700 Calorie Sample Meals

By : | Comments Off on 700 Calorie Sample Meals | On : February 17, 2014 | Category : 700 Kcal Meals

Slow Cooker Mushroom Chicken

It is impossible to lose or maintain your weight if you are always hungry or have to give up most of the foods you love.

The average person needs between 2,000 to 2,500 calories per day to maintain their ideal weight. Many Americans eat 30 percent more calories than they did in 1970 while their activity level has declined. The result? Overweight and obese Americans.

Can you can lose or maintain your weight eating three 700 to 800 calorie meals per day without feeling hungry. Below are a few examples of meal providing 700 calories or less. These 700 calorie sample meals usually provide more food with fewer calories than many fast food menu items and frozen entrees and meals. They also provide more variety and color than many prepared foods.

Frozen Entrees and Portion Control

Some Americans try losing weight by relying on diet plans with prepared meals or frozen prepared entrees available at most grocers and supermarkets. These prepared meals and entrees are relatively inexpensive, convenient, and control portion size. Calories typically range from 250 to 350 per meal for lean entrees, and 500 to 700 calories for standard size meals.

The “lean” entrees provide about the same number of calories as two ounces of potato chips. Bread, salad, beverages, fruit and vegetables must be added for a complete meal. Calories can quickly add up.

LC Box Photo-8890

Prepared meals and entrees can be heated and eaten at home or the office. Quality and taste usually ranges from good to poor. Just check the online reviews at the manufacturers website. After all, that is what you are buying; a manufactured meal. They are inexpensive with most of the cost for packaging, storage, transportation, and marketing.

The food accounts for 25 to 30 percent of the cost. That’s about 75 to 90 cents for a $3.00 entree. As the saying goes, you get what you pay for.

These microwaved meals usually look as much like their package photo as food photos for restaurant and fast food advertisements. You are also eating foods that have spent months in cold storage at the distributor, grocer, and your freezer. As a result the texture and flavor is not equivalent to freshly made home cooked foods.

Fast and Casual Foods

At the other extreme are fast food and restaurant meals that can supply a half days worth of calories or more in addition high levels of saturated fat and sodium. Nutrition information for many restaurants is available online, and beginning in 2018 on many restaurant menus.

Like nutrition facts labels, they can be deceptive. A 500 calorie entree seems healthy until you add an appetizer, sugary soft drink or alcoholic drinks and dessert. At some restaurants soup or salad is extra. Calories for bread and butter or tortilla chips may not be included in the entrees calories.

Tortilla Chips-8678

Why 700 calorie meals?

The reason is simple. Most people need 2,000 to 2,500 calories per day. If you eat 3 meals per day without snacking, it ranges from 667 to 800 calories per meal. It is easier to add rather than subtract calories. So the suggested meals aim for the low end while providing a nutritious, filling alternative to manufactured frozen entrees. In some cases, total entree calories are less than 500 allowing you to increase portion sizes or add one or two snacks or dessert and still maintain total calories between 2,000 and 2,100. Of course, the actual number of calories you need will vary.

Calorie Estimator

If you use Microsoft Excel or software that that can read and write Excel worksheets, you can use my free calorie estimator.

The goals for 700 Calories Meals:

  1. Maintaining the right number of calories
  2. Obtaining necessary vitamins and minerals.
  3. Not feeling hungry or deprived throughout the day.

All recipes will be available on this website.

Many recipes have how-to videos with ingredients, preparation, and cooking.

The first meal, complete with video, is Slow Cooker Mushroom Chicken with mashed potatoes, roasted carrots and steamed green beans.

 

You can substitute any vegetables you like for the potatoes, carrots, and beans. Eating a variety of vegetables provides a wide  variety of essential vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients. This meal, as shown has about 450 calories!

Sample 700 Calorie Meals:

Broiled Fish with Steamed Broccoli and Rice Medley

Broiled Fish with Steamed Broccoli and Rice Medley

Turkey Burger with Baked Beans, Steamed Vegetables and Roasted Bell Peppers

Turkey Burger with Baked Beans, Steamed Vegetables and Roasted Bell Peppers

Fish Sandwich with Fried Potatoes and Coleslaw

Fish Sandwich with Fried Potatoes and Coleslaw

Oven Fried Fish with Spicy Coleslaw, Cocktail Sauce & Mixed Frozen Vegetables

Oven Fried Fish with Spicy Coleslaw, Cocktail Sauce & Mixed Frozen Vegetables

Lunch or Dinner Salad

Lunch or Dinner Salad