RicksWeightLoss.com - Diet > Sample Meals

Snacks

Snacks don't have to "ruin" your diet. In fact, I encourage you to snack throughout the day - just snack on healthy foods. If you just feel like chewing on something, grab yourself some celery, carrot sticks, green beans, or even a piece of gum! Remember, eat every 3 hours and keep your metabolism fired up.

100-Calorie (Or Less) Snacks

Looking to munch? Try these snacks. Each has less than 100 calories.

Half an apple with 2 teaspoons of peanut butter
An orange and a few dry-roasted nuts
10 cashew nuts
10 almonds
4 walnuts
5 dates
3 ounces of white turkey meat (roll it up!)
Half a small avocado
3 ounces cooked whole-grain noodles with 1 fresh tomato and 1/2 ounce hard cheese
1 seven-grain Belgian waffle
4 mini rice cakes with 2 tablespoons low-fat cottage cheese
3 ounces low-fat cottage cheese and 3 whole-wheat crackers
1/4 cup fat-free ranch dressing with mixed raw veggies
6 Wheat Thins crackers with two teaspoons of peanut butter (or any nut butter)
1 small baked potato with 1/2 cup salsa and 2 tablespoons of fat-free sour cream
1/3 cup of unsweetened applesauce with 1 slice of whole-wheat toast, cut into 4 strips for dunking
1/2 cup frozen orange juice, eaten as sorbet
2 large graham cracker squares with 1 teaspoon peanut butter
3 cups of unbuttered air-popped popcorn, seasoned with herbs
4-6 ounces of no-fat or low-fat yogurt
A 5-ounce tossed salad with lettuce, tomato, cucumber and 1/4 cup fat-free dressing
Half a "finger" of string cheese with 4 whole-wheat crackers
25 frozen grapes (stick them in the freezer - mmmmm!)
10 Dried apricots... only 9 calories each.

Cucumber & Tomato Salad

One tomato, chopped (30 cal)
One cucumber, peeled and sliced (20 cal)
1 teaspoon olive oil (25 cal)
Salt and pepper to taste

Protein Powder Shakes

I love protein shakes. There are a million different varieties of protein powders available on the market. A scoop of powder is usually about 100 calories, and is about 50% protein and 50% carbohydrates (contents may vary). Mix with 8oz of skim or soy milk. Shake well.

Protein Mocacinno

Mix in chocolate protein powder into your coffee with perhaps a 1/4 cup of skim milk. Mmmm... good caffeine rush and carbs for your workout.

Dates & Walnuts

Now, this is a high-calorie snack, so you can only have a little bit... but I absolutely love dates and walnuts together. You get to eat 2 dates (20 cal each) and 2 walnuts (25 cal each) but that's an awesome quick little snack... you get some fruit and some good fat from the Omega 3 in the walnuts. If you're just looking for something to fill either a salty or a sweet craving, this treat handles both.

Sweet Potato Baked Fries

This can either be served by itself as a snack, or as a side dish with dinner. Take one sweet potato or yam. Cut it up into french-fry sized pieces. In a bowl mix together 2 tbsp olive oil, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp salt, 1tsp black pepper, and 1 tsp red pepper (or season to taste). Now, coat the fries liberally with the mixture. Spread them out on a baking sheet and put them in a 375 degree oven for 15 minutes. Flip them. Continue baking for 15 minutes more, or until done - depending on your oven and how thick you cut the fries, you may need to keep your eye on them. Don't worry if you slightly burn them. These are better burnt than even slightly under-done. About 300 calories total, mostly carbohydrates with a little fat. Serves two.

Sweet potatos and olive oil are good for you (very nutritious) but if you're on a low-calorie diet you can substitute 0-calorie cooking spray for the olive oil. Just spray the baking sheet, and then give a generous spray to the fries. Then sprinkle on your seasonings.

Protein Smoothie

1 cup of fat-free milk. 1/4 cup of fat-free yogurt. 12 ice cubes. 1 scoop of chocolate (or your favorite flavor) protein powder. 1/4 cup of chocolate sugar-free syrup. Toss it all in your blender. Yummy! About 250 calories total. Serves two.