High Volume Low Calorie Meal Ideas?

kimmy_1432

Does anyone have any ideas for high volume low calorie meals? I'm looking for things that are going to be super filling and that can really fill up a plate. I'm so new to trying to eat healthy and I'm so unimaginative that I really can't come up with any ideas, other than salad. I like crock pot meals and casserole dishes as well. My portion control is pretty much non existent so trying to find some recipes I won't feel so guilty about getting seconds. Thanks guys!

nz_deevaa

Check out the "show us your meals" threads they have lots of idea.

BigJza

http://www.skinnytaste.com/2011/12/stuffed-pepper-soup.html

one of my favs...also had tons of leftovers to boot

Hoss_77

If you like crockpot meals then you can make some really tasty soups that are really low in calories. I just sling in a load of veg, then spices, pepper, garlic etc (try to avoid too much salt going in), then you can end up with a huge bowl of soup with under 300 cals in it, and it's immensely filling so you'd be doing well to go back for a second bowl!!

BigJza

If you like crockpot meals then you can make some really tasty soups that are really low in calories. I just sling in a load of veg, then spices, pepper, garlic etc (try to avoid too much salt going in), then you can end up with a huge bowl of soup with under 300 cals in it, and it's immensely filling so you'd be doing well to go back for a second bowl!!

crockpot cabbage rolls or lazy man cabbage rolls are awesome and low cal as well..just use extra lean meat

floshideaway

Does anyone have any ideas for high volume low calorie meals? I'm looking for things that are going to be super filling and that can really fill up a plate. I'm so new to trying to eat healthy and I'm so unimaginative that I really can't come up with any ideas, other than salad. I like crock pot meals and casserole dishes as well. My portion control is pretty much non existent so trying to find some recipes I won't feel so guilty about getting seconds. Thanks guys!

Portion control is an essential part of healthy lifestyle. If you do not modify your way of thinking you will continue the" yoyo life" and I know what I am taking about because that is the way I lived pretty much since I was your age. Don't wait to get to my age to change things, do it now. MFP is great support and will help you through this journey.

BigJza

Does anyone have any ideas for high volume low calorie meals? I'm looking for things that are going to be super filling and that can really fill up a plate. I'm so new to trying to eat healthy and I'm so unimaginative that I really can't come up with any ideas, other than salad. I like crock pot meals and casserole dishes as well. My portion control is pretty much non existent so trying to find some recipes I won't feel so guilty about getting seconds. Thanks guys!

Portion control is an essential part of healthy lifestyle. If you do not modify your way of thinking you will continue the" yoyo life" and I know what I am taking about because that is the way I lived pretty much since I was your age. Don't wait to get to my age to change things, do it now. MFP is great support and will help you through this journey.

well said...portion control is the #1 obstacle by far. Willpower and knowledge will get us there!

DaveHuby

I often use whole Portobello mushrooms as the base (holder) for food.

They come in at about 18 calories each and really fill the plate.

Oven bake with one or two sprays of 1 cal oil then fill with chilli, Bolognese etc.

BigJza

I often use whole Portobello mushrooms as the base (holder) for food.

They come in at about 18 calories each and really fill the plate.

Oven bake with one or two sprays of 1 cal oil then fill with chilli, Bolognese etc.

really like the sound of that

JennetteMac

I often use whole Portobello mushrooms as the base (holder) for food.

They come in at about 18 calories each and really fill the plate.

Oven bake with one or two sprays of 1 cal oil then fill with chilli, Bolognese etc.

really like the sound of that

Me too.

animatorswearbras

veggie stir frys!

any of these are fairly filling but not calorie dense

beansprouts, sweet peppers, sping onions, sugarsnap peas, baby sweetcorns, mushrooms, mange tout, thinly sliced carrot, broccolli, pak choi, chinese lettuce, asparagus, savoy cabbage... plus any other sub 40cal per 100g veg you like

Thinly slice your fave veg, wash and stir fry in a non stick wok(pref) or big pan with a bit of fry light spray or oil mister,

Fry with crushed garlic and soy sauce (plus fresh ginger if you have it) also can add stuff like low cal blackbean or chowmein stir fry sauce.

Takes 15mins from prep to plate and you can have mountains of the stuff.

I also sometimes stirfry in a whole egg (or egg whites if you're extra good) to give it a foo yung texture and if you need some meat serve with grilled chicken, king prawns, cod in fact any lean meat.

I used to do these stir frys with noodles but they're so filling you don't need them, but if you really want them just cook up 20g dry weight and chuck em in and stir fry through.


OOOh and butternut squash wedges!

peel and wedge a butternut squash, spray with fry light or an oil spray then season with black pepper, loads of paprika a hint of cayenne and a touch of sea salt (unless you're trying to avoid it) then shove in a preheated oven (average heat ie 200C) for 20-40mins depending on how thick the cut (don't worry if the edges look a bit black, they kind of caramelise but still taste good)

I prefer these wedges to potato wedges and have half the calories of potato and count as a portion of veg!!!!

potato cals per 100g = 78
BNS cals per 100g = 38

Also I know you mentioned salad but I use salad as a mountainous base and then cook half a portio of my usual pasta meal eg spag bol and then pile on top, makes me still feel like I have a massive plateful, but really I'm just having a half portion of pasta and 30cals of salad.

