Unclean Eating Club?

jtintx

Ok, I admit it - I'm lazy when it comes to food. Maybe that will change over time but for now it is the truth. So please, no lectures on processed foods, sodium, etc. I know - it would be better for me if I ate "clean." However, since I won't I was hoping some of you could give me easy things to include in my diet. For example, I usually eat the whole bag of Bird's Eye Viola! Three Cheese Chicken. The whole bag is only 360 calories and fills me up. I know there are better choices out there but this is where I am at the present time. So what else can a lazy, dieter eat?

Things I have on my list so far:
Subway Veggie Sandwich
Boiled Eggs
Instant Oatmeal - Weight Control (more filling)
String Cheese
Zatarains Dirty Rice Bowls
Almonds

Anyone care to add anything else? Please, I beg you, quick, easy and filling.

jtintx

Ok, I admit it - I'm lazy when it comes to food. Maybe that will change over time but for now it is the truth. So please, no lectures on processed foods, sodium, etc. I know - it would be better for me if I ate "clean." However, since I won't I was hoping some of you could give me easy things to include in my diet. For example, I usually eat the whole bag of Bird's Eye Viola! Three Cheese Chicken. The whole bag is only 360 calories and fills me up. I know there are better choices out there but this is where I am at the present time. So what else can a lazy, dieter eat?

Things I have on my list so far:
Subway Veggie Sandwich
Boiled Eggs
Instant Oatmeal - Weight Control (more filling)
String Cheese
Zatarains Dirty Rice Bowls
Almonds

Anyone care to add anything else? Please, I beg you, quick, easy and filling.

Cindysunshine

Hormel turkey pepperoni--yogurt- cottage cheese-canned chicken- healthy cereals- healthy cereal bars. I hope this helps some. Cindy

Kimono

Fiber one bars, fat free pudding, canned fruit (pineapple), Smart Ones, Deli Meat. One thing I have done that may almost be clean. I am now using Mrs Dash instead of season salt.

beachlvr

What about meal bars? Luna Bars, Cliff Bars, Power Bars etc?

Dried Fruit , beef/turkey jerky, love it! Quick and filling.

plussizemommy

I eat the same as you, I can't afford to buy extra food, I have to buy for my family and then eat what they eat.
But, when things are on sale, I get Lean Cuisines, deli turkey, fruits and veggies, like grapes. The Lean Cuisines are great, fast and easy!! Or, what about Lean Pockets, fat free pudding or jello cups.

Bug263

lean pockets, lean cuisine(myfavorite!!), 100 cal. bag popcorn (snack), granola bars, anything really thats lean , low fat, or even low carb helps! good luck.

MegganLupi

Yogert with granola, Life Cereal, apple with light cheese and some popcorn. I am with you i don't eat 'Clean" but i try and eat healther now.

Kimono

100 calorie packs, microwave popcorn. I can not find laughing cow cheese, I want to try it.

jtintx

those are all good ideas for snacks but what about meals? I don't mind opening a bag, box or can and heating it in the microwave. But those little 10oz meals aren't going to cut it for me. I'll bake some fish now and then and even cook some rice. But that's about it. What else is SIMPLE to make....like 3 ingredients or less and doesn't take more than 10 or 15 minutes to cook.

kristie874

Canned soups! I eat the Campbell's Healthy Requests or whatever ones...and I always add some cheese, sour cream, and hot sauce to them.

Oh...and if/when you DO cook, freeze portions of what you cook so that you have fast frozen meals!

staceyw37

100 calorie packs, microwave popcorn. I can not find laughing cow cheese, I want to try it.

i've seen it at costco. hth

mstanley

I tried this recipe last night (got it off of the recipe boards here) and it is easy and tastes great!
Salsa Chicken

Personalize this recipe by using your favorite tomato-based salsa. Or try a fruit salsa such as peach, cranberry, or pineapple. Serve over white rice.

Ingredients
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
2 teaspoons taco seasoning
Cooking spray
2/3 cup bottled salsa
2/3 cup (about 2 1/2 ounces) shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese
1 (4-ounce) can whole green chiles, drained and thinly sliced
1/4 cup fat-free sour cream
2 tablespoons sliced ripe olives


Preparation
Preheat oven to 475°.
Combine chicken and seasoning in a medium bowl, tossing to coat. Heat a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook for 4 minutes or until browned, stirring occasionally. Arrange chicken in an 8-inch square baking dish coated with cooking spray; top with salsa, cheese, and chiles. Bake at 475° for 8 minutes or until chicken is done and cheese is melted. Top each serving with 1 tablespoon sour cream and 1 1/2 teaspoons olives.

