Here is a suggested list of "free foods" that was provided by NutriSystem counselors and posted by NutriSystem on the Bulletin Boards (although there was nothing about them in the information sent out by NutriSystem).

A "free food" is anything that is 20 calories or less and you can have up to 3 per day (they don't need to be with your meals, you can have them anytime). I use SF Popsicles as a snack before bed. You can eat SF Jello topped with 1 tablespoon Free Cool Whip, which is nice in the afternoon. SF Pancake Syrup is another example (most of which are 20 calories for 1/4 cup...or Walden Farms with 0 calories per serving). Just don't have all 3 at once, that would make it a carb.

FREE FOODS LIST

There are Free Foods that can be used on the NutriSystem plan. The term Free Foods comes from the American Diabetes Association. They are low calorie foods (20 calories or less) that can be added to the meal plan in small amounts. This minimal amount of calories will not affect weight loss, but we do recommend that they be limited to 2 or 3 servings per day if the foods have any calories at all.

FOOD and QUANITY

Drinks:

Coffee/Tea Unlimited
Diet Soda Unlimited
Sodium Free Seltzer Water Unlimited
Sugar Free Tonic Water Unlimited
Club Soda (not tonic or quinine water) Unlimited

Spices/Seasonings:

Artificial Sweeteners Unlimited
Spices (salt-free) Unlimited
Herbs Unlimited
Vinegar Unlimited
Lemon Juice Unlimited
Nonstick Cooking spray Unlimited
A-1 Sauce or Steak Sauce 1 Tbsp
Butter Buds 1 oz
Bouillon or Broth (Dry)- Low Sodium 1 packet, 1 tsp, 1 cube
Bouillon or Broth (Canned)- Low Sodium ¾ cup
Catsup 1 Tbsp
Cocoa, dry unsweetened 1 Tbsp
Coffee Whiteners (Powdered) 1 Tsp
Chili Sauce 1 Tbsp
Chocolate Topping (Reduced Calories) 1 Tbsp
Cool Whip (fat free) 2 Tbsp
Low cal or reduced cal syrup Amount not to Exceed 20 cals/ 0 fat
Dream Whip 1 Tbsp
Sugar-free Jam/Jelly Amount not to exceed 20 cal
Low sugar Jam/Jelly 2 Tsp
Horseradish 1 Tsp
Mustard 1 Tsp
Picante Sauce 1 Tbsp
Relish 1 Tsp
Salad Dressing (Fat Free) 2 Tbsp
Salsa 1 Tbsp
Soy Sauce (Low sodium) 1 Tsp
Taco Sauce 1 Tbsp
Worcestershire Sauce 1 Tsp

Nibbles:

Sugar Free Gelatin/Jello 6oz per serving = 15 cal
Sugar Free Gum 1 stick = 5 cal
Sugar Free Candies 20 cal or less per serving / 0 fat
Dill Pickle 1
Popcorn (light and natural) 1 Cup POPPED

Let me mention on this next list, the carb list is only for those with more than 100 lbs to lose, if you are needing to lose less you cant have it

