LLB: My food choices are really bad sometimes, so I WON'T go into all of my "depression meals" (one is two cans of vanilla slimfast and a Hershey's Cookies 'n Creme bar)!
But sometimes when traveling I stop at a convenience store and get something like:
1) A lowfat cheesestick or small bottle of lowfat milk or yogurt; fruit.
2) Milk or orange juice; graham crackers.
3) Plain hot dog on a bun; lowfat milk.
Etc.
From a grocery store, I can get things like:
1) Small bottle of lowfat milk (soy, dairy or kefir if available); fruit.
2) Pita bread; hummus; individual carton of applesauce from deli usually.
3) Pita bread; Nutella (spread thin, but it is actually nutritious).
4) Crispex cereal (for snacking dry)
5) Individual boxes of raisins, mix one with one cup of Kashi Good Friends cereal, carry this in single serving size plastic bags or bowls to snack on; bottle of lowfat milk.
6) Single serving of lowfat cottage cheese and cherry tomatoes (I like lots of red pepper with this); plum or apricot (just buy one).
7) Ready to eat roasted chicken breast (or thigh or drumstick if one insists) in single or two-serving packages (usually is branded Tyson); piece of fruit; small carton of lowfat milk or juice. If you have an Old Dog like mine, you have to throw out all the chicken packaging before she gets in the car the next time, though!
Etc.
Convenience Food: I keep small entrees that I make in single-serving sizes in the freezer with the calorie count written on. One is the tuna casserole I posted on the food thread we had awhile back. It's just Velveeta Shells & Cheese, only add water pack tuna, mushrooms, grated carrots, tomatoes or whatever and ONLY USE HALF OR LESS OF THE PACKAGE OF CHEESE SAUCE. That works for all those packaged dinners, as they put in way too much cheese and other fat stuff. Also never add butter or oil to these, add some extra vegetables and/or water or something.
I also make muffins using low calorie/low fat versions of package directions or with All Bran, adding raisins and/or other extra fruit or carrots. I freeze these and microwave. For a mini-meal, I might eat two with a tablespoon of diet butter and a cup of cottage cheese.
Hmmm. Since I started eating meat, I've divided one-pound packages of Laura's Lean Beef into four patties and frozen (140 calories). I freeze packages of buns (look for the lowest calorie count, as buns vary widely, mine are 110 calories), then broil a frozen patty and toast the bun. I eat this w/Worcestershire Sauce only (no calories), no toppings, but I'm weird. I've done the same thing with Ballpark Lite Hot Dogs (80 calories), buns (110 calories), but I use hot dog relish (20 calories).
Salmon (broiled) is also a healthy, low calorie base for a mini meal. The fat is very healthy so no worries there. I've been known to slice a tomato and eat half with the salmon and plain rice with broccoli.
A more normal person than me would have a small salad or piece of fruit with the above meat thingies, but I usually have a glass of Diet V-8 Splash (10 calories).
I sometimes keep a carton of those little Hostess (or other) donuts (four equals 230 calories) in the freezer to prevent donut cravings in the middle of the night. This is risky and I'm not always up to the task of having only four, but usually I can do it and it keeps me from climbing the walls for lack of something sweet. A healthy minded person (not me) would eat only two with a piece of fruit, cutting fruit and donuts into bite size pieces and maybe drink some lowfat milk also.
Sometimes I do cut up an apple into pieces to eat with one or two ounces of any kind of lower fat cheese (not no-fat cheese, though; I hate that). It's a good way to satisfy a desire for cheese but the apple takes the place of another piece.
Lately (since the meat) I've been experimenting with those little packages of grocery store deli meat (160 calories each). I've thought of eating these with an apple and cheese, but the only thing I've really done is rolled the slices up with lowfat cream cheese and mustard and eaten with cherry tomatoes. If you added an 80-calorie roll to this, plus V-8 Splash, it could pass for a mini meal.
Some people use those diet-brand frozen entrees or dinners or bowls as the bases for mini meals. I've tried 'em but they are usually too spicy for me. Also, I eat enough preservatives with the slimfast!
This could just go on forever as I remind myself that I do know other things to eat than slimfast and candy! Thanks, LLB!
Really, the mini meal thing is the best idea for me and I think at my advanced age it helps keep my metabolism moving. For those who eat three squares and want to eat more often, the whole idea is just to divide the three squares up into six smaller squares and eat within the breakfast zone, lunch zone, and dinner zone.
And I'm well into the lunch zone and ready to eat as we speak.