Yield
4 servings

Nutritional Information
CALORIES 207(15% from fat); FAT 3.5g (sat 1.4g,mono 1.1g,poly 0.5g); IRON 1.5mg; CHOLESTEROL 71mg; CALCIUM 130mg; CARBOHYDRATE 9.5g; SODIUM 587mg; PROTEIN 33.4g; FIBER 2.1g

Juliebean_1027

These are mostly snacks, but if you combine a few of them you get some tasty meal options!

Peanuts
Fiber One Shredded Wheat cereal (I eat this dry for breakfast and pair it with tons of water - it expands in your stomach and keeps me full until lunch time!)
Fiber One bars (I the chocolate mocha ones)
Cottage Cheese
Celery or Apple with peanut butter (gets rid of my sweet/sugar craving)

For meals, try...

Baked potatoes (scrub, pierce with a fork and throw in the microwave)
Most fish cooks fairly fast - I broil Tilapia, Salmon, Orange Roughy, and Mahi Mahi. Put the fish in a glass pan. Spray with 'I Can't Believe It's Not Butter' spray. Sprinkle with season salt. Broil or bake for 25 mins, or until fish is flaky when poked with a fork.

ksukaro

I like grilling up a piece of chicken with some of that Sara Lee 45 calorie bread and making a grilled chicken sandwich..... and then a can (the small one) of green beans

staceyw37

i eat "dirty" too.
and i stick to a limited # of fruits and veges (since i'm the main one eating them, i don't care to waste a bunch of produce).

bagged salad, mini carrots (b/c kids will dip), bananas, apples, frozen (no sugar added) berries--espec good if you want to make a smoothie, high fiber oatmeal and wt control oatmeal (but note that there is soy in these products), skippy creamy natural pnut butter, simply fruit jelly, canned mandarin oranges (in light syrup and then rinsed), frozen corn, frozen brocc, frozen green beans (espec the haricort vert), precious part skim mozzarella, fat free pudding, weight watchers carrot cake and blueberry muffin snacks, canned beans (ideally lower sodium) rinsed, boil in bag brown rice, eggs, cambell's soup light harvest italian vegetable, walnuts, raisins and crystal light to drink

wow--a much longer list than i expected! hope it's useful as there are a lot of good ideas with everyone's posts. good luck :happy:

LillyB

I don't have alot of answers but totally understand what you are saying. I hate cooking, preparing food, shopping for it, etc. and having to fuss over all this plus measure and count is horrible for me. I eat Cheerios for breakfast and the same oatmeal you do, because it's easy. The rest of the day, nothing is easy, plus at work I don't have a frig on the same floor as me and I need to be prepared before I come to work so I can run it down to the basement frig. I love Subway too but don't want to spend time going or money every day! It is easy and filling and always fresh and all that's good! And I'm going to try the chicken thing you just mentioned! LillyB

Juliebean_1027

Do you like salad? I usually take a big bowl and fill it with lettuce (romaine, iceburg, doesn't matter...) and then put 1 oz. of crumbled feta cheese, 1/4 cup of raisins, some red onion, cucumber, tomato, and a sliced chicken breast. (You can buy chicken breast already grilled and prepared at the store. I know it's high in sodium but sometimes it's all I have time for...) Top it with some 'Annie's Naturals Honey Mustard Vinaigrette' dressing (found in the organic section at my store). It's a delicious and filling salad. You can add in some sunflower kernels, craisins, or pine nuts if you want some extra flavor/filler.

jljohnson

those are all good ideas for snacks but what about meals? I don't mind opening a bag, box or can and heating it in the microwave. But those little 10oz meals aren't going to cut it for me. I'll bake some fish now and then and even cook some rice. But that's about it. What else is SIMPLE to make....like 3 ingredients or less and doesn't take more than 10 or 15 minutes to cook.

