How about some great MEAL ideas - not snacks, not ingredients - but how do you mix it all together, fill your belly, and still manage to come out under 5-7 points?

Two of my staples:

Modified zero point soup (with added veggies, sometimes beans to make 2-3pt soup)

Stir fry without the rice - broccoli, mushrooms, peppers, onions, carrot chips and Iron Chef Sesame Garlic sauce. YUM.

I like to fix brown rice (instant kind) 1/2 cup = 3 pts
3-4 oz. chicken breast (cooked on George Foreman grill)
plus lots of veggies-mushrooms, broccoli, peppers, zuchinni or summer squash
stir-fries with Pam .
This really fills me up for 6-7 pts.

Last night, we had grilled chicken breasts (marinated in Paul Newmann lite lime dressing- yum!), sweet corn mixed with a little freshly chopped pico de gallo salsa, and (optional) a small baked yukon gold potato with a few sprays of I Can't Believe It's Not Butter.

I was so full, I didn't quite finish the potato!

Lafayette's meal is a staple at my house too.

I also take a baker potato, rub it in my 1 t olive oil and microwave it or bake it. Let it sit for 5 minutes after cook time is finished. Pop it open, couple of sprays of ICBNB Spray, fill it with 1/2 bag of Steam Fresh Veggies, and 4 Tbs. 2% cheese, nuke it to melt the cheese. Very filling. 3 pt potato, 1 pt olive oil, veggies free, ICBNB Spray free, 4 Tbs. of 2% cheese is 2 pts. - 6 pts. You can add 1 oz of chicken, turkey, ham or whatever meat you want for an extra point and protein if desired.

I'm a fan of quesidillas and I managed to find a way to make 6 pt ones. I buy 2 point tortillas (either the whole grain kind or ones from the local farmers market) and then add 3 pts worth of low fat mozerella and 1 pt of olive oil and it makes a good meal. I'll often eat veggies with it as well.

I use low cal tortillas to make mini pizzas, too. Load a tortilla with FF shredded mozzerella and veggie toppings and bake in the oven until crisp. Hunt's no sugar added spaghetti sauce makes a great base but it's also good without the sauce.

The Hunt's sauce (OK, it comes in a can) is also good over a serving of frozen tortellini, which you can make in the microwave, for a quick dinner.

murphmitch....just double-checking as I am a newbie to the new program. I thought 1 cup of rice was 4 points...(either brown OR white). Please correct me if I'm wrong (cause I eat a LOT of rice). 1/2 cup would be 2 points?

I typed it in wrong. The rice I use is 3 pts. for 1 cup prepared not 1/2 cup prepared.

Thanks for these! I also need this info. 20 points a day is not a whole lot!

I love shrimp, and now that the warm weather is here, one of my mainstays is shrimp kebabs on the grill. Five small shrimp per skewer (seasoned with garlic and herbs) add up to 30 calories, 0 fat, 0 fibre, so I'll have four skewers for two points. We also roast baby potatoes on the grill so I'll have three points worth (I weigh them), and then a salad or broccoli or asparagus or something. It feels like a lot of food and I'm stuffed for only five points.

We do a lot of grilling in the summer. I marinate chicken breast chunks and put them on skewers too, they work out to one point per skewer the way I do them.

Another go-to meal of mine is homemade vegetarian chili. Mine is one point per cup, and sometimes I'll have two cups (2) with a cup of brown rice (4) and a tablespoon of Parmesan cheese (1) on top, totaling 7 points.

Anne, do share! What brand of rice are you fixing? 3 points per cup is ALWAYS better than 4!

I use Great Value Instant Brown Rice from Walmart. For 1 cup prepared, its 150 cal., 2 gms fiber and 1 gm fat which comes out to 3 pts on my slider. Does that seem right to you?

Yep - that's right

Great tips - I had forgotten how low in points shrimp are.

wow Murphmitch -- I'll have to check that out when I get to Wal-Mert (say it with an accent and it sounds like a real fancy French store! ha ha!

Ok..up here in Canada we have what we call Safeway (probably equivalent to Albertson's on the Stateside). I buy a whole roasted chicken (way cheaper than buying chicken breasts and cooking -- but also it's done, so I have no excuses!) I bring it home and pick it apart and weigh out portions of 4 points each. That way for quick meals I can do a stir-fry (and add the veggies with spices -- free points other than the chicken) -- or I add 1/2 c rice and veggies and have a fantastic comfort food (again I put curry, tumeric, onions, misc veggies...whatever is left over in the fridge) and stir fry. It makes a really decent amount (with the rice it's a 6 point meal and excellent!). Just some more ideas.

This is a great one, especially with summer grilling right around the corner:

I found "white-wheat" hot dog buns, that are 1 pt for one bun. Plus, Hewbrew nat'l 97% FF all beef hot dogs which are also 1 pt per dog. 2 hot dogs w/ buns is just 4 points! If that doesn't fill you up, add a handful of chips, fruit, salad, etc.

Beside being low in points, these hot dogs are the best you'll ever eat. Trust me, I don't like hot dogs but I love these!