Hello everyone!

A new member recently posted asking about people's food logs and it made me think about how many people ask about menus, food logs and what kind of food people who successfully lost weight ate and are eating as they lose.

So if anyone would be willing to share their daily/weekly menus, ideas for healthy snacks and tips on eating out that would be great!

Please post recipes in the WW recipe forum.

Thanks in advance,
Mauvaisroux

Each Sunday evening while watching t.v. I get out my WW cookbooks and plan my meals for the week and make my grocery list.

This really helps me stay on track since I know what I'm going to eat in advance and I avoid the "What's for dinner?" issue at 6:00 p.m. in the past this has led to eating soup and sandwiches or ordering take out so I needed to change my ways.

This also makes me buy only what I need to make these meals so I don't waste the lovely veggies and fruit that used to end up forgotten and rotting in the bottom of my fridge and saves me money and time at the store.

My best advice for meal and menu planning is "KNOW THYSELF". Let's face it, if you know you hate cooking then you need to work around that. If you hate chopping vegetables then you need to deal with that too. If you don't have time to make a salad for lunch then you need to make your life easier.

Breakfast:

Instant oatmeal - great on a cold day, filling and only 2 -3 points depending on which flavour (I buy Quaker) also you can take a pack in you purse and make and eat it when you get to work.

Low fat yogurt- add fresh fruit or granola for a quick breakfast.

Bananas - you can eat them in the car or on the way to the bus stop

Granola bars or cereal bars - try to get the low fat or lower sugar kind


For lunches:

Tuna/cracker kits -just read the label and watch the sodium and point content - some are more than others

Baby carrots and precut veggies- no peeling and slicing required!

Low fat dips- hummous (try to get one that is not made with oil) roasted red pepper, baba ganoush...etc. These also make good sandwich spreads as an alternative to butter.

Low fat pudding - the convenience of premade packaged pudding and jello makes a nice treat especially if you are craving chocolate!

Fresh fruit - only buy what you can consume in a week to avoid wasting food.

Laughing cow light cheese triangles - great on crackers, Ryvita or with cut up celery.

Instant soup- look for low sodium options and ones with some substance. President’s choice have the TGBT line (Too Good To Be True) that has a nice couscous and vegetable, a vegetarian chili and a nice black bean one. Nile Spice brand has some excellent ones too.

Individually wrapped items - okay so they may cost a few cents more but I find that the box of saltines that are wrapped in fours stays fresher longer and I will only eat the one pack instead of half the box

The same thing goes for cookies and other treats. Sometimes you have to trick yourself into quantity control.

Best friends for the non-cook or pressed for time person:

Frozen veggies - they cook in a jiffy, can be microwaved and there are blends that are good for stir fries

Stir fry kits and tortilla kits - use with lean meat to make fajitas, tacos etc. add low fat canned refried beans and some rice.

Pre cut vegetables - great to toss into salads, as a snack with low fat dips and a great time saver - not tedious chopping!

Boneless/skinless chicken breast - these cook quickly, can be used in stirfries, pastas or just grilled and thrown into a salad

Precut stirfry meat - most grocery stores have this now and they are great for fajitas, stirfries etc.

Bagged salad - far too easy to use and avoids waste great for lunches and as a side with pasta for dinner

Pre shredded cheese (low fat preferably) - great for tacos, salad toppings etc.

Canned or jarred pasta sauce - pasta only takes 15 minutes or so just toss the sauce on add a side salad (bagged Ceasar kit) and you have a quick meal

Miinute rice - so it's not as nutritional as brown but hey it's better than nothing right? Just add some steamed or microwaved frozen veggies to it and you are good too go -it is still better than the drive-thru!

Lowfat frozen items such as Captain Highliner fish fillets (lemon pepper is a good one), or President’s choice low fat breaded chicken breasts. As some veggies and minute rice and you have a meal that is ready in about 30 minutes.

My typical breakfasts:
I rotate to avoid boredom & I HAVE to have my morning coffee

NB - points are approximated and I count my coffe as 1 because of cream and sugar

1 scrambled egg (Free range -organic fed)
2 slices of turkey bacon
coffee
4 points

1 scrambled egg (Free range -organic fed)
1 veggie sausage patty (Yves veggie cuisine)
1 coffee
(3 points)

3/4 cup bran flakes
1 small banana, sliced
½ cup 2% milk
1 coffee
(4.5 points)

2 slices of whole wheat toast
1 tbsp light cream cheese (Philly or Lactancia)
½ grapefruit
1 coffee
(4 points)

1 cup yogurt (Source)
½ cup mixed berries
1 tbsp wheat germ
1 coffee
(3 pts)

1 whole wheat English muffin
1 tsp light jam (sugar free or mostly fruit type)
1 orange
1 coffee

1 frozen waffle
1 tbsp maple syrup
1 sliced banana
1 coffee

1/4 cup light ricotta cheese
mixed with cinnamon & sugar substitute poured over
Fresh fruit salad (seasonal)
1 cup coffee

1 whole wheat bagel
1 tbsp light cream cheese
1 coffee

1 slice raisin toast with ½ tsp butter
1 banana
1 coffee

Sunday breakfasts:

1 egg omelet (free-range)
1 oz shredded low fat cheese
1 cup (mixed) chopped peppers, onions, mushrooms
1 coffee
(5 pts)

2 slices of French toast
2 tbsps maple syrup
1/2 cup sliced strawberries
(or whatever is in season)
(6 pts)

2 whole wheat pancakes
2 tbsp maple syrup
1/2 cup blue berries
( I use frozen if not in season)

At home diner style / brunch pigout
1 scrambled egg
2 slices turkey bacon
1 hashbrown
1 slice whole wheat toast w/ 1/2 tsp butter
1 slices melon
1 coffee
( 7pts burp! )

I will post the points for the rest of the items later

This is a great thread, thank you for starting it. I also look for ideas to help my weight loss.. I love to read other peoples ideas.. Good Luck!

