I am really struggling. I know I would do a lot better if I could figure out just a small handfull of satisfying meals and snacks to choose from. What are the things you count on?

Funny, I asked this question in the Food subforum a couple of weeks ago, but it didn't take off. Maybe it will get more traction here.

My number-one go-to snack is a good old-fashioned apple. I eat 2-3 apples a day. I love them. Sweet, crunchy, satisfying, portable, absolutely delicious in local season (I'm in New England) and widely available even when not in season. They are for me the perfect food.

Other things I keep around for snacking are boiled eggs and slices of cheese, because sometimes I need some fat and protein to keep me from feeling hungry, especially before I go to the gym.

There is a cheese I am in love with called nabulsi - I get it at a middle eastern grocery store. It's a mild white cheese that is brined so it has a wonderful salty flavor and weighs in at just 80 calories an ounce. A few slices of it with the aforementioned apple can keep me going for a few hours.

mmmmm. I always try and balance carbs/fat/protein whether it is a snack or a meal but lately I've been going lower carb with my menus.
my faves: cottage cheese and strawberries with splenda,
a 4 oz/lean steak with sauteed onions, an apple with 1 oz of cheddar cheese, hardboiled egg whites (I keep a bunch of hardboiled eggs in my fridge at all times and just toss the yoke. today I tried them with some cheddar and it was really yummy to me), celery or apples with peanut butter, scrambled egg beaters with tomatoes or some other veggie on the side, and sometimes if I want a really big meal for relatively few calories I will have 4 oz of grilled chicken over 3 oz of lettuce with 1 oz of other veggies for flavor and will use balsamic vinegar or lemon juice in place of a salad dressing. It is less than 200 calories and makes a HUGE salad. I'm trying to be low carb but if I REALLY crave carbs I will let myself have a serving of oatmeal because it really fills me up. I've also started getting into cucumbers. I used to think of these as only something you would put on a salad or in a sandwich but lately I've been slicing them up and sprinkling salt and pepper on them. Sometimes I include tomato slices too. If they are really fresh they can be delicious and I feel kind of decadent when I eat it like it is food at a spa or something lol.
I also always try and drink 2 glasses of water with each meal/snack to give me that "full" feeling that I've realized I'm addicted to.

I love oatmeal. Breakfast is like the ONE thing I have worked out because I can eat oatmeal and be full till lunch with no problems.

But an apple? I eat an apple, I have stomach cramps before I've even finished the whole thing. I LOVE apples, but like most fruits it's a back-fire kind of snack for me - I just get more hungry. Even eating it with cheese or nuts only helps a little and good grief, there are nine bazillion calories in ten stinkin' almonds.

I do love boiled eggs and cheese, I've got to remember to boil some eggs today to have for the next few days (and I just watched a rerun of Julia Child where she says to keep them in the fridge in water to keep them fresh...but that sounds iffy to me). Probably wouldn't hurt to keep some cooked chicken around to use for salads. Thanks for that idea!

Sometimes I think I should be doing low carb but man, I burn out on meat and eggs pretty quickly and I'm just not willing to give up my oatmeal.

i know. i havent been able to incorporate nuts into my diet either. so many calories and I can't just eat a handful. Once I pop I just can't stop lol

A "go to meal" for me has been a 100-calorie whole wheat sandwich thin, toasted with 1-2 TBSP peanut butter - depending on how much I want that day, and a sliced banana on top of that. I sprinkle with nutmeg or cinn sugar and it's a 300-400 calorie breakfast, lunch or dinner that is FILLING with protein, fat, fruit, and fiber. YUM

wow! that sounds good, national parker!

Oh my goodness I am SO trying that!!

So I am pretty standard for breakfast- M-F I eat either 100cal pack of oatmeal w/ water/cereal (the small lunch pack size of various varieties), oj or skim milk, and light yogurt. On Sat and Sunday I eat 1 pb granola bar and light yogurt.

Lunch varies, but it's usually a sandwich on 90cal bun, pork rinds (I've been hooked on those for a while), pringle stix, w/ maybe some yogurt or a can of fruit

Dinner- on days I go to the gym I do a salad w/ chicken. On the other days, I may cook me some chicken and veggies, do a can of light harvest campbells soup.

Then I eat out Thurs. and Saturdays. I am trying to get off of that but it's so hard. I live w/ my boyfriend who will NOT eat vegetables, doesn't like much meat unless it's hamburger or bacon. So we go out to eat 2x a week to get kind of a "variety". I have downloaded a couple of Iphone apps. that give nutrition info on various restaurants. It kind of helps but then also upsets me when I see the nutrition info. on the stuff that's really good!

Cooking and having some boiled eggs, chicken... that sounds like a good idea. I don't like pb and celery. Nuts? The only ones I like are honey roasted/salty peanuts, but I don' think I could ever stop at a handful. I like apples, but eating them every day or several times a day, would get old fast.

Does anyone else have some good tips... other food varieties? I'm up for whatever I can get!

I also use the 100 calorie bread thins but I put Fage Greek yogurt (0%fat).....I only need about 30 calories of it for both slices. I also top with red onion. I LOVE it!

I also enjoy the Trader Joe's frozen oatmeal. It's 150 calories of steel cut oats. Yum!

For a sweet treat in the evening, I love baked green apples with cinnamon on top. They are sooooo good!

Oh, and yams. Baked. Simple, filling and delish!

I eat a lot of Kashi granola bars because they are portable and very tasty. At home I'm a huge Triscuit and Laughing Cow cheese fan. I also love making tasty chicken and whole wheat pasta salads. I use a ton of fresh veggies and light mayo. Of course you have to portion this out but it's so good and satisfying.

Those will not happen. Ew, gross. I love most veggies, but definitely not that one!

Nuts, right now its cashews, sometimes pistachios. BUT I always count them out. I only have 15 cashew pieces or 30 pistachios, and only once a day. I also LOVE to eat light string cheese. I usually have one in the afternoon. I love to grill up a lot of chicken at once and eat it on salads, or by itself.
A lot of times my breakfast is egg muffins, which are essentially eggs cooked in a muffin tin. They reheat well.
Trial and error! Always the key to figuring out what's going to work for you.

seems breakfast is easy for most of us. for me it's usually 1 or 2 slices of Ezekiel cinnamon raisin bread with some almond butter and coffee...really, feels like the only cheat meal of the day even though it's healthy.

Think I'm going to keep my dinner staple fish or chicken and veggies, keeping carbs for breakfast and lunch. snack is usually a greek yogurt and fruit.

lunch is usually a tough one for me, I need something quick and not too filling because I usually exercise after lunch.

Here is my list of staples. I hope it helps.

Meats:
Kirkland Grilled Chicken Strips (Aldi)
fresh chicken breasts
frozen tilapia
Laura's Lean Beef frozen beef patties with Merita light buns when I really want a hamburger

Veggies
Green Giant Simply Steam Green Beans And Almonds - delious!
I keep fresh vegetables as much as possible, especially carrots and cabbage
Large bags of store brand frozen vegetables - especially broccoli and cauliflower - I use Ziplock or Glad steamer bags to cook in the

microwave
huge bag of birds eye normandy blend vegetables from Walmart
Green Giant Just For One frozen vegetables

Fruits
I always have apples and canned pineapple. For other fruits, I try to get in season Favorites are strawberries, watermelon, grapes,

pineapple and clemintines.

Assorted items

Laughing Cow Light Cheese Wedges
Babybel Mini Babybel Light cheese
townhouse
sugar-free pudding cups
Keebler Townhouse Reduced Fat Crackers