Quick and Healthy Breakfast and Lunches and Snacks

On a small plate i put 1 quaker rice cake carmel corn flaver on the plate on top a slice of firm tofu 1 tb spoon salt free peanut butter. Then a 3 teaspoons of a flavered yogert ten a large handful ofdried blueberries all washed down with a glass of skim milk .i love it and it helps keep my weirht down . 85 yr old grandma of 77 in no. Hills A.

Have you checked out the recipes on weelicious? Everyday is a different fast, easy and fresh recipe for kids and parents. They're tailored to be as economical as possible too. I always suggest steaming or grilling chicken on Sundays and making big batches or quinoa (very high in protein), brown rice and pasta, so you can just mix in a sauce or cut up vegetables on the day you want to eat. When you have healthy foods cooked in your house, you're less likely to make unhealthy choices for you and your family.-www.weelicious.com

I use www.dailyplate.com. It is free and you can track your calories, enter your weight, height, and goal. You enter your meal/snack and portion and in return, it tells you how many calories you have left. It also gives you credit for any exercise you may do. I also have a small postage scale and am sure I only take one serving of snacks.

I'm not sure if this fits with your calorie/diet plan, but here are some of my favs. I had gestational diabetes when i was pregnant and these all fit within my nutritionists guidelines of healthy one carb/one protein combo snacks.
- small apple with peanut butter (just ground peanuts, not the big brands that have sugar added)
- 10 to 12 wheat crackers + peanut butter or low fat cheese
- small piece of fruit + small serving cottage cheese or a small handful of almonds or a string cheese.
- carrots and humus
- greek yogurt, non-fat (I like the Voskos brand, strawberry, blueberry, fig. Trader Joes greek yogurt is pretty good too)
- 1 pc. wheat peanut butter toast

I saw a suggestion to make fruit/grain muffins periodically. Good idea. I have a good wheat/banana muffin recipe. Contact me if you'd like a copy.

And if you want a sweet treat and you don't mind using splenda, a little skim milk ricotta with a pack of splenda and a dash of vanilla is really tasty (and high in calcium). you can add a few berries or slivered almonds too.

I do oatmeal every morning. It's cheap - organic is $1.19/lb at Whole Foods in the bulk section - and you can add all kinds of things to it - fresh or dried fruit, molasses, cinnamon, or whatever else you can come up with. I add flax seed oil to get some omegas in there.

One day a week you can make muffins with fruit and bran, and use those for breakfast or a snack throughout the week.

As far as snacks, having a bag of baby carrots and pre-cut fruit in the fridge is a good idea - no prep required.
Smoothies made with fresh fruit and greens are good too, but a bit more time consuming, and if you are drinking them daily, can get expensive.

I don't know how well these things fit in with the Weight Watchers plan, though, so you may want to check that if you're counting points.

When you make dinner, make extra so that you have leftovers to eat for lunch the next day. If you're making Weight Watchers dinners, the lunches should automatically comply with the program as a result. Also, try to keep fresh fruits and veggies around already sliced or peeled to eat. i love to graze but hate spending time to prepare food so is I have no healthy stuff lying around ready to eat I end up eating junk because it's instant. Avoid that by having bagged salads, bananas, tangerines, apples, whatever your favorite fruit is. If you like melons, buy a large one, bring it home, cut it into bite-sized chunks and nosh on the chunks whenever you're hungry. Same for veggies -- steam or blanch some, drizzle in a tiny bit of garlic olive oil or lemon juice or low-fat vinagrette dressing and keep a supply of the stuff around so you always have something to nibble on. You just have to plan the lunches and snacks like you would the dinners. it's hard to do but once you're in the habit it makes it easier to eat healthy. I also love V-8 juice, but if you're supposed to be limiting salt you should limit how much of it you drink.(The low-salt version tastes terrible! But the regular version is very satisfying and a great way to get the veggie nutrients in every day.) Good luck.

MP,
there is a difference between healthy and low calorie. Not sure which one you are looking for. Hard boiled eggs are a great lunch and snack. Peanut butter and celery. handful of almonds. yogurt. baked potato (microwave) cottage cheese instead of butter add vegies. Hummus and veggies to dip.

Good luck!

This is what my family and I use every morning. EVERYTHING we need is right here. http://liveitdontdiet.isagenix.com/us/en/isaleanshake.dhtml One of the best parts about it? Once my family and I were doing so fabulously, other familes wanted it to and we are able to make some residual income from it...just for helping others!

as you awaken drink room temperature water before eating. For a healthy and fulling breakfast i usually blend quaker oats with either milk or juice with a banana, strawberries, etc. later i might eat a sandwhich. i just read that it's better to drink warm liquids after eating. this helps to melt, rather solidify any foods (particularly fats) that you may have eaten. for snacks, try some raisins, nuts, fruits, yogurt, popcorn. for lunch i just do lots of things mainly fish, chicken and turkey with salad.

I REALLY like the Biggest Loser cookbooks. One of my favorite recipes is made with the boston cream yogurt (nonfat) from yoplait (yes it has some junk in it, but no one else is making this flavor in a healthier manor right now), banana, low fat peanut butter (Trader Joes has one that is only 2.5 grams of fat) and a high fiber cereal on it... oh soooo delicious and quick. Works well for a snack and/or a meal.