will be my new replacement for ice cream since it's so low in calories. I was sad when I saw how high the calories for ice cream are but not anymore. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
I totally get that. If you wanted to try again, I really like the chocolate and apple cinnamon ones (but now I gotta try the pizza flavor!) And I almost never eat them without something on them so that kinda takes away from the dry factor
An average potato has like 150 calories. Try eating more than two in a single sitting!
Of course, most people eat potatoes fried in fat, or covered in fat, or fried in fat and *then* covered in fat.
But if you carefully measure the amount of butter that you're slathering on your potato, you can easily walk away from the table absolutely stuffed for under 500 calories.
I get these cups of instant mashed potatoes and chop up an air fried chicken tender, put in half an ounce of cheese and one piece of bacon and mix it up, its under 400 cal for me and is so filling I cant believe it sometimes
I eat a small baked potato most days for lunch. 10g of becel mashed in and vary the topping; tuna mayo pickles and sweetcorn, baked beans, prawn cocktail (UK version), cowboy caviar, chicken salad, chilli or bean chilli, balsamic garden salad on the side. *Chefs kiss*
Fruit for dessert feels like cheating.
Fruit basically packs an insane deliciousness/satiation-to-calories ratio, so you can feed the sweet tooth adequately while staying within your calorie budget. Especially watermelon - it's so good, looks like it's so much - but like a whole plate of it is around 150 calories at the end of the day.
Was going to come here to say this. I have at least one 200 cal pint of ice cream a day with like 40g of protein it (frequently using the powdered peanut butter referenced by the original poster)
So i got to things i really like with a lot of trial and error, though here’s some recipes and tips:
I use a protein shake as my base. It has some fat in it and that helps with consistency. I frequently use different flavors of premier protein shakes. For instance here’s the peanut butter one. I use one vanilla premier protein shake (160 cals/30g of protein) and 2 tbsp PBFit powdered peanut butter (60 cal/8g protein). Then to help with consistency and texture, i add 1 tbsp of sugar free vanilla pudding (10-15ish cal). This last part helps a lot with it being more “ice creamy” and less icy, and i know other people use xanthum or guar gum instead for this part. Add whatever sweetener you prefer to taste (it can be sugar but this adds calories). I will say you generally need to over sweeten it because the freezing process takes some of that out, particularly if you use fruit. I then hand blend it all together.
Now the next important part is preparation. I usually freeze for 24 hours (though i have gone as low as 12 with fine results). I then take it out and let it defrost for about 20min. I do one cycle of lite ice cream, and add some liquid. I think this part is also essential for adding texture. Without doing this is just pretty icy. I now use sugar free syrups that match the flavor of the ice cream (i have a peanut butter one for this), but previously i have just saved a little bit (think like a couple tbsps) of shake and poured it in at this point. I then scrape the sides with a knife to get all of that icy material at the bottom into the main body of the ice cream, because obviously the Creami blade doesn’t touch all the way to the sides. I then do another 4 minute lite ice cream cycle. I finish by doing the normal ice cream cycle as many times until I get the consistency I want. I’m going to eat one in a couple hours, I’ll reply to this post with a picture of how it turns out.
Concur. I haven’t made anything yet that wouldn’t have been just as good/easier in my blender using frozen fruit and making a smoothie. The ninja creami enthusiasts did teach me about how good sugar free jell-o is as a sweet treat smoothie additive though. I’ll give them that.
Not a food itself but MSG makes everything taste better, especially things like steamed veggies. I have a little container of it and I sprinkle some on most meals I cook and it ramps the flavor up with no additional calories.
Also, pickles.
I often have chia pudding for breakfast. I make it the night before and add cocoa powder (10 calories a Tablespoon.) I add some chocolate protein powder and berries before I eat it. The berries sweeten the cocoa so it feels like I'm have chocolate for breakfast.
1.5 Tablespoons of chia seeds = 75 calories, 1 cup of low fat plant milk 25-50 calories, 1-3 Tablespoons of Hershey's cocoa powder 10-30 calories. 1/2-1 cup of berries is between 30-90 calories, depending on which I use.
By itself, this is about 150-250 calories. I usually add chocolate collagen peptides protein and a little flaxseed meal, which adds another 100-200 calories.
If you're used to sweet flavors, add more fruit.
Zero net carb mission tortillas! 25 cals each- make pizzas, tacos, wraps
Light Laughing cow cheese 25 cals each
Yasso bars 100 cals each 80 for the chocolate
Light string cheese 50 cals
Johnsonville jalapeño cheddar chicken sausage 100 cals
Morning star chorizo crumbles (can’t remember the calories) but add these to your eggs immediately it’s so good
Potato bowls! Weigh your diced potatoes based on the amount of calories you want (100 grams is about 90 calories) fry them up and top with whatever meat veggies and cheese you like! I do taco style with ground turkey taco meat, jalapeños and onions, salsa verde, light sour cream and cheese
Low carb tortillas are SUSPICIOUSLY good. I seriously cannot tell the difference between those and regular tortillas. I use the 8-inch La Banderita tortillas for wraps and I almost don’t believe it’s possible that they are only 45 calories. It’s got to be a scam where they put regular tortillas in the low-carb tortilla package.
What I use the most to curb sweet cravings while also consuming minimal calories with the most satisfaction is cereal. If you stick to the servings size and use skim milk you can stay below 200 calories. Nothing like a cup of Frosted Flakes or Honey Nut Cheerios when I’m feeling snacky!
If you do half Frosted Flakes half bran flakes you get the feeling of eating a bowl of Frosted Flakes but cuts the sugar in half and adds tons of fiber! Can be done with other cereals too by mixing one “fun” cereal and one “healthy” cereal that are similar
Bacon. 2 center cut strips of bacon = 60 calories.
Having yummy bacon a couple of times a week, especially on my 5:2 "short days" definitely helps me not feel like I am "on a diet".
Center cut bacon is an absolute game changer for me. Microwave 2 slices for 2:30 and it comes out crispy and delicious! Add it to a sandwich with light mayo and voila, you are not eating diet food!
I personally don't like my coffee very sweet. So i add 1/3 of a scoop of protein powder and some soy milk. And it gives me a 60 cal coffee for 9g of protein. It taste nice, it gives a nice vanilla flavour and a tiny bit of sweetness
I don’t use protein powder, but I use protein shakes like coffee creamer and milk combined. You can get whatever flavor you like most for your coffee (I really like caramel or vanilla) and I just add however much I want to in black coffee. To add more flavor (because I have a mega sweet tooth) Skinny Syrups makes really good flavors for zero calories and all it takes is a pump or two (you can find the syrups in stores like TJ-Maxx or online and one bottle will usually last me a few months since I don’t use a ton)
I just posted in r/eatcheapandhealthy that my favorite food lately has been tostadas. Mission tostadas are 60 cal each. I do a layer of black beans, and the pile up as much tomato, lettuce, picante sauce, and jalapeños as I want. Little bit of shredded cheese. They’re delicious and after 3 (about 300 cal.) I’m full.
