Yogurt is an excellent source of calcium and protein both of which may be important for weight loss. And there are other benefits. But in my opinion only limited number of single serving yogurt products rate very highly. Let’s take a look at the ones I think are best.

Purchasing yogurt is somewhat like getting a mystery gift. Do you know what you are buying?

I wrote a previous article on Yogurt for a Healthy Low Calorie Diet that goes into the specifics of the different kinds of yogurt. In this article my emphasis will be on plain non-fat yogurt both regular and Greek Yogurt. These are your best choice. Look for simple, plain yogurt without added sugar, fruit, fiber, granola, or any kind of artificial or natural sweetener.

NOTE: I have mixed feelings about sweeteners, particularly artificial sweeteners for weight loss. These may or may not be suitable for your diet. If you have a favorite sweetener that you feel comfortable using I think you would be better off buying plain yogurt and adding the sweetener at home than letting a food company choose one for you.

Why I like Plain Yogurt

1. Plain yogurt can be purchased as a non-fat or low-fat product.

This means you get fewer calories and little or no saturated fat. You need some healthy fat in your diet and a little saturated fat is fine but it isn’t too hard to get plenty from other foods. The calories in fat can add up fast. When there’s little or no fat in yogurt the calorie count will typically be low IF there are no added ingredients such as sugar!

2. You can substitute yogurt for other less healthy ingredients such as sour cream in your favorite recipes or even create an entire well-balanced meal with plain yogurt as the base.

Add fresh or dried fruit, nuts, and cereal to plain yogurt to make a parfait. Create low calorie nutritious smoothies by blending yogurt, fruit, veggies, nuts, and/or seeds.
Add plain yogurt to pancakes, muffins, fruit or vegetable dishes, salads, soups, spreads, and more. Plain yogurts add flavor, lots of important nutrients, and relatively few calories.

3. Some yogurts are fortified with vitamin D.

The calcium you need in your daily diet can only be absorbed and used by your body if you have enough vitamin D. Getting enough vitamin D in your diet from every day foods can be a challenge unless you get plenty of sunshine each day. So having vitamin D present with calcium in the yogurt you buy can be an advantage.

4. Plain yogurts may be acceptable for someone who is lactose intolerant.

A person with this sensitivity cannot make enough of the enzyme lactase to digest lactose. This means most milk products are a problem because they are a source of the natural sugar lactose. However the bacterial strains commonly used to make yogurt can produce the lactase enzyme and do most of the digesting for you. Although yogurt with active and live bacterial cultures may contain a little undigested lactose, it is my understanding that most people who experience sensitivity to lactose can tolerate a small amount in their diet.

NOTE: Frozen yogurt does not have the bacterial cultures of fresh yogurt and as such may not be well tolerated if you have lactose intolerance.

Greek yogurts are thick and creamy. Because they are processed differently than regular yogurt, Greek yogurt has as much as two times or more the protein.

You may find you no longer have a choice between the “regular” plain yogurts and the Greek yogurts at your supermarket. Greek yogurts have become the more popular choice for a variety of reasons. As such consumer demand may no longer be as strong as it once was for “regular” plain yogurts, so they are not being stocked as often. Not too long ago they were the only choice you had (in many parts of the United States).

Which Plain Non-Fat Yogurt Brand is Best?

I find regular plain yogurt to be somewhat thin and watery without much taste by itself but that can make it a good choice for adding to certain recipes. Greek yogurt is thick and creamy but somewhat tart tasting in my opinion. Finding the taste that you like best may take a bit of experimenting because it can vary considerably from one brand to another. The best tasting plain yogurts are NOT fat free so make sure you read the label carefully!

Greek yogurt is processed in a way that results in about two times the protein of regular plain yogurt. If your goal is to increase your protein intake for a given meal then Greek yogurt might be best. On the other hand there are certain recipes for which a lighter regular yogurt might be better.

Here’s a list of the non-fat plain yogurts both regular and Greek that I found available where I live. I’ll list the nutritional breakdown for these products to help you decide for yourself what might be best. Take a look at the factors relevant to you.

