Meals and snacks for under 500kJ

By Judy Davie

The lowest daily energy intake recommended for healthy weight loss is 6,500kJ. Combined with regular exercise, on 6,500kJ a day you can lose weight, maintain energy levels and feel great. Your main meals should be between 1200 and 2400kJ with snacks falling in at around 300 to 500kJ.

Some people prefer to eat small amounts more often, and for those people, here are a few snacks and small meals that fall into the 500kJ bracket. Allow your digestive system three hours between eating each meal and make sure you enjoy five serves of vegetables regardless of how many meals you eat.

1/3 cup low sugar natural muesli with 1/3 skim milk
1 boiled egg with 2 wholegrain crackers (no butter)
1 slice sourdough bread toasted and spread with 1 tsp tahini or 1 slice avocado
6 large strawberries and ½ cup blackberries with 1/3 cup low fat skimmed milk plain yoghurt
½ cup low fat plain yoghurt mixed with 3 tsp sunflower seeds and 4 chopped dried apricot halves
Fresh juice made from ½ apple , 2 carrots, 3 sticks celery, ½ beetroot, ¼ lemon and a knob of ginger
10 almonds, 4 cashews and 1 Brazil nut
Corn thins spread with 2 tbsp low fat cottage cheese and 1 small sliced tomato
1 small green apple , with 30 grams of low fat cheddar cheese and 1 tbs raisins
4 pieces of sushi with raw salmon or tuna
1 rice cake with 2 slices avocado and 1 tomato
50g sliced chicken breast with 5cm cubed cucumber, 1 tomato, 1 cup rocket and 1 tbs freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 small can tuna in water, 1 chopped celery stick, 1 shallot, ½ cup salad greens and lemon juice
Chilli beef made with 50g lean premium mince, ½ cup canned tomatoes, ½ onion, 2 capsicum rings and ½ tsp chilli powder — served with shredded greens
Mushroom omelette made with 1/3 cup mushrooms, 1 egg white beaten with 1 small egg, mushrooms cooked in 1 tsp olive oil
½ cup eggplant dip with 2 celery stalks, 1 carrot, 1 capsicum ring and ½ piece mountain bread
Mountain bread salad wrap — 1 slice barley mountain bread, 1 slice avocado, 10 capers, chopped capsicum, chopped cucumber, lettuce and sprouts