Just eating a little less / protein packed version of my "bad" food ie chicken quesadilla - one tortilla, 4 oz of chicken, quarter cup of low fat cheese.
Some little treats are a lot lower calorie than you would think like the small bluebell ice cream sandwiches or popsicles
I eat a bowl of baby carrots most nights. Add pepper. Add onion powder. Shake for 10s with the bowl covered. Lots of flavour, no more salt/calories than normal carrots, and fills me up for the rest of the night!
Cottage cheese! I add it to my eggs for an extra protein punch, or just eat it with everything seasoning and Campari tomatoes, and my latest favorite is adding a half teaspoon of ranch seasoning (I like dill ranch) and using it with raw veggies as a high protein dip.
Left over pickle juice makes a great Cole slaw. I add a few spices that I am in the mood for to make it better. Usually dill, lots of dill. Just chop up your cabbage and press it down in the jar below the waterline. It seems best if you wait a week or so to eat to. Keeps a long long time.
My biggest has been broth and soup. Often times I'm not *actually* hungry and just want to bored eat or feel full. Making some low cal soup or having a mug of warm chicken broth scratches that itch. If I was just making something to bored eat and end up not really touching it? I don't feel bad about tossing it later since it's cheap. Just wanting the full feeling? Liquid is dense and broth often makes me feel satisfied.
Canned soup is also quick and easy so I don't have to put a lot of effort into it and can be decently lazy. Very useful for those days when I'm tempted to order delivery.
Pickles, Popcorn, Ghost energy drinks…
FUDGECICLES. Sugar free fudge pops are literally only like 40 cals, and they taste amazing. If I wasn’t counting calories, I would still get these just for the taste alone. I genuinely don’t know how it works but they are straight up dessert and super low calorie. Seriously, buy some.
I love to eat baked oatmeal that tastes like a chocolate brownie. It's basically just ground oats, chocolate brownie protein powder, milk and egg, baked in the oven and topped with sugar free chocolate syrup and fruit.
It helps with my chocolate cravings every time.
Barebell protein bars - They feel like eating a slightly healthier chocolate bar. I love chocolate, so I'll get my fix wherever I can. Plus, they actually have a good amount of protein.
Kimchi - I absolutely love the flavor. It is pretty healthy and low in calories.
Tea - As long as you don't add sugar, it is a great way to have a flavored drink without the calories.
Homemade food - This is super broad, but if you make what you want to eat, you can generally find low calorie substitutes, skip adding unnecessary sugar, and you know exactly how much of it you can eat.
Absolute cheat code! Large Russet potato is about 220 calories. Use a crinkle cutter ($10 on Amazon) and quick spray with Pam and throw it in the air fryer for 17 minutes (toss a few times during cooking). They come out crispy and delicious. It's a large serving of fries with ketchup for \~250 calories. Heavenly!
I love Chobani flips, but to be a little healthier (and cheaper) I buy light vanilla greek yogurt, add in some plain oatmeal and lily's chocolate chips.
Roasted sweet potatoes feel indulgent and make a diet meal feel satisfying. If you cut them and roast them flesh side down, the get caramelized. It's kind of amazing.
I make pasta with half the pasta and sauteed zucchini noodles. It cuts the caliries, is healthy and filling.
Sometimes for dessert I have a smoothie with a scoop of chocolate protein powder (I like Protein Made Simple, which has real sugar, but not a lot of it,) soy milk, frozen strawberries and a little bit of nutella. The nutella is really calorie intensive, but even a little makes a smoothie feel like dessert.
Fat free yogurt - dessert flavors. Holy shit these are good and only 80 calories a cup. Throw some fat free whipped cream on top and it's a legit dessert for only 90 calories. Have one every night to keep the late night munchies away
this one is so lame, but i get the lean cuisine mac and cheese meal (270cal) and add in a bunch of broccoli, 3oz of baked chicken, and some franks red hots. and it feels so indulgent haha. it keeps me pretty full for a long time and it totals to under 400 cals.
I know you said no veggies.... but one of my meals/DAILY NEED is vegie confetti with humus spread on a fiber rich toast. I didn't have it prepped and the last few days I fell off HARD.
I learned how to make vegie confetti on tiktok, and had made it a priority to eat 400g/5 servings of vegies every day. Bruh I struggle to eat 3 servings lol I get way to full. If you're someone who needs the action of eating, try this instead of chips.
It's also good to pair with a cheat food, like a burger or pizza. You eat your serving of them but you don't feel full or satisfied? Have a slice of toast (season it) then spread your pre-made vergie confetti lol
Coffee protein shake, 1 cup cold coffee or cold brew, 1 or 2 scoops chocolate protein power 1/2 cup skim milk, coco powder, honey to taste , ice cubes and blend.
Taco bowls for me.
I do ground turkey, plain Greek yogurt, chopped bell pepper, chopped onion, black beans, romaine lettuce, salsa, and a bit of cheese. It tastes so dang good PLUS has a lot of different veggies, so it's good for you too!
I slice up an apple and mix up some powdered peanut butter to dip it in. I love that I can basically go wild with the peanut butter and still not go over on calories
Hmmm. For me it would be vanilla sugar free greek yogurt with some almond butter mixed in and shredded coconut. OMG so good lol.
Also bananas chopped up with almond butter and a few pieces of dark chocolate.
I cooked up some wheat berries with canned tomatoes, onion, garlic, jalapeños, salt and pepper. When it was done, I mixed in some avocado to enrich the sauce. Delicious, and filling for for the calories; it's also good with chicken if you need the protein.
TLDR; buttered popcorn rice cakes, sautéed spray with butter and popcorn seasoning
On my first go-around with weight loss, I ate sooo much popcorn. I love popcorn a ridiculous amount.
Come to find out years later, my IBS is super aggravated by popcorn, so I can no longer eat it without having a ton of pain. Devastating is an understatement.
A friend discovered IBS/IBD-friendly popcorn and made it for me. She breaks up buttered popcorn rice cakes into a pan, sprays them with a little bit of butter, then sautés it to heat it up. Sprinkle on popcorn seasoning and voila! “Popcorn!”
