Foodstuffs to try that are lower in calories than expected?

Rosie_McA
Rosie_McA Posts: 256 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I like to keep a decent variety in what I eat whilst sticking to my goals and have found a number of items that I really like but which have a lower calorie hit than I expected. For example, I adore cooked endive and found that if I just stopped cooking it in sauces, white wine, butter, etc that the flavour I enjoy is still there but the calories are pretty low.
Regarding fish I hardly ever used to touch the stuff but now am hooked on salmon steaks, grilled fillets, smoked haddock and the like. If I don't eat the skin I can have a lot more of it without surpassing my daily target.

I realize that I shouldn't avoid other items in my daily menu based on calories alone but I already know which of the high cal foodstuffs I prefer!
I adore my salads and vegetables so will often have items like savoy cabbage, leeks, courgettes, broccoli, cucumber, scallions, lettuce, etc in my diet.
Just after some perhaps unexpected or unusual lower calories things to try?

Replies

  • acpgee
    acpgee Posts: 7,963 Member
    I was surprised by crab sticks. Only 16 calories each and a portable protein based snack.
  • AviBZ
    AviBZ Posts: 23 Member
    Edemame. About 60 calories for a quarter cup snack. I like to eat the ones in the pod. It takes a little longer to eat them, and the pods give you a kind of visual cue. I find that I feel satisfied without eating very many. Very tasty.
  • Rosie_McA
    Rosie_McA Posts: 256 Member
    Edemame. About 60 calories for a quarter cup snack. I like to eat the ones in the pod. It takes a little longer to eat them, and the pods give you a kind of visual cue. I find that I feel satisfied without eating very many. Very tasty.
    Had to google edemame pods! There's a large Japanese and Korean community in my part of North London so I sure there's a good chance I can find some fresh ones on sale in the area.
  • gabriela94x
    gabriela94x Posts: 6
    'Cocoa delight' Naked bars! I'm a serious chocoholic, needed something to fill my sweet craving. They're only 130 calories, made up entirely of : dates, cashews, raisins and cocoa

    They taste heavenly ???? like a really rich chocolate bar, absolutely no funky ingredients and it's obviously vegan friendly -trying to cut down on the amount if animal products I take in. Already feel heaps better :)

    And because of them, I've discovered my love of dates. Who needs Mars bars ;)
  • nlg1974
    nlg1974 Posts: 7 Member
    Edemame. About 60 calories for a quarter cup snack. I like to eat the ones in the pod. It takes a little longer to eat them, and the pods give you a kind of visual cue. I find that I feel satisfied without eating very many. Very tasty.
    Had to google edemame pods! There's a large Japanese and Korean community in my part of North London so I sure there's a good chance I can find some fresh ones on sale in the area.

    Itsu sell them in pots - I often add them to my lunch purchases!!
  • KarenJanine
    KarenJanine Posts: 3,497 Member
    Edemame. About 60 calories for a quarter cup snack. I like to eat the ones in the pod. It takes a little longer to eat them, and the pods give you a kind of visual cue. I find that I feel satisfied without eating very many. Very tasty.
    Had to google edemame pods! There's a large Japanese and Korean community in my part of North London so I sure there's a good chance I can find some fresh ones on sale in the area.

    Itsu sell them in pots - I often add them to my lunch purchases!!

    Wasabi chains sell them too. Wagamamas and Giraffe also have them as starters. They are awesome.
  • acpgee
    acpgee Posts: 7,963 Member
    Edemame. About 60 calories for a quarter cup snack. I like to eat the ones in the pod. It takes a little longer to eat them, and the pods give you a kind of visual cue. I find that I feel satisfied without eating very many. Very tasty.
    Had to google edemame pods! There's a large Japanese and Korean community in my part of North London so I sure there's a good chance I can find some fresh ones on sale in the area.

    Itsu sell them in pots - I often add them to my lunch purchases!!

    Wasabi chains sell them too. Wagamamas and Giraffe also have them as starters. They are awesome.

    It will be cheaper to just buy them from the frozen section of an Asian Supermarket. Boil to the tenderness of your liking and add a sprinkle of coarse salt.
  • Jenky85
    Jenky85 Posts: 190 Member
    Edemame. About 60 calories for a quarter cup snack. I like to eat the ones in the pod. It takes a little longer to eat them, and the pods give you a kind of visual cue. I find that I feel satisfied without eating very many. Very tasty.
    Had to google edemame pods! There's a large Japanese and Korean community in my part of North London so I sure there's a good chance I can find some fresh ones on sale in the area.