Calories range from 80-120 for a 5.3 to 6 oz. carton.
Protein ranges from 15-18 grams.
Sugars range from 6-12 grams. (Milk has some natural sugar about 12 grams per cup.)
Calcium ranges from 15 to 40% DV or about 150 to 400 mg.

NOTE: Calcium and vitamin D needs for Women

Women younger than 50 need a total of 1,000 milligrams (mg) of calcium and 400-800 international units (IUs) of vitamin D every day.

Women age 50 and older need a total of 1,200 mg of calcium and 800-1,000 international units (IUs) of vitamin D every day.

Only two of the yogurts include vitamin D that I could find. If you live in a northern state I would say these yogurts may the better choice in the colder months of the year. Also, keep in mind that your body can only absorb about 600 mg of calcium at a time (when you have enough vitamin D present). I share this because if you are taking supplements you might not want to take a supplement at the same time as one of these yogurts. It won’t hurt you but, if I understand it right, the extra calcium won’t be absorbed.

Dannon Oikos Greek Yogurt
5.3 oz.
Non-fat

Calories = 80
Protein = 15 g
Sugars = 6 g
Calcium = 15%
Vit. D = 0%

Yoplait Greek Yogurt
6 oz.
Fat Free

Calories = 120
Protein = 15 g
Sugars = 8 g
Calcium = 40%
Vit. D = 25%

Chobani Plain Greek Yogurt
6 oz.
Non-fat

Calories = 100
Protein = 18 g
Sugars = 7 g
Calcium = 20%
Vit. D = 0%

Fage Greek Yogurt
6 oz.
Non-fat

Calories = 100
Protein = 18 g
Sugars = 7 g
Calcium = 20%
Vit. D = 0%

Kroger Greek Yogurt
6 oz.
Non-fat

Calories = 110
Protein = 16 g
Sugars = 6 g
Calcium = 20%
Vit. D = 15%

Dannon is the only plain regular yogurt I’ve found where I live. Take a look at how the protein compares with the Greek yogurts:

Dannon Plain Regular Yogurt
6 oz.
Non-fat

Calories = 80
Protein = 8 g
Sugars = 12 g
Calcium = 30%
Vit. D = 0%

Some Meal/Recipe Ideas for Non-Fat Plain Yogurt

Healthy Smoothies for Weight Loss

Nutritious Low Calorie Spreads, Condiments, and Dips

Healthy High Protein Breakfast Ideas

Choosing the right products when you grocery shop can be difficult! I hope this article will give you a better sense of the best yogurts for weight loss to help you reach your diet goals.

Best of luck,

Lori

Eating a healthy low calorie breakfast of fast food is a challenge. The choices trend too heavily toward high calorie food with excessive unhealthy fat, sodium, and sometimes sugar. What do you do if fast food is the only choice you have? I’ll give you some tips with respect to what I might select.

Oatmeal and berries make a good choice for breakfast. But is it your BEST choice for a weight loss diet when eating at a fast food restaurant?

Ideally you want to aim for getting plenty of protein for breakfast along with a little healthy fat, AND some dietary fiber. A balance of foods would also be nice. Unfortunately, it’s next to impossible to have a well-balanced low calorie breakfast from a fast food restaurant unless you do takeout and add your own fruit or veggies.

Which fast food restaurant you choose to eat at can make a big difference. That’s why I encourage you to become familiar with the best choices around. What do you do if your favorite restaurants with the healthy low calorie choices are nowhere close? I would encourage you to focus first on getting plenty of protein from whatever is available while at the same time keeping the calorie count down.

Let’s say you’re traveling and your only choices are MacDonald’s, Burger King, Hardee’s, Jack-in-the-box, and Wendy’s. These are not the best for a healthy low calorie breakfast. Let’s take a look at what I might select from the menu.