I'm a big portion girl so know how you feel, hope that helps x

mattcoop

Chunky soups make the fest filling meals because they are so saturated with texture and liquid.... even in hot weather time, try to use them. dry foods like sandwiches always make you eat more than you should because they do not have as much weight per calorie

GypsySoul_74

when i'm hungry for a bigger meal, i either add raw or cooked vegetables right into the food as i prepare it (to sandwiches, soups, pastas & casseroles and things like that) or serve foods (like chicken, burgers, fish, omelets--things that come in one piece) over a bed of lettuce, arugula or spinach. sometimes i add fruit too (to salads, cereals, pancakes, etc.) if i feel like the flavors will work--i even like to bake apples & pears plain, with nothing added--the sugars caramelize in the oven and they make a lovely sweet dessert

you said you like to cook in a crock pot--so do i! there are TONS of things you can do!! see if you find anything in these articles that appeals to you:

http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes_menus/collections/healthy_slow_cooker_recipes

http://www.fitnessmagazine.com/recipes/quick-recipes/dinner/seven-easy-slow-cooker-recipes/

http://www.bhg.com/recipes/healthy-eating/healthy-recipes/healthy-slow-cooker-recipes/


as others have mentioned, portion control is important, but you need a bridge to help you get there. when you're used to eating larger quantities of food it is really hard to suddenly switch to much smaller quantities. making the choice to prepare lower-calorie entrees with better nutrition is a great step this is really going to pay off for you!!

animatorswearbras

Also Hairy Bikers diet recipe Jambalaya

serves 6 341 cals per person so 2046cals for the lot so if your only cooking for 2 just do a third or half the recipe.

* 6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
* 100g chorizo (we like picante)
* 1 tbsp olive oil
* 1 large onion, roughly chopped
* 4 slender celery sticks, cut into
* 1cm slices
* 2 small green peppers, deseeded
* and cut into 2cm chunks
* 5 large ripe vine tomatoes
* (about 475g)
* 3 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
* 1 tbsp paprika
* ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
* 1 tsp dried thyme
* 1 tsp dried oregano
* 2 bay leaves
* 200g long-grain rice (we often use
* the easy-cook version)
* 450ml chicken stock, made with
* 1 chicken stock cube
* 100g cooked peeled king
* prawns, thawed if frozen
* 6 spring onions, sliced (including
* lots of green)
* flaked sea salt
* freshly ground black pepper




Preparation


1. Cut the chicken thighs into bite-sized pieces, removing any excess fat, and season them with salt and pepper. Skin the sausage and cut it into 5mm slices. Heat the oil in a large non-stick frying pan or non-stick sauté pan and fry the chicken for 3 minutes over a medium heat until lightly coloured. Add the chorizo and cook for 30 seconds more, then transfer the chicken and chorizo with tongs to a large plate or tray.
2. Tip most of the oil out of the frying pan and chuck it away. Return the empty pan to the heat and turn the heat down to low. Stir in the onion, celery and green peppers and cook for 8?10 minutes until well softened, stirring occasionally.
3. Meanwhile, skin the tomatoes. Cut them in half and remove the green stem ends, then roughly chop the rest of the flesh - no need to deseed.
4. Stir the crushed garlic, paprika, cayenne, thyme, oregano and bay leaves into the frying pan and cook for 20?30 seconds, stirring. Increase the heat and add the chopped tomatoes and any juice that has collected on the board. Cook for 5 minutes or until the tomatoes are well softened, stirring regularly.
5. Return the chicken and chorizo to the pan, add the rice and cook for about a minute, stirring. Pour over the stock, season with a pinch of salt and lots of black pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook for about 10 minutes or until the rice is just tender and most of the liquid has evaporated or been absorbed by the rice, stirring occasionally. The rice should still be pretty saucy at this point, so if your rice takes longer to cook, you may need to add a little more stock.
6. Stir in the prawns and spring onions and cook for about 2 minutes more or until the prawns are hot, stirring regularly, then serve.

ang3h

Oatmeal. I make a massive bowl of it every night for dinner and it generally falls under 400 calories. Fills me up sooo much and takes like an hour to eat!

I use rolled oats because they seem to soak up water better than steel cut oats. The oats themselves are where the bulk of the calories come from, but you can stretch that 1/2 cup into 3 cups if you add enough liquid. I add a low calorie thickener (PB2, chia seeds, egg whites) so the oatmeal stays.. well, oatmeal-y instead of being watery. I toss in frozen or fresh berries and/or half a banana, cocoa powder, chopped almonds, cacao nibs, carob chips, anything I am in the mood for at the time..

Kymmu

Make massive stir fries full of colourful vegetables and protein. Fry it in coconut oil..add ginger garlic, chili...lots of chili- lots of water. You'll be full!
Same with casseroles, curries soups and stews.

