Fries!
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Carebear199125 wrote: »So I have been craving French fries like crazy but they have a lot of calories and just not healthy. I'm not a fan of sweet potato fries. Any suggestions?
I loooove Culver's fries. Every other fast food joint - I can take it or leave it. So I only eat fries from time to time.
But more often I make my own "oven fries." I like using different seasonings + salt, that way I make them my own. Weber Veggie Grill seasoning is fab!2 -
Portion control is the biggest part for me. I have not cut anything out at all. I eat what I want but eat portions that work within my calories allotment for the day. I have days where I mess up but then the next day I work harder to be under to help. have the fries but weigh then out so that you are just having a portion and then bake them or as others have said try to get an air fryer, I am hoping that I might be able to get once soon so that I can have my favorite fried food that I really like to have like fries and fried green beans1
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Carebear199125 wrote: »Thank you for the advice everyone. I love French fries and when I do want them bad I tend to over eat. I have tried fitting them in and I end up feeling guilty. I'm sorry for any issues I caused but the comment about green beans I'll try. I guess I'm just looking for a healthier version of something crunchy and salty.
why feel guilty for eating something that you enjoy if it fits into your calorie goals for the day? as a society, we have been so educated on certain foods being good or bad for us that its causes disordered relationships with food4 -
Carebear199125 wrote: »Thank you for the advice everyone. I love French fries and when I do want them bad I tend to over eat. I have tried fitting them in and I end up feeling guilty. I'm sorry for any issues I caused but the comment about green beans I'll try. I guess I'm just looking for a healthier version of something crunchy and salty.
This is disordered thinking. Food shouldn't make you feel guilty especially when you can fit it into your calorie goals.
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Carebear199125 wrote: »Thank you for the advice everyone. I love French fries and when I do want them bad I tend to over eat. I have tried fitting them in and I end up feeling guilty. I'm sorry for any issues I caused but the comment about green beans I'll try. I guess I'm just looking for a healthier version of something crunchy and salty.
You didn't cause any issues, OP - don't apologize.
There is no reason to feel guilty for occasionally fitting a food that you like into your diet. If you're otherwise under your calorie goal and including a wide variety of foods in your diet, there is nothing inherently wrong with French fries (or any other food for that matter). Learning to have a good relationship with food so that you don't feel guilt for eating it is so important for long term success. You will most likely not go your whole life without eating another French fry, so finding a way to incorporate them into a sustainable diet is a great idea!6 -
MelanieCN77 wrote: »People sometimes want to learn and explore for themselves and not jump right to someone else's solution.
But if that person asks for other people's help and/or opinions on a message board, then it only seems logical that the posters will offer their help and/or opinions. Everyone's experience will be a bit different, which is the beauty of a board like this one with input from many different people.
Posting a comment that implies that others are not being helpful when they are genuinely trying to be helpful is, well...not helpful.
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Garlic and Parm Baked fries-
mix a clove of minced garlic, 1 T of Parmesan, chopped parsley and set aside.
cut a russet potato into thin strips while preheating oven to 425 with a sheet tray in the oven.
toss potato in or mist with oil, arrange in a single layer on the hot tray
toss halfway through baking, around 18-25 minutes until golden and crispy
sprinkle garlic Parm mix over fries when they come out of the oven
Also try -
Broccoli or Cauliflower Tots
Toasted Chickpeas
Breaded asparagus or cauliflower
Not the same as the coveted French Fry, but they're pretty tasty and may help you put off the craving.1 -
I may have misinterpreted the OP, but I thought she meant she feels guilty b/c when she tries to fit them in she ends up overeating them, so can't stick to her calorie goal.Alyssa_Is_LosingIt wrote: »Carebear199125 wrote: »Thank you for the advice everyone. I love French fries and when I do want them bad I tend to over eat. I have tried fitting them in and I end up feeling guilty. I'm sorry for any issues I caused but the comment about green beans I'll try. I guess I'm just looking for a healthier version of something crunchy and salty.
You didn't cause any issues, OP - don't apologize.
Agreed.
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MelanieCN77 wrote: »People sometimes want to learn and explore for themselves and not jump right to someone else's solution.
The beautiful thing about a forum like this is that one can be provided with a variety of solutions...also, for shame that people who've had a lot of success with this whole thing are offering up their ideas whether they are alternatives or not...many of us have learned that sometimes it's better to just have a little rather than go off the rails at some point because you just can't take it anymore...yeah, none of us have ever been there or done that...none.
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Alot of times I make my own fries, it has the same effect except it's not as much salt1
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MelissaPhippsFeagins wrote: »I budget for the fries and usually split an order with my 10 year old. I didn't eliminate anything I love to lose my weight.
That was one of my key decisions when I started. Not eating anything i don't like and not giving up anything I do (well, except for cake).1 -
Carebear199125 wrote: »So I have been craving French fries like crazy but they have a lot of calories and just not healthy. I'm not a fan of sweet potato fries. Any suggestions?