If you have been reading my blog for a while, you might be surprised at some of my choices. Whereas I might typically avoid regular bacon (and too much cheese) in my diet, I do make exceptions when I eat at a fast food restaurant.  I don’t go very often and like everyone else I need to make the best choice I can from what is available.

Having a slice or two of “real bacon” sure tastes good on occasion and won’t hurt you unless for some reason you are on doctor’s orders to strictly limit saturated fat. For most people if you limit saturated fat to about 20 grams or less each day you’re probably doing well (this is the recommendation for a 2000 calorie intake). I prefer to aim for no more than 10-12 grams because I eat fewer calories than the average woman.

As for eggs, even the American Heart Association suggests you can have at least one egg a day. Other health professionals believe the limit on eggs is unnecessary unless you are genetically sensitive to dietary cholesterol. The saturated fat in eggs is actually quite low.

MACDONALD’S

Breakfast

Egg McMuffin

What’s good about this choice?

•  300 calories
• 2 grams of fiber (not great but hey it’s some)
• 18 grams of protein (great!)
• 3 grams of sugar (very little sugar is good)

What’s not so good?

•  5 grams of saturated fat (Reasonable if you watch your intake for the rest of the day.)
• 820 mg of sodium (On the high side.)

Another possible choice:

Fruit & Maple Oatmeal without Brown Sugar (260 calories)

(Good tasting, somewhat balanced, but the protein is limited.)

BURGER KING

breakfast

BKIM Breakfast Burrito – Bacon, Egg, Cheese, & Salsa

What’s good?

•  300 calories
• 15 grams of protein

What’s not so good?

•  6 grams of saturated fat (Reasonable if you watch your intake for the rest of the day.)
• 1 gram of dietary fiber (This is not much. You might consider doing takeout and supplementing your meal with a piece of fruit such as an orange or apple from home.)
• 910 mg of sodium (This is a quite a lot for one meal.)

NOTE: Try to keep your sodium intake to 2300 mg or less if you are 50 or younger and 1500 mg if you are over 50, African-American, you have high blood pressure, diabetes, or chronic kidney disease.)

Other possible choices:

BK Egg and Cheese Muffin (290 calories)

or

Order a side of eggs to go (160 calories)

You could pair this with a low calorie meal/snack bar. I always carry a small meal or snack bar in my purse to prevent impulse eating of high calorie food when I’m hungry but there are no low calorie choices available.

Nutrition Bars for Women

NOTE: The Quaker Oatmeal Maple and Brown Sugar Flavor sure sounds like a good choice. It has some strong points: only 270 calories, 290 mg of sodium, and 5 grams of fiber. However, this meal has only 5 g of protein and lots of sugar. That’s why I would go with the other selections.

Whenever possible you want to maximize the protein AND dietary fiber for a breakfast meal to derive the greatest benefit without overdoing the calories, sodium, or saturated fat. Coming up with the best balance possible is seldom easy when eating out.

HARDEE’S

Wow! I had no idea Hardee’s was so terrible for breakfast. The calorie counts are high and as the calories go up the sodium content skyrockets! Aside from the saturated fat issues, calories, sugar, and sodium are the other reasons why I don’t frequent fast food restaurants.

If you have any other restaurants to choose from I would avoid Hardee’s for breakfast. If it’s your only choice here’s what I might select.

Pancakes (3 per serving) – (Nutrition and calories does not include any butter or syrup.)

What’s good:

•  300 calories
• 1 gram saturated fat (very little)
• 2 grams dietary fiber (Not much but something.)
• 8 grams of protein (Not much but a fair amount for pancakes.)

What’s not so good:

• 830 mg sodium (on the high side but could be worse)

It’s a shame Hardee’s doesn’t seem to offer a side of eggs like Burger King. If it did you could save aside one of the pancakes and add the eggs to your meal for a better breakfast. It would be better still if you could also add some fruit or veggies.

NOTE: If you can’t imagine eating vegetables for breakfast you might want to take a look at my article Vegetables for Breakfast.

JACK IN THE BOX

breakfast

Bacon Breakfast

•  310 calories
• 17 grams protein (great!)
• 4 grams sugar (not too bad)

What’s not so good?

