"Normal" food?

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  • Corina72
    Corina72 Posts: 15
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    I am trying to do the same thing: find family friendly recipes that are lower in calories and good for you. Here are a few of my examples:
    Spaghetti sauce - use lean ground turkey instead of hamburger and whole wheat pasta. The sauce will cover any difference in taste of the noodle.
    We eat salads with grilled chicken- the hardest part is the dressing choice. I "reinvented" the Ranch dressing!! One envelope of dry Ranch mix + 2 cups of nonfat plain yogurt. A serving of 2.5 oz- 30 calories
    Taco - replace the hamburger with lean ground turkey for the taco meat. Use the Reduced Carb/Flax, Oat Bran & Whole Wheat Pita Bread (60 calories -each) instead of taco shells.
    We use a lot of steamable vegetables - with grilled meat.
    Another thing: measure your food, don't guess. It works best for me. I made an excel spreadsheet with all the meats that we eat with calories/ oz. They vary based on the cooking (fried versus grilled). I use that for guidance plus I weigh my food.
    For meats- chicken breast, fish, pork loin, ground turkey are the ones that we mostly eat. When I have something different, I just adjust my calories for the other meals to be able to do that.
    For snacks- string cheese (low fat), sugar free pudding, low fat yogurt.
    I don't like protein shakes and fruit smoothies. In my mind those are meal replacements- that you should use occasionally, but I am positive that lots of people will disagree with me.
    I hope this helps.
  • desirae500
    desirae500 Posts: 146 Member
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    I eat totally "normal" foods. I often "tweak" our favorite recipes to cut fat and add veggies. Plus I include more sides of veggies, fruits, or salads and fill up on them. I occasionally use a protein shake in the morning for a quick breakfast.

    For example, today hubby wants spaghetti. I'll use a mixture of ground turkey and lean ground beef (he doesn't like all ground turkey), a no sugar added sauce (Hunts) and whole wheat pasta. I'll also have a veggie or salad on the side. I will enjoy a piece of garlic bread too!

    I find the "plate" method to work best. 1/2 plate veggies/fruit/salad, 1/4 plate entree or meat, 1/4 plate starch (potato, rice, bread!). I also use a smaller plate - what I guess is the salad plate in my set, rather that the huge dinner plate.

    Hope this helps! No need to spend extra $$ on fancy shakes, powders or bars!
  • paj315
    paj315 Posts: 335 Member
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    Cooking light magazine is awesome. They take more family friendly type meals and make them healthier.
  • melsinct
    melsinct Posts: 3,512 Member
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    I only eat normal foods- no fake sweeteners, no frozen diet meals, no protein shakes. My diary is open, feel free to look.
  • rbrannock
    rbrannock Posts: 169
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    I actually eat NORMAL food... its all about PORTION CONTROL .
    I use my measuring cups and measuring spoons to eat the actual serving sizes... after awhile you'll be able to eyeball it but i know for almost the first month and a half i HAD to measure EVERYTHING. ( istill measure A lot of things)
    I eat whatever everyone else eats but in moderation.
    I eat cheesecake...Lawlers cheesecake bites= 80 calories/piece
    I eat chocolate... M&Ms, 5 calories per M&m ... 5=25 calories 10=50 calories
    I eat burgers ... 80/20 chuck but I measure or weigh out exactly a 1/4 lb burger (before i cook, so the calories are accurate)
    NOW I DONT EAT THESE THINGS EVERYDAY MIND YOU but this journey isnt about depriving yourself or having to eat certain things...
    diets= yes and no foods
    life style change for weight loss= moderation, portion control, exercise

    But do what works best for you and your family. Just because someone else is doing it one way doesnt make that the ONLY way to do it.!! :flowerforyou:

    I agree with this......this is what I do. I basically eat all the same stuff I just eat smaller portions. For me, its all about portion control. I measure and go by serving size. Granted, if my husband chooses to eat out at McDonalds, I may go to Subway instead, but otherwise, I just watch my serving sizes and stay within my calorie goals for the day.
  • mmklinemm
    mmklinemm Posts: 58 Member
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    I'm 25 and on a budget. I can't really afford all the fab "diet foods". I buy basic things: lean meats, veggies, fruit... Sometimes I splurge on nuts and raisins to make trail mix. I spend a little more on the better applesauce (I don't want the supersweet cheap stuff). I cook at home for nearly every meal, so it's not hard for me to avoid the diet food fad. I just changed my cooking styles, my quantities, and added more veggies.