I'm the same way... all about the convenience!
Check out Schwan's (http://www.schwans.com/) and see if you can get delivery in your area. Most everything you can cook right from frozen, and usually they give different prep options (bake in oven, deep fry or microwave for lots of foods). One of my favorites is the Tortilla Encrusted Tilapia. I pair it with one of the steam bags of vegetable (Green Giant green beans and potatoes in rosemary butter sauce is my current fave), and it looks like a pretty classy meal, made in only 20 min (and only 330 cals for everything)! Schwan's also offers a LiveSmart line of food that has awesome low-cal, low-fat options. To top off the convenience factor, they deliver it right to your door, so you don't even have to go to the grocery store.

spicy618

BJ's Parmasean crusted Tilapia filets = 316 calories (18 minutes in the toaster oven)
Uncle Ben's Ready Rice (Brown Rice and Roasted Chicken have the same amount of calories per cup)(90 seconds in the microwave)
Lettuce and tomatoes with Newman's Own Light Honey Mustard dressing (2 tbls= 70 calories)

My favorite lunch.

ivykivy

Have you tried the tyson precooked chicken tenderloins. I eat these with steam fresh asian medley. Sometimes I buy the grilled chicken strips, throw in pan with a can of mushrooms and butter saute and through some parmesian cheese on it .

Also I buy frozen salmon and asparagus. Fill frying pan with water put in frozen salmon (salmon should be covered), sprinkle with cajun seasoning , place the asaparagus over the salmon and season again. Steam/boil on medium high until all the water is gone.

jackeh

lots of times my meals consist of these small easy foods... for lunch today i had a whole can of tuna drained and slapped down on a plate... 1/2 cup of cottage cheese beside it (they tast yummy together) 6 cherry tomatoes, and a banana...

Yesterday for dinner i had 2 hard boiled eggs a yogurt and a fruitcup with manderine oranges.... and i was still hungry so i had a jos louis 100 cal pack thingy

staceyw37

lots of times my meals consist of these small easy foods...

that's what i do. that's why i gave the long list--b/c i just take a few and combine for quick meals or snacks.
like jackeh--my lunch was simple--2 scrambled eggs, 1/4 cup raisins, 6 regular triscuits
small, fast
and that's why i do pnut butt and jelly often, and it's portable.

chrissyh

Did you all look in my cabinet and fridgerator ....looking for spy cam....

I am an unclean convenience eater too

jtintx

Wow, this has been great. My list of things is growing. I never really thought of putting a bunch of "snack" stuff together on a plate and call it dinner. Keep the ideas coming. I'm writing down a list. Your ideas will add some variety to my diet and hopefully make it easier to stick with this. Thanks!

Kimono

Here is my easy salad, I just made it up.

Grilled Chicken in the Forman with Mrs Dash Extra Spicey
Shredded Lettuce
Shredded fat free cheese
Salsa instead of dressing
2 Grilled pineapple rings
Chop everything up and that is my salad, I use alot of lettuce so it is a big plate full.
I am sure you could add hard boiled eggs, carrots and other veggies.
This is gourmet for me.

staceyw37

i use mott's natural applesauce a lot too--for the fruit portion of my dinner, or to mix cereal and fruit into w/some cheese on the side
this thread has been helpful to me, too. :happy:

MegganLupi

Grilled Chicken with some broccilli over rice. Or a small stir fry with low sodium soy sauce ( and don't use too much) with beef or chicken and a bit of frozen veggies.

mgullette

Unclean eating club.:laugh: :laugh: :laugh: It has a funny ring to it.

Do you like stir-fry at all? I do this a lot...You can buy huge bags of flash-frozen vegetables for pretty cheap prices. Dump some in a wok or large non-stick pan with (I use water, but if you want you can use a small amount of oil) and stir around for a few minutes. Then you can either use fresh sliced chicken breast or lean beef (like sirloin), OR I think that Tyson (you'll have to double check) makes those pre-cooked sliced chicken breast strips or beef strips that you could throw in there. Quick, easy, not necessarily TOO unclean. You can even find your own sauces in the ethnic aisle, or just put some lemongrass water or soy sauce over it (too salty for me, but it works).

M

Manda86

:laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

I applaud your honesty!!

Hubby makes me salsa chicken every once in a while - SO easy, and SO GOOD!! He might make his a little differently - I'm sure he'd send you the recipe if you'd like. Pretty much opening a few jars, squirting a little bit of this n' that, and baking. Easy and delicious!

wildkat318

100 calorie packs, microwave popcorn. I can not find laughing cow cheese, I want to try it.

Laughing Cow is AWESOME. I get it at Safeway. :bigsmile: