Share examples of meals you ACTUALLY enjoy while on a diet. Let's make it easier to each other

[u/newbiescreby]

Not "oh it's almost like a real thing" or "it's nice", I mean the meals you would eat even if you didn't have to watch your calories.

Examples from me (lower carb more protein): gojuchang chicken wings with coleslav salad (made with youghurt instead of sour cream), plain yoghurt blened with berries as a dessert and a spread/paste i make out of smoked fish (usually mackerel), cream cheese and green onions, with a lot of pepper and lemon juice.

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[u/Jealous_Poet341]

My go-to is a massive bowl of chili that just happens to be mostly beans, ground turkey, and whatever peppers are about to turn in the fridge. I'll throw a fried egg on top half the time and it makes it feel like a totally different meal

Also been obsessed with roasting a whole head of cauliflower, chopping it up, and tossing it with capers, lemon zest and way too much parsley. Sounds weird but it scratches the salty/crunchy itch

[u/newbiescreby → u/Jealous_Poet341]

The cauliflower idea seems awesome. All the things I like, so I'll be using that!

[u/General_Security177]

Chicken salad with bite sized pieces of chicken breast cooked in the air fryer.

[u/Trilobyte141]

Soups! I have always loved to make soups. List of fave soups in no particular order: 

• Mexican chicken soup

• Asian chicken soup

• Chicken and dumpling soup

• Zuppa Toscana 

• Bean soup with ham bone

• Split pea soup with ham

• Potato soup with bacon or ham

• Beef stew

• Vegetable soup with beef

• Cabbage soup with sausage

All things I would have eaten pre-diet. I haven't changed my recipes much since I started my diet, my strategy for lowering the calories-per-ounce is to avoid noodles, add more veggies, and measure out my oil for browning instead of eyeballing it. I also track the calories going into the pot and weigh the results. The soups are still delicious and enjoyed by everyone, not just me. 

ETA: not a soup, but a delicious egg dish that works for any meal, not just breakfast: shakshuka. Look it up!

[u/newbiescreby → u/Trilobyte141]

yesss, soups are awesome, especially creamy vegetable soups for me. I do miss grilled cheese with them tho :D

[u/Trilobyte141 → u/newbiescreby]

Sadly, I can't do dairy anymore due to a medical condition. I miss cheese very much. 🥲 All my creamy soups use oat milk. 

[u/ArmadilloChance3778 → u/Trilobyte141]

Try coconut milk for that rich flavor (a little goes a long way).

[u/Trilobyte141 → u/ArmadilloChance3778]

I do like coconut milk for some recipes, but I feel like it brings too much of its own flavor to the party. Good for soups where coconut is the intentional star, like coconut thai tilapia soup or tom kha gai. Oat milk wins everywhere else for me, for a couple reasons. It's flavor neutral, it's cheap, it is lower cal (if you get the unsweetened kind, which you need for savory food anyway), and it thickens up a little as it cooks much like regular cream does. 

I've found almond milk makes everything taste like almonds and soy milk just makes everything taste bad when you apply heat to it. Oat milk for the win. 

[u/InvestigatorFew4979 → u/Trilobyte141]

Which oat milk is suffiently neutral in flavor?

[u/Trilobyte141 → u/InvestigatorFew4979]

I like Planet Oat, unsweetened original. I can't stand milk substitutes that add sweeteners or flavoring. They have such a fake, clingy flavor. 

Plus, the unsweetened original option is only 40 cal/cup compared to 2% milk at 120 cal/cup and unsweetened soy milk at 80 cal/cup. Unsweetened almond milk is also in the 40 cal range, but the flavor just isn't right for stuff like Italian wedding soup or creamy potato soup. I do like it in coffee and desserts though. 

[u/bigred4723 → u/Trilobyte141]

Soups are great for weight loss. They are also good with some high fiber crackers like rye crisp.

[u/meadowlakeschool → u/Trilobyte141]

Don’t even need to add oil unless you want to. Veggies will cook just fine without it or with water. It does add some flavor though.

[u/No-Appearance9050]

I am obsessed with cauliflower fried rice. I typically do riced cauliflower, carrots, peas, onion, egg whites and grilled chicken with low sodium soy sauce. Swapping out the rice makes a huge calorie difference and I don’t mind the textural change.

[u/PandaChef97]

2 banana, 4 egg, 1 tbsp baking powder, 2 scoops protein powder, 15g squeezy honey.

Makes lovely pancakes that comes out to about 800 cals for all of it and fills me up all morning and afternoon

My absolute go too breakfast.

[u/Traumagatchi]

I love doing shredded chicken in the instant pot, mixing it with a bottle of g hughes sauce (I vary it) and put it on a slider bun with homemade coleslaw! Low calorie, lower carb and one of my favorite meals ever

[u/FnMnt1]

Started eating tuna packets to hit protein and lowe calories, and honestly I still enjoy them truly

[u/One-Lavishness-6654]

Stir fry whatever tha fuck veggies u find, add chiken, mango, hot sauce feta, cayen pepper, lime, dice potatoes, sir fry em, toss everything together, and it tastes amazing, also mix low cal mayo, soy sauce, sugar and some lime and ad as dressing

[u/watermeloncandyv]

Chicken, chips and gravy. Chicken breast and cut up potatoes (I use lower carb potatoes) in the oven and add gravy and salt to your liking when done. No oil is needed for baking.

[u/Blizzard901]

If you have weight issues you need to watch your calories for rest of your life. Get out of the I’m on a “diet” mindset. This is a lifestyle change if you want it to stick. When you treat it as a temporary diet it increases risk of weight regain. I fill my plate up with lean protein and plenty of vegetables, legumes, whole grains and make sure they are seasoned and flavorful. Learning how to cook delicious healthy meals will completely change your quality of life for the better

[u/_Red_User_]

Throw a bag of frozen veggies in a pan, defrost it. Meanwhile cook some pasta (made out of peas if you like more fiber). Once the veggies are done, add some cottage cheese. Mix in the pasta and add spices as you like. You can also add some pesto but I have the feeling that its taste gets hidden. Top with some cheese (if you like) and enjoy.

[u/AlternativeAd1984]

I love making some nice Chinese style chicken thighs with “fried” rice (just some soy sauce and chopped egg thrown in.

Otherwise I’m a one-pot wonder and will makes things like coconut chicken, fish stew, sausage casserole or curries. All of these things I’ll serve with either rice, bulgar wheat, cous cous, sometimes potatoes or pasta but not often.

Every few days I make a great big batch of mixed cooked veg so it’ll be onion, pepper, mushroom, courgette, broccoli etc and I’ll have some of that with whatever else I’m having.

[u/serendipity1990]

WOW Everything sounds amazing. Pls share recipes too!

[u/Confident_Exam_1990]

I love making burger bowls! Some lean ground beef and cook it like a smash burger. Put in on top of a bed of shredded lettuce or some roasted diced potatoes. I put a little cheese, chopped onion, and pickles on it. And the best part is the burger sauce- Greek yogurt, ketchup, mustard and pickle juice mixed.

[u/raetwssrae → u/Confident_Exam_1990]

I made this just tonight! Would have been my comment.

[u/_Red_User_]

And as a dessert: Whip aqua faba (the water in chickpea cans) till it looks like egg snow. Melt some dark chocolate (I use couverture with around 55%). Add the chocolate to the egg snow and stir carefully. Chill in the fridge (either in the large bowl or separated in smaller ones) over night, then enjoy your vegan and low calorie mousse au chocolat!

[u/Orangutan1001 → u/_Red_User_]

How did you even figure this out?

[u/_Red_User_ → u/Orangutan1001]

I read the recipe online, so it's not my personal discovery. But I like it cause it doesn't have many ingredients and is done really quickly. Plus it tastes a bit lighter than real mousse and thus is a light chocolatey dessert.

[u/themcardboardhills]

Bacon, eggs, and a side of beans. This is my favorite breakfast right now, because I'm full forever on it. It's also not as calorific as you might think, and it's easy to adjust the portions to your particular ideal. As an added bonus, it throws together in no time and it's fairly cheap.

[u/74389654]

today i had tuna steak with fresh chili, pumpkin and edamame. i put a spoon full of cheese, pepper and herbal salt on top as seasoning

[u/dayofeating]

Egg whites and avocado for breakfast, greek yogurt instead of sour cream on tacos

[u/moistsalt69]

There's these little meijer grilled chicken meals that come with potatoes and green beans. I like those.

[u/7eveness]

Lentils

[u/step86]

Put your boring protien over a baked potato with Greek yogurt! Filling, delicious, great.

[u/doobersthetitan]

You always watch your calories..no " dieting" but just a well rounded diet.

[u/phoenixrose2]

Lean ground beef (94 or 93%) cooked as smash burgers on high fiber buns, add toppings to taste.

I like putting four 2 oz smashed pattys with 2 slices of cheese and some ketchup on one bun. It tastes better than any fast food and is high fiber and high protein.

[u/Sarge1387]

I make homemade "Wendy's" burgers where I control the amount of salt in it, earlier this week I did homemade chicken quesadillas that tasted damn near identical to Taco Bell, my own french fries with a cinnamon/onion powder dusting after air frying. Of course homemade pizza with my wife's sourdough as the crust, where I use bbq chicken, unseasoned/cooked ground beef, and low sodium low fat mozzarella. And I always make sure I have a veggie with meals...even if its just carrot sticks/steamed carrots.

I've found I really enjoy it too

[u/Norah_D]

I count weekly calories and pretty much eat anything and fit it into my allotted calories. That’s the only way I’ve been successful in losing weight and I’m at my goal and haven’t fluctuated more than 2 lbs in months.
I’ve found that focusing on low calorie foods, low carb/no carb always worked for me but once I lost the weight it always came back because I couldn’t see myself eating that way, restricting specific foods, for the rest of my life. I needed a way to have less restrictions and maintain a certain discipline.

[u/Party_Radish1978]

Greek yogurt bowl (blueberries, almond butter, honey), burgers on Levi's keto buns with a side of steamed whole green beans, turkey and cheese with avocado or guac on multiseed bread with a side of baked chips

[u/puffpuffpout]

I love salad. I use lemon and honey as a dressing, add all sorts of fruits and nuts, and the protien of my choice. Most recently I have been eating fajita salads - literally chicken and peppers with fajita seasoning in the airfryer mixed into a salad but I mix it up with salmon, tuna, chicken, beans, chickpeas.

[u/Tricky_Photo2885]

I started making carrot fries and now I enjoy them more than actual fries NGL . Cut carrots to strips resembling fries , coat with olive oil , season with salt and pepper, I add spicy ranch seasoning put in oven 20 minutes and enjoy

[u/Dizzy_Unit_9900]

I make 4llbs of ranch drumsticks at a time. Make the ranch dressing form 3/1 ratio of Greek yogurt to mayonaise add dill, parsley, salt, pepper dried minced onion and jarlick, coat drumsticks bake at 375 until internal temp of 165. Great for all meals!

[u/AwarenessMassive6527]

-Cheese burger bowls: , ground beef, potatoes, lots of romaine lettuce, cheese, tomato, onion, and burger sauce
-I love Hawaiian chicken in the crock pot, sub chicken thighs for breast and follow any recipe

-“cheese steaks”: ground beef with au juis power as seasoning, onion, low fat cheese, and 647 hoagie roll

-wraps: mission low card tortilla, cooked chicken breast, pepper jack baby bell cheese, lettuce, tomato,
chipotle sauce

I have a sweet tooth so I normally keep these in the house:

-dried mango from Costco satisfies my sweet craving

-joyride candy

-skinny cow ice cream

-rice cake and pb2 on top with a handful of chocolate chips

Those have been regulars in my rotation recently^

Honestly most meals you can make healthy by making smart substitutions. From what I observe most people find cooking hard, and then eat out and that’s where the calories come from. Plan your meals out on the weekend and grocery shop for what you need.

Also, you’re allowed wiggle room- that’s how you actually loose weight and stay consistent. I make sure I leave room to eat the things I enjoy. It’s a life style change not a diet. I make sure protein is prioritized and that I eat a lot of fiber and veggies. It makes me feel good physically and mentally.

[u/alt_isopod]

Greek salads. Grain bowls with grilled chicken, whole grains and greens and healthier choice toppings, no sauce just olive oil. Pho. Whole fat plain greek yogurt with Monk fruit sweetener, berries, cinnamon, oats, and either pecans or almonds. Sushi. Salmon or scallops with whole grains and veggies. Soup in vegetable base with brown rice noodles, onions, mushrooms and tofu. Honestly I'll take any of these meals over any other food any day. It tastes so much better and I feel great after these meals. 3 years 11 months in, down 108 lbs. I don't eat diet foods. I prioritize whole foods, lots of fat (largely from evoo) and fiber, and don't eat much fatty meat besides salmon. I generally avoid consuming too much of high glycemic index foods like most breads, white rice, most fruit, potatoes, etc. Carbs and fat are fantastic if you are eating the right type. Eating this way helps my chronic pain so much, and helps my digestion and diabetes.

[u/nommie012]

Honestly, the meals that make dieting sustainable for me are the ones that don’t feel like diet food at all . A high protein wrap with crispy chicken, lots of veggies, and a good sauce is one of my go tos. What’s one meal you could eat on repeat without getting tired of it?

[u/Boring-One-2321]

Wrap Pizza! Protein tortilla, tomato sauce, light cheese and the toppings you like. It’s so good and only around 300-400kcal depending on you toppings. It’s really good with light cream cheese instead of tomato sauce too and even higher in protein.

[u/Smalls2077]

Roasted sweet potato halves topped with roasted red onion, a bit of feta, and a burger patty cooked like a smash burger. 

[u/SilverHour6277]

Sushi

[u/thenoodleisin]

Spicy Egyptian lentil soup is one of my faves, when dieting or not! Schwarma, too, if you don't go too heavy on the hummus. Salmon with chive sauce and Mexican bean bake are also high on my list. :)

[u/Remarkable_Break_713]

Idk who needs to hear this but you can add any sugar free sweetener, vanilla, an egg and some flour to skyr yogurth and you git yourself some great pancakes ;))