MUST HAVE items in fridge for weightloss (foods)

My diet is super inexpensive.... I probably spend about $100 a month to feed myself (not counting occasionally eating out at a restaurant, which isn't essential). I've a big junk food junkie who hates cooking. So far I've lost 22 pounds in 2.5 months.

I mostly eat brown rice, lentils, and steamed/blanched/stir-fried vegetables. One cup of lentils has the protein of 3 eggs, plus they don't require soaking and cook in about 20-30 minutes.

Snacks:
Apples
Boiled eggs
Leftover vegetables

One sample meal:
1 cup brown rice cooked (cook in a rice cooker)
1 cup lentils cooked (boil, then lower the heat, cover, and simmer for 20-30 minutes until done)
Acorn or butternut squash, chopped (boil, then cover and simmer)
Steamed collard greens or kale (steam about 1 minute)

To season, add 1-2 spoons of Tamari at the table, or salt and pepper, or toasted/dry-roasted sesame seeds (pour the seeds in a pan with no water or oil, put over high heat, and stir until toasted). I buy large bags of sesame seeds in a health food store because the regular grocery store only has the small expensive jars in the spice area.

Drinks:
black coffee
water (filtered, with lemon slices)

Hummus, fruits, cottage cheese, tuna, frozen and fresh veggies, old fashioned oatmeal, nuts, dark chocolate

Skinny taste.com , Pinterest will have some great suggestions . I keep no sugar chocolate pudding and apples and baby carrots ANSI peanut butter handy. Also 0 fat Greek yogurt

OK cool stupid question but is peanut butter healthy??? i was thinking of putting some on celery but im confused because one mfp friend said that her addiction was peanut butter like it was a bad thing??? is it i always thought it was healthy

Peanut butter is essentially a fat. It is a healthier fat, with some nice benefits and WONDERFUL taste, but it is very calorie-dense. I have peanut butter every day. I crave it more than chocolate. But I plan ahead for it. You just have to be careful of serving size and not carry the jar and spoon around with you, but it doesn't have to be "unhealthy".

My top 5 things in the fridge are:

plain yoghurt - whichever has the best protein/calorie count
eggs eggs eggs! - 2 a morning at breakfast most days
chicken breast + things I like to have them with like shiitake mushrooms, sprouts, capsicum, pasta sauce, garlic
salad mix leaves + salad stuffs such as carrots, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, capsicum, bean sprouts
full cream milk to mix a little with eggs and a little with protein powder, given my macros for the day

top 5 things not in the fridge but super duper amazing

protein powder - I have one which is 78 cals per serving and 15g protein
plain cocoa powder (mix with protein powder, 50ml milk and a small banana for a 200~250cal post workout drink that tastes like dessert)
chia seeds - mixed with my eggs every morning, great for energy!
vitamin D - I am deficient like most people and if I don't get it, I become really tired and lethargic
fresh fruit - apples, oranges, kiwi, papaya, bananas, strawberries... you get the idea (some berries go in the fridge I guess)


YOU ARE MAKING ME HUNGRY!

edit: AND DRIED BEANS! They are amazing, add 1/2 a cup to salads or chicken + pasta sauce, so heavenly and some really healthy carbs and protein just be sure to soak for 12hours, wash REALLY well after soaking and wash again REALLY well after cooking - this avoids the 'beans beans the magical fruit, the more you eat the more you toot!' phenomenon. Seriously, no gas if done right.

lentals....?? when you cook them do you season them anyway? do they taste good with lime or sea salt? or cooked onion?? i have never heard of these... but a HUGE turn on for me is that (posted above) you do not need to soak them AND they only take 30 minutes to cook... i feel like pinto beans take FOREVER!

They are spelled Lentils. You can buy them in the grocery store in little plastic bags in the aisle with other beans and rice. A bag costs $1.20 here. You can also buy them in bulk in a health food store (and check the price per lb because the regular store might be cheaper). There are several kinds, brown (sold in grocery stores) and colors (red and I think yellow, sold along with brown in health food stores). I think the only difference is the brown holds its shape while the colored lentils can turn to mush if overcooked.

I don't know how they taste with lime, but they taste fine with salt. They are also great with onions, tomatoes, avocado, and winter squash like butternut and acorn.

I don't like to cook, so lentils are perfect for me. They are cheap, have a ton of protein (1 cup of lentils = the protein of 3 eggs), you don't have to soak them, and they cook in 20-30 minutes (boil, then cover and simmer). I usually cook a batch that lasts several days. I eat 1 cup of lentils with 1 cup of brown rice at a meal, or 2 cups of lentils with no rice. Works for me!

The key is just to switch over to fruits and veggies...and proteins with better fats. Eat a banana instead of chips. Have greek yogurt instead of ice cream. Make quinoa instead of white pasta. Fix tofu instead of beef.

One of my favorite meals is arugula with mini heirloom tomatoes, black grapes, and 1 tbsp of feta with a splash of balsamic.

You could also buy Annie's Parmesan Peace Pasta, fix it without the butter, throw in some tomatoes and broccoli, and you have an easy meal (slightly high in sodium) that will be filling but tasty.


Raw almonds are wonderful, and I do have one little square of dark chocolate every day. It helps curb the sweet cravings, and I feel satisfied.

I also drink a lot of green tea.

Good thread as I probably need to add some to mine (which I will share)....

Here are my go to weight loss foods:

1. Greek Yogurt - Love this stuff, so many different flavors.
2. Celery - Some people hate it...I love it plain with just a little salt
3. Eggs - Enough said
4. Fruits - Bananas, Apples, Pears, etc.

and my favorite that most will scoff at...

5. Spicy Fried Pork Skins - I know it sounds gross, but I absolutely love them because they replace the crunch of potato chips, are actually quite filling, and have no carbs. They're high in sodium so I do eat them in moderation. But, I love eating just half a handful very slowly and it feels like I had a bag of chips.

Good luck!

Strawberries
Grapes
Bananas
yogurt
celery
peanut butter ( it has 190 calories for 2 tablespoons)
tuna
chicken
any kind of lean meat
salad
onions
tomatoes
100 calorie popcorn
avocado
any veggies and any fruits will be good
eggs
turkey bacon