What are your Top 5 foods or items that make your life easier?
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I type mine in a spreadsheet that is always open on my computer.chris_in_cal wrote: »
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I usually have the opposite problem of most people -- remembering to eat enough. It's also hard for me to prepare meals or have an appetite sometimes due to some health issues.
Food:
1. Protein bars. If I need to add some protein and/or calories at the end of the day, it's good to have one of these. I also have them if I wake up without much appetite or if I'm not able to eat breakfast right away. I like ONE bars, Quest bars and protein cookies, and Fulfil bars.
2. Cereal. I realized I need to get more iron so I've been having cereal for dessert sometimes to add some iron and other nutrients and also because it tastes good. It's also easy to eat if you don't have much appetite. Honey Bunches of Oats with almonds is my favorite right now.
3. Rotisserie chicken from the grocery store. I don't usually cook meat because my partner is vegetarian so I don't want to cook meat just for one person. So I get one of these, pick off all the meat, put it in containers and freeze it. Then I just take out portions of it as needed. I also have canned salmon and tuna for the same reason.
4. Canned beans. Versatile, add protein and other nutrients, very inexpensive, and don't require much preparation.
5. Amy's Organic. I like to keep some Amy's Organic frozen meals and burritos for if I'm too tired to cook or don't have an appetite for anything else. Unfortunately they went up in price a lot due to inflation so I had to cut back. But they are on sale sometimes.
Non-Food:
1. Reusable straw. I have a collapsible metal one with a silicone tip, which goes inside a plastic case, and I use that one on the go. I also have a silicone one that I use at home. I actually got a paper cut on my lip one time from a paper straw and it bled for an hour. I also find that using reusable straws is a lot nicer of a user experience than disposable ones.
2. Dry erase board attached to my fridge that I use to write down when I open a container of food or cook something, so that I remember to use it up before it goes bad.
3. Checking the expiration dates of everything in my pantry, fridge, freezer, etc. once a month to prevent food waste.
4. Supermarket insert, digital coupons, and regular coupons. With grocery prices the way they are, I shop sales and use coupons and it's important to know when stuff you like is going on sale.
5. Dishwasher. I didn't have a dishwasher growing up and didn't have one for a lot of my adult life. I'm able to do a lot more cooking now because I don't have to worry about spending half an hour washing dishes afterwards. I also don't get back pain from having to bend over the sink for extended periods of time.
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1. My fitness pal
2. Canned tuna
3. Eggs
4. 90 sec microwave rice
5. Hint water0 -
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This week as I end dry January + deal with the stress & meds for newly diagnosed afib:
- Sparkling water
- Trader Joe's Teriyaki Seaweed Snacks
- Trader Joe's Oven Baked Cheese Snacks
- Siggi's Simple Ingredients Skyr
- de-caff coffee + Ovaltine _ Silk 25-calorie cashew milk
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Food scale
Water
Eggs
Meat/poultry
Vegetables
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Food scale
Magic Bullet blender (for smoothies)
The “alert” button on my phone calendar
The Less Alcohol group on MFP
Black coffee1 -
Top 5 food items:
1) Beans - canned or dry. Canned for when I fail to plan, dry for when I plan for days of meals. An inexpensive meal option with lots of protein and fiber.
2) Cole Slaw mix - perfect for throwing into stir-fry or adding as a filling for wraps. Another inexpensive yet filling option.
3) Huel hot and savory meals - a bit pricy, but an easy way to ensure you have a healthy meal on the go. They're vegan and come in a variety of options.
4) TVP - a relatively new discovery for me. Plant based protein that can be used to create fillings for tacos and pasta sauce among other things. Relatively inexpensive and easy to prepare.
5) Dark chocolate - slightly sweet, slightly bitter and perfect when I want just a little something after a meal.
Top 5 non-food items:
1) MFP - logging in keeps me motivated and accountable.
2) A food scale - I don't have anything fancy, but it's a great tool for understanding what my portions look like.
3) A water bottle - I take a bottle or cup everywhere to stay hydrated.
4) Good athletic shoes - I used to think these were a splurge item, but they are absolutely necessary if I want to go on long walks, a run or other types of workouts without pain in my feet, knees, hips and back.
5) A bathroom scale - to track trends in my weight. I used to weigh frequently but now that I am closer to maintenance, I use it to make sure I am still in an acceptable range (2-3 pounds in either direction).
