Stuck in a food rut? Use these 1500 Calorie Menus.

beckystahnke · January 2012

Choose one 350 calorie breakfast, 400 calorie lunch, 450 calorie dinner, and either two 150 calorie snacks or one 300 calorie dessert/snack:

350-Calorie Breakfast Choices
Whole-Grain Waffles with Berry & Walnut Compote

2 frozen low-fat whole-grain waffles
1/4 cup blackberries
1/4cup strawberries
1 ounce (14 halves) walnuts

Make it: Toast waffles. Top with mashed fresh berries and walnuts.
Florentine Egg Scramble on an English Muffin

2 eggs
1/2 cup cooked fresh spinach
1 whole-grain English muffin, toasted
1 cup cut cantaloupe

Make it: Scramble eggs with spinach. Serve on English muffin with cantaloupe on the side.
Sliced Pear & Almond-Butter Toast

2 slices whole-grain bread
1 tablespoon almond butter
1 medium pear, sliced

Make it: Toast whole-grain bread. Spread almond butter on toast and top with fresh pear slices.
Tart Cherry Muesli with Vanilla Soy Milk

1 cup light vanilla soy milk
1/2 cup old-fashioned oatmeal
1/4 cup dried cherries

Make it: Pour light vanilla soy milk on raw old-fashioned oats (prepare the night before and keep in the fridge overnight for softer oats). Mix in dried tart cherries.
Tomato-Basil Ricotta Toast

2 slices whole-grain bread
1/2 cup low-fat ricotta cheese
5 fresh basil leaves
4 slices tomato

Make it: Toast whole-grain bread. Spread with low-fat ricotta cheese and top with fresh basil leaves and tomato slices.
Banana & Honey Smoothie

1 cup light vanilla soy milk
1 small banana
1 tablespoon honey
2 tablespoons old-fashioned oatmeal
1 tablespoon flaxseeds, ground

Make it: Blend all ingredients until smooth.
Lemon-Blueberry Granola Parfait

3/4 cup blueberries
6 ounces low-fat lemon yogurt
1-ounce crunchy granola bar

Make it: Top blueberries with low-fat yogurt and crushed granola bar.

400-Calorie Lunch Choices
BBQ Black-Bean Burger & Slaw

1 black-bean burger
1 whole-grain hamburger bun
1 tablespoon low-sodium barbecue sauce
1 1/2 cups shredded cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower and carrot mix
1 tablespoon apple-cider vinegar
2 teaspoons olive oil

Make it: Microwave burger according to package directions. Serve on bun with sauce. Combine vegetable mix with vinegar and oil.
Tuna, Red Grapes & Walnuts on Greens

2 cups spring greens
3 ounces chunk light tuna
3 tablespoons chopped walnuts
3/4 cup red grapes, cut in half
2 tablespoons low-fat
vinaigrette dressing

Make it: Top greens with tuna, walnuts, and grapes. Drizzle with vinaigrette.
Takeout! From Panera Bread

Black-bean soup and 1/2 Classic Cafe salad (mixed greens, tomatoes, cucumbers, and red onions) with fat-free poppy-seed dressing
Turkey, Pear & Swiss Sandwich

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 slices whole-grain bread
5 thin slices turkey
1 medium pear, sliced
1 slice low-fat Swiss cheese

Make it: Spread mustard on bread. Top with turkey, fresh pear slices, and cheese.
Avocado & Black-Bean Wrap

2 whole wheat tortillas
3/4 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained
1/5 avocado, chopped
2 tablespoons bottled salsa
1 cup bagged romaine lettuce

Make it: Wrap black beans, avocado, salsa, and lettuce in tortillas.
Takeout! From McDonald's

Hamburger and Side Salad with low-fat balsamic vinaigrette
Apple Dippers with Low-Fat Caramel Dip
Balsamic Chicken Salad Pita

1 cup precooked and diced chicken
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup chopped scallions
1 large stalk celery, chopped
1 whole wheat pita
1 cup bagged mixed salad greens

Make it: Mix together chicken, vinegar, scallions, and celery. Fill pita with chicken mixture and salad greens.