I just started WW but I've found a few tricks that help:

Dinner -- you mention soup and sandwiches and you know what? They aren't all bad. I love eating it during the winter -- it's quick and it fills me.

2 slices Wonder Light Wheat Bread (1)
1 tbsp of Brummel and Brown Spread (1)
1/2 serving (3 slices) 99% Hillshire Farms FF Ham (.5)
2 slices FF Cheddar or American Cheese (1)
1 can Campbell's Tomato Soup or 1 can Progresso 99% FF Minestrone or 1/2 can of Progresso 99% FF Lentil.

All that and it's only 5.5-6 points!!!

Also, to help me frink water, I buy a lemon and a lime and cut it up and put in a baggie -- I take it to work with my Naglene. For every 32 oz. of water I drink, I can drink something else -- coffee, diet soda, etc. It helps me reach my water intake for the day!

Salads are my preferred lunch -- usually with some protein be it tuna or chicken thrown in. I love vinegar, so I buy FF vinegar based dressings. That way I can just add vinegar - be it balsamic, apple cider, red wine - to the dressing for more without adding fat or calories!

I try not limiting myself, or I will get fed up. Of course, I watch what I eat and compensate accordingly.

If I have eggs benedict for a Sunday breakfast, I know that for lunch and dinner, it's lots of veggies and FF items too. That way, I eat what I want and still hold myself accountable!

Does anyone else have any good meal ideas or tips for other WW members?

I would love to see other people's menus

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Morning girls.

Hey...here's a great snack I just discovered. Get a whole wheat (high fibre) tortilla, some ff cream cheese, 1/2 tsp of cocoa powder, and a pkt of splenda. Spread it all around on the tortilla and then add cut up strawberries. Roll it up and you're in HEAVEN!!! OMG!!! This is soooo good, and very healthy too. I'm so clever sometimes!!!

Some of my quick breakfast ideas are.....

I poach some eggs every few days and just have them ready in the fridge for me to grab. So that being said.....

-toast a ww's english muffin, while that is toasting. Nuke the already cooked egg in the micro for 15 secs (just to warm it up) slap on a pc of low fat cheese slice and voila....a pseudo egg mcmuffin

-toast 2 99% ff special K waffles, and add 1/2 C ff cottage cheese and sliced strawberries. sprinkle with cinnamon. no need for syrup...honest!!

-chocolate cream cheese and strawberry rollup. takes 2 min to do.

-maple/brown sugar mini wheats, skim milk and nuke for 90 seconds....mmmm so delish!!

-2 pc whole wheat bread toasted, with a cheese slice between. for fun, add a small squirt of french's mustard. yum yum

Hope these help!!
__________________

One thing that I discovered for those late evening munchies is Orville Redenbachers 94% FF popcorn. You can have 5 cups for only 1 pt.

That tortilla sounds yummy!

Breakfast:
Trader Joe's Whole Wheat English Muffin (both halves):2.5 pts.
1 Wedge of Laughing Cow Cheese (split btwn both halves):1 pt.
1 Tbsp. Honey (split): 1 pt.

Total: 4.5

Breakfast:
Trader Joe's Whole Wheat English Muffin (both halves):2.5 pts.
1 Wedge of Laughing Cow Cheese (split btwn both halves):1 pt.
2 pcs. of Lean Ham (1 on each half of muffin): 1 pt.
Total: 4.5

Lunch or Dinner:
1 Large Whole Wheat Pita sliced in half (so it's a whole circle):1.5 pts.
Spinach:0 pts.
1/4 cup of Tomato Sauce:.75 pts.
2 pcs. of Turkey Bacon or 8 pcs. of Turkey Pepperoni: 1 pt.
1/4 cup Reduced Fat Mozzarella:2 pts.
Total: 5.25 pts

Make like a pizza and bake in oven at 400 for about 10 minutes. eat the rest of the spinach in place of a salad.

Lunch or Dinner:
My Quick Modified Version of Gumbo:
1 Can of 99% Fat Free Lentil Soup: 4.5 pts
1/2 Cup of Brown Rice: 2 pts.
10 drops Green Tabasco Sauce: 0 pts.
1 Link of Lean Sausage (most brands) 3.75pts.
Total: 10.75pts. (this is a HUGE SERVING)

Other Honorable Mentions:
Trader Joe's Mandarin Chicken when you are craving Chinese Food 1 cup is 5 pts. i serve this with homemade fried rice:1 cup brown rice (4 pts), egg beater (.5) , 1 cup frozen mixed veggies (1 pt.), low sodium soy sauce (0 pts), 1 tsp. olive oil.(1.5) = 7 pts. /2 servings = 3.5 pts.

Moc Chicken Cordon Bleu (in recipes) 5 pts.
Diet Soda Cake 4 pts.