MUST HAVE items in fridge for weightloss (foods)

frozen spinach(defrosted and drained for omelet)
eggs
cheese
salsa
cottage cheese
Non fat Greek yogurt(plain)
PB2
Frozen Berries
Fresh Berries
Almonds
brazil nuts
cashews
Flat Out wraps
Fresh Spinach/Spring Mix
chicken breast
lean pork
seafood(fish, scallops, shrimp)
fresh broccoli for sauteing
brussel sprouts for sauteing
extra virgin olive oil

Since its summer and I've increased my exercise, I make a protein shake using whey powder, milk, ice, frozen strawberries, and non fat strawberry yogurt. Makes a huge serving(3 cups?) for just over 250 calories. It helps fulfill my "its hot outside" so I want ice cream.


A food scale is so important! I forgo the "diet" versions of these things for the real thing. They taste so much better but I am also very careful to measure out a serving and record it in mfp.

Kosher Pickles.
Kimchi.
Green Olives.

The salt is as satisfying as fat or sugar.
Pickles and Kimchi are low calorie, and before you eat too many you are tired of them.
Olives need to be counted, but they are also very satisfying.

Not much on the raw vegetable end, but certainly they play a huge role.

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 has protein, but it also has a huge amount of fat. One tablespoon is about 200 calories.

I'm not sure what peanut butter you've used or seen that has 200 calories per tablespoon. Even the honey/peanut butter combo that Peter Pan makes, is still only 110 calories for a tablespoon.

Jif peanut butter is 190 calories for 2 tablespoons, at least that's what the jar in my pantry says. However, I switched over to PB2 and it's only 45 calories for 2 tablespoons. And I actually love it better than the processed peanut butter. And I get to have more peanut butter too!

Some staples in my pantry/fridge that have really helped (although my list may not be as 'healthy' as some, it works for me)

Maple Grove Farms Fat Fee Balsamic Vinegarette - 15 cals for 2 Tablespoons and yummy.
Sargento Ultra Thin Cheese slices - 40 to 45 cals per slice
EAS Advantage Chocolate Protein Shakes - 110 cals and ready to grab and go
Eggs, Eggs & More Eggs (I'm lucky, I have 11 hens that provide for me-- I just have to find the eggs!)
Mama Lupe's low carb tortillas - 60 cals
Frozen Greek Yogurt Bars - Yasso 80 cals and delish
Chicken Breast
Lean Beef
Hungry Girl Fold it Flatbreads - 100 cals and better than a hamburger bun
Flat Out Flatbreads - 140 cals for pizza
Ballpark Lean Pork Franks - 70 cals and 5 grams of fat
Sara Lee 45 calories and delicious bread - it really is good
Turkey Sausage Crumbles - I use 1/2 a serving which is 35 calories for omelets
Turkey Pepperoni - for Pizza


I'm certain there are others I'm forgetting. Of course I keep lots of salad stuff and generally have some type of salad prior to lunch and dinner. I find it makes the meal last longer and makes it more filling for very few calories.

Good luck!

All you have to do is eat LESS. But choosing more low calorie/high volume foods is helpful in staying full and satisfied.

0 fat plain Greek yogurt, unsweetened coco powder and some Splenda.
Unsweetened almond milk and a puffed rice cereal ( lots of volume for small amount of carbs)
Chicken breast, ONIONS PEPPERS,GARLIC, sirloin, baby red potatoes
Protein powder to hit protein macro

I keep stuff for salads on hand, eggs, bananas, and avocados. Unless I make an egg white and veggie omelette for breakfast, I typically stick with a fruit until noon, and raw until 5 approach. I have tried dieting every way there is... Staying under a certain calorie range, low carb, and nothing worked for me until this approach.

The only things I drink are coffee ( in the morning) and water for the rest of the day.

My must have snack are: strawberries, almonds, tomatoes, 70% or 85% dark chocolate and any raw veggie I like. Bell peppers are probably my favorite.

favorite easy low cal meals:

Taco salad...weigh/measure the meat and cheese or leave the cheese off

Stir fry veggies with either sauteed chicken or shrimp you can buy stir fry saucse or hoisen sauce or make your own sauce. I serve it over rice when I have extra cals.

Good luck!

Portabella mushroom caps. You can use them as a sandwich, you can chop them and add them to pretty much any dish. Low calorie, contains proteins... A little seasoning, and they will take most any flavor you're aiming for.

My fridge always has the following:

Natural Yoghurt
Why? Because it's versatile.
- A dollop on oats with berries and a drizzle of honey as a breakfast.
- Mix in a spoon of curry paste and it's a wonderful marinade for chicken.
- Mix in finely chopped cucumber, fresh mint, crushed garlic and a squidge of lemon juice and you have tzatziki, a dollop of which goes beautifully with poached salmon or trout.
- It makes wonderful lower-calorie versions of curries such as Chicken Korma
- For a lovely summery pudding, mix a couple of tablespoons of creamy Greek yoghurt with lemon curd, pop it into a glass with a handful of fresh raspberries on top

Celariac
Why? This replaces potatoes and it's just as tasty and a fraction of the calories.
- Peel it, chop it into the shape of fries, spritz with veg oil and season (I use sea salt, cracked black pepper and sometimes Paprika) and then bake on a tray in a hot oven for 15-20 minutes. It makes wonderfully sweet tasting fries.
- Peel it, cube it up and boil it in a pan of water, then drain and mash it with a dab of butter and season. Far, far tastier than mash potato!
- Fry up a couple of chopped onions and some garlic in a saucepan, add in veg or chicken stock and peeled/cubed celariac. Simmer until the celariac is soft, blitz it all up in a blender, stir through a couple of dollops of crème fraiche and you have a stunning soup.

Eggs
Why? Because you can do anything with an egg - endless omelette variations, scrambled with some lovely smoked salmon, poached on rye bread, baked in a bed of chopped tomatoes/peppers/chilli, hard-boiled and of course they are the staple you need to make pancakes, soufflés, mayonnaise etc etc

Chilli, Garlic & Fresh Ginger
Why? Because if you have these things in your fridge and some Soy Sauce and Rice Wine in your cupboard you have the base for a near endless variety of stirfrys and marinades.

Other fridge staples
- A variety of salad veg; interesting lettuce, radishes, cucumber, spring onions, tomatoes.
- A variety of berries and melon
- Smoked fish (salmon, trout, mackerel etc) because it's an ultra-quick meal on salad or toast
- Pickles
- Anchovies (these form the base of lots of great sauces/marinades for meat and are a key ingredient of Caesar salad dressing)
- White Miso Paste. Add water, chilli, spring onions and rice noodles for a healthy broth. Mix with soy sauce & rice wine vinegar for a killer marinade on meat.
....Oh and Vodka and White Wine. I always have those in my fridge *grin*

Cupboard Staples
- Dried rice noodles, rice (I get long-grain mixed with wild)
- Tinned tomatoes
- Honey
- Peanut butter
- Whole oats
- Packets of flavoured cous cous (pour boiling water on...wait 5 minutes. Done)
- Curry pastes/spice mixes
- Oat cakes
- Basic herbs and spices (incl sea salt flakes and black peppercorns)
- Harissa
- Soy Sauce
- Rice wine vinegar
- Nam Pla (Fish sauce)
- Oyster Sauce
- White wine vinegar & cider vinegar
- Popcorn (the healthier sort)
- Very good dark chocolate
- Tins of mixed beans, baked beans

Bump...as I'm looking to add more things to my diet