Homemade oven baked fries with olive oil1 -
Chef_Barbell wrote: »Fit the fries into your daily calories. They are not that high in calories and healthy is subjective.
1 serving of French fries is about 50 grams of carbohydrate, of which only about 5 grams are fiber. Not counting the ketchup or ranch that many people enjoy fries with. For many diabetics, fries can be dangerously unhealthy and there's nothing subjective about that.0 -
Carebear199125 wrote: »Thank you for the advice everyone. I love French fries and when I do want them bad I tend to over eat. I have tried fitting them in and I end up feeling guilty. I'm sorry for any issues I caused but the comment about green beans I'll try. I guess I'm just looking for a healthier version of something crunchy and salty.
While I allow myself fried (frozen, baked) once in a while, if you're looking for something salty and crunchy, try roasted chic peas. Just drain a can of chic peas, salt and spice them and bake them.1 -
NorthCascades wrote: »Chef_Barbell wrote: »Fit the fries into your daily calories. They are not that high in calories and healthy is subjective.
1 serving of French fries is about 50 grams of carbohydrate, of which only about 5 grams are fiber. Not counting the ketchup or ranch that many people enjoy fries with. For many diabetics, fries can be dangerously unhealthy and there's nothing subjective about that.
Where did the OP say they were diabetic?? :huh:4 -
NorthCascades wrote: »Chef_Barbell wrote: »Fit the fries into your daily calories. They are not that high in calories and healthy is subjective.
1 serving of French fries is about 50 grams of carbohydrate, of which only about 5 grams are fiber. Not counting the ketchup or ranch that many people enjoy fries with. For many diabetics, fries can be dangerously unhealthy and there's nothing subjective about that.
Yes, for someone with a specific health condition (which OP doesn't indicate she has), fries might be an unhealthy choice. Just like pasta made with wheat would be an unhealthy choice for someone with Celiac.
But a specific health condition that some people have doesn't mean that a particular food is unhealthy for anyone without that condition.
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Carebear199125 wrote: »Thank you for the advice everyone. I love French fries and when I do want them bad I tend to over eat. I have tried fitting them in and I end up feeling guilty. I'm sorry for any issues I caused but the comment about green beans I'll try. I guess I'm just looking for a healthier version of something crunchy and salty.
While I allow myself fried (frozen, baked) once in a while, if you're looking for something salty and crunchy, try roasted chic peas. Just drain a can of chic peas, salt and spice them and bake them.
Roasted chickpeas are one of my favorite things in the whole wide world. They can add up in calories pretty quickly, though, so you do have to be careful not to over-do them. It's a great example of a food that seems "healthy/clean" (which they are a great nutrient-dense legume, don't get me wrong), but can be relatively easily over-consumed. That's one of the foods that I have trouble moderating when I make them. I like to season them with curry powder.
Now I really am craving roasted chickpeas!1 -
MelanieCN77 wrote: »Sounds like OP doesn't want to "fit some fries in" and has asked for alternatives. I get that MFP is hardline "eat everything if it fits" but sometimes people want to make different choices some days.
I don't think that's really clear from OP's post, and "any suggestions" isn't the same as "any alternatives to fries." It might mean that, but OP might be interested to know that people do eat fries on a diet. (I rarely eat them, but do sometimes.) One reason I think OP might be interested to know that is that he/she seems to think there's a meaningful difference between sweet potato fries and potato fries, and there's really not.
Anyway, my answer would be to try baked fries (but doesn't that count as telling her to eat fries?) to see if they do the trick or -- as I personally prefer to baked fries -- maybe roasted or sauteed potatoes. I eat roasted potatoes (as well as roasted sweet potatoes) quite a bit and they are easy to fit in.0 -
For salty and crunchy you can go with nuts (but they aren't really lower in calories, although they have some health benefits), or I kind of like kohlrabi with a little salt on it. Or, weird choice, a good pickle.
None of those really feel like fries to me, though. Personally, I'd still go with well made roasted potatoes with a bit of olive oil and salt if you don't think you can limit yourself with the fries or don't want to eat them.0 -
Alyssa_Is_LosingIt wrote: »Carebear199125 wrote: »Thank you for the advice everyone. I love French fries and when I do want them bad I tend to over eat. I have tried fitting them in and I end up feeling guilty. I'm sorry for any issues I caused but the comment about green beans I'll try. I guess I'm just looking for a healthier version of something crunchy and salty.
While I allow myself fried (frozen, baked) once in a while, if you're looking for something salty and crunchy, try roasted chic peas. Just drain a can of chic peas, salt and spice them and bake them.
Roasted chickpeas are one of my favorite things in the whole wide world. They can add up in calories pretty quickly, though, so you do have to be careful not to over-do them. It's a great example of a food that seems "healthy/clean" (which they are a great nutrient-dense legume, don't get me wrong), but can be relatively easily over-consumed. That's one of the foods that I have trouble moderating when I make them. I like to season them with curry powder.
Now I really am craving roasted chickpeas!