• 5 grams of saturated fat (Reasonable if you watch your intake for the rest of the day.)
• 790 mg sodium (Not great but could be worse.)

Breakfast Jack

What’s good:

•  280 calories
• 4.5 grams saturated fat
• 16 grams protein (great!)
• 4 grams sugar (not too bad)

Not so good?

• 780 mg sodium (Could be worse.)

WENDY’S (only select Wendy’s across the country serve breakfast from what I can determine)

Artisan Egg Sandwich with Applewood Smoked Bacon

What’s good:

•  380 calories
• 19 grams of protein (excellent)
• 4 grams sugar (not too bad)

What’s not so good?

•  830 mg sodium (Could be worse.)
• 1 gram dietary fiber (very little)

Steel Cut Oatmeal with Berries (140 calories) If only you could pair this with a side of eggs!

So there you have it. These are the selections I might make for healthy low calorie breakfasts of fast food when the available restaurants are limited. I hope to write more articles in the coming months about the choices you might have at other restaurants for both breakfast and lunch. What are your favorite fast food breakfasts? How do they rate with respect to nutrition and calories? Let me know!

Smoothies can be tasty, easy-to-prepare, and nourishing. HOWEVER, do a quick search for smoothie recipes online and you’ll find the calorie counts are often quite high! Or no information is provided about calories or nutrients and you’re left guessing. That’s why I’ve been testing my own low calorie healthy smoothies for weight loss. As a nutritionist, I’ve designed these smoothies to give you a powerful start to your day to increase your chances for weight loss success.

When you have the right mix, smoothies can help you succeed with weight loss.

Each recipe has fewer than 300 calories and serves up a healthy dose of protein and dietary fiber along with lots of vitamins and minerals. All this comes from blending just a few healthy foods. Best of all, these great tasting smoothies can be complete meals in and of themselves or you can supplement with the foods I suggest to further improve the nutritional balance for weight loss and better health.

If you give any of these a try, let me know what you think!

Blueberry Smoothie

Ingredients

• 1 cup low fat buttermilk
• 1 ripe medium banana
• 1/2 cup frozen (or fresh) blueberries
• 1/2-1 tsp. vanilla extract

Makes one serving (about 12 ounces? Sorry I forgot to measure.)

Nutrition

256 calories

5.0 g dietary fiber

9.4 g protein

16.5 mg vitamin C

305 mg calcium

I’d encourage you to buy frozen blueberries to keep the cost down. Fresh blueberries are great but I’d reserve those for eating in salads or out of hand because they are often expensive, even in season. I usually buy a large 2 lb. bag of frozen wild blueberries from Walmart and it lasts me 3-4 months. (Frozen blueberries are a great addition to pancakes, muffins, and oatmeal as well as smoothies.)

Don’t let the thought of buttermilk put you off. Low fat buttermilk is low calorie and rich tasting especially when combined with a banana and other ingredients. Like blueberries, buttermilk makes a great addition to pancakes and muffins so keep this in mind when you decide how much you will buy.

To round out the nutrition and increase your protein intake you could supplement the smoothie with a hard-boiled egg (6 grams of protein), some nuts (12 almonds would add 85 calories, 1.5 grams of fiber, and 3 grams of protein), or you might have a low fat chicken, turkey, or veggie sausage (with about 4-6 g protein each).

 Peanut Butter & Fruit Smoothie

Ingredients

• 1 carton of plain nonfat yogurt (regular or Greek)
• 1 tbsp. creamy, natural peanut butter (without added sugars)
• 4 oz. (1/2 cup) non fat milk (skim milk)
• 2 tbsp. wheat germ
• 1/2 cup strawberries, fresh or frozen

Makes one 12 ounce serving.

Nutrition

291 calories

4.6 g dietary fiber

20.9 g protein

33 mg vitamin C

421 mg calcium

If you choose to use Greek yogurt you will have a thicker smoothie with more protein. I prefer to use regular non fat plain yogurt for this recipe because the protein count is already excellent. The smoothie is a bit on the thin side when doing this but thick enough for me and quite tasty!