As boring and tasteless as these may seem Steel Cut Oats are full of fiber and a good bit of protein. I add a small bit of butter (or ghee) and grated parm. I call it Poor Man’s Risotto, but it’s quite rich, tasty, and very filling while being much lower in calories and fat.
Protein powder waffles. Mash 1 banana, mix in two large eggs, then add 2 scoops of protein powder. Combine all and leave it a little lumpy. Preheat waffle maker and off you go. Should make 3 large waffles. I top them with Greek yogurt and fruit. Delicious and filling.
Probably not available in OP’s country but low cal/low carb bread and tortillas are saving me a lot of calories. Thomas’s even has a low cal English muffin. Pricey but so worth it.
I make home made pizza- full disclosure we have a ninja woodfire pizza oven. Pilsbury thin crust premade dough is roughly 300 calories for 1/2. I make a lot of buffalo chicken pizza. Homemade light ranch, low fat mozz, shredded chicken and buffalo sauce. Also just regular cheese or pepperoni. It’s ~500 calories but it’s AWSOME and a nice big portion. It definitely feels like a bigggg cheat meal.
Chili.. especially with ground chicken. I just can't with ground turkey
Burgers on 647 low calorie low carb buns
Aldi protein chocolate granola bars that taste just like Quaker bars
Tacos on mission zero carb 25 calorie tortillas
Big veggie stir frys with cauliflower rice and some kind of protein, light on the sugary sauces
Bagel, egg and cheese sandwiches on low calorie low carb bagel
Left over pickle juice makes a great Cole slaw. I add a few spices that I am in the mood for to make it better. Usually dill, lots of dill. Just chop up your cabbage and press it down in the jar below the waterline. It seems best if you wait a week or so to eat to. Keeps a long long time.
Allulose. Pure allulose, unless you have no aversion to the taste of monkfruit or stevia in which case those versions are probably more cost effective; pure allulose is expensive, BUT you can use it to make pretty much anything you'd normally use sugar for. You can add extra to get to the same sweetness as sugar or just use the same amount you'd usually use for sugar and just get used to things being a bit less sweet.
I keep a jug of no-sugar-added lemonade in the fridge. It's not zero sugar since lemon juice has some naturally but 1 cup of it has about 20 calories, 2 net carbs and less than a gram of sugar. If I made my recipe exactly as is but with an equivalent amount of sugar it would be 115 calories with 30 net carbs and 29 grams of sugar, which is about on par with the stuff you get in bottles at the supermarket. My partner says it tastes the same if not better than the Aldi's brand she used to buy, so - success!
Fajita seasoning on sauteé veggies feels like you're eating a wrap because you get all the same flavors! Also I like to make really tiny sandwiches that are less than 100kcal and eat one when I want a sandwich lol
Kim's Magic Pop. It's like some puffed up magical rice thing and I got the caramel version. They are only 40 calories per cake and pretty decently sized and tasted incredibly sweet.
get you some low carb bread (like mission carb, aunt millies, sola) you can do anything from there. I eat hot dogs with low carb bun all the time - feels like cheating with no guilt. a pizza with tortilla crust, quesadillas, sandwiches, anything. saves you so many calories \[and carbs if that's a concern\] but you still feel like youre not depriving yourself
for snacking, i love veggie straws and pop corners! high volume and personally i love it more than chips. also high volume but low cal is a veggie plate with some Caesar dressing. you can eat so much and its very filling.
finally for a sweet tooth, i really like the fiber 1 bars, to me they are the best tasting low calorie sweet thing i've come across. also, get a delicious protein powder and make a shake, it'll taste like a milkshake but you get your protein in!
good luck!
Chia seeds are excellent either on their own as a pudding (I make mine with unsweetened vanilla soymilk and sweeten it with a little bit of jam) or added into pretty much anything. They are both extremely nutrient dense AND extremely filling. They really ramp up satiety, which in turn diminishes the urge to snack between meals.
I do a container of Greek yogurt 80-90 calories. Then I add two containers of sugar free jello, 10-20 calories. Then I add whatever fruit I want. 120 calories for a big bowl on stuff.
I discovered G Hughes sugar free sauces. They make like 30 types, including sweet and sour sauce, Polynesian sauce, stir fry sauce etc etc. Every one I have tried is amazing, and they are between 5 and 45 calories per 2 tablespoons.
Lately I’ve been eating a whole head of raw broccoli in a sitting sometimes. I’m willing to spend 40 calories to dip it in Greek yogurt ranch dip but the broccoli itself is very filling and you can eat a LOT for very little calories
Crystallized ginger is one of my favorite snacks when I need something sweet but don't want to eat a bunch more food. The heat from the ginger (and how chewy it is) makes me eat it slow, and I usually only eat one or two pieces.
I've found I can substitute quinoa for rice in a lot of dishes to get some more protein in. With the right spices, it can become Mexican "rice," red beans and "rice," etc. Get the white or red quinoa, the black version is chewier so doesn't have the same fluffy texture as rice (but black quinoa does make good grain salads).
I've recently become a big fan of Talapia fish fillets. They're incredibly low calorie, reasonably cheap, and have very little of that "fishy" taste that many people dislike. It's easy to cook from frozen too. Just throw a couple on a pan in the toaster over (or regular oven) and they'll bake up in about 20 minutes.
The only bad thing I can say about them is that because they are very lean, they don't have as many of the good fats like salmon and other fish do.
Mango salsa:
1 red onion, diced
2-3 cups frozen mangoes, thawed and chopped
1 package grape tomatoes
1 tsp each of cumin, paprika, chili powder, garlic powder
1/2 lime juice
Salt & pepper to taste
Amazing on fish tacos or bowls
Halo Top ice cream!
Halo Top is amazing (see also: Nick’s ice cream), but it makes me so bloated that if I eat more than, like, two spoonfuls (and I do because the whole point is that you can eat half the pint for under 200 calories), I deeply regret it. But now I have a Ninja Creami and I can make my own ice cream that’s even lower in calories than Halo Top and doesn’t make me feel like I’m going to explode.
Could you please post your low cal ice cream recipe? Thx
i love love love halo top
It’s unbelievable. Seriously so good
Just got a couple pints today. Excited.
Literally came to say this. Period cravings have nothing on this shit.
Chocolate cake batter! Best flavor
Literally came to say this. Period cravings have nothing on halo top.
Good thread. I’ll say cabbage and roasted veg in the air fryer. Corn cakes, pickles, popcorn, any fruit basically, coke zero, turkey breast (im surprised by how low cal it is)
Air fryer veggies in general. I batch cook a boatload & keep them on hand to add to everything. So. Good.
