This was originally published in Redbook Magazine in September, 1992.
Redbook's Snack Lover's Diet
1,200 calorie diet
Why this diet works:
You're never more than an hour or two away from waiting.
Instead of denying your cravings, you satisfy them
There's plenty of variety to prevent boredom
No calories to count
No guesswork at the supermarket or hours in the kitchen: Mos of the food is brand-name or grab-and-go.
***Products might no longer be available in 2015
ANYTIME AND AS MUCH AS YOU LIKE~~~
Herbs and spices
Horseradish
Lemon or lime juice
Mustard
Sweeteners (Equal or Sweet 'N Low)
Vinegar
Coffee
Tea
Club soda, sparkling water, seltzer
Sugar-free carbonated beverages (soda)
Sugar-free powdered drinks, i.e. Kool Aid, Crystal Light etc
Water
SNACK 1: BREAKFAST(under 200 calories) Select one item from A and one from B
A. CEREALS AND BREADS
Cheerios,1 1/4 cups
Total Cereal, 1 cup
Wheaties, 1 cup
All-Bran Extra Fiber, 1/4 cup
Bran Flakes, 2/3 cup
Shredded Wheat 'n Bran, 2/3 cup
Post Raisin Bran, 2/3 cup
Quaker Crunchy Corn Bran, 2/3 cup
Multi Bran Chex, 2/3 cup
Wheatena High Fiber Toasted Whole Wheat Cereal, 1 oz (1/3 cup uncooked)
Instant Quaker Oatmeal, Regular flavor, cooked, 1 packet
Aunt Jemima Homestyle Buttermilk Waffles, 1
Hungry Jack Microwave Pancakes, Original, 1
Eggo Waffles, 1
Weight Watchers Microwave Breakfast French Toast with Cinnamon, 1 slice
B. DAIRY
Cottage cheese, 1/2 cup, nonfat or 1% fat
Milk, skim or 1%, 1 cup
Yogurt: Plain, nonfat, 8 oz
Dannon Classic Flavor Vanilla Lowfat, 1/2 cup
Dannon Light Nonfat, any flavor, 8 oz
Kraft Light n' Lively 100 calorie, any flavor, 8 oz
Weight Watchers Ultimate 90, any flavor, 8 oz
Yoplait Light, any flavor, 6 oz
MAY COUNT AS ONE A AND ONE B:
Healthy Choice Breakfast Western Style Omelet on English Muffin
SNACK 2: MORNING BREAK (under 200 calories) Select one item from A and one from B
A. FRUITS and JUICES
Apple, 1 medium
Banana, 1 small
Blueberries, fresh or frozen, 1 cup
Cantaloupe, 1 1/2 cups cubed
Dates, 4 medium
Grapefruit, 1/2 large
Honeydew melon, 1 1/2 cups cubed
Pear, 1 medium
Raisins, 3 tablespoons
Juice: 6 oz of Grapefruit juice cocktail, 100% orange juice, Libby's Juicy Juice 100%, or Apple juice
B. BREADS AND CRACKERS
Hostess 97% fat Free Blueberry or Apple Streusel Muffin, 1
Sara Lee Deli Style Bagel, Cinnamon & Raisin, 1/2
Thomas' Honey Wheat English Muffin, 1
Wonder Cinnamon Raisin Bread, 1 slice
Oatmeal goodness Oatmeal and Bran Bread, 1 slice
Nabisco Honey Maid Graham Crackers, 3 squares
Quaker Multigrain Rice Cakes, 3
Sunshine Animal Crackers, 10
Wasa Extra Crisp Light Wheat Crispbread, 4 slices.
