What are your most satiating foods that give good bang for the calories? Please share 🙏

BCLadybug888

Hi, I have a hearty appetite and struggle to stay within any kind of a calorie deficit. What is your favourite tasty food that fills you up? What do you reach for when you have few calories left, and are hungry?? Please not celery, lol 😝😋

marcusa97

My favorite has been blueberries!!

susandoll16

I find that an apple and cheddar cheese helps keep my snacking to a minimum most of the time

BarbaraHelen2013

For me, personally, I find beans, chickpeas and lentils the most filling for their calories. Paired with a bunch of low calorie vegetables, spices, herbs etc in a myriad of different dishes, they make up the majority of my diet.

Their comforting texture and sustaining nature really work for me, but everyone is different, so you may not find they work for you. 🤷‍♀️

LifeChangz

nods... i tend to break my food into 4 meals for the day... some of the things that help for meals and snacks are large veggie salad, chopped veggies with salsa, broth veggie soup, stovetop homemade popcorn (15c/cup). especially when i am trying to reset appetite and it takes a few days to push through.

although the top line thing says you can choose any foods within calorie limits, i do better with lower calorie options when i'm getting started so the pile is visually bigger, and feels more satisfying in the chewing/tummy.

search net for what 400 calories looks like ~ Heather Mangieri has some nice examples that helped me when I started exploring new2me alternative foods. the comparison visuals like this bring it home for me...

nsk1951

As For Me ... I have found that I am more satiated with less desire for snacking or repeat snacking when I have a balanced plate of food for dinner, AND, follow it up with a small something for dessert. That does mean more cooking to pull together that balance instead of eating an abundance of just one or two things. Also ... and this has nothing to do with the food but with how and where I eat it ... If I sit myself down at the dining table with a set table and pay attention to my meal instead of the TV or something to read, that I also feel much more satisfied with my meal than when I gobble it up mindlessly. ...

When I do snack, I try to go for something balanced as well. I can eat 10 ounces of candy and still feel like I want more, more more. Same thing when I eat chips or pretzels or nuts. However, when I put together some cheese and crackers with some fruit OR some veggies with some sort of dip that I can nibble those within a reasonable portion.

Good luck.

Sinisterbarbie1

A boiled egg is pretty much the perfect food if I need something quick and filling. It is also not something most people are likely to ever binge on! I also often grab single serving baby bell or laughing cow cheeses or a piece of string cheese because those are relatively low cal and not good enough to eat a lot of but I like cheese so they are satisfying enough for on the go. I have been known to have a can of tuna with a few crackers or with some sliced cucumbers and cherry tomatoes. Or just grab a couple of slices of deli turkey or smoked salmon. Hummus and veggies, or I just found this crazy product if you have a sweet tooth - chocolate hummus (sounds gross but tastes sort of like less sticky nutella) and it is great with cut up fruit. 80 cal per serving,

PAPYRUS3

For me, as long as I have a good balance of carbs, fats and protein it's way more 'lasting' than if I was to eat 'one' macronutrient. For example, just having oatmeal for breakfast won't do it for me..however, if I add some nut/seed butter and perhaps some protein powder will keep me going for hours.

MsCzar

I love sweets and quell the craving by nibbling on one or two of Smyrna organic figs. I've noticed they are very filling - as in - I never feel the need to reach for a third. Eating one or two after breakfast seems to amp up my feeling of satiety for hours. 2 figs (or sometimes dates) and ~25g of almonds can replace a meal when I am on the go and keep me away from impulse eating.

mtaratoot

The last few days, the things I created were pretty filling. Some were more caloric than others.

A few days ago I made a small pot of brown basmati rice and red lentils. I started by sauteing a mirepoix (onion, celery, carrots) then added a couple mushrooms and some garlic. I stirred in the rice to coat, then added water and eventually the lentils. It was not a tiny meal, but I was full all day. Rice and lentils aren't LOW calorie, but not bad.