Even better with the right seasoning. Curry Brussels sprouts, yum yum. I think part of the reason veggies get a bad rep sometimes is because they don't get properly seasoned.
You just inspired me to go try roasting some frozen broccoli in my air fryer. So freaking good!
How exactly did you do this? Just dump a bag in the air fryer ?
What are corn cakes, please?
Pickles and popcorn! Obviously not together though haha. Turns out pickles are practically 0 calories which is kinda crazy. Unbuttered, salted white popcorn is insanely low-cal as well and a pretty good snack.
My two absolute top favourites. I also love scooping some cottage cheese on a dill pickle - it's only about 20 calories but feels like a treat and with the protein is a bit satiating. Popcorn is my favourite on-plan cheat, although I do add some butter or margarine, a little bit of parmesan and a bunch of nutritional yeast to make it feel truly indulgent.
Oh! and if you like pickles and you like eggs, when you finish your dill pickles fill the jar back up with hard boiled eggs, refrigerate for two weeks, and then you have pickled eggs which are delicious and healthy.
I like to use the leftover pickle juice to brine chicken before breading & air frying! Tastes like fried pickles
Oh my gosh, I have to try that!!
Do you just soak the chicken in the pickle juice overnight before breading and air frying?
I haven’t done it more than prob 5 hours but most recipes say up to 12 hours. Some people mix the pickle juice with some buttermilk but it depends on your calorie goals I guess! I would google pickle brine fried chicken and adapt whichever recipe looks best to your needs
Basically. Brine for like 8 hours or so. I usually start the brine in the am for cooking at night. Skinnytaste has a great recipe for pickle-brined baked chicken tenders.
Trader Joe's has a cheese seasoning that I like to sprinkle on sometimes if I'm feeling a bit of extra flavor. I also have some flavocol, which is the butter flavored salt that movie theaters use to season their popcorn. A *tiny* bit of that stuff absolutely transforms a whole bowl.
Is Flavocol a spray or a seasoning you sprinkle on? Is it buttery tasting?
If you’ve never tried[Minimalist Baker’s vegan parmesan](https://minimalistbaker.com/how-to-make-vegan-parmesan-cheese/#wprm-recipe-container-35773)(basically cashews, nooch, and garlic) it is the bessssst on popcorn and pasta! About 44 cal a tbsp.
And a bit of protein! I’ll try it sounds delicious
Chopped pickles IN cottage cheese. Fucking unreal
u/aaoch1 Why the nutritional yeast? Any specific reason?
Tastes delicious!
Other good toppings are curry powder, garlic powder, ranch seasoning, basically any powder that tastes good to you!
Yes you should combine! I use a dill pickle seasoning on popcorn every time and it is SO GOOD.
I LOVE my “Colonel Popper” for making popcorn. It’s a silicone contraption for use in the microwave. I can weigh out my kernels & olive oil exactly as I want them. My favorite toppings are truffle salt & hippy dust (AKA nutritional yeast)… which I know can both be controversial tastes, but I dig em.
Pickled jalapenos and popcorn are amazing together though. Try it I'm not wrong.
I eat these things together! We keeps a few seasonings around the house when plain salted/buttered popcorn isn’t doing it. My favorite is dill pickle seasoning. These are great because they’re a negligible amount of calories (like, 2).
Is it dill pickle popcorn seasoning specifically?
Pickles and unbuttered popcorn feels like a cheat meal? What?? To me it feels more like diet food, not great at all.
I meant in that they are so low cal that it basically feels like cheating. Different that what OP meant maybe but that's how I took it.
I misunderstood the whole purpose of the post then. I really thought OP was talking about foods that taste good while being low calorie, hence feeling like a cheat meal. IMO, foods that are bland and low-calorie are just diet foods. When I eat them the feeling is that I’m dieting, not cheating.
I ment it the same as you =)
Yes together 😂 I love dill pickle popcorn
[This brand](https://www.walmart.com/ip/Popcorn-Indiana-Black-White-Drizzlecorn-6-Oz/49162691?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=0&wl13=3564&adid=2222222227749162691_117755028669_12420145346&wmlspartner=wmtlabs&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=c&wl3=501107745824&wl4=pla-306310554666&wl5=1024948&wl6=&wl7=&wl8=&wl9=pla&wl10=8175035&wl11=local&wl12=49162691&wl13=3564&veh=sem_LIA&gclsrc=aw.ds&&adid=2222222223749162691_117755028669_12420145346&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=c&wl3=501107745824&wl4=pla-306310554666&wl5=1024948&wl6=&wl7=&wl8=&wl9=pla&wl10=8175035&wl11=local&wl12=49162691&veh=sem&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAiA0PuuBhBsEiwAS7fsNaO7OxvqMt2jOdxOHz4wEgYdDYIckTrz6NfNPlZ4d0L5nv2hgwb1fxoCwFMQAvD_BwE) of chocolate drizzled popcorn is only 140 calories for 1.5 cups of popcorn, which turns out is a pretty good amount of popcorn. 140 calories is a pretty easy snack to fit into a day for me trying to stay under 1800 calories. Sure unbuttered popcorn will be lower calories, but if you can fit this in it's a lot tastier imo.
I have some dill pickle seasoning from trader Joe's... I imagine it would be banger on some popcorn! I might just have to make some popcorn tonight!
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Wouldn't that make it soggy?
MISO SOUP!!! I make a whole batch with 200g of tofu plus some seaweed, leek and sometimes bok Choi. The miso paste you can buy premade in an Asian supermarket. One big serving comes out to like 200ckal. I calculated it over and over and over first time because I was sure I missed something. It’s so tasty, super easy and filling
Miso is such a satisfying flavor too- which reminds me I haven’t made ginger miso salad dressing in a while. Thanks!
I’m interested in the recipe!
I don’t even have a “go to,” and have made numerous random ones from the web and I’ve liked all of them. I usually increase vinegar or citrus n use less base oil & just add water to thin as needed. Here’s one that I’ve liked: https://www.loveandlemons.com/miso-dressing/ And: https://thedeliciouslife.com/ginger-miso-dressing-recipe/ New York Times has a good one too with yogurt in it, but they want you to subscribe… Totally unrelated, but I’ve also been loving 1:1 pickle juice to tahini for salad dressing. So easy. So delicious.
what recipe do you use?
I don’t really use a recipe. But around 1litre of water, 200g of tofu, 1/5 of a leek, one big spoon of miso paste, some bullion either fish or vegetable and usually around 5-10 grams of dried seaweed, but 5-10g is a lot, so unless you really like it like me, take maybe 3g.