    This is exactly what I do. I'm cooking for my husband and my two young daughters (ages 6 and 4). We all eat the same dinners every night, just healthier meals than before. My husband and I are trying to lead by example for the kids, and do it on a single income. It works for us.
  • ki4yxo
    ki4yxo Posts: 709 Member
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    I still eat normal food, but I also exercise. We were at
    Wendy's yesterday, and instead of a Big Bacon Classic,
    with a chili, I got a plain single with no cheese, and a the
    veggies came in the form of a side salad with fat free Ranch.
    Now when I want a chili, I pour it on a baked potato! This is
    on the rare event we go out. Normally I use the hell out of my
    pressure cooker! :bigsmile:

    I just watch my goals, (mainly sodium) and work my dinner
    plans around what I have for lunch, to stay with in my goals.

    Actually it's kind of weird. If I watch my sodium, everything else
    just kind of falls in to line.
    "She falls in a well, eyes go crossed. She gets kicked by a mule,
    they go back to normal. I don't know."
    :tongue:
  • jdavis193
    jdavis193 Posts: 972 Member
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    I eat waht my family usually eats. My husband loves Bob evans mashed potato so I just do the serving and I still make a few processed meals I try not to but some things my husband just loves just I just plan my day around that. We can't afford for me to buy everything healthy. I can only spend about 240 or less a month on grocery's which isn't a lot but we make do. that is for 3 of us.
  • rowyourboat
    rowyourboat Posts: 125 Member
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    I get it, but I'm trying to feed my family in a healthy way also so I don't view it as diet food. Here's an example. Tacos, a staple in my house, are for dinner once a week. I make them with ground turkey and I use plain greek yogurt instead of sour cream. I serve a side salad, and it's a healthy "normal" meal. I now eat only two tacos instead of the three I used to eat. It's also about portions. Another staple meal in our house is grilled chicken with a vegetable either green beans or asparagus. My son doesn't eat those so he gets baby raw carrots. I'll make Pillsbury Crescent rolls for my family but only will eat one without butter if I can fit it into my calorie/fat/carb goals. You can do it, it just takes planning. Have fun and good luck!
  • SoDamnHungry
    SoDamnHungry Posts: 6,998 Member
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    Pretty much everything I eat is normal. The only really special things I've started buying are Sara Lee sandwich flats and fruits and veggies, but I should have been buying those anyway...
  • redcut
    redcut Posts: 176
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    I actually eat NORMAL food... its all about PORTION CONTROL .
    I use my measuring cups and measuring spoons to eat the actual serving sizes... after awhile you'll be able to eyeball it but i know for almost the first month and a half i HAD to measure EVERYTHING. ( istill measure A lot of things)
    I eat whatever everyone else eats but in moderation.
    I eat cheesecake...Lawlers cheesecake bites= 80 calories/piece
    I eat chocolate... M&Ms, 5 calories per M&m ... 5=25 calories 10=50 calories
    I eat burgers ... 80/20 chuck but I measure or weigh out exactly a 1/4 lb burger (before i cook, so the calories are accurate)
    NOW I DONT EAT THESE THINGS EVERYDAY MIND YOU but this journey isnt about depriving yourself or having to eat certain things...
    diets= yes and no foods
    life style change for weight loss= moderation, portion control, exercise

    But do what works best for you and your family. Just because someone else is doing it one way doesnt make that the ONLY way to do it.!! :flowerforyou:
  • redcut
    redcut Posts: 176
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    I actually eat NORMAL food... its all about PORTION CONTROL .
    I use my measuring cups and measuring spoons to eat the actual serving sizes... after awhile you'll be able to eyeball it but i know for almost the first month and a half i HAD to measure EVERYTHING. ( istill measure A lot of things)
    I eat whatever everyone else eats but in moderation.
    I eat cheesecake...Lawlers cheesecake bites= 80 calories/piece
    I eat chocolate... M&Ms, 5 calories per M&m ... 5=25 calories 10=50 calories
    I eat burgers ... 80/20 chuck but I measure or weigh out exactly a 1/4 lb burger (before i cook, so the calories are accurate)
    NOW I DONT EAT THESE THINGS EVERYDAY MIND YOU but this journey isnt about depriving yourself or having to eat certain things...
    diets= yes and no foods
    life style change for weight loss= moderation, portion control, exercise