MsLilly200

If you replace pasta, rice or potatoes with vegetables you can eat a lot more for the same or lower amount of calories.

I like using broccoli or cauliflower.

And you can do this for most dishes. Grilled chicken and mashed cauliflower, steak with broccoli, pastasauce over zucchini...

melaniecheeks

Vegetables!

One large courgette (120g or more) is probably about 40 calories. Slice it thinly with a potato peeler or cheese parer, and griddle on a ridged pan, then toss in lemon juice.

Chop leeks, peppers (any colour) and mushrooms. You can stir fry in a little oil, or for even fewer calories, blast them in the microwave with a spalsh of water.

Cauliflower and brocoli - boil or roast.

LuLuSUPER

Bump for later. Im looking for alternatives due to my nut allergy I have to cut other corners

jnchorn

You can't go wrong with Weight Watchers Taco soup. It is super easy to prepare and around 200 calories for a pretty good size bowl.

babynew

I sometimes make a bag of pintos in the crockpot. .. then use portions of it to make salads, spups, chili with lentils and quinoa. .. and even freeze a portion of it plain to use later.
:flowerforyou:

kristen6022

Do yourself a favor and learn portion control now, or your whole life will be a yo-yo of weight loss/weight gain.

That being said - grill a 4-5oz piece of chicken, pork chop, salmon or a turkey burger (on a grill pan on the stove or on a real grill) and fill the rest of your plate with veggies (2-3 serving sizes). Spice it up with herbs and spices that you like or mustard or hot sauce.

HartJames

Shredded chicken (I do 4/5oz) tossed into pan of corn, onion, black bean & peppers mixture (I buy frozen from Wegmans), 2 Joseph's pitas, 1 ounce of avacado, 2 tbsp pineapple salsa & 2 tbsp of plain Greek yogurt (my sour cream). Huge amount of food for 400 cals (my biggest meal of the day).

Also do a turkey burger with sandwhich thins, grilled onion, Swiss cheese and avacado with a side of sweet potato fries for about the same cals.

jacksonpt

The best thing I've found is to have a huge glass of water while I'm cooking dinner, then another one with dinner. All that water gives me the full/stuffed feeling I need to naturally stop eating without stuffing myself full of actual food.

milu1f

Sure portion controll is important, but come on. As a big person you are used to bigger meals, so as u change ur habbits its good to have some meals that feels like alot but isn't.

cielbee

Lots of great ideas here-adding more veggies into dishes, making things into soup and the like. This is the premise of the Volumetrics books by Barbara Rolls (how to get more food for fewer calories). Try checking one out for your library for more ideas.

orapronobis

For me, vegetables are the key. Have a BIG salad with one meal (I usually have mine with lunch.) Use only 1 tablespoon of a light dressing. (I think the Ken's Steakhouse brand of dressing packs the most flavor for the least calories.) Toss your salad and you'll find that only 1 tablespoon is PLENTY for a nice big salad.

At another meal, fill half your plate with vegetables. (I usually do this for my evening meal.) I LOVE roasted veggies. They're easy, very tasty, and add some crunch to the plate. You'll find a lot of recipes that say to toss the veggies in 1 or 2 tablespoons of oil. You don't need that much at all! Clean, pat with a towel to remove most of the water, toss with 1 teaspoon of oil, add seasonings. I usually use salt, pepper, and garlic powder, but add what ever tastes you like. Roast at 400 for 20-40 minutes, depending on what you roast. You want them to be starting to brown. I usually flip mine half way through the cooking time.

You get the extra benefit of the nutrition from the veggies without a lot of calories. When I stick to this, I find that my appetitie naturally decreases and cravings are minimized.

Joanneea

Tonight I made brown rice with Jamie Olivers - salsa verde to which I added capsicum, advocado, red onion and as well I had a piece of fresh salmon. It was relatively low carb and very filling, plus easy to make.around 350 to 450 cal and 18 carbs

treehopper1987

Stir-fry! I love making stir-fry since you can put pretty much anything in it... make it vegetarian, with/without meat, shrimp, rice, noodles... The high calorie ingredients are typically your meat (except shrimp) and rice/noodles.... veggies are very easy on calories AND you can eat a lot... if you want more ideas just message me

I'm always having to come up with these meals because of the hubby lol

tekwriter

I agree it is hard to cut down how much you eat and almost impossible to do all at once. choosing healthy and within your calorie budget alternatives is a great mindset. I like to make red coconut curry chicken and when i do i add a bag of mixed vegetables into the curry sauce they are wonderful. There are tons of recipes out there for it. The weight watcher's taco soup is a great one for a filling lunch. I also like to keep a big bag of sliced frozen strawberries for sweet treat. I add splenda and top with a little cool whip, yummy, cold and sweet. Keep an eye on the recipes through the forum there are some really good ones and take a look at eating well they have some great ones too. Best of luck to you.

micahnelson

Get slightly smaller plates. Not trying to be snide. It helped me. Our plates get pretty big in America. Eat a smaller portion on a larger plate. Plate size making you feel full is all in the mind, so using a mind trick is helpful.