SNACK 3: LUNCH (under 200 calories) Select one item from A, B, and C
A. PROTEIN POWER
Canned Seafood and Meats:
Bumble Bee Chunk Light Tuna in water, 2 oz
Starkist Solid White Tuna in Water, 2 oz
Rubinstein's Pink Salmon, 2 oz
Louis Kemp Crab Delights, 3 oz
Swanson Premium Chunk White Turkey in Water, 2 oz
Cheese:
Borden Lite-Line, American, Cheddar or Swiss, 2 slices
Peanut Butter:
Jif Extra Crunchy, 1 tablespoon
Skippy Creamy, 1 tablespoon
Lean Cold Cuts:
Butterball Fresh from the Deli Smoked Turkey Breast, 6 slices
Hillshire Farm Deli Select Smoked Beef or Corned Beef, 6 slices
Louis Rich Deli Thin Oven Roasted Turkey Breast, 5 slices
Oscar Mayer Lower Salt Ham, 3 slices
Egg Substitutes: (1/2 cup)
Fleishmann's Egg Beaters
Morningstar Farms Cholesterol Free Scramblers
B. BREADS, CRACKERS, BEANS, & PASTA
"Light" bread, 2 slices
Regular bread, 1 slice
Wonder Light Hamburger or Hot dog bun, 1
Devonsheer Garlic Melba Rounds, 7
Old London Melba Toast, Whole Grain, 5 slices
Ry Krisp Seasoned, 4 triple crackers
Old El Paso Taco Shells, 1 1/2
Flour tortilla, (6 in), 1
Pita bread, 1 small
Green Giant Chili Beans in Caliente Style Sauce, 50% less salt, 1/3 cup
Green Giant Garbanzo Beans, 50% less salt, 1/3 cup
Leftover cold pasta, without sauce, 1/2 cup
COUNT AS ONE A AND ONE B
Campbell's Healthy Request Ready to Serve Hearty Chicken Noodle Soup, 1 can
C. RAW CRUNCHY VEGETABLES
1 cup of any one (or combination) of the following, plus as much lettuce as you like:
Broccoli
Carrots
Cauliflower
Celery
Cucumber
Green beans
Green pepper
Onion
Radishes
Scallions
Tomato (1 medium)
SNACK 4: MIDAFTERNOON (under 200 calories) Select one item from A and one item from B
A. CALCIUM BOOSTERS
Reduced-Fat Cheeses:
Kraft Light Naturals Reduced Fat Cheddar or Monterrey Jack, 1 1/2 oz
Laughing Cow Reduced Calorie, Low Fat, Low Cholesterol Pasteurized Cheese Product, 2 wedges
Weight Watchers Natural Sharp Cheddar or Monterrey Jack Flavor, 1 1/2 oz
Polly-O Part Skim Mozzarella, 1 1/2 oz
Sargento Natural Lite Lowfat Ricotta, 4 oz
Milk, skim or 1% fat, 1 cup
Yogurt (see choices under Breakfast, B)
B. FRUITS AND JUICES
Apricots, fresh, 4 medium
Apricots, dried, 7 halves
Cherries, fresh, 12
Grapes, 15 small
Kiwi, 1 large
Nectarine, 1 medium
Orange, 1 small
Peach, fresh, 1 medium
Plums, fresh, 2 medium
Raspberries, fresh, 1 cup
Strawberries, fresh, 1 1/4 cups
Tangerines, 2 medium
Watermelon cubes, 1 1/4 cups
Del Monte Chunk Pineapple in it's own juice, canned, 1/2 cup
Del Monte Lite Snack Cups, Diced Peaches or Mixed Fruit,4 1/2 oz can
Libby's Lite Sliced Pears in Real Fruit Juice, canned, 1/2 cup
Musselman's Natural Apple Sauce, 6 oz
Tropicana Twister Light Fruit Beverage, 12 oz
Ocean Spray Low Calorie Cran-Raspberry Drink or Cranberry Juice Cocktail, 10 oz
V8 100% Vegetable Juice, Light 'n Tangy, 8 oz
SNACK 5: DINNERTIME (about 300 calories) Select one item from A, one from B, and two from C
A. MEAT, POULTRY & FISH Weigh food raw after removing fat and skin. Bake, broil, grill, poach or steam
Beef top round, steak or burger, 4 oz
Beef flank steak, 4 oz
Boneless chicken breast, 4 oz
Fish, any type, 4 oz
Sardines, canned in tomato sauce or mustard, 3 oz
Scallops, 4 oz
Shrimp, 4 oz
CONVENIENT CHOICES:
Banquet Healthy Balance Baked Chicken Breast Nuggets, 3 oz
Jennie-O Turkey Ham, 4 oz
Louis Rich Boneless Honey Roasted Breast of Turkey, 4 oz
Mrs. Paul's Light Fillets 'n Sauce, 4.1 oz
Tyson Marinated Chicken Breast Fillets, Lemon Pepper or Butter Garlic, 3.75 oz
B. GRAINS & HIGH-CARB VEGETABLES Measured or weighed after cooking
Pasta, 2/3 cup
White or brown rice, 1/2 cup
Near East Barley and Wheat Pilaf Mix, 1/2 cup made without butter or margarine
Uncle Ben's Long Grain & Wild Rice, Original Recipe, 1/2 cup
Baked potato, 1 medium