Yesterday I had cooked some garbanzo beans. I left some in the pot and pureed them in the well-seasoned cooking water into a thin bean bisque. I also roasted a cauliflower with lots of tasty spices. I mixed about a quarter of the cauliflower in to the soup and heated, breaking up some of the cauliflower. I was full all day. This was much lower calorie; still had the beans, but they were diluted with the cooking water. Cauliflower is bulky and low-cal and the whole thing had lots of fiber.

Rice, beans, and vegetables. They'll fill ya up.

When I'm going kayaking in the winter, I often start the day with grits. I use quick grits (not instant) because that's easily available here. I used to top with a fried egg, but my current technique is to cook the grits about halfway, stirring along the way, then cracking an egg on top and putting the lid on. After a couple minutes when the egg starts to set, I mix it in and let it finish cooking. It keeps me full most of the day with just a small lunch of a power bar or something.

I made cornbread the other day. Not low-cal, and I ate too much of it, and it kept me full all evening.

I could go on. Maybe I will....

SafariGalNYC

Green shakes and boiled eggs for me. (Separately .. lol)

sbelletti

Beans. Coffee. Protein shakes.

AnnPT77

I think the answers tend to be pretty individual, so this is just about me.

For general filling-ness, my daily oatmeal: Old fashioned oats, cinnamon, frozen mixed berries (thawed), walnuts, a tablespoon of blackstrap molasses (good micros & tasty!), plus plain nonfat Greek yogurt added after it's all cooked/thawed. In maintenance, I add peanut butter powder, hemp hearts, and milled flax seed, too. Keeps me full for hours.

Massive quantities of vegetables (especially) and fruits (some) daily. I strive to eat 800g of varied, colorful veggies/fruits daily, and usually succeed or exceed. I routinely eat things like a whole head of cabbage, cauliflower or broccoli (or a family-sized bag of frozen), usually roasted with minimal or no oil. I love vinegar, so dressing with vinegar of some type works great. A mixing bowl full of salad (greens, cucumbers, tomatoes, etc.) is good, too.

I need enough protein spread through my day in order to stay full. Eating a solid breakfast with plenty of protein is vital, or I'll pretty reliably get crave-y later in the day. Each meal ideally has at least 25-35g of protein.

I like protein snacks, when I want something small(ish) because I'm hungry: Calorie-efficient cheese, a small portion of crispy broadbeans or toasted soybeans, hard boiled egg, cottage cheese, Greek yogurt. Sometimes a high-fiber fruit is the thing: Apples, especially, or prunes. A nice treat is plain Greek yogurt mixed with chocolate peanut butter powder and frozen berries (still frozen).

BCLadybug888

These are great! Keep'em coming 😆

Is it bad that all I want to do now is raid my cupboards 🤣, but thanks for the pointers @nsk1951 & @Sinisterbarbie1 & @susandoll16, these sound like me 🥰

I must remember to reach for tinned fish more often!

And I really need to embrace beans/lentils more; I have moved in that direction over the past year but not something I grew up eating. I am going to try the rice/red lentil method @mtaratoot mentioned. I have never had grits - do you just boil in salted water, like oatmeal ?? 🤔

I added quick grits (not instant) + Smyrna Organic figs (thanks @MsCzar, not sure if available in my area) to my grocery list.

As well as a head of cauliflower. @AnnPT77- how do you roast frozen veggies? And do you just dribble on vinegar to dress?

2023 is going to be my year to.pull it altogether, no excuses! 😘

BCLadybug888

marcusa97 wrote: »

My favorite has been blueberries!!

And blueberries are going on the list too!

AnnPT77

BCLadybug888 wrote: »

These are great! Keep'em coming 😆

(snip)

As well as a head of cauliflower. @AnnPT77- how do you roast frozen veggies? And do you just dribble on vinegar to dress?

(snip)

I roast frozen veggies just like I roast fresh veggies. I admit, they're not quite as satisfying in texture as roasted fresh ones, but they're pretty tasty, and it's easy to keep a bunch of frozen ones in my freezer for when I don't have fresh ones around.

I had roasted frozen broccoli florets at dinner tonight. I just took them out of the plastic bag (leaving the excess ice and tiny crumbs in the bag), and spread them out on a lightly spray-oiled baking sheet, and baked at 400F until the degree of browned I like (pretty browned).

