Meal Planning Confusion

Options
AprilLTaylor
AprilLTaylor Posts: 4 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Any advice for a college student who is trying to meal plan? I don't eat red meat or poultry, and I am having an incredibly difficult time coming up with meals that are low carb.

Replies

  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    Options
    Are you cooking for yourself or eating in a dining hall? Is there a particular reason why you've chosen to do a low carbohydrate diet with your particular food restrictions? It can be done, but it can potentially make it much more challenging.
  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,575 Member
    Options
    Lots of fish, seafood, greek yogurt, eggs and vegetables, I would think.

    Salad with boiled eggs or canned fish.
    Seafood gumbo
    veggie omelets
    fish/seafood with a veggie side
    shrimp stir fry
    greek yogurt with berries
  • AprilLTaylor
    AprilLTaylor Posts: 4 Member
    Options
    janejellyroll wrote: »
    Are you cooking for yourself or eating in a dining hall? Is there a particular reason why you've chosen to do a low carbohydrate diet with your particular food restrictions? It can be done, but it can potentially make it much more challenging.

    I am not strictly trying to do a low carb diet, but I tend to use carbs as a handicap (EX. pizza, spaghetti) to create something unhealthy but easy. I am just looking for different and healthier options because it can be a bit overwhelming. Currently I either cook for myself or eat fast food, but I would much rather completely cook for myself.
  • Treece68
    Treece68 Posts: 780 Member
    Options
    I have been diggin salmon marinated with soy sauce and honey mustard cooked in oven with a side of (insert green veg here) YUM. Use Zucchini as pasta with the regular fixings.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    Options
    AprilLTaylor wrote: »
    janejellyroll wrote: »
    Are you cooking for yourself or eating in a dining hall? Is there a particular reason why you've chosen to do a low carbohydrate diet with your particular food restrictions? It can be done, but it can potentially make it much more challenging.

    I am not strictly trying to do a low carb diet, but I tend to use carbs as a handicap (EX. pizza, spaghetti) to create something unhealthy but easy. I am just looking for different and healthier options because it can be a bit overwhelming. Currently I either cook for myself or eat fast food, but I would much rather completely cook for myself.

    I wouldn't necessarily lump pizza into higher carb. Sometimes fat is the (calorie bomb) culprit.

    Moderate carb pizza - thin crust, lots of veggies, lean meats (or no meat), low sugar sauce, and modest cheese.

    Pasta - fill up your plate with veggies instead of relying on a big(ger) portion of pasta. You can have a veggie (added) sauce or a cook veggies in with the pasta. Mac'n Cheese for example, you could stir in some cooked cauliflower and hardly notice. Our plates shouldn't be filled with pasta, that's just not a normal portion size. I make a very veggie potato salad.....same principle.
  • sammyliftsandeats
    sammyliftsandeats Posts: 2,421 Member
    Options
    AprilLTaylor wrote: »
    Any advice for a college student who is trying to meal plan? I don't eat red meat or poultry, and I am having an incredibly difficult time coming up with meals that are low carb.

    Do you eat eggs?

    I am going to assume a college student budget here and please, correct me if I'm wrong, but eggs are a cheap food and you can boil up a bunch in advance and take some on the go with you for school. You can make egg salad and bring along leaves of romaine as little shells to eat them with.

    As for fish, cans of tuna or salmon can be cheaper and provide great protein. That may keep you fuller for longer. Chop in some celery and mayo, and you will have a nice little meal that is portable between classes.
  • Queenmunchy
    Queenmunchy Posts: 3,380 Member
    Options
    I cook soups, stews, chilis, stir fries, curries, stuffed peppers, meatloaf muffins, meatballs, frittatas/egg bakes and either freeze in portions or flash freeze. I just heat and eat what I want.
  • Lounmoun
    Lounmoun Posts: 8,423 Member
    Options
    http://www.kalynskitchen.com has lots of low carb recipes.

    My advice is to eat food you like and log. If your goal is to lose weight stick to your calorie deficit. Get enough protein and eat several servings of vegetables or fruits a day.
    If you are having trouble thinking of low carb meals that signals to me that a low carb diet probably isn't very sustainable for you right now.
    All food has nutrients. You need to eat food that combines to meets your nutritional needs for the day. That could be a sandwich, pizza, salad, fruit, cottage cheese, taco, oatmeal, vegetables, fruit, nuts, pasta, rice, eggs. Don't get hung up labeling food junk.
  • littlechiaseed
    littlechiaseed Posts: 489 Member
    Options
    Why does it have to be low carb?
  • cemason1993
    cemason1993 Posts: 2 Member
    edited January 2017
    Options
    Hello,
    I find that greek yogurt instead of milk, on top of oatmeal with fruit, is fairly high in protein, fiber, and curbs appetite for sugar. fried rice (egg and rice) with tofu is good, the trick is figuring out how you like to spice the tofu. My boyfriend makes me eggplant all the time. Roasted tomatoes. Make your own bean veggie burgers- beans, egg, and flower (add any kind of veggie that you want and they turn out pretty good.)

Categories