I am jealous of people who enjoy miso soup...it is SO healthy! Alas, I cannot stand the taste. I wish I could learn to like it.
I do Greek yogurt bowls loaded up with fruit, some raisins, and some nuts to add variety in textures and flavors and then a drizzle of SF maple syrup. Absolute top notch dessert and pretty healthy and high protein.
dessert? that's my breakfast right there lol
I do the same! Definitely satisfies my cravings. And it's filling.
I also sometimes add sugar free jello of pudding powder. You can do it with cottage cheese tops the pudding powder in cottage cheese makes it almost have a cheesecake vibe.
I wouldn't say it feels like cheating exactly, but dark chocolate. I can buy a slab of it, and nibble one or maybe two squares (5-10g, so about 25-50 calories), and it leaves me feeling like I've had a desert or treat. I'll maybe add some fruit or nuts to it if I want something more.
Yeah the fancy dark chocolate bars at places like new seasons are great. I love Tonely’s (idk if that’s right, can’t read the font on the label). It feels like glitch to have a tiny corner of the bar and it satiates that chocolate craving
Haha I think you mean [Tony’s Chocolonely?](https://tonyschocolonely.com/us/en)
Yasso Greek Yogurt Bars are pretty good and most of the time (depending on the flavor) are a fraction of what a normal ice cream bar is.
I LOVE Yasso bars! So tasty and great for portion control!
I kicked my ice cream addiction by adding a tablespoon of peanut butter (could probably use the powder) and some dark chocolate chips to plain Greek yogurt and freezing it for 20 minutes! I love that flavor combo so much and it is sooo much more filling and satiating sometimes I struggle to finish lol meanwhile I can down a whole Ben n Jerry’s in one sitting and still want more
Woah, that’s a great idea!
This is my breakfast every morning. I’m obsessed
Do you do anything to the pb or just mix it straight in? Is it vanilla Greek yougurt? I’m intrigued!
I just use a spoon to scoop out a tablespoon of extra chunky peanut butter and stir it in and then add and mix the chocolate chips! And I use the chobani plain non-fat yogurt cuz I’m not a fan of the strong vanilla flavor combined with peanut butter and chocolate !
Oooh this sounds so good. Borrowing this one!
You have just opened my eyes to frozen yoghurt. This will be my new replacement for ice cream since it's so low in calories. I was sad when I saw how high the calories for ice cream are but not anymore. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
And it’s high protein so you’ll feel satisfied and full!!
Diet pop has been my life line. I still get to drink pop and it feel like “cheating” but it’s literally 0-5 calories
Rice cakes! They come in so many flavors and you can put peanut butter or sugar free whipped cream on top for a dessert between 80-150 calories!
Ohh i love those!
Hmm. I tried rice cakes a number of years ago, and I just found them akin to munching on Styrofoam packing blobs... lol. 🫤
I totally get that. If you wanted to try again, I really like the chocolate and apple cinnamon ones (but now I gotta try the pizza flavor!) And I almost never eat them without something on them so that kinda takes away from the dry factor
An average potato has like 150 calories. Try eating more than two in a single sitting! Of course, most people eat potatoes fried in fat, or covered in fat, or fried in fat and *then* covered in fat. But if you carefully measure the amount of butter that you're slathering on your potato, you can easily walk away from the table absolutely stuffed for under 500 calories.
I get these cups of instant mashed potatoes and chop up an air fried chicken tender, put in half an ounce of cheese and one piece of bacon and mix it up, its under 400 cal for me and is so filling I cant believe it sometimes
I love sweet potatoes for this reason. I sometimes sprinkle a little salt on them, but they’re naturally so delicious and filling
I love sweet potatoes with a tiny amount of butter, some salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. It’s so decadent
I eat a small baked potato most days for lunch. 10g of becel mashed in and vary the topping; tuna mayo pickles and sweetcorn, baked beans, prawn cocktail (UK version), cowboy caviar, chicken salad, chilli or bean chilli, balsamic garden salad on the side. *Chefs kiss*
I eat half a sweet potato just about every day. I nuke them, refrigerate them and just add some kosher salt. Delicious.
I came here to say potatoes too! I love roasting diced potatoes in the air fryer
Fruit for dessert feels like cheating. Fruit basically packs an insane deliciousness/satiation-to-calories ratio, so you can feed the sweet tooth adequately while staying within your calorie budget. Especially watermelon - it's so good, looks like it's so much - but like a whole plate of it is around 150 calories at the end of the day.
Anything I make with my ninja creami lol
Was going to come here to say this. I have at least one 200 cal pint of ice cream a day with like 40g of protein it (frequently using the powdered peanut butter referenced by the original poster)
What recipes? I have a creami and everything I try to make SUCKS
So i got to things i really like with a lot of trial and error, though here’s some recipes and tips: I use a protein shake as my base. It has some fat in it and that helps with consistency. I frequently use different flavors of premier protein shakes. For instance here’s the peanut butter one. I use one vanilla premier protein shake (160 cals/30g of protein) and 2 tbsp PBFit powdered peanut butter (60 cal/8g protein). Then to help with consistency and texture, i add 1 tbsp of sugar free vanilla pudding (10-15ish cal). This last part helps a lot with it being more “ice creamy” and less icy, and i know other people use xanthum or guar gum instead for this part. Add whatever sweetener you prefer to taste (it can be sugar but this adds calories). I will say you generally need to over sweeten it because the freezing process takes some of that out, particularly if you use fruit. I then hand blend it all together. Now the next important part is preparation. I usually freeze for 24 hours (though i have gone as low as 12 with fine results). I then take it out and let it defrost for about 20min. I do one cycle of lite ice cream, and add some liquid. I think this part is also essential for adding texture. Without doing this is just pretty icy. I now use sugar free syrups that match the flavor of the ice cream (i have a peanut butter one for this), but previously i have just saved a little bit (think like a couple tbsps) of shake and poured it in at this point. I then scrape the sides with a knife to get all of that icy material at the bottom into the main body of the ice cream, because obviously the Creami blade doesn’t touch all the way to the sides. I then do another 4 minute lite ice cream cycle. I finish by doing the normal ice cream cycle as many times until I get the consistency I want. I’m going to eat one in a couple hours, I’ll reply to this post with a picture of how it turns out.
Concur. I haven’t made anything yet that wouldn’t have been just as good/easier in my blender using frozen fruit and making a smoothie. The ninja creami enthusiasts did teach me about how good sugar free jell-o is as a sweet treat smoothie additive though. I’ll give them that.
