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Low Calorie Menu Ideas for Busy People

When you're trying to lose weight, dieting can feel like a full-time job. Preparing elaborate meals and snacks is far too time consuming when you're busy with work, family and social commitments. Instead, shave calories off each meal and do your best to eat a healthy diet. Talk to your physician before you change your dietary habits, especially if you have a medical condition that requires special nutrition such as diabetes or heart disease.

  1. Breakfast Ideas

    • Smoothies are the ideal breakfast food for health conscious, busy people. Toss a cupful of berries, a scoop of low-fat yogurt, a splash of skim milk and a few ice cubes in the blender and give it a whirl. Pour the smoothie into a travel mug and sip your low-calorie breakfast drink on the drive to work. Another option is to make breakfast burritos. Scramble egg whites -- which only have 126 calories per cup -- with plenty of chopped vegetables such as bell peppers, spinach and tomatoes. Use cooking spray instead of butter to grease the pan and you'll save around 30 calories. Wrap the eggs in a 100-calorie, whole-grain burrito for breakfast on-the-go.

    Lunch Ideas

    • Most lunch staples are quick and you can make them low-calorie very easily. For instance, instead of slathering sandwich bread with mayonnaise and stacking it high with cheese, make an open-faced sandwich. Smear a little Dijon mustard on a slice of whole-grain bread and top it with thinly sliced tomato and cucumber and deli meat. If you like salad but don't have time to slice and dice, buy a bagged salad at the grocery store. Top the greens with canned tuna and garbanzo beans for protein and fiber. Drizzle your salad with a light, oil-based dressing.

    Dinner Ideas

    • Include an item from each of the food groups for a healthy, low-calorie, but filling dinner. For instance, you could enjoy a 3-ounce serving of chicken, a half cup of brown rice, one cup of steamed vegetables and a serving of low-fat yogurt for only a few hundred calories. Instant brown rice and microwavable pouches of frozen vegetables will save you time. Poultry, fish and beans are lower calorie sources of protein. Limit yourself to one to two servings of red meat per week. Be wary of extra calories hidden in alcohol and desserts. Save sweet and drinks other than water or milk for special occasions.

    Snack Ideas

    • Fresh fruits and vegetables are the obvious low-calorie snack when you are busy. Toss a handful of baby carrots and grapes in a plastic container and keep it in your purse or briefcase. Air-popped popcorn is another great option and will only take a few minutes to prepare. One cup of popped kernels has a mere 31 calories, so you can enjoy a few handfuls guilt-free.

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