You got home from work late, have no desire to cook, and ““ despite your desire to stay on your diet ““ have Joe’s Pizza Delivery on your speed dial (and garlic bread, double-cheese pizza and cheesecake for dessert sounds fabulous). Oops. Does that scenario sound familiar? Or maybe you’ve had a healthy dinner”¦but you’re longing to drive straight to the ice cream parlor for a hot fudge sundae?
Quick! Avoid the “must-have fattening food” crazies with this list of palate-pleasing pantry essentials to win at weight loss:
- Fill up, not out, with soup that’s high in fiber and high on the “tastes great!” ratings. Amy’s Lentil Soup is a meal in itself, with just 150 calories per serving. Enjoy with whole grain crackers or toast topped with low-fat cheese.
- When you’re craving comfort food, respond to those cravings with microwavable, pre-portioned Annie’s Homegrown Mac and Cheese. It tastes so creamy and rich that it’s gotta be fattening, right? Wrong! Just 230 calories per serving means that you can even treat yourself to dessert (how about a serving of low-fat vanilla ice cream for the ultimate comfort food meal?).
- Chocolate with peanut butter is an irresistible combination. So don’t resist that longing: give into it with ExtendBar Chocolate Peanut Butter Delight! With just 150 calories per bar, it’s diet-friendly and contains an impressive 11 grams of protein and 5 grams of fiber to keep you satisfied.
- Live near a fast food restaurant that serves up marvelous Mexican food? Leave the car in the garage and keep this in your cupboard: Dr. McDougall’s Big Cup Soup Tortilla. And when we say “big,” we mean BIG! It’s big in size, big in flavor and big in satisfaction”¦but it’s low in calories. Just 200 calories makes a filling meal of corn, tomatoes, beans and baked tortilla chips.
- How about brownie bliss? Prepare to fall in love with No Pudge Fat Free Fudge Brownies! You can make a single serving in the microwave, filling the house with that fabulous fudge-rich fragrance. And one serving has just 110 calories of delicious delight (who needs a hot fudge sundae when you can have a homemade brownie?!).
Joanne Eglash, Vitacost.com’s Diet Diva, has a master of science in holistic nutrition and more than 15 years experience as a nutrition consultant, blogger, author and journalist. She has written for a wide range of publications and websites, including ediets.com, Natural Health magazine, Shape magazine, Success magazine, Energy for Women and Chefs. Joanne is currently the national Diets columnist for the online news and entertainment site, Examiner.com, and a features food columnist for Yahoo.