    M&S and Waitrose sell them in their lunch range (area with all their wraps, sandwiches, salads etc) :)
  • Myhaloslipped
    Myhaloslipped Posts: 4,317 Member
    Ahi tuna and swordfish steaks. I was shocked and pleased when I found out that a whopping 9 ounces is something like 300 calories (or close to that).
  • Jenky85
    Jenky85 Posts: 190 Member
    Just realised I probably should add something to this thread rather than just telling you where to buy edamames! I was surprised at the yummy soups I could make with low calories. My favourite is plain carrot...tastes so creamy and yummy with just carrots, onion and some veg stock blended up. I add chillis too for some spice. Delicious and so good for you.
  • Jenky85
    Jenky85 Posts: 190 Member
    Oh and I buy bags of Youngs frozen white fish fillets, they're often on offer in sainsburys, and each fillet is only 95 calories! So versatile and at those calories you can even eat two! We make fish tacos, Spanish fish stew, Italian braised fish, fish tikka.... Yum
  • Rosie_McA
    Rosie_McA Posts: 256 Member
    One thing I do love are hot chilli peppers and have been growing my own for a number of years. I put loads in chutneys and jams but dry most of them. Once dry I remove most of the seeds and then stick them in a spice grinder to make rough flakes.
    Only about 5 calories for 2tsp which is more than enough per meal (I grow some of the world's hottest).
    Apparently they've got high levels of vitamin A and C and lots of health benefits too if the studies are to be believed - pain relief, reducing inflammation, lowering blood cholesterol, reducing the spread of prostate cancer, clearing nasal congestion, boosting immunity, preventing stomach ulcers, lowering the risk of type 2 diabetes, and due to the body heat increase (thermogenesis) the hot pepper causes they actually help to burn calories.
    Souce: World's Healthiest Foods (whfoods.org).

    So hot peppers has to be my No.1 choice then!
  • SingingSingleTracker
    SingingSingleTracker Posts: 1,866 Member
    I like to keep a decent variety in what I eat whilst sticking to my goals and have found a number of items that I really like but which have a lower calorie hit than I expected. For example, I adore cooked endive and found that if I just stopped cooking it in sauces, white wine, butter, etc that the flavour I enjoy is still there but the calories are pretty low.
    Regarding fish I hardly ever used to touch the stuff but now am hooked on salmon steaks, grilled fillets, smoked haddock and the like. If I don't eat the skin I can have a lot more of it without surpassing my daily target.

    I realize that I shouldn't avoid other items in my daily menu based on calories alone but I already know which of the high cal foodstuffs I prefer!
    I adore my salads and vegetables so will often have items like savoy cabbage, leeks, courgettes, broccoli, cucumber, scallions, lettuce, etc in my diet.
    Just after some perhaps unexpected or unusual lower calories things to try?

    Dill pickles
    Raisins
    Apple
    Coffee
    Water
    Celery
    Carrot
    Spinach
  • Lizzy622
    Lizzy622 Posts: 3,705 Member
    My hubby went on Weight Watchers so I made a big pot of the zero point soup. It is really filling and only 100 calories a cup.
  • ElizabethFuller
    ElizabethFuller Posts: 352 Member
    Edemame. About 60 calories for a quarter cup snack. I like to eat the ones in the pod. It takes a little longer to eat them, and the pods give you a kind of visual cue. I find that I feel satisfied without eating very many. Very tasty.
    Had to google edemame pods! There's a large Japanese and Korean community in my part of North London so I sure there's a good chance I can find some fresh ones on sale in the area.

    If not, they sell snack sized pots in Waitrose, with the sushi. Just don't eat the pods! I bought them as a snack, had never had them before and thought they were like snow peas. I thought they were tasty but VERY tough. I mentioned it to my niece who put me right. :laugh:
  • ZOOpergal
    ZOOpergal Posts: 176 Member
    For a filling snack food I eat popcorn. As long as you don't drench it with butter you can eat tons of it. Use a little "spray butter" , and sprinkle with cajun seasoning...delicious.
  • train_01
    train_01 Posts: 135 Member
    Asparagus (Steamed) is only 30 calories for an entire cup. I could eat POUNDS of it! Sprinkle some parm cheese on it and it's low calorie heaven!
  • mandasauruss
    mandasauruss Posts: 12 Member
    Rice cakes! They are delicious, and made with brown rice (something I didn't know before!) They are a great carb source for pre-workout and they're low cal. Usually about ~34-45/cake, depending on which flavor you get.

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