Dairy and Protein Servings
Fat-free Milk or Light Yogurt, 8 oz
Fat-free or Low-fat Cheese, 1 oz
Non-fat or Low-fat Cottage Cheese, 1/4 cup
Parmesan (grated), 2 Tbsp
Chicken or Turkey (without skin), 1 oz
Egg, 1
Egg Whites, 3
Egg Substitute, 1/2 cup
Fish (fresh or frozen, not breaded), 1 oz
Lean Beef (Round, Sirloin, Flank, Tenderloin, Chuck, Rump), 1 oz
Lean Pork (Fresh or Boiled Ham, Canadian Bacon, Tenderloin, Loin Chop), 1 oz
Sandwich Meat (with 2 grams of fat or less per ounce), 1 oz
Sardines, 2
Shellfish (Clams, Crab, Lobster, Scallops, Shrimp), 2 oz
Tuna (canned in water), 1/4 cup
Vegetarian Protein Foods ("Veggie" Burgers, Smart Dogs), 2 oz
Low Glycemic Index Carbohydrate Servings
Barley (cooked), 1/3 cup
Beans (Garbanzo, Pinto, Kidney, White), 1/3 cup
Bread (Whole-wheat, Multi-grain, Pumpernickel, Rye, Sourdough, Oatmeal), 1 slice
Corn, 1/2 cup
Couscous (cooked), 1/3 cup
Crackers (whole-grain), 3/4 oz
Oatmeal (cooked), 1/2 cup
Pasta (cooked al dente), 1/2 cup
Peas (green), 1/2 cup
Peas (split, black-eyed), 1/3 cup
Pita (whole-grain, 6 inch), 1/2
Rice (cooked, brown), 1/3 cup
Roll (whole-grain, small), 1
Sweet Potatoes, Yams, 1/3 cup
Fat Servings
Avocado, 1/8
Mayonnaise, 1 tsp
Nuts Almonds, 6
Peanuts, 10 large
Pecans, 4 halves
Walnuts, 4 halves
Peanut Butter, 1 tsp
Oil (Canola, Olive, Peanut, Corn, Safflower), 1 tsp
Olives, 5 large
Salad Dressings (regular), 1 Tbsp
Salad Dressings (reduced-fat), 2 Tbsp
Seeds (Sesame, Pumpkin, Sunflower), 1 Tbsp
Fruit Servings
Apple, 1 small
Applesauce, 1/2 cup
Apricots, 1/2 cup
Banana, 1/2
Blueberries, 3/4 cup
Cantaloupe, 1/3
Cherries, 12
Cranberries, dried 2 Tbsp.
Grapes, 15
Grapefruit, 1/2
Honeydew melon, 1/8
Kiwi, 1 large
Mandarin Oranges, 1/2 c. canned
Nectarine, 1 med.
Orange, 1 med.
Pear, 1 small
Peach, 1 med.
Pineapple, 1/3 c. canned
Pineapple, 3/4 cup fresh
Plums, 2
Pomegranate, 1/2 med.
Prunes, 3
Raisins, 2 Tbsp.
Raspberries, 1 cup
Strawberries, whole, 11/4 cup
Tangerines, 2 small
Fruit Juices (may replace fruit)
Apple Juice, 1/2 cup
Cranberry Juice Cocktail, 1/3 cup
Grapefruit Juice, 1/2 cup
Grape Juice, 1/3 cup
Orange Juice, 1/2 cup
Pineapple Juice, 1/2 cup
Salad Vegetable Servings

These raw vegetables may be eaten in unlimited amounts as part of your daily salad servings.
Alfalfa Sprouts
Cabbage
Chicory
Cucumbers
Celery
Escarole
Green Onions
Hot Peppers
Lettuce (all types)
Parsley
Radishes
Spinach
Watercress
Zucchini
Vegetable Servings

Serving size is 1/2 cup cooked or 1 cup raw unless otherwise noted.
Artichoke, 1/2 large
Asparagus
Beets
Bell Peppers
Broccoli
Brussels Sprouts
Cabbage
Carrots
Cauliflower
Collard Greens
Eggplant
Green Beans
Kale
Mushrooms
Mustard Greens
Snow Pea Pods
Spinach
Tomato, 1 med
Tomato Juice
Vegetable Juice
Zucchini
The follow condiments and beverages may be eaten in the amounts listed.

Unlimited
Artificial sweeteners
Herbs
Lemon juice
Spices (salt-free)
Vinegar
Limited to 1 tsp. per day:
Flavoring extracts
Horseradish
Low-sodium soy sauce
Mustard
Relish
Worcestershire sauce
Limited to 1 Tbsp. per day:
Catsup
Salsa
Picante sauce
Taco sauce
These beverages may be consumed in unlimited amounts:
Coffee or tea
Diet soda
Sodium-free seltzer water
Sugar-free tonic water

Thanks, Spryng.

I'm having a hard time finding cracker that meat the nutritional requirements for the low gi carb serving. We each get extras from being over 100 pounds to lose.

Vickie, I know melba toast fit the bill, our walmart is carrying them now so you should be able to find some somewhere, they taste pretty good too

Oh I used to love those. They'll go good with my cottage cheese or a string cheese. Thanks Spryng.

