low calorie cheat food ideas

hnic76
hnic76 Posts: 22 Member
edited April 2018 in Food and Nutrition
I know the title might be kind of confusing but on the weekends, since i’m home all day i’m always looking for things to snack on or i’m always just craving a “cheat meal” (pizza,fast food,candy, oreos- things like these) . typically when i post asking for food ideas i get a lot of people telling me that as long as i don’t go over my calories for the day, i can eat just about anything i want; i totally get that!! but i’m very early into dieting and eating right and i quickly realized that i benefit more from not allowing myself to have things like that, so that’s why i’m curious if any of you have any snack ideas or meals that are low calorie that would satisfy these cravings!!

Replies

  • skelterhelter
    skelterhelter Posts: 803 Member
    Do you like potato chips? I love the Baked Cheddar and Sour Cream Ruffles. They're 140 calories for a snack sized bag, but I'm happy with the portion (especially when it accompanies a sandwich!) and they are super addicting!
  • Momepro
    Momepro Posts: 1,509 Member
    Air popped popcorn, you can always add seasonings and flavors to it, rice cakes, fruits, veggie chips.
  • try2again
    try2again Posts: 3,562 Member
    80 calorie Dannon Fit & Light Greek yogurt (tiramisu, strawberry cheesecake, pumpkin pie when I can find it) with Cool Whip.

    Pizza made with an ultra thin pre-baked crust (the brand I get here is called Golden Home). I go light on the cheese (4 oz for a pizza) and fatty meats, but can make a supreme pizza for about 130-150/slice that tastes just as good as a "regular" version.

    Oatmeal with a TB of dark chocolate chips.

    I made baked jalapeno poppers the other night for 75 cal/each. Large jalapenos, light cream cheese, a couple of TB of sharp cheddar, garlic powder, a TB of bacon bits, dipped in Panko crumbs & sprayed with cooking spray. 30 minutes in a 425 degree oven.

    A faux whopper with a Boca Burger (or lean ground turkey) on a 45 calorie Sara Lee bun piled high with tomato, lettuce, & the usual burger toppings.
  • rheddmobile
    rheddmobile Posts: 6,840 Member
    It helps me to think about what natural foods my body might really want which are causing the cravings. Eating poorly for a long time will confuse your taste buds! For example, I used to crave lemon candy when I wasn't eating enough fruit. Ice cream cravings can be satisfied with Greek yogurt with berries and dark chocolate. Plenty of protein usually gets me over fast food cravings. For salty, crunchy cravings I like sliced, salted radishes.
  • dutchandkiwi
    dutchandkiwi Posts: 1,389 Member
    rice cracker with a tomato and a little salt or pepper (ro separate they are nice too)
    Cucumber sliced
    Gurken
    blueberries
    an apple
  • JeromeBarry1
    JeromeBarry1 Posts: 10,182 Member
    Let's not call it cheating. Let's call it 'eating on a weekend'.

    Have a realistic plan, and stay with it.
  • ckam78
    ckam78 Posts: 39 Member
    I have been making a lot of burrito bowls lately - cauliflower rice, ground taco beef, avocado, salsa... could add some Blk beans too if you wanted. Satisfies the Mexican cravings and quite low calorie & carb.
  • psychod787
    psychod787 Posts: 4,088 Member
    MelanieCN77 wrote: »
    Fruit with lime juice squeezed on and a dash of tajin changes it up completely. Something like cantaloupe you can get a lot of bang for your calorie-buck with.

    I made muffin pizzas the other night - reduce a can of chopped tomatoes in a shallow pan, I season with paprika and chili flakes and a little oregano - toast muffin, apply tomatoes to taste, dust with finely shredded cheese and whack under the broiler for a minute or so. The cheese goes further than you think when grated small and melted, and I had the 100 calorie Thomas muffins and they were surprisingly substantial. Two muffins, the can of tomatoes and the cheese was only like 350 cals - I had some leftover pasta to go with for dinner.

    Are you married? If not..... let me know! Lol
  • Lounmoun
    Lounmoun Posts: 8,426 Member
    You can make lower calorie versions of fast foods and desserts.
    Homemade pizza with thinner crust, lower calorie ingredients
    Regular burgers, turkey burgers, veggie burgers
    Tacos using lean ground beef, ground turkey, beans or lentils... taco salad if the tortilla is too much.

    I find a lot of recipes through pinterest. If you search for low calorie desserts you will find some ideas.



  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 32,016 Member
    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10500016/low-calorie-protein-cheesecake

    Just sayin'. ;)
  • nooshi713
    nooshi713 Posts: 4,877 Member
    For salt cravings, I eat pickles. For sweet, lately I have strawberries with whipped cream, or a piece of dark chocolate.
  • psychod787
    psychod787 Posts: 4,088 Member
    edited April 2018
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10500016/low-calorie-protein-cheesecake

    Just sayin'. ;)

    Made it. Mmmnn good.
    Made this as well.
    https://youtu.be/fLdO4_NtSgY
  • lightenup2016
    lightenup2016 Posts: 1,055 Member
    A small snack size candy bar satisfies my sweet tooth and doesn't break the calorie bank. Sometimes I'll have a hot dog in a bun, which feels like I'm "cheating" (I don't really use that word), but it's only about 250 calories. We also make individual homemade pizzas using flour tortillas. About 300 cal each, and satisfies the pizza tooth :smile:
  • reeson1
    reeson1 Posts: 1 Member
    Apple chopped with a little peanut butter and small sprinkle of cinnamon is a game changer!
  • justjara123
    justjara123 Posts: 63 Member
    Sweet:
    - homemade milk tea (black tea, 1/2 cup low fat milk, 1 tsp. honey)
    - cereal
    - homemade fruit shakes or fruit pops. I wait until they're super ripe so that I don't have to add any more sugar.
    - frozen greek yoghurt with lots of fruits
    - jello
    - fruits + pb

    Savory:
    - popcorn
    - homemade veggie chips or veggie fries (when I'm out, I always have sweet potato fries instead of regular. Then season with salt and pepper, no ketchup)
    - cheese, sometimes with crackers

    These are all snacks though, not meal substitutes.
  • okiewoman510
    okiewoman510 Posts: 1,286 Member
    I second Greek yogurt. My current fave is toasted marshmallow. I dip apple slices in it. Yum!

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