    But do what works best for you and your family. Just because someone else is doing it one way doesnt make that the ONLY way to do it.!! :flowerforyou:
    that is me too i live with a nine year old you have to have burgers in there sometimes just not every day and we eat healthy and a lot or organic too
  • landorki
    landorki Posts: 93 Member
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    YES. I do not eat any DIET foods. everything is all natural and healthy! My family eats this as well.... but some of them like to eat the extra snacks! lol
  • graelwyn
    graelwyn Posts: 1,340 Member
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    Normal food eater here, I realised that most diet foods are crammed with artificial this and artificial that and I think true good health comes from eating as naturally as possible. I have long grain brown rice, rice cakes, potatoes and occasionally wholewheat pasta, in moderation, quinoa, lots of veggies, both fresh and frozen, soups, cottage cheese, fruits, peanut butter, nuts and seeds, yoghurt, eggs and even chocolate sometimes, if I have been exercising and want a treat. I think it actually makes you prone to eating more if you buy specific diet foods, and as to shakes and things, I have never felt the need for protein shakes. The closest I have had is those 9 bars, which I rather liked the taste of.
  • VanessaMFaulkner
    VanessaMFaulkner Posts: 82
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    My family gets to eat what I eat...they need to learn healthy habits now. I have 5 kids & the hubby. Ages 2-18 (well, the hubby is older, lol). I've learned if they are hungry, they will eat what I cooked ;) now, most would rather have brocolli over fries in my house & they are learning to diversify their taste of food.
  • oldmanstauf
    oldmanstauf Posts: 202 Member
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    I eat "normal" and don't expect a separate meal from the rest of my family. I just make sure to monitor how much I have of it. Foods like pizza, tacos, ravioli and the like. Eat out occasionally when it can't be avoided. If I were by myself I'd skip eating out, but won't make my family do that.
  • mmsilvia
    mmsilvia Posts: 459 Member
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    I eat all 'normal' foods as well. I am a full time working mom. My day is jammed already. The last thing I want to do is make more than one meal. And, I want to instill in my son a healthy eating lifestyle.

    Our menu plan tends to be made up of fruit, veggies, dairy, protein and whole grain. I 'lighten up' all of my families favorite meals. For example my families favorite meal is meat loaf with mashed potatoes. I mix tons of veggies into my meatloaf (zuccini, carrots, peppers, onions, mushrooms) and I actually use ground turkey or chicken in place of beef. I make mashed cauliflower instead of mashed potatoes & we usually have oven roasted potatoes or baked potatoes as well.

    Be creative & always check the internet for health exchanges that can be made. Sall changes can save lots of calories and taste pretty close to the orginal. Also, watch your portion sizes & pair with a salad or broth base soup. And, don't forget to drink plently of water sometimes when you think you are hungry your really just thirsty & a glass of warter will help.
  • ki4yxo
    ki4yxo Posts: 709 Member
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    I make mashed cauliflower instead of mashed potatoes & we usually have oven roasted potatoes or baked potatoes as well.



    Another good mash is a mixture of red potatoes,
    parsnips, and carrots. Made that on accident
    when I annihilated these items in the pressure
    cooker. It was a mistake, but ended up being
    really good!

    One other mash I make includes potatoes, and
    butternut squash.
  • Jade17694
    Jade17694 Posts: 584 Member
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    Me, i take no supplements nor do i drink protein shakes.... i eat what everyone else eats :)
  • Pattinan
    Pattinan Posts: 42 Member
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    Lean proteins, vegetables, fruits, whole grains...all "normal" food. There is plenty of great food choices out there. No need to buy the processed, packaged, convenient "diet" foods. You will be healthier eating "clean" :)

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