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miniature guacamole packs. and pretzels with chocolate chips, 15 g of each.2
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Impossible "meats"
Protein bars
Sodastream fizzy water
Trader Joes Indian food
Noda Hop Drop and Roll IPA (on the days I am under my daily goal by 220cal!)0 -
1. My friend who expects me to get out of bed in the morning and go walk with her.
2. My dog who is really happy to go too.
3. Digital food scale for that reality check.
4. Traeger smoker grill - the most tender delicious chicken ever, with no oil!
5. Goat cheese - I am completely addicted to the soft crumbly kind. It’s an indulgence I look forward to and it’s a calorie win when I substitute it for other fats (butter, cream cheese, etc).3 -
1. Coffee. I don't really have to say more. I love the stuff. Two large cups a day. Sometimes just one. Used to be three. I don't need that anymore. I can't drink caffeine past about 14:00 without it affecting sleep, but I've started buying some decaf beans so I can have a cup later in the day if I want. Coffee makes my life easier. No doubt.
2. Garlic. Do I really need to say more about this? Coarsely chopped, not pressed. Cooked only lightly. So tasty, and so healthy. If some recipe says "a clove" I usually translate that to "a globe." I just move the decimal point. About 25 years ago or so, a friend came over while I was preparing a stir-fry. He looked at the pile of garlic and said, "My god man, you've turned it into a vegetable." Garlic makes my life better. Not easier per se; it's still a pain to clean it, but it's worth it.
3. Whetstone. I recently got a new one. My knives had become less sharp than they should be. They were dangerously dull. I have some other tools for sharpening, but I really thought a nice, large whetstone would really help. I was not disappointed. Now most of my knives are pleasantly sharp, and I'm working through the rest of them. Sharp knives make my life easier. And safer.
4. Food scale. Been said before. I have not much more to add. It sure helps me know what I eat when I prep at home, and using it so often helps keep my eye calibrated so I can still have a good estimate of what I choose to eat when I'm away from home. My scale makes keeping to my calorie budget easier.
5. Forests, rivers, and mountains. These bring joy to my life, and getting out to experience them improves my fitness and general outlook on life.
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Coffee, so true! Full pot. Sometimes need more. Sometimes there's left overs. Log 60oz and almost 18 Cal per day
Troublemaking if past noon though 
Plain greek yogurt and skyr: versatile
all veggies during loss and maintenance, rediscovered potatoes as a filling veggie/starch near the end of weight loss: food preparation methods do matter
sucralose: substituting sugar for sucralose didn't get me ahead before starting to lose weight. in-taking copious amounts of sucralose hasn't stopped weight loss or maintenance. or inhibited any regains during either. And it can be heated up successfully. Again "food preparation methods do matter". Some sucralose packaging provides an appreciable number of calories. Liquid doesn't.
spices and spray oils. the first I like, enjoy, and are calories I happily log including garlic in vegetable quantities
the second is a necessity for me to control the quantity but resent the fact that I am using the low quality oils that come in the cans. yes, yes, I should get a "mister". Scale measurements show that for standard home measurements and quantities in the sub 10g range... what leaves the can in weight is what one logs in terms of oil used... 0 -
1- MFP
2- Skinny Food Company- barista shots for my coffee, high protein low carb bread amazing
3- digital food scale
4- almond milk no sugars
5- Coffee 🥰0 -
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spices and spray oils. the first I like, enjoy, and are calories I happily log including garlic in vegetable quantities the second is a necessity for me to control the quantity but resent the fact that I am using the low quality oils that come in the cans. yes, yes, I should get a "mister". Scale measurements show that for standard home measurements and quantities in the sub 10g range... what leaves the can in weight is what one logs in terms of oil used...
I have become ridiculously good at pouring eleven grams of olive oil, sunflower oil, grapeseed oil, or hazelnut oil directly from the bottle. I still weigh before and after the pour. It's become a bit of a challenge. If I go over... Oh well. Just means more calories because I'm gonna eat it.
