Grocery Recommendations

Mherrm

I am going shopping later today and am looking for some advice.

I will definitely be buying bananas, grapes, lunch meat, water and some prepackaged fruit containers.

Usually, my day consists of a cup of milk with a banana for breakfast and a container of fruit with a lunch meat sandwich(like carl buddig) on white bread.

But I am looking for some healthy suggestions for dinner and perhaps some healthy, low-cal snacks(like granola bars). Please and thanks.

britachu

I'm a big fan of buying a bunch of chicken breasts, then boiling them and shredding it. Then I can have chicken throughout the week to throw into wraps (one of my most common meals!), or mini pizzas, tacos, etc.

skinnykcr

Frozen veggies!! They have just as much nutrition as fresh ones and they don't go bad. Buy a few bags, microwave them (or steam/boil) while you're sauteeing chicken and you have a meal in about 10 mins with maybe 10 mins prep. One entire bag is roughly 130 calories, don't get the ones with a sauce in them!

Also, couscous for some carb, very quick prep, boil water and 5 mins to steam.

LH2011

First of if you can go "Brown" brown bread, brown rice, brown paste all with wholewheat much better for you. For dinners I eat alot of fish simple to cook, low in calories and really good for you also chicken breasts I normally eat these with a nice green leaf salad plenty of tomatoes, cucumber etc. Hope this helps

skinnyhappy

Watch the sugar in those prepackaged fruits!

I eat hummus and pita chips for low cal snacking. The fiber from the chips makes me feel full VERY quickly. Love it.

As far as dinner, I usually grill or bake a salmon filet or eat quinoa in a variety of ways. Both easy. Quinoa has a good dose of iron, fiber and protein and can be used with anything. I do cinnamon and fruit with it in the AM and herbs de provence or even enchilada sauce in the evenings (put that in some bell peppers, yummy vegetarian mexican meal).

Lentils are also easily adapted into lots of meals, are high in protein and are cheap.

sweetsarahj

I would suggest more protein at breakfast, such as eggs and /or lean ham. For lunch almost every day i have grilled chicken breast, bulgur (wheat) and raw veggies, then a serving of fruit for dessert. Bulgur is a great choice for a side dish because 1/2 cup is about 100 calories, low fat, and filling. It's also very easy to cook. I've found by having a larger lunch, I don't go as crazy for snacking before dinner. If you are going to eating sandwiches, try whole wheat bread. It's more filling and has a lower GI. Don't buy the "wonder" brand wheat bread, it's made with whole wheat flour, not the same thing as whole wheat bread.

For snacks I eat hummous, raw veggies, yogurt with fruit, or a protein shake if i am low on protein. Flatbread with a TB of peanut butter is good. A piece of reduced-fat cheese and an apple is another favorite. I don't eat granola bars as a snack anymore, they are quite high in sugar and some have a lot of calories. I do have some mini-sized granola bars that are 70 calories, dipped in chocolate that I eat when I want a treat. Snacks should be under 200 calories.

Hope that helps, good luck shopping!

01elizabeth59

Chicken breast is always a good thing to have around. Get some fresh vegies and whip up a stir fry. Pork loin is a very lean and healthy choice also. I buy a whole loin when on sale and cut into several pieces to freeze. You can have grilled chops or roast with potatoes, carrots and onion. You can do a stir fry with it too.
I love Nature Valley granola bars for snacks. Special K makes some really good cracker crisps if you miss chips.
I hope this helps some. You could also try logging into Cooking Light. They have some really tasty, easy recipes.

poweroffrisky

I stay away from granola bars because of them being so high in sugar content. I prefer almonds or peanut butter toast or even carrots and hummus for snacks.

sweetsarahj

Watch the sugar in those prepackaged fruits!

I eat hummus and pita chips for low cal snacking. The fiber from the chips makes me feel full VERY quickly. Love it.

As far as dinner, I usually grill or bake a salmon filet or eat quinoa in a variety of ways. Both easy. Quinoa has a good dose of iron, fiber and protein and can be used with anything. I do cinnamon and fruit with it in the AM and herbs de provence or even enchilada sauce in the evenings (put that in some bell peppers, yummy vegetarian mexican meal).

Lentils are also easily adapted into lots of meals, are high in protein and are cheap.

Yumm, love quinoa and lentils, that reminds me I have to make some daal!

Quinoa can be high in calories though since it is a seed and not a grain (even though it looks and tastes like a grain)! Still, it is what they call a 'superfood' and is so good for you, I just have to be carfeul not to over eat it. I usually mix it with bulgur or brown rice.

globe_trekker

I am a huge fan of Siggi's high protein/low carb yogurts (I use lots of fresh berries as the taste is not really awesome), and the only other yogurt that I have found to be higher in protein/carb ratio is Voskos yogurt, but only in plain flavor, anything else results in a much lower protein/carb ratio.

I also like Boulder Canyon Adzuki bean chips (chipotle flavor is great!), and they are a bit over 100 calories for 20 chips.

The laughing cow cheese (sundried tomato, and also queso fresco versions are my favorites) wedges are only 35 calories each and do help me with curbing hunger.

Another favorite snack is the fiber fruit roll (leather) bars from Trader Joe's, made with psyllium so it provides lots of fiber, at low calories.

paprgrl421

Instead of white bread try Flat Out Flatbread for sandwiches. Just as big as a sandwich with bread, but only 100 calories for the WHOLE flatbread (they're Venn Diagram shaped so you can fold in half). Or if you're not using it already, make sure you're buying Whole Grain white bread if it's a texture/taste issue. It's made with an albino species of wheat and tastes like white bread but has the nutrients of whole grain bread.

Another super thing I LOVE is rice cakes. Sound strange--most people think ew cardboard with these. But you can make some delicious low fat low cal snacks with them. Take a white cheddar one, spoon a little pizza sauce (I use Contadina Pizza Squeeze) on it, sprinkle a little skim mozza and top with turkey pepperoni (Hormel is awesome, great taste, really low fat), pop in toaster oven on broil for a minute or so and you have a high fiber, filling, tasty snack. Caramel Corn ones are awesome topped with fat free cream cheese and fruit and make an excellent high fiber breakfast or yummy dessert. (Especially with a tiny sprinkle of chocolate chips!)

LisaSteffen

I love rice cakes but have never put anything on them. Thanks for the tip!