Dinner for under 600 calories

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denitraross
denitraross Posts: 325 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Hi all, I started using MFP about a month and a half ago. My calorie goal is about 1200 per day. I usually only have about 400-600 left for dinner each night (using about 300 for breakfast and about 300 for supper)...on the days I work out, I usually get between 200-500 extra calories to use, and this is enough with my previous 400 or so.....but on the days I do not work out (1-2 days per week), I find it very hard to stick to 400-600 calories as I am usually starving by supper time.....I do like salads, but eat them alot for lunch, so not fussy to have them at supper time too.....so I am looking for ideas for filling suppers between 400-600 calories...any ideas?

Replies

  • veganempress
    veganempress Posts: 53
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    I have the same problem as well. I am a vegetarian so tofu and non meat projects dont have many calories. But I have noticed that when I eat less carbs I tend to stay within my goals. So I would say have some lean meat (baked) and green veggies besides salad. Broccoli, Zucchini, Peas.. etc. Hope this helps. Also note that Salad dressings also tack extra calories on quick so what I do when I make my salad is instead of pouring it directly on the salad I take the spoon and toss the salad with the dressing on it. This way it will also reach the salad at the bottom and I wont have to worry about adding more. I love creamy dressing so this is very helpful for me.
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,293 Member
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    chicken breast (4oz = 184 cals) and steamed broccoli (1 cup 54 cals).
    total would be 238 cals leaves room for sauces or another side.
  • Tabs_A
    Tabs_A Posts: 69 Member
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    I like making home made soups.If you use low sodium broths and load the soup up with veggies and a bit of noodles and meat it really fills you up! I usually use chicken or turkey with some broken up spaghetti noodles, onions,garlic,peas,corn,carrots etc. Or you can use cubed potatoes instead of noodles. Also making stir fry is good, easy on the rice and meat and tons of veggies! My meals like these are usually under 600 cal. Good luck!
  • sherylhs
    sherylhs Posts: 141 Member
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    Hi there!
    My dinners are mostly under 600 calories. The basics are chicken, brown rice (with butter) and a veggie. But we also have a taco night - I can do three tacos for under 450 calories with reduced fat shredded cheddar and light sour cream. Chicken quesadillas come in about 515 calories.

    Now that it's colder I make a homemade chicken noodle soup that ends up being about 125 cals a cup.

    I also make a chicken stir fry (with brown rice) for under 400 cals for a cup and a half serving of the stir fry.

    I would be happy to share recipes with you if you are interested. I use the meals feature to figure out how many calories and I measure everything. It works for me.

    Good luck on yor journey!
    ~S
  • sherylhs
    sherylhs Posts: 141 Member
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    Tabs_A - great minds! lol
  • adventurechicki
    adventurechicki Posts: 8 Member
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    There are a couple great cook books that I love!
    1000 Low Fat, Salt, Sugar & Cholesterol Recipes to Tempt Your Tastebuds
    http://www.amazon.com/Sugar-Cholesterol-Recipes-Tempt-Tastebuds/dp/0752558048
    Cook Yourself Thin
    http://www.amazon.com/Cook-Yourself-Thin-Skinny-Minutes/dp/B002UXRZTY/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1287685909&sr=1-1
    Cook Yourself Thin Faster
    http://www.amazon.com/Cook-Yourself-Thin-Faster-Recipes/dp/B00403NFUA/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1287685932&sr=1-2

    They are really really fabulous! For the first one you can find whole recipes under 3-400. :) I honestly rarely have anything over 300 calories. :) Also I like these because it teaches you more healthy ways of cooking & preparing. It also gives you a lot more variety so you are excited to eat and enjoy scrumptious tastes! :) Oh and to just keep things even and from me going up and down. I always stay under my 1200 calories even on work out days. I figure that I need the work outs to propel me forward on the weight loss and it doesn't readjust my system to wanting more.

    Good luck!
  • SassyStef
    SassyStef Posts: 413
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    I find tons of reciepes in my Health magazine and Health.com They have great meals for under 400 calories sometimes. I totally understand what you mean about the non work out days can be the challenging ones because you are not eating back your work out calories.
    I hope this helps. Tonight I am trying a Chicken Pasta Primavera that is 410 calories!! It is from the July/August 2010 issue of health magazine.

    Best of luck to you!!
  • IbettR
    IbettR Posts: 139 Member
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    Wow, where do I begin :love: There's grilled chicken breast (pan-fried with Olive Oil PAM) and baked potato; there's baked salmon with a side salad (Green Giant also makes these 'steamer' side dishes); you can make your own creative tuna salad (with light mayo) and add green peppers, red onions, a little shredded cheese, beets (for iron), corn, raisins and/or apple chunks (if you like sweet in your salad, like me); a subway sandwich; DIY cobb salad; stuffed peppers (with ground turkey) and low-fat shredded cheese :love: Hope this helps :drinker:
  • slg334
    slg334 Posts: 25
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    Can you give me the recipe for your stir fry..I'm not a cook but I want to learn how to cook a healthy stir fry.
  • denitraross
    denitraross Posts: 325 Member
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    I would love to share recipes...especially the stirfry one..
  • sherylhs
    sherylhs Posts: 141 Member
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    Hi slg334,
    Here is my stir-fry recipe. I cook mine in a wok, but you could probably use a large / deep fry pan, as long as it has a lid.

    Let me know if you have any questions, I would be happy to answer them for you.

    INGREDIENTS CALORIES CARBS FAT PROTEIN
    Tyson - 100% All Natural Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast Tenderloins, 24.1 oz.
    Kc Masterpiece - Marinade - Honey Teriyaki W/Sesame, 7 Tbsp. (15ml)
    Reese - Water Chestnuts - Sliced, 1 Can (113g)
    White Onion - Raw, 7 oz (about 1/2 of a large onion)
    Generic - Garlic Raw Clove, 1 raw clove (3g)
    Meijer - Triple Washed Sliced Mushrooms, 8 oz
    Broccoli - Raw, 317 g (8 oz)
    Pearson - Bean Sprouts, 8 oz
    Kirkland Signature - Extra Virgin Olive Oil,4 Tbsp (15 ml)
    Add Ingredient

    Total cal: 1740 Makes about 12 cups.
    Per 1 cup Serving : 145 calories not including the rice

    Chicken tenderloin, cubed and marinated in the honey teriyaki sauce for at least 1/2 an hour.
    one garlic clove
    1/2 white onion, cut in large peices
    mushrooms (pre-sliced)
    Put all ingrediants above in pre-heated wok in EVOO (olive oil)


    After chicken is cooked add the following around the side to steam, cover for about 5 minutes
    broccoli in small florets
    one can of sliced water chestnuts (drained)
    one 8 oz bag of bean sprouts

    You can really add or subtract any veggies you like. Sometimes I add pea pods, but my hubby doesn't like them so I don't add often.

    Serve over brown rice or chow mein noodles
  • velvetechos
    velvetechos Posts: 234
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    I tend to keep all of my meals in the 400-500 range, feel free to add me or check my food diary :)
  • kdiamond
    kdiamond Posts: 3,329 Member
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    Check for recipes on cookinglight.com - they have lots for under 500 calories...and they have all of the nutritional info listed right on each recipe.
  • junejbradham
    junejbradham Posts: 1
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    Take a look at thin dish.com and there is a blog re 20 meals under 600 calories

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