On the other hand, when I do oven "fried" potatoes or roasted vegetables, I toss those spuds in a bit of oil (I bet you can guess how much) and spices before putting them on parchment paper lined sheets. When they are done, there's a fair bit of oil left on the tray that I don't eat. I still log it as if I ate it; kind of a bonus calorie bank that I don't actually check the balance of.1 -
I asked Nescafé about the energy content of Nescafé Gold Medium Roast, but they did not reply. That is disappointing because they don't have precise numbers on their Canadian website. However, they did give me a maximum caffeine content of 1600 mg for a 100 g jar. Since I use, on average, 1 jar a week, that means 230 mg a day. In other words: just about negligible except for hypersensitive people. Also, the European Union is using better legislation and better standards. Nestlé is selling "Nescafé Gold Blend" over there, which seems to be the same product, just a slightly different name and that has an energy content of 123 kcal per 100 g jar, so in my case, that means 18 kcal per day, the exact same energy content you are using. On a yearly basis, that makes for about 6600 kcal or a standardised 860 g of human fat. In other words, undetectable. As dietitians usually formulate it: it is a calorie-free drink.Coffee, so true! Full pot. Sometimes need more. Sometimes there's left overs. Log 60oz and almost 18 Cal per day Troublemaking if past noon though
Also: I used to add milk but no longer: I just add more water. That works fine for me. I won't win any culinary awards but then, that is not my goal. I just want something that takes away the awful taste of tap water.1 -
I have become ridiculously good at pouring eleven grams of olive oil, sunflower oil, grapeseed oil, or hazelnut oil directly from the bottle. I still weigh before and after the pour. It's become a bit of a challenge. If I go over... Oh well. Just means more calories because I'm gonna eat it.
It is amazing how accurate we can become with some of these things.
I usually use way less than 10g when it comes to oil spray even when cooking a large batch of something with multiple frying pan loads. Which is why I was happy enough to end the experiment at the 10g mark after determining that both the 'lose weight out of the can' and 'add weight to the pan' were changing equally, within the (substantial at about 0.5+g) scale (that I was using) margin of error
re: the nescafe: watch it Bart! the decaf and some of the place name ones are less than 100g!!!
The espresso formula is slightly different between Canada and Germany as I've been reliably informed. The general gold one looks the same. In any case, as you said, it is marginal. 1 -
Right you are. We have a few here at our local Loblaws that are 95 g (including Colombia) instead of 100 g. There is also Gold Espresso in jars of 200 g, but that is obviously a very special product indeed with completely different ingredients, as you can see in the spoiler:re: the nescafe: watch it Bart! the decaf and some of the place name ones are less than 100g!!! The espresso formula is slightly different between Canada and Germany as I've been reliably informed. The general gold one looks the same. In any case, as you said, it is marginal.A nice reminder that even multinationals pay little or no attention to the quality of the information they provide their marks.
https://www.madewithnestle.ca/nescafé/nescafé-gold-espresso
Soure: https://www.madewithnestle.ca/nescafe/nescafe-gold-espresso-instant-coffee-200-g
In all, as you said, a marginal difference, especially since the grand totals are already marginal and essentially within the margin of error, meaning they are undetectable outside of a room calorimeter (and most likely inside one as well ^_^), and given that there are only a few of those on the entire planet...
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1. SmartWater!! I’m prone to dehydration (hospitalized for a it a few years ago… a trait passed down from my dad). I drink about four 24oz bottles by noon.
2. My dog-dog!! Definitely a great motivator to get up and go!
3. Salad! I change up the toppings occasionally to keep it interesting but a good, old fashioned salad really makes my heart happy.
4. My food/exercise logging notebook. Extremely helpful.
5. Diet Pepsi. My weakness. A treat I enjoy 3-4 times a week.3 -
1.MFP - calorie counting.
2.Digital scale to weigh food for accurate tracking.
3.Twice daily walking routine & activity tracker with targets
4.Daily weigh in and charting first thing in morning.
5.Dieting in concert with partner who is on a similar journey0 -
cryonic_273 wrote: »5.Dieting in concert with partner who is on a similar journey
This #5 is a good one. Challenging too.
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Love this thread - such a great prompt & I love reading people’s answers! For me, my top five are (in no particular order):
1. Nutribullet This makes quick & easy work (& cleanup) of green smoothies, açaí bowls, bulletproof coffee (though I prefer my immersion blender for this, after the heat & pressure caused the hot coffee to leak out & down into the mechanical base 😖)
2. Amazon Prime membership As much as I love supporting my local grocery stores & small businesses, the reality is I currently don’t have a lot of money to buy the healthy foods I’d like. Cost & convenience usual inform my food choices, even though I know better & prefer healthier options. I can order larger sizes of quality ingredients, at much lower prices than the grocery store, & they arrive at my house usually the next day!