Cherry Vanilla Smoothie

I think this recipe is surprisingly good AND very easy to make. Where I live cherries are easy to buy fresh in season and frozen otherwise. Although tart cherries make for an especially appealing taste, you could try using other fruit instead.

Ingredients

•  1 cup frozen tart cherries (pitted and no added sugar)
• 1 carton (8 oz.) enriched vanilla soy milk
• 1 carton (6 oz.) plain Greek yogurt (low fat or non fat)

Makes about 16 ounces for one large and filling serving or two small servings.

Nutrition (for one 16 ounce serving)

280 calories

2.6 g dietary fiber

20.0 g protein

650 mg calcium

Although the recipe calls for using TART cherries, I found no need to add any kind of sweetener. Vanilla soy milk typically has a bit of added sugar already and the Greek yogurt has some natural sugar.

If you don’t care for soy milk or the vanilla flavored soy milk you might substitute non fat cow’s milk and add a bit of vanilla extract (1/2 tsp.?). I don’t recommend using almond milk or rice milk in this recipe because they typically have very little protein.

Getting plenty of protein and dietary fiber with breakfast can make an enormous difference with your ability to stick with a low calorie diet throughout the rest of your day.

Protein Matters for Weight Loss

Best Healthy Breakfasts for Weight Loss

You might increase the fiber count for this meal by adding 2 tbsp. of wheat germ (50 calories, 2 g fiber, 3 g protein). Or you might supplement the meal with some nuts. 12 almonds, as I mentioned previously, would add about 85 calories, 1.5 g fiber, and 3 g protein.

Do you have any recipes to share? The more healthy smoothies for weight loss I have in my repertoire that I can share with others the better! Thanks.

If you’ve ever been confused about the importance of a calorie in managing your weight you are not alone! All too many people, both health professionals and those who are not, attempt to offer their opinion. The problem is that it ends up making most people more confused rather than less. At the risk of adding to the confusion, let me attempt to explain what we know and what we don’t. Calories do matter.

Both calorie quantity and quality matter.

First of all I absolutely agree with David Katz, M.D., Director of Yale Prevention Research Center. He recently wrote and published an article in which he explained that a calorie is a calorie is a calorie. I am repeating myself for effect because as he points out a gallon is a gallon, a degree of temperature is a degree, and a mile is a mile. These are precise units of measure that are unchangeable. In the same sense a calorie is ALWAYS a calorie.

As he goes on to point out, the measure we use in reference to food is actually a kilocalorie that we simply shorten to say calorie. It is nothing more than a measurement for a unit of energy.

How Calories Influence Weight Management

The real question we need to ask is how calories influence body weight and more specifically body fat. That’s the multi-million, no more likely the multi-billion dollar question, that ultimately misleads too many people. At the very least, writing about calories and weight management gets people to read what you have to say.  But all too often the confusion over the importance of calories is used as a way to sell books, products, and services that promise something that isn’t true and only offers false hope.

Calories are not magical. You can’t ignore calorie counts simply because you eat certain foods. However, what is true is that YOU are unique in the way YOUR body handles the calories you consume. No two people will digest AND then absorb the same number of calories even if they eat the exact same amount of a given food. Nor do any two people burn calories with the exact same efficiency once those calories are absorbed from the digestive tract, as David Katz points out.

People who are blessed with a high metabolic rate or who have a body that is inefficient in absorbing calories consumed can eat quite a bit more than the average person and not gain weight. The rest of us are all too painfully aware that we need to pay attention to how much we eat or our clothing seems to shrink!

Why the Quality of Calories You Eat Matters

What seems to be most important is the quality of the calories you eat. No the calories in nutritious food are NOT different from the calories in low quality food. However, the kind of calories you eat influences HOW MUCH you eat, how many calories are absorbed, and how those calories are handled in your body.