Roasting works better on frozen veggies that are bigger chunks, like broccoli or cauliflower florets. Something like cauliflower rice doesn't roast that well (though I do it sometimes - gotta watch how done they are more closely than bigger chunks IME).

Yes, I just drizzle vinegar on, or toss. I do vary what I use: I have different types of vinegar, sometimes use soy sauce or some other low/no calorie tasty seasoning/topping instead. Tonight I had the calories to put a sprinkle of grated parmesan on the broccoli during the last part of roasting, then used a little aged balsamic vinegar when they came out of the oven. Some vinegar mixed with prepared mustard is nice, too; or vinegar mixed with dried or fresh herbs or garlic. (For herbs, I'd usually warm some vinegar super briefly in the microwave with the herbs, so they release flavor better.)

Sometimes, with veggies it'll taste good with, I make a peanut sauce with peanut butter powder, or use chile sauce, or something like that. Thinning those thick sauces with a lighter vinegar or soy sauce so they drizzle/toss better works well.

I know some people don't enjoy vinegar as much as I do, but I really love it, so I use it a lot.

ETA: Some people prefer to make a vinaigrette, i.e., some olive oil or something with the vinegar. I prefer plain or seasoned vinegar as a drizzle, then if I have the calories I'll add some seeds or nuts as the oil/fat contributor - pumpkin seeds, hulled sunflower seeds, that sort of thing. (I grate my own, keep it in the freezer grated.) Even half an ounce of those adds a nice crunch/flavor, and is better to my taste than adding oil for similar calories. YMMV. A light grate of parmesan is another option.

mtaratoot

BCLadybug888 wrote: »

And I really need to embrace beans/lentils more; I have moved in that direction over the past year but not something I grew up eating. I am going to try the rice/red lentil method @mtaratoot mentioned. I have never had grits - do you just boil in salted water, like oatmeal ?? 🤔

Pretty much.

Four parts water to one part grits. Dash o' salt in the water. You can add more to taste when they are cooked.

Boil the water, turn down the heat to low, stir in the grits, put the lid on, and cook just five minutes or so stirring a few times during cooking. You can make them creamier or thinner adding more water and/or cooking longer. They can be an acquired taste. Some people really do NOT like them. I don't like Cream of Wheat, but I do like grits. Topping with an egg is great, but cooking/poaching an egg in them while they cook cuts down on the butter.

You can use broth instead of water for a more savory dish, and if you want a more full meal that's not breakfast, some swear by shrimp and grits.

If you want something with more calories, you can do something like you do with polenta; cook up a mess o' grits (mess is the collective term for grits; there was a music venue in Athens Georgia called The Grit when I was in school there) and put them in a loaf pan. Let cool a bit, then cover and stick in the refrigerator. The next day, slice it and fry it up. Fried grits. Tasty, tasty, tasty, but fried so more calories and that would defeat your purpose. But it would make you smile. And if you don't really like grits, you can use polenta instead. Grits are made from hominy. Hominy is nixtamalized corn, so it has more nutrients that plain corn. Polenta is just coarse cornmeal and is not nixtamalized.

My breakfasts lately have been really simple and no-cook. I weigh out some thick rolled oats and some plain lowfat Nancy's yogurt, mix, and let sit for ten minutes to an hour to soften. Filling and healthy with protein, fiber, healthy fat, calcium, and probiotics.

Sinisterbarbie1

A great way to use grits or polenta once cooked and cooled so that it can be cut into cakes is to top with a bit of tomato sauce and some veggies and a sprinkle of cheese and then bake or broil. Like a mini parmigiana something Also good coated in corn starch (to make it crispier) and baked/broiled as fries or croutons with salads, soups, etc. But it is a starchy food so don’t go overboard.

neanderthin

Fish does it for me and specifically salmon. When I get to the point that I feel full, I can go without eating for quite a long time. Good bang for the buck and loaded with essential nutrients, doesn't get better than that imo. cheers

tomcustombuilder

Chicken breast. 5 Oz for lunch and I’m good till dinner at 6. All that protein is super satiating and with a TEF of 25% it’s really the perfect go to when keeping an eye on calories.