3. Spinach I add spinach to EVERYTHING. It has a neutral enough flavor to sneak into green juice/smoothies without altering the flavor, and it’s an easy & affordable option to add to almost any meal. I’m always looking to add more greens to my diet without just sticking to salads, so I love sautéed spinach with eggs & other savory breakfast options, as well as adding it to grain bowls, pasta sauces, or even just on its own as a side - almost always with a little sautéed garlic as well.
4. Bananas I have been promising myself I’ll eliminate (or at least minimize) processed sweets, & freezing bananas to make “nice cream” is a wonderful alternative to traditional ice cream. You can add in cacao nibs and/or powder, vanilla bean powder/paste, peanut or almond (or your choice of nut) butter, or try strawberries, matcha powder… you’re really limited only by your imagination. As someone who has listed ice cream as her favorite food for 35 years, I can honestly say that this is a replacement that hits the spot & isn’t just a sad imitation of the real thing.
5. Monk Fruit Extract I struggled to choose my 5th item, but decided on this because (as I mentioned in #4, I’m trying to limit my sugar intake) I have really struggled to find an alternative sweetener that a) tastes good/doesn’t leave a weird aftertaste or mouthfeel, b) doesn’t have a huge impact on your blood sugar, and c) doesn’t cause digestive issues. I’ve been a Splenda person for 15-20 years, but when I decided to move towards a higher-protein/lower-carb diet (for weight loss & digestive issues) & I started doing Bulletproof coffee again, I went back to monk fruit extract (which is what I have used historically in bulletproof/keto coffee.) I know a lot of people that swear by Swerve, and I don’t HATE it. But I personally dislike the aftertaste of erythritol & stevia products, and have a hard time dealing with the bloating & discomfort that comes along with sugar alcohols, so…. Monk fruit it is!
This post was a little (okay, a lot) wordier than I intended, but hopefully it’s useful for anyone else just starting a journey to mindful eating, or re-starting after a period of a less than healthy diet.
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Arielcupcakes wrote: »2. Amazon Prime membership As much as I love supporting my local grocery stores & small businesses, the reality is I currently don’t have a lot of money to buy the healthy foods I’d like. Cost & convenience usual inform my food choices, even though I know better & prefer healthier options. I can order larger sizes of quality ingredients, at much lower prices than the grocery store, & they arrive at my house usually the next day!
This one came out of left field, but I really like your list. Thanks.
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For 2024:
- Kitchen counter food scale
- frozen veggies
- Club soda
- My running watch streams spotify podcast....Fire!
- Downloaded my supermarket's app and I can list up everything that's on sale..saves me over 40%
I love this thread, there are a million great ideas here.0 -
somehow, when i do these things or use these things.. i lose weight.
Log onto MFP daily to read posts ( I never track calories)
small cooler for my car
great lunch bag
lots of meal prep plastic containers.
keeping fridge stocked with my whole foods and goodies.
light weights and exercise gadgets in my house1 -
1. Bicycle
2. Food Scale
3. Chili with 96/4 beef, or 99/1 turkey
4. Using the french, or spanish option for languages on my fitness pal
5. Tea noir et vert (black tea, and green, francais)0 -
Greek yogurt
Digital scales
MFP
Fish
Chicken0 -
#1) Air Fryer - Can't believe this hasn't appeared on everyone's list. So fast, easy and healthy.
#2) Spinach - A mainstay of my forever-way-of-eating. I like zapping in the MW for :30 first.
#3) Steamed Broccoli - Great ready made snack to have pre-made. Prefer steaming in MW from fresh.
#4) Edamame - Another great low calorie, low carb, high protein snack. I get 'em roasted in bulk.
#5) Good, sharp knifes - and a good sharpener to keep them that way. Life is too short to put up with a dull blade.
There are so many other things that have aided my journey to a healthier me. Foods and gadgets that I consider necessities and that have already been listed by others. These though are my Top 5.
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1. Flavored carbonated water - trying to break a soda habit (again)
2. Frozen vegetables - they cook up so fast and easy. Steamed, stir fried, or roasted.
3. YouTube - for workout videos. Just a huge selection.
4. Potatoes - very filling for me and good nutrition. Goes with everything.
5. Lake front trail - when it is warmer this is a great option for a beautiful walk. Luckily I only live a couple blocks from it (yay city living)1 -
1. Salads
2. Smart Phone
3. Amazon Prime
4. Brita water bottle
5. Green Tea0
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