It is in your best interest to eat foods that are rich in the nutrients your body needs because it has a direct effect on keeping hunger under control. This in turn helps you keep your caloric intake at an appropriate level for YOUR body. Losing weight and maintaining that loss becomes much easier.

Low quality food that is nutrient poor or a source of too much sugar, fat, and/or salt can have a negative impact on your weight precisely because it encourages you to overeat! It can also have a negative impact on how those calories are handled in your body.

When nutrients enter your blood stream after digestion and absorption, the blend of nutrients present begin an extraordinarily complex cascade of biochemical events that are unique to what you’ve eaten, how much you’ve eaten, and your personal genetic makeup. This chain of events along with your activity level influences how much of what you’ve eaten will be burned for energy versus how much is stored as fat. It can even have an influence on where the fat is stored!

The impact of caloric quality gets very complicated very quickly. I will leave that for a series of articles at another time. In the meantime, please take note of both WHAT you eat AND how much. Both matter. Calories matter. High quality calories are BEST.

Choose right and a sandwich can serve you well on a weight loss diet. Sandwiches offer a quick fix for a meal. And they don’t have to be the same old boring thing if you are willing to engage in a bit of creativity. Do be careful, however, to minimize the carb and fat calories. Both can add up fast if you’re not paying attention!

Green leafy veggies, onions, radishes, grated carrots, chopped celery, and more add texture, taste, and nutrition to a low cal sandwich.

In this article I’ll share tips on the many choices you have for making a low calorie sandwich. And I’ll share a few new sandwich recipes to give you ideas for preparing sandwiches unique to YOUR food preferences.

Because calories are so limited on 1200 to 1500 calorie diets, you’ll want your sandwich ingredients to supply most if not all of what you need for a well-rounded healthy lunch. When making your sandwiches, I would encourage you to focus first on getting plenty of lean protein and dietary fiber. You want enough of these two components to make a sandwich that will satisfy your hunger for at least 2-3 hours in addition to fulfilling your nutritional needs.

PROTEIN FOODS

Aim for having 2-4 ounces of lean, high quality meat or a serving of another protein food. If lean meat, poultry, or fish are part of your diet then some of your options might include sliced chicken or turkey breasts, tuna fish, lean ham, Canadian bacon, sliced pork tenderloin, lean roast beef, salmon, or canned chicken. Lean meat might be sliced, diced, shaved, or shredded.

Another option might be lean “heat and eat” low calorie frozen burgers such as turkey burgers or veggie burgers. Just be sure to read the nutrition facts label and ingredient labels carefully to make sure you are getting what you want.

Other excellent low calorie, nutritious protein foods to consider include hard-boiled eggs, beans (legumes), low fat cottage cheese, reduced fat cheese slices, and tofu. Nut butters are a good source of protein as well as a source of healthy fat but they are high calorie. Keep your portion size small and a little can add flavor to a sandwich.

• Tuna Fish
• Salmon
• Seafood such as shrimp
• Lean Ham
• Canadian Bacon
• Sliced Pork Tenderloin
• Lean Roast Beef
• Salmon
• Canned Chicken
• Turkey Burgers
• Veggie Burgers
• Low Fat Cottage Cheese
• Tofu
• Eggs (hard boiled eggs, egg salad, scrambled)
• Low Fat Cottage Cheese
• Laughing Cow Cheese Wedges

DIETARY FIBER

Veggies can’t be beat for low calorie texture and flavor. Most veggies offer some dietary fiber. However, certain vegetables are a particularly good choice. Your best bet are sandwich-friendly green leafy vegetables such as mixed salad greens, spinach, romaine lettuce, cabbage, kale, and more. These greens can be eaten fresh when washed and clean OR after lightly sautéing as wilted greens.

Other veggies that may not have as much dietary fiber but are still an excellent choice include cooked asparagus, chopped celery, sliced black olives, cucumber slices, sliced radishes, grated carrots, and sliced or diced red or green bell peppers. Artichoke hearts and grilled sliced eggplant are another option.