450-Calorie Dinner Choices
Takeout! From Applebee's

Southwest Cobb Salad: grilled chipotle chicken, shredded cheese, broccoli, diced tomatoes, shredded carrots, corn, and black beans served on a bed of mixed greens with cilantro ranch dressing
Garlic-Basil Shrimp & Zucchini Pasta

1 cup whole-wheat pasta noodles
3 ounces frozen precooked and shelled shrimp, thawed
1 cup chopped zucchini
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil

Make it: Cook pasta. Mix hot noodles with remaining ingredients.
Spicy Peanut Chicken Wraps

2/3 cup precooked chicken strips
1/4 cup chopped scallions
2 tablespoons peanuts
1 tablespoon hot sauce
1 cup shredded cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower and carrot mix
2 whole wheat tortillas

Make it: In skillet sprayed with cooking spray, saute chicken, scallions, peanuts, hot sauce, and shredded vegetables for 8 minutes. Wrap in tortillas.
Takeout! Sushi

Miso soup (1 cup)
Tuna roll (6 pieces)
Small seaweed salad
Three-Pepper Cilantro Fajitas

1/3 cup each sliced red, green and yellow bell peppers
1/2 small onion, sliced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup canned low-fat refried beans
2 whole wheat tortillas
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

Make it: Saute peppers and onion in olive oil for 8 minutes, or until tender. Warm refried beans; spread on tortillas. Top with sauteed vegetables and cilantro.
Artichoke & Tomato Panzanella Salad

2 slices whole-grain bread
1 cup chopped canned artichokes, rinsed and drained
1 cup chopped fresh tomato
1/2 cup canned white beans, rinsed and drained
2 tablespoons low-fat Italian vinaigrette dressing

Make it: Toast bread and cut into small squares. Add artichokes, tomatoes, white beans, toasted bread squares, and Italian vinaigrette and combine.
Hoisin Grilled Fish & Summer Vegetables

4 ounces fish, such as salmon or tilapia fillets
1 tablespoon hoisin sauce (Chinese barbecue sauce found in the Asian section of grocery stores)
1/2 cup chopped yellow squash
1/2 cup pea pods
1/2 cup chopped carrots
2/3 cup cooked brown rice

Make it: Spray a sheet of tin foil with cooking spray and place fish, hoisin sauce, yellow squash, pea pods, and carrots on it. Fold and seal. Cook packet on grill for 10 to 12 minutes (vegetables should be tender and fish should flake easily with a fork). Serve over brown rice.

150-Calorie Snack Choices

Eating between meals is a good thing! Choose two of these treats each day -- each is under 150 calories.

Skinny Cow Vanilla Ice Cream Sandwich
1/2 ounce raisins and 2 tablespoons soy nuts
10-ounce light yogurt smoothie (such as Stonyfield Farm)
14 almonds and a small apple, peeled
1/2 cup raspberry sorbet
12-ounce Caramel Frappuccino Light (without whipped cream)
1 ounce chocolate-covered almonds
18 soy crisps
FAGE Total 0% Greek yogurt and 3/4 cup blueberries
100-calorie mini bag popcorn
1 ounce string cheese and 4 whole-grain crackers
Edy's Creamy Coconut Fruit bar
1/4 cup hummus and 1/2 cup baby carrots
Root beer float (1/2 cup vanilla frozen yogurt, 12 ounces diet root beer)

econut2000 · January 2012

Thanks for this! Definitely some good ideas!

ILiftHeavyAcrylics · January 2012

bump for later-- thanks!

brendajs · January 2012

Thanks for sharing!! GREAt ideas!!!

Phoenix1401 · January 2012

This is excellent! Bump for later! My daily cal intake is 1500.

bride2be113 · January 2012

Thanks for sharing!!!

morrowsarah · January 2012

Bump! I'm going to have to print this! Great suggestions!

ningar1 · January 2012

Thanks...I'll try this. I am beyond a rut these days.

althea22000 · January 2012

Thanks for sharing some great menus!

laren1266 · January 2012

THANKS!!!

Showgirlbody · January 2012

Is that from Self magazine? They offer a lot of good ideas similar to this if not. I like having a full meal idea sometimes, because I get a recipe for one item and then don't know what to make on the side or what goes together.