Healthy Low Calorie Sample Menu

I’ve got an EASY low calorie sample menu for you today! Recently I shared a 7 Day Diet Sample Menu plus recipes for 1200 calories a day or more that required a fair amount of meal preparation. Now I will be creating a new menu plan for a week that requires very little work!

The cost will likely be considerably higher for the new plan. (I know I have yet to share the final cost for the first 7 Day Sample Menu. Hopefully I’ll get to that soon!). In the meantime, here’s the first sample menu of the new set. For this menu you can prepare two simple meals (breakfast and supper) at home in just minutes and then enjoy lunch out. If it works better to eat out for supper rather than lunch, just switch the two.

This menu suggests ordering two low calorie healthy meal items from Schlotzsky’s restaurant for lunch. Do you have a Schlotzsky’s near you? I don’t. If you’re like me, you could still follow the menu by substituting something similar. I’ve included the calorie count for the two dishes to help you out.

The total calorie count comes to approximately 1247. If you need to keep the calorie count at 1200 you might substitute nonfat cow’s milk for the soy milk or eat a little less of the Chicken and Pesto Pasta Salad. However if you choose nonfat cow’s milk instead of the enriched soy milk, keep in mind that you will have a little less calcium and a LOT less iron. (Note: To be sure you’re getting enough calories with your diet I encourage you to read: 1200 Calorie Diet: Getting Started! )

Low Calorie Sample Menu (Day 1)

Breakfast

1 cup Enriched Soy Milk (Soy Dream, 120 calories)*

¾ cup Heart to Heart Kashi Cereal

½ cup Blueberries

Water, unsweetened tea, or coffee

Snack

1 cup Enriched Soy Milk (Soy Dream, 120 calories)*

Lunch

Schlotzsky’s Chicken and Pesto Pasta Salad (326 calories)

Schlotzsky’s Fresh Fruit Salad (123 calories)

Water, unsweetened tea, or coffee

Snack

1 piece Laughing Cow Cheese, light original (50 calories)

1 medium orange

Supper

1 Hummus and Tomato Sandwich

(Start with 1 Whole Wheat Tortilla and spread one side with 2 Tbsp. hummus. Top with ½ cup spinach leaves, 1/2 cup tomato slices, ¼ cup feta cheese. Roll up and enjoy. Quick, easy. Ready in minutes.)

Water, unsweetened tea, or coffee

(Always remember to get plenty of water throughout the day. Read Water, Weight, and Women to learn more about your water needs.)

Total Calories = 1247

Total Fiber = 28.1 g

Fat = 23%

Carbs = 58%

Protein = 19%

Calcium = 1088 mg (Women between 19 and 50 years need approximately 1,000 mg a day, 51+ need 1,200 + mg a day)

Iron = 20.8 mg (Women 19 to 50 years need 18 mg of iron, 51+ need 8 mg)

*To save about 40 calories a cup and still have comparable nutrition, substitute a cup of nonfat cow’s milk for the soymilk. I often switch between drinking cow’s milk and soymilk. Having a few small cartons of shelf stable soymilk in the cupboard means I have something convenient to grab for a quick and easy meal (paired with cereal) or a filling snack on its own when I’m on the go.

1300, 1400, or 1500 Calorie Diet Menu

Modify the 1200 Calorie Diet Menu to fit your needs. Other than coming up a little short on calcium for women over 51, this is a healthy well-balanced menu. You can increase the total calories to 1300, 1400, or 1500 by choosing larger portion sizes for any of the foods in the menu. Or you can add additional food of your choice.

As I’ve mentioned in previous articles, I design the sample menus with the help of the large database of nutrient information and other calculators provided at MyFoodDiary.com When I have completed a menu, I enjoy seeing the kind of feedback I get about the nutritional balance. As a nutritionist, I have a fairly good idea when a menu is well balanced by the results of the data analysis. But it is fun to see if the service and I are in agreement. As silly as it may sound, I like that each positive comment gets a smiley face!