Yeah, I can really overeat roasted chickpeas too. It just doesn't feel like you are eating that many or something!0 -
I really do appreciate all the feedback. I will definitely try some of the things you guys have suggested. I definitely bake everything. I don't fry to avoid the extra calories. I saw a comment about me being diabetic, I'm not but at risk with my syndrome. I have issues fitting things into my Diet Especially with the calorie intake. For the first time I started counting calories and I was surprised to see how many calories are in a simple dish. I have a lot to learn and look out for. But anyways I will definitely try some of the things I read about. I truly appreciate the way to eat fries better and substitutions. Thank you!!3
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You shouldn't feel bad at all. a lot of folks want to convince everyone to just eat everything in moderations and its all good. You were very specific and we need to respect what people are asking on this site and stop trying to change opinions or offer "advice when not asked". I also have a hard time controlling the amount of regular french fries if i eat them also and they do not fit in my macro's at times and the green beans are a GREAT alternative and you can eat quite a few! It has worked for me for 5 plus years....Carebear199125 wrote: »Thank you for the advice everyone. I love French fries and when I do want them bad I tend to over eat. I have tried fitting them in and I end up feeling guilty. I'm sorry for any issues I caused but the comment about green beans I'll try. I guess I'm just looking for a healthier version of something crunchy and salty.
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There are some single-serve fries recipes out there that aren't too bad. Here's one that is on my list to try - http://www.skinnytaste.com/skinny-garlic-parmesan-fries/
I'm the same way, though - If I have a few fries, I'll end up having all of them. Hoping that single-serving recipe might work for me, but haven't tried it yet.
Other alternatives:
-Air-popped popcorn can be a good salty, crunchy snack and you can usually have a good amount for not that many calories.
-Crunchy roasted Chickpeas are a good salty snack, but I'm not a huge fan of these. Wish I was, they're fairly good for you! You can find them in the nuts aisle sometimes or recipes online.
-There are these Good Thins crackers (some are potato based) that you can have a good amount of for not many calories: http://www.goodthins.com/
-Roasted almonds! I don't make these enough, but they're great and you can really personalize the recipes out there to fit your liking.
Hope this was somewhat helpful... 1 -
There are some single-serve fries recipes out there that aren't too bad. Here's one that is on my list to try - http://www.skinnytaste.com/skinny-garlic-parmesan-fries/
I'm the same way, though - If I have a few fries, I'll end up having all of them. Hoping that single-serving recipe might work for me, but haven't tried it yet.
Other alternatives:
-Air-popped popcorn can be a good salty, crunchy snack and you can usually have a good amount for not that many calories.
-Crunchy roasted Chickpeas are a good salty snack, but I'm not a huge fan of these. Wish I was, they're fairly good for you! You can find them in the nuts aisle sometimes or recipes online.
-There are these Good Thins crackers (some are potato based) that you can have a good amount of for not many calories: http://www.goodthins.com/
-Roasted almonds! I don't make these enough, but they're great and you can really personalize the recipes out there to fit your liking.
Hope this was somewhat helpful...
While roasted almonds are delicious, it's worth noting that they're also very calorie dense. 2 ounces of roasted almonds is around 340 calories, with 30g fat, 220 mg sodium and 10g carbs. By comparison, a medium order of french fries from McDonalds (about 4 ounces) is 340 calories, 16g fat, 230 mg sodium and 44g carbs.
As with any other food in the diet, the issue comes down to context and dosage. Living on french fries is not a good idea. Having an occasional order of french fries within the context of an overall well rounded/balanced diet is perfectly reasonable if one so desires.2 -
While roasted almonds are delicious, it's worth noting that they're also very calorie dense. 2 ounces of roasted almonds is around 340 calories, with 30g fat, 220 mg sodium and 10g carbs. By comparison, a medium order of french fries from McDonalds (about 4 ounces) is 340 calories, 16g fat, 230 mg sodium and 44g carbs.
As with any other food in the diet, the issue comes down to context and dosage. Living on french fries is not a good idea. Having an occasional order of french fries within the context of an overall well rounded/balanced diet is perfectly reasonable if one so desires.
This is very true, and I meant to mention it in my comment. However, if it's not just about the calories, they are a good source of protein (which is good for me as I'm a picky vegetarian)! Just giving some ideas for alternatives.1 -
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Get a potato, slice into fries, toss in a bit of oil, spices you like, and bake in the oven at 400F until done.
Mrs. Dash. Did this last night.
But I've budgeted for restaurant fries tonight. Boy is the calorie count different. ~350 for what I had last night and ~720 for what I'm having tonight.1 -
I take baby red potatoes, quarter or half them, toss them in olive oil, salt, pepper, cajun seasoning, Rosemary. Roast in oven at 425 for about 30 minutes. Baby potato wedges and they are really tasty 1
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The ones at McDonald's are because they are drenched in oil.
Cook yours at home. Baked. No oil. Ketchup. Seasoning if you want. Just cut them into wedges bake, 15 minutes, flip, 15 more. It's very good. Not even 200 calories.1
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