Need healthy meal and snack ideas!! Please!

chadley831

I am new to this and trying to get out on the right foot. I have always just ate what I wanted and was available. I have gained weight in the last years and want to get on the right track. Money and work schedule are tight so I'm forced to eat at random times and cheaper items.

PLease help me with coming up with meals and snacks that are good for throughout the days.

Thanks!!

Raw07

bump

jpatrickwinstead

Go to a grocery that sells stuff from bulk bins. Pick a few different types of nuts that you like, and take a scoop of each. Also get some raisins or other dried fruit just to make it a little sweet. Stay away from all the M&M's and stuff like that, though. Put it all together and make trail mix.

Keep some in your car, keep some at work, whatever. Lasts a long time. Nuts do have a lot of calories, so be careful to not overdo it, but a handful here and there really helps out.

Also, bananas. They're cheap and come in their own wrapper.

frugalmomsrock

One of my go to snacks is peanut butter and baby carrots. Not real expensive, and has healthy fats, protein, vitamins, and a veggie serving.

Meals I like that are rather simple: sandwich wraps (I use Xtreme Wellness High Fiber low carb 71 calorie tortilla wraps and reduced sodium lunch meats and raw spinach), eggs and whole grain toast, chicken tacos (reduced fat cheese, chicken meat with reduced sodium taco seasoning, lettuce, tomatoes, onion), grilled chicken or turkey.

Staple items are things like brown rice, reduced sodium beans, whole grain bread, reduced fat string cheese, eggs and/or egg substitute, skim milk, reduced fat cottage cheese, reduced/no fat yogurt, frozen berries, as much fresh produce as money allows. And find a good lower sodium salad dressing. I have started using vinaigrettes-they have less sodium, and I can usually use half of what it says is a serving because a little goes a long way.

Elleinnz

Sitting here enjoying my mid afternoon snack as I am typing:

100g low fat yoghurt
1 wedge laughing cow low fat cheese
25g walnuts (can also be almonds)

Another option:

50g cottage cheese
1 medium large carrot cut into strips

BIG glass of water....

Incorporating some protein in your snacks makes sure that you are satiated for longer....

NancyAnne1960

String cheese and about 6 almonds 1 bottle or 16 oz. of water
Triscuit thins and 2 T. Hummus 1 bottle water
Fiber One 90 granola bars and 1 bottle water
Bag of radishes, carrots, celery, snap peas 1 bottle water
Celery filled with peanut butter 1 bottle water
Trail mix - either purchased or bulk mixed 1 bottle water
Just some ideas. Good luck on your adventure!!! :bigsmile:

CaliGirl313

I love snacking on blueberries! Sometimes they're sweet, and sometimes they sour/tart.. kinda like candy

Juliola

I was at a loss when I started too. You know what I did, that really helped?? I ate what I normally would for a few days and tracked it on my fitness pal, that way I could see what I was eating, and where I was going wrong, whether it be portion sizes or just plain eating the wrong thing.
A couple of favorite low calorie things I just found in the past couple of days:..........Dreyers Fruit Bars (No Sugar Added) these are soooo good, a popsicle that is only 25 calories!!!
And I bought this Raspberry Jam/Spread from Costco, its only 25 calories per tablespoon and it tastes good too (also with very little sugar)!
I love eating fish, chicken and veggies so I try to eat a lot of that kind of stuff. Also, for breakfast I love Special K with skim milk. I lmeasure it out, 1 cup cereal and 1/2 cup skim milk is 153 calories.
I hope this helps!! And I'm really interested in seeing what other people write!!

jpatrickwinstead

Re: a busy schedule - One thing I do is set aside a few hours on Sunday to do some cooking and get meals ready for the week. I have a bunch of pyrex containers, so I just load them up with each day's breakfast or lunch. Helps a lot.

Sometimes I boil a dozen eggs and keep them in the fridge. They last a couple weeks. I get a little sick of boiled eggs, but they'll save you in a pinch.

tjames719

cottage cheese and red bell pepper...

NancyAnne1960

cottage cheese and red bell pepper...

yummy! I also add unsalted sunflower seeds to cottage cheese.

chadley831

THaqnks for all the ideas some I will use and others are things I don't like but its a good start!!