Pillsbury Idaho Spuds Mashed Potatoes (made with diet margarine and skim milk), 1/2 cup
Bird's Eye Cooked Winter squash, frozen, 8 oz
Bird's Eye Green Peas, frozen, 5 oz
Lima beans, fresh or frozen, 2/3 cup
PictSweet Express Whole Kernel Corn, frozen, 5 oz package
C. OTHER VEGETABLES Select one each from two of the following categories:
FRESH VEGETABLES: 1 cup raw or 1/2 cup cooked:
Asparagus
Broccoli
Brussels sprouts
Cabbage
Carrots
Cauliflower
Green beans
Green pepper
Greens (beet, collards, kale)
Mushrooms
Okra
Onions
Summer squash
Tomatoes
Turnips
Zucchini
FROZEN VEGETABLES - measured or weighed after cooking:
Bird's Eye Chopped Spinach, 4 oz
Bird's Eye Individual Green Beans, 4 oz
Green Giant American Mixtures, Manhattan Style, 1/2 cup
Green Giant American Mixtures, San Francisco Style, 1/2 cup
Green Giant Harvest Fresh Sugar Snap Peas, 1/2 cup
SALAD GREENS
Any type lettuce, fresh spinach, endive or escarole, 2-3 cups
Dole Salad Mix, 2-3 cups
Dole Washed and Ready to Use Cole Slaw Mix, 1 cup
SNACK 6: EVENING CRAVING (about 100 calories) Select one item from A OR one from B
A. SWEET
Betty Crocker Fruit Roll-Ups, 2, 1/2 oz rolls
Brach's Jelly Beans or Licorice Twists, 1 oz
Entenmeann's Fat Free Loaf Cake, Chocolate, Golden, or Marble, 1 1/2 oz slice
Jell-O Free Pudding Snacks, Chocolate Vanilla Swirl, 4 oz
Klondike Lite Frozen Dessert Sandwich, 1
Nabisco Mini Chips Ahoy! Bite Size Chocolate Chip Cookies, 10
Sealtest Free Nonfat Frozen Dessert, any flavor, 1/2 cup
Simple Pleasures Light Frozen Dairy Dessert, any flavor, 1/2 cup
Kellogg's Cracklin' Oat Bran, 1/2 cup
General Mills Apple Cinnamon Cheerios, 3/4 cup
General Mills Cinnamon Toast Crunch, 2/3 cup
Weight Watchers English Toffee Crunch Bar, 1
Weight Watchers Mint Frosted Brownie, 1
B. SALTY
Bachman Twish Pretzels, 1 oz
La Choy Chow Mein Noodles, 1/2 cup
POPCORN, POPPED:
Jiffy Pop Light, Butter Flavor, 4 cups
Betty Crocker Pop-Secret Light, Natural Flavor, 4 cups
Orville Redenbacher's Natural Light Popcorn, 4 cups
Nabisco Low Salt Wheat Thins, 12
Nabisco Premium Bits Mini Premium Crackers, 24
Pepperidge Farm Goldfish tiny Crackers, 33
Pringles Light Original Potato Crisps, 11
Ralston Traditional Chex Mix, 1/2 cup
Sunshine Oyster and Soup Crackers, 25
Weight Watchers Honey Roasted Peanuts, .7 oz pouch
EXTRAS: (50-60 calories) Select two each day
Cream Cheese, Kraft Light Philadelphia, 1/2 oz
DIET MARGARINE, 2 tablespoons:
Fleischmann's Extra Light corn Oil Spread
Mazola Extra Light Corn Oil Spread
Promise Extra Light
Weight Watchers Extra Light Spread
Ketchup, 2 tablespoons
Carnation Coffee-mate Liquid Non-Dairy Creamer, 3 tbsp
Parmesan cheese, grated, 1 tbsp
Old El Paso Medium Thick 'n Chunky Salsa, 1/3 cup
Kraft Free Nonfat Tartar Sauce, 1 1/2 tbsp
Kraft Sauceworks Sweet 'n Sour Sauce, 1 tbsp
Kraft Free Nonfat Mayonnaise, 2 tbsp
Kraft Miracle Whip Free Nonfat Dressing, 1 1/2 tbsp
Weight Watchers Fat-Free Mayonnaise, 2 tbsp
SALAD DRESSINGS:
Hidden Valley Ranch Take Heart Reduced Calorie, Original Ranch, 1 1/2 tbsp
Kraft Free Nonfat, Blue Cheese, 2 tbsp
Seven Seas Free Nonfat, Italian or Red Wine Vinegar, 3 tbsp
Wishbone Healthy Sensation!, French, 1/2 tbsp
Wishbone Light Reduced Calorie, Thousand Island, 1 1/2 tbsp
SPREADABLE FRUIT:
Polaner All Fruit, any flavor
Smucker's Simply Fruit, any flavor
Welch's Totally Fruit, any flavor
Sugar, brown or granulated, 2 tsp
SYRUPS:
Aunt Jemima Lite
Log Cabin Lite
SMART STRATEGIES:
Eat all the food recommended
Because convenience foods can be very high in sodium, compare the levels listed on individual items.
If you substitute brands, stay with the calorie allowance shown
Take a multivitamin with minerals every day
Check with your doctor before you start this diet.
Anne M. Fletcher, M.S., R.D., is author of Eat Fish, Live Better (HarperCollins, 1989)
