- Protein at every meal, around 25-40 g: it fills you up best and protects muscle while you lose fat.
- Vegetables across half the plate: few calories, lots of volume and fibre.
- Measure oil, nuts and cheese, because most hidden calories live there.
- “Light” and “fitness” on the label guarantee nothing: kcal per 100 g and protein matter, not the colour of the pack.
Diet-friendly foods start with calorie density
Calorie density is how many calories are in 100 g of food. Foods that give few calories in a lot of grams (vegetables, fruit, lean meat, fish, low-fat dairy) fill your stomach; oil, nuts, cheese and chocolate give a lot of calories in a few grams. This is not a good or bad question: nuts and olive oil belong in a healthy diet, you just have to measure them.
| Tier | Calories | Examples (kcal per 100 g) |
|---|---|---|
| High volume, few calories | under about 100 kcal | Cucumber 15, Broccoli 34, Strawberries 32, Greek yogurt 59, Cod fillet 82, Potatoes 77 |
| Moderate | about 100-300 kcal | Chicken breast 120, Eggs 143, Cooked white rice 130, Firm tofu 144, Avocado 160, Salmon fillet 208 |
| Calorie-dense: measure it | over 300 kcal | Rolled oats 379, Trappista cheese 356, Almonds 579, Peanut butter 588, Dark chocolate 598, Olive oil 884 |
The diet plate: how much of what?
The base of a meal: half the plate vegetables, a quarter a protein source, a quarter a carb base, plus measured fat. Aim for 25-40 g of protein per meal (about 0.25 g/kg per serving according to the ISSN); the protein calculator gives your daily total. Here is a roughly 530 kcal lunch in grams:
| Ingredient | Amount | kcal | Protein (g) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken breast | 150 g | 180 | 33.8 |
| Cooked white rice | 150 g | 195 | 4.1 |
| Broccoli | 200 g | 68 | 5.6 |
| Olive oil | 10 g | 88 | 0 |
| Total | 531 | 43 |
The oil is 10 g, less than a tablespoon, yet it gives about a sixth of the plate’s calories. That is why it pays to weigh fat.
Swap this for that: diet swaps per 100 g
You do not have to swap everything, only the few places where you save the most calories. The values are per 100 g, with the change in calories in the last column.
| Instead of | Try | Change in calories |
|---|---|---|
| Sour cream (198 kcal, 2.4 g protein) | Greek yogurt, 0% fat (59 kcal, 10.2 g protein) | -70% |
| Trappista cheese (356 kcal, 24.9 g protein) | Cottage cheese, 2% (84 kcal, 11 g protein) | -76% |
| Frankfurter (277 kcal, 9.7 g protein) | Cooked chicken breast (165 kcal, 31 g protein) | -40% |
| Cooked white rice (130 kcal, 2.7 g protein) | Cauliflower rice (25 kcal, 1.9 g protein) | -81% |
| Pasta, cooked (158 kcal, 5.8 g protein) | Courgette (17 kcal, 1.2 g protein) | -89% |
| Milk, 2% fat (50 kcal, 3.3 g protein) | Skimmed milk (34 kcal, 3.4 g protein) | -32% |
Swaps are not always like for like: cauliflower rice and courgetti do not replace rice and pasta one to one, they work beside them or instead of part of them. The low-calorie foods table has more ideas like this.
Diet breakfast, lunch and dinner: what to pick
- Diet breakfast: Greek Yogurt Protein Bowl or Turkey & Egg White Breakfast Burrito (the most protein per calorie).
- Diet lunch: Garlic Prawn & Avocado Salad or Turkey Taco Lettuce Boats.
- Diet dinner: Tandoori-style Chicken Skewers or Garlic Chilli Prawn Courgetti.
All 90 recipes, sorted by calories and split by meal, are on the diet recipes page.
Healthy snacks: what fits in a snack
A good snack is 150-250 kcal with at least 15 g of protein, so it carries you to the next meal. Among our recipes that is Smoked Salmon Cucumber Bites, Herby Yogurt Dip & Veg, Tuna Rice Cakes, Turkey Lettuce Cups and Chilli Lime Edamame. If you need something faster: an apple and a tub of cottage cheese, or Greek yogurt with berries.
Diet-friendly, healthy, low-calorie: not the same thing
Avocado, peanut butter and walnuts are healthy but not low-calorie: 100 g of peanut butter is 588 kcal. A sugar-free soft drink is low-calorie but not nourishing. A diet-friendly food looks for both: few calories and plenty of nutrients per serving. Once you know your calorie target, pick against it.
How to put the day together
Calorie target first: the calorie calculator works it out. Split it over 3-5 meals: at 1,600 kcal, four meals are about 400 kcal each. If you would rather not build it yourself, use the ready weekly plans: 1,200, 1,500, 1,800 or 2,000 kcal. The full guide is on the weight loss page.
Frequently asked questions
What counts as a diet food?
Food that gives few calories and a lot of protein or fibre per serving: lean meat, fish, eggs, low-fat dairy, vegetables, fruit, pulses. A “diet” label on its own means nothing; kcal per 100 g and protein do.
What should I eat for dinner on a diet?
Lean protein with plenty of vegetables. From our recipes, for example Tandoori-style Chicken Skewers and Garlic Chilli Prawn Courgetti. For more ideas see the diet recipes page.
What are healthy foods, and are they the same as diet foods?
Not the same. Healthy foods are rich in nutrients (avocado, nuts, olive oil) but can be calorie-dense. Diet foods keep calories in check. The best diet asks for both.
How many calories should a diet meal have?
Divide your daily calorie target by the number of meals. At 1,600 kcal over four meals that is about 400 kcal each. The calorie calculator works out your target.
What is a healthy snack on a diet?
Something with 150-250 kcal and at least 15 g of protein, such as cottage cheese with fruit, Greek yogurt with berries or a protein shake. The snack section of the diet recipes page has ideas.
How do I know a product is really diet-friendly?
Check the calories per 100 g and the protein on the label. “Light” products sometimes have only slightly fewer calories, and “sugar-free” does not mean calorie-free.