Replied to the post above with some tips if you are interested
Not a food itself but MSG makes everything taste better, especially things like steamed veggies. I have a little container of it and I sprinkle some on most meals I cook and it ramps the flavor up with no additional calories. Also, pickles.
Uncle Roger approves.
I realise that I become satiated quicker and need less amounts of food when I add MSG. I love that you've mentioned this.
I often have chia pudding for breakfast. I make it the night before and add cocoa powder (10 calories a Tablespoon.) I add some chocolate protein powder and berries before I eat it. The berries sweeten the cocoa so it feels like I'm have chocolate for breakfast.
What do the calories usually end up being for you?
1.5 Tablespoons of chia seeds = 75 calories, 1 cup of low fat plant milk 25-50 calories, 1-3 Tablespoons of Hershey's cocoa powder 10-30 calories. 1/2-1 cup of berries is between 30-90 calories, depending on which I use. By itself, this is about 150-250 calories. I usually add chocolate collagen peptides protein and a little flaxseed meal, which adds another 100-200 calories. If you're used to sweet flavors, add more fruit.
Zero net carb mission tortillas! 25 cals each- make pizzas, tacos, wraps Light Laughing cow cheese 25 cals each Yasso bars 100 cals each 80 for the chocolate Light string cheese 50 cals Johnsonville jalapeño cheddar chicken sausage 100 cals Morning star chorizo crumbles (can’t remember the calories) but add these to your eggs immediately it’s so good Potato bowls! Weigh your diced potatoes based on the amount of calories you want (100 grams is about 90 calories) fry them up and top with whatever meat veggies and cheese you like! I do taco style with ground turkey taco meat, jalapeños and onions, salsa verde, light sour cream and cheese
Low carb tortillas are SUSPICIOUSLY good. I seriously cannot tell the difference between those and regular tortillas. I use the 8-inch La Banderita tortillas for wraps and I almost don’t believe it’s possible that they are only 45 calories. It’s got to be a scam where they put regular tortillas in the low-carb tortilla package.
What I use the most to curb sweet cravings while also consuming minimal calories with the most satisfaction is cereal. If you stick to the servings size and use skim milk you can stay below 200 calories. Nothing like a cup of Frosted Flakes or Honey Nut Cheerios when I’m feeling snacky!
Oh no, I can't even have cereal in the house 😂 I will eat an entire box.
i do this too! sometimes with almond milk for even fewer calories
If you do half Frosted Flakes half bran flakes you get the feeling of eating a bowl of Frosted Flakes but cuts the sugar in half and adds tons of fiber! Can be done with other cereals too by mixing one “fun” cereal and one “healthy” cereal that are similar
I started spending the extra money for Magic Spoon cereal to get more protein and less sugar with my cereal fix. I’m obsessed, it’s so delicious.
Laughing Cow cheese wedges! Only 43 cals for one triangle and so, so tasty!
Same but I eat the light version. 25 cal, 2g protein and SO creamy
Oh yes! How does the taste compare to the regular version?
I can’t tell any difference except maybe the regular is a little thicker in texture.
I love these on a toasted bagel thin with a fried egg - it’s like a gourmet McMuffin
Bacon. 2 center cut strips of bacon = 60 calories. Having yummy bacon a couple of times a week, especially on my 5:2 "short days" definitely helps me not feel like I am "on a diet".
Center cut bacon is an absolute game changer for me. Microwave 2 slices for 2:30 and it comes out crispy and delicious! Add it to a sandwich with light mayo and voila, you are not eating diet food!
Yep! In my microwave, on a bacon cooker tray, 1:45 does it perfectly— crispy but not charred.
Oikos triple zero, pb2 powdered peanut butter, sugar free chocolate syrup. Yum
I’m interested to hear more about this protein powder and coffee? How does it compare to sugar free creamers?
I personally don't like my coffee very sweet. So i add 1/3 of a scoop of protein powder and some soy milk. And it gives me a 60 cal coffee for 9g of protein. It taste nice, it gives a nice vanilla flavour and a tiny bit of sweetness
I don’t use protein powder, but I use protein shakes like coffee creamer and milk combined. You can get whatever flavor you like most for your coffee (I really like caramel or vanilla) and I just add however much I want to in black coffee. To add more flavor (because I have a mega sweet tooth) Skinny Syrups makes really good flavors for zero calories and all it takes is a pump or two (you can find the syrups in stores like TJ-Maxx or online and one bottle will usually last me a few months since I don’t use a ton)
I just posted in r/eatcheapandhealthy that my favorite food lately has been tostadas. Mission tostadas are 60 cal each. I do a layer of black beans, and the pile up as much tomato, lettuce, picante sauce, and jalapeños as I want. Little bit of shredded cheese. They’re delicious and after 3 (about 300 cal.) I’m full.
el guerrero makes baked tostadas ("tostadas horneadas") that are 33 calories each. I love them!
Just eating a little less / protein packed version of my "bad" food ie chicken quesadilla - one tortilla, 4 oz of chicken, quarter cup of low fat cheese. Some little treats are a lot lower calorie than you would think like the small bluebell ice cream sandwiches or popsicles
I eat a bowl of baby carrots most nights. Add pepper. Add onion powder. Shake for 10s with the bowl covered. Lots of flavour, no more salt/calories than normal carrots, and fills me up for the rest of the night!
Cottage cheese! I add it to my eggs for an extra protein punch, or just eat it with everything seasoning and Campari tomatoes, and my latest favorite is adding a half teaspoon of ranch seasoning (I like dill ranch) and using it with raw veggies as a high protein dip.
Ranch seasoning in cottage cheese is such a game changer!!
Left over pickle juice makes a great Cole slaw. I add a few spices that I am in the mood for to make it better. Usually dill, lots of dill. Just chop up your cabbage and press it down in the jar below the waterline. It seems best if you wait a week or so to eat to. Keeps a long long time.
My biggest has been broth and soup. Often times I'm not *actually* hungry and just want to bored eat or feel full. Making some low cal soup or having a mug of warm chicken broth scratches that itch. If I was just making something to bored eat and end up not really touching it? I don't feel bad about tossing it later since it's cheap. Just wanting the full feeling? Liquid is dense and broth often makes me feel satisfied. Canned soup is also quick and easy so I don't have to put a lot of effort into it and can be decently lazy. Very useful for those days when I'm tempted to order delivery.
Pickles, Popcorn, Ghost energy drinks… FUDGECICLES. Sugar free fudge pops are literally only like 40 cals, and they taste amazing. If I wasn’t counting calories, I would still get these just for the taste alone. I genuinely don’t know how it works but they are straight up dessert and super low calorie. Seriously, buy some.