Don’t forget fruit for making a sandwich tasty and unique. Thinly sliced apples or pears, for example, make an excellent addition.

• Mixed Salad Greens
• Spinach
• Romaine Lettuce
• Cabbage
• Kale
• Asparagus
• Chopped Celery
• Sliced Black Olives
• Cucumber Slices
• Sliced Radishes
• Sliced Onions
• Mushrooms
• Grated Carrots
• Sliced or Diced Red or Green Bell Peppers
• Artichoke Hearts
• Grilled Sliced Eggplant
• Apples
• Pears

 LEAVENED and UNLEAVENED BREAD and CRACKERS

In a previous two-part article I wrote about buying commercial leavened bread (sliced loaf bread) and what you need to know to minimize calories and maximize nutrition and taste. Choosing the best low calorie sandwich bread can be tricky.

As I indicated in that article you can also consider using unleavened bread or crackers for making sandwiches. Here’s a short list of some you might try. Let me know what other options you might have where you live!

• Sandwich Thins (Arnold, Pepperidge Farms, Kroger’s, etc.)
• Thomas Bagel Thins
• Whole Wheat Tortillas (check the calorie count!)
• Whole Wheat English Muffins
• Whole Grain Pita Bread (check calorie count!)
• Other whole grain breads
• Wasa Rye Crisp Crackers

SANDWICH SPREADS

There are so many possibilities for spreads. Many of which are healthier choices than regular mayonnaise. If you like mayonnaise, do choose the reduced fat version. My husband likes the reduced fat olive oil version of mayonnaise. I’ve switched from using any kind of mayonnaise on my sandwiches to using alternative choices.

• Hummus
• Avocado
• Relish (there are many different kinds of relish)
• Low Fat Cottage Cheese
• Apple Butter (those with 30 calories or less per tbsp.)
• Low Fat Plain Regular or Greek Yogurt
• Bean Spread
• Salsa
• Puree of Dark Green Veggies
• Laughing Cow Light Cheese
• Tapenade
• Tzatziki
• Pesto (just a little goes a long way)

I wrote about these in some depth in my article on Nutritious Low Calorie Spreads and more.  I’d encourage you to click through if you’d like to learn more.

I hope the sandwich ingredients I’ve shared here will inspire you to get creative with making low calorie, nutritious sandwiches that you’ll enjoy eating!

Try Something New: Sandwich Recipes

Avocado Spinach Egg Salad

This sandwich may not sound good but if you like the ingredients: egg, avocado, and spinach you’ve got to give it a try! I tried a version of it today and it was delicious! I didn’t have any spinach but I made a sandwich with 1 hard-boiled egg, about ¼ of an avocado, some diced celery and a bit of sea salt seasoning. I used Arnold whole wheat sandwich thins for the bread. Delicious and filling!

Sautéed Mushrooms and Cheese Sandwich

Sautee about 1 cup of sliced mushrooms with just a bit of olive or canola oil then add a couple of slices of reduced fat cheese (50 calories each) and allow to melt on top. Serve between 2 slices of low calorie lightly toasted bread. For easier handling, serve in a low cal whole-wheat wrap or half pita. This makes a great low fat version of the traditional high fat grilled cheese sandwich.

Turkey, Pesto, and Cheese Sandwich

Lightly spread a slice or two of bread with pesto (about a tbsp. or less to minimize calories). Lightly toast or bake the bread slices for a minute or two for better flavor.

Now top one slice of toasted pesto bread with 2-4 oz. of sliced turkey or other lean meat or lean meat combo, one slice of reduced fat cheese, and chopped or sliced tomatoes. Add some mixed salad greens if you’d like and top with the other slice of bread.

I like this recipe but then I like pesto. If you don’t like pesto you might try relish instead.

Have I succeeded in encouraging you to try something new? Low calorie nutritious sandwiches can be good! Get creative and you can stick with a low calorie diet for weight loss and enjoy your meals at the same time. What do you make that is a little out of the ordinary? Let me know!