I appreciate all your patience with my newbie questions.

well...I am pretty sure that I am going to do Nutrisystem. I started low-cal Jan 1st but have only lost 4 pounds and keep using my calorie allotment on bad foods instead of healthy. I think I will do one month of Nutrisystem to discipline myself. I LOVE the fact that I dont have to count, measure, tally or keep track of anything. I need a break from stressing over what I eat and how much. On NS, I can go to someone else's house and say "no thanks, i'm on Nutrisystem" instead of "One little piece wont hurt..i'll just subtract it from my calorie total for the day".

So I am selling some stuff on Ebay today and am already up to 50 bucks so far....I will throw in the rest to buy a 28 day supply of Nutrisystem from Ebay (I cant afford the $300+ through the official website)

My only concern is that I dont know what I can have for veggies and extras....I dont want to guess. Is there a list of acceptable veggies? No bread right? (I want to lose at least 40 pounds) If Nutrisystem is really working well then I will probably do a second month. After that, a regular low cal eating plan should be easy to transition to.

I did Medifast for 6 weeks and lost 13 pounds....along with a good portion of my hair!!!! I followed the plan to a tee! I think once I spend a lot of money, I have the extra motivation/determination not to waste the opportunity. I know NS works if you dont cheat so half the battle is already won for me because I have to lose this weight...I have lower back and joint problems and I am really struggling with pain issues. 20 pounds will go a long way to ease the stress I am putting on my joints....30 even better...40 pounds will give me a new lease on life!

anyhow.......I dont know how much I will post...just wanted to show my face and say that i'm on board as soon as my food comes.

I just ordered Nutrisystem. Just need a plan that tells be exactly what to eat since my eating is out of control. As I approach 40, all I want to do is eat, lol. Can't wait until it gets here.


Kay

Down 3.5 lbs this week. Got rid of the extra holiday weight plus 1. Mini goal is 10 more pounds, which is where I was in March of last year. Then the real serious work starts.

Thanks Spryng. That Free foods list is awesome . One thing I really like is popcorn, so seeing it there on the list telling me I can have some just made my day

valley: The lists that Spryng posted have the fruit/veggie amounts you were asking about

kay: Welcome to NS! I am sure you'll find it a breeze

Newgie: 3.5 lbs is awesome, good job

ohhhh....I see now. I thought the second list was only for people needing to lose 100 pounds or more so I didnt read through it! I see now that she was talking about a small potion of the list (the carbs, duh) and not the whole thing. My mistake..thanks for clarifying.

One more question (sorry )...Do you know how many servings you are allowed to have a day in each category, in addition to your NS meals? Is it 1 serving of dairy, 1 fat, 1 fruit...or something like that?

A typical day looks like this: (for women losing under 100 lbs. on the regular plan)

Breakfast: 1 NS breakfast, 1 fruit, 1 dairy/protein
Lunch: 1 NS lunch, salad, FF dressing, 1 dairy/protein
PM snack: 1 fruit, 1 dairy/protein
Dinner: 1 NS entree, 2 vegetables, 1 salad OR fruit, 1 fat serving
Dessert: 1 NS dessert

You can move your servings around to serve your particular needs.

Thank you so much! Thats just what I needed to know!

I am sooo excited now...I just got an amazing deal on Ebay. I bought 194 meals for $200.00 + $15 shipping! 55 dinners, 46 lunches, 38 breakfasts and 55 desserts/snacks! I had sold some items already and had $75 stored up at Paypal so all I paid out of pocket was $140.

Today is day one for me and the DH! We are so excited and scared at the same time.

DH had scrambled eggs this morning which I cooked in the frying pan for him. He said they were great. I had the bran flakes with my own blueberries and a piece of string cheese. I've been up since 6:00 and I'm already getting hungry again. I guess it's almost snack time. I need to finish my coffee and get some water in.

Anyhow....just wanted you all to know that we started. So far, so good......

Hi Ladies, looks like everyone is doing well and sticking to plan. So great to see so many new people! Good luck everyone.

I, on the other hand, am not doing so good. I was shocked last week to get weighed before I started boot camp at the gym and I was 8 pounds more than than last weigh-in (day before christmas eve). As of last Friday most of that weight was gone. I'll see how it goes this Friday. Boot camp is killing me but such a good workout now I just have to get my eating under control.