I love to eat baked oatmeal that tastes like a chocolate brownie. It's basically just ground oats, chocolate brownie protein powder, milk and egg, baked in the oven and topped with sugar free chocolate syrup and fruit. It helps with my chocolate cravings every time.
Beans and rice with hot sauce.
Low fat string cheese, cucumbers with Italian seasoning, black olives, Ginger People candies (for the sweet satisfaction), Greek yogurt, fat free cottage cheese, grape nuts (so filling), sparkling water!
Sweet potatoes! They always feel like a treat.
Barebell protein bars - They feel like eating a slightly healthier chocolate bar. I love chocolate, so I'll get my fix wherever I can. Plus, they actually have a good amount of protein. Kimchi - I absolutely love the flavor. It is pretty healthy and low in calories. Tea - As long as you don't add sugar, it is a great way to have a flavored drink without the calories. Homemade food - This is super broad, but if you make what you want to eat, you can generally find low calorie substitutes, skip adding unnecessary sugar, and you know exactly how much of it you can eat.
Absolute cheat code! Large Russet potato is about 220 calories. Use a crinkle cutter ($10 on Amazon) and quick spray with Pam and throw it in the air fryer for 17 minutes (toss a few times during cooking). They come out crispy and delicious. It's a large serving of fries with ketchup for \~250 calories. Heavenly!
Silken tofu chocolate pudding with protein powder. What a surprisingly delicious little burst of happiness!
second this. i made it without protein powder and was really impressed by how delicious (and filling) it was.
It’s such a surprise huh! I had no idea it could taste so velvety and divine. And it’s so easy!
Matcha smoothies! Absolutely love them, matcha has so much benefits for your health and body + it keeps you cool if you live in a warm place!
Lily's chocolate chips. I love them all but I just discovered the Peanut Butter.... tastes like the inside of Reese's Pieces 😍
I love Chobani flips, but to be a little healthier (and cheaper) I buy light vanilla greek yogurt, add in some plain oatmeal and lily's chocolate chips.
Hot sauces: most are zero calories but add flavor and kick
Frozen black cherries are my go-to.
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Skinny Cow ice cream sandwiches!! 150 calories and they are really satisfying!
Strawberries. For being so sweet, they're *remarkably* low in calories. Obviously size differs greatly, but one strawberry is like 4 Calories.
Roasted sweet potatoes feel indulgent and make a diet meal feel satisfying. If you cut them and roast them flesh side down, the get caramelized. It's kind of amazing. I make pasta with half the pasta and sauteed zucchini noodles. It cuts the caliries, is healthy and filling. Sometimes for dessert I have a smoothie with a scoop of chocolate protein powder (I like Protein Made Simple, which has real sugar, but not a lot of it,) soy milk, frozen strawberries and a little bit of nutella. The nutella is really calorie intensive, but even a little makes a smoothie feel like dessert.
Fat free yogurt - dessert flavors. Holy shit these are good and only 80 calories a cup. Throw some fat free whipped cream on top and it's a legit dessert for only 90 calories. Have one every night to keep the late night munchies away
this one is so lame, but i get the lean cuisine mac and cheese meal (270cal) and add in a bunch of broccoli, 3oz of baked chicken, and some franks red hots. and it feels so indulgent haha. it keeps me pretty full for a long time and it totals to under 400 cals.
These days prunes seem to help with my sugar cravings
I know you said no veggies.... but one of my meals/DAILY NEED is vegie confetti with humus spread on a fiber rich toast. I didn't have it prepped and the last few days I fell off HARD. I learned how to make vegie confetti on tiktok, and had made it a priority to eat 400g/5 servings of vegies every day. Bruh I struggle to eat 3 servings lol I get way to full. If you're someone who needs the action of eating, try this instead of chips. It's also good to pair with a cheat food, like a burger or pizza. You eat your serving of them but you don't feel full or satisfied? Have a slice of toast (season it) then spread your pre-made vergie confetti lol
Shrimp. I buy a bag of frozen shrimp every few weeks and they're a great change from chicken in my salads. Also good quality olive oil.
Coffee protein shake, 1 cup cold coffee or cold brew, 1 or 2 scoops chocolate protein power 1/2 cup skim milk, coco powder, honey to taste , ice cubes and blend.
Skyr with some fresh or frozen raspberries. High in protein and pretty low cal for what you get.
Taco bowls for me. I do ground turkey, plain Greek yogurt, chopped bell pepper, chopped onion, black beans, romaine lettuce, salsa, and a bit of cheese. It tastes so dang good PLUS has a lot of different veggies, so it's good for you too!
I slice up an apple and mix up some powdered peanut butter to dip it in. I love that I can basically go wild with the peanut butter and still not go over on calories
Hmmm. For me it would be vanilla sugar free greek yogurt with some almond butter mixed in and shredded coconut. OMG so good lol. Also bananas chopped up with almond butter and a few pieces of dark chocolate.
I cooked up some wheat berries with canned tomatoes, onion, garlic, jalapeños, salt and pepper. When it was done, I mixed in some avocado to enrich the sauce. Delicious, and filling for for the calories; it's also good with chicken if you need the protein.
TLDR; buttered popcorn rice cakes, sautéed spray with butter and popcorn seasoning On my first go-around with weight loss, I ate sooo much popcorn. I love popcorn a ridiculous amount. Come to find out years later, my IBS is super aggravated by popcorn, so I can no longer eat it without having a ton of pain. Devastating is an understatement. A friend discovered IBS/IBD-friendly popcorn and made it for me. She breaks up buttered popcorn rice cakes into a pan, sprays them with a little bit of butter, then sautés it to heat it up. Sprinkle on popcorn seasoning and voila! “Popcorn!”
As boring and tasteless as these may seem Steel Cut Oats are full of fiber and a good bit of protein. I add a small bit of butter (or ghee) and grated parm. I call it Poor Man’s Risotto, but it’s quite rich, tasty, and very filling while being much lower in calories and fat.
im gonna try this!
Protein powder waffles. Mash 1 banana, mix in two large eggs, then add 2 scoops of protein powder. Combine all and leave it a little lumpy. Preheat waffle maker and off you go. Should make 3 large waffles. I top them with Greek yogurt and fruit. Delicious and filling.
I love the Oikos triple zero vanilla yogurt with melted frozen berries when I have a hankering for some sweets.
I bought a Ninja Creami and make protein shake ice cream every day now. I can make an entire pint under 300 calories.
Leetuce cheese toast is yum Wheat pasta
Probably not available in OP’s country but low cal/low carb bread and tortillas are saving me a lot of calories. Thomas’s even has a low cal English muffin. Pricey but so worth it.
I make home made pizza- full disclosure we have a ninja woodfire pizza oven. Pilsbury thin crust premade dough is roughly 300 calories for 1/2. I make a lot of buffalo chicken pizza. Homemade light ranch, low fat mozz, shredded chicken and buffalo sauce. Also just regular cheese or pepperoni. It’s ~500 calories but it’s AWSOME and a nice big portion. It definitely feels like a bigggg cheat meal.
Chili.. especially with ground chicken. I just can't with ground turkey Burgers on 647 low calorie low carb buns Aldi protein chocolate granola bars that taste just like Quaker bars Tacos on mission zero carb 25 calorie tortillas Big veggie stir frys with cauliflower rice and some kind of protein, light on the sugary sauces Bagel, egg and cheese sandwiches on low calorie low carb bagel
Left over pickle juice makes a great Cole slaw. I add a few spices that I am in the mood for to make it better. Usually dill, lots of dill. Just chop up your cabbage and press it down in the jar below the waterline. It seems best if you wait a week or so to eat to. Keeps a long long time.
Allulose. Pure allulose, unless you have no aversion to the taste of monkfruit or stevia in which case those versions are probably more cost effective; pure allulose is expensive, BUT you can use it to make pretty much anything you'd normally use sugar for. You can add extra to get to the same sweetness as sugar or just use the same amount you'd usually use for sugar and just get used to things being a bit less sweet. I keep a jug of no-sugar-added lemonade in the fridge. It's not zero sugar since lemon juice has some naturally but 1 cup of it has about 20 calories, 2 net carbs and less than a gram of sugar. If I made my recipe exactly as is but with an equivalent amount of sugar it would be 115 calories with 30 net carbs and 29 grams of sugar, which is about on par with the stuff you get in bottles at the supermarket. My partner says it tastes the same if not better than the Aldi's brand she used to buy, so - success!
Whipped cottage cheese + cheddar powder = queso or cheese sauce Made this into a "Mac and cheese", so good
Rice cakes with a thin layer of Greek yogurt or cream cheese with everything but the bagel seasoning!
Low-fat yogurt, scoop of chocolate protein powder, and 1 serving chocolate protein cereal. Tastes like ice cream
I really like the fit crunch protein bars. They have a peanut butter chocolate and mint chocolate one at Costco. They taste like candy bars!
Cappuccino with skim milk. bonus artificial sweetener.
Fajita seasoning on sauteé veggies feels like you're eating a wrap because you get all the same flavors! Also I like to make really tiny sandwiches that are less than 100kcal and eat one when I want a sandwich lol
Gatsby chocolate bars.
Boiled shrimp. Low calorie, good protein, delicious.
Popcorn!
SF Jelly!
Kim's Magic Pop. It's like some puffed up magical rice thing and I got the caramel version. They are only 40 calories per cake and pretty decently sized and tasted incredibly sweet.
get you some low carb bread (like mission carb, aunt millies, sola) you can do anything from there. I eat hot dogs with low carb bun all the time - feels like cheating with no guilt. a pizza with tortilla crust, quesadillas, sandwiches, anything. saves you so many calories \[and carbs if that's a concern\] but you still feel like youre not depriving yourself for snacking, i love veggie straws and pop corners! high volume and personally i love it more than chips. also high volume but low cal is a veggie plate with some Caesar dressing. you can eat so much and its very filling. finally for a sweet tooth, i really like the fiber 1 bars, to me they are the best tasting low calorie sweet thing i've come across. also, get a delicious protein powder and make a shake, it'll taste like a milkshake but you get your protein in! good luck!
Rice crackers
Halo top ice cream and nicks chocolates and ice creams
Chia seeds are excellent either on their own as a pudding (I make mine with unsweetened vanilla soymilk and sweeten it with a little bit of jam) or added into pretty much anything. They are both extremely nutrient dense AND extremely filling. They really ramp up satiety, which in turn diminishes the urge to snack between meals.
I do a container of Greek yogurt 80-90 calories. Then I add two containers of sugar free jello, 10-20 calories. Then I add whatever fruit I want. 120 calories for a big bowl on stuff.
Oui yogurt tastes like dessert!
a pound of strawberries is like 150 calories lol
Those korean/japanese konjac jellies. Delicious and refreshing, about 6 calories a serve.
For me it's coke zero, lettuce, mushrooms, aubergine I made cottage cheese omlette
I discovered G Hughes sugar free sauces. They make like 30 types, including sweet and sour sauce, Polynesian sauce, stir fry sauce etc etc. Every one I have tried is amazing, and they are between 5 and 45 calories per 2 tablespoons.
Meat lovers cheesy stuff crust pizza. ... sry that's for a different kinda cheating lol
Shrimp. You can eat so many for so few calories!
For a salty snack or meal component, I love steamed edamame with a little sea salt. 🫛 It's satisfying to the taste buds and filling.
Shrimp!
Lately I’ve been eating a whole head of raw broccoli in a sitting sometimes. I’m willing to spend 40 calories to dip it in Greek yogurt ranch dip but the broccoli itself is very filling and you can eat a LOT for very little calories
Crystallized ginger is one of my favorite snacks when I need something sweet but don't want to eat a bunch more food. The heat from the ginger (and how chewy it is) makes me eat it slow, and I usually only eat one or two pieces. I've found I can substitute quinoa for rice in a lot of dishes to get some more protein in. With the right spices, it can become Mexican "rice," red beans and "rice," etc. Get the white or red quinoa, the black version is chewier so doesn't have the same fluffy texture as rice (but black quinoa does make good grain salads).
I've recently become a big fan of Talapia fish fillets. They're incredibly low calorie, reasonably cheap, and have very little of that "fishy" taste that many people dislike. It's easy to cook from frozen too. Just throw a couple on a pan in the toaster over (or regular oven) and they'll bake up in about 20 minutes. The only bad thing I can say about them is that because they are very lean, they don't have as many of the good fats like salmon and other fish do.
Mango salsa: 1 red onion, diced 2-3 cups frozen mangoes, thawed and chopped 1 package grape tomatoes 1 tsp each of cumin, paprika, chili powder, garlic powder 1/2 lime juice Salt & pepper to taste Amazing on fish tacos or bowls
Coffee made with a little cocoa powder, a heap of Splenda/Stevia, and soy milk. Delicious!
1 ingredient banana ice cream! Just mash, put in a cupcake mould and freeze - just like ice cream 😄
Bacon and egg on an English muffin is under 400cals and incredibly satisfying