New Easy Low Cal Eats, Drinks and Treats

Deciding to lose weight doesn't mean you have to ditch anything from your diet if you're calorie counting. As long as you're within your calories, a little bit of what you fancy can help stave off the diet doldrums.

But, if you can swap some of your favourite foods for lower calorie versions then, why not?

We've found some lower calorie alternatives for you that mean you can still have things like pizza, cheese and crisps. Take a look at these . . .

Bodega Charcuterie Snack Pots

 

These look yummy. Less than 250 calories each, high in protein and a good source of calcium. They will be available in Sainsburys soon at £2.25. There are three flavours:

• Smoky Salami - Smoky German salami, mellow creamy cheddar & crisp toasts
• Prosciutto - Delicate slices of prosciutto, mellow creamy cheddar and crisp toasts
• Chorizo - Paprika spiced chorizo, mellow creamy cheddar and crisp toasts

Perfect for a quick lunch or a bit of an indulgent snack of an evening.

Richmond Meat-Free Burgers

 

If you’re looking for some meat alternatives, Richmond have launched some meat-free burgers. They’ve already got meat-free sausages and the burgers are their next step into the plant-based market. I haven’t tried these but, the sausages are good so, I think it’s safe to assume the burgers will be too.

These are fresh rather than frozen and available in the chilled aisle in Asda and Sainsburys. At 145 calories for an 85g burger, they aren’t particularly low calorie (not horrendous either) but they are perfect if you’re looking for a meat-free option.

Gullón Zeroh! Sugar-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies

This range of sugar-free biscuits could be just what you’re looking for to go with your 10am cuppa.

They have been around for a while in digestive form. There are plain and dark varieties available and, as well as being sugar free, they are lower in calories than their counterparts.

Biscuit	Calories per biscuit	Sugar per biscuit
McVities Dark Chocolate Digestive	83	4.6g
Gullón Zeroh! Sugar-Free Dark Chocolate Digestive	61	0g

Biscuit	Calories per biscuit	Sugar per biscuit
McVities Digestive	70.5	2.5g
Gullón Zeroh! Sugar-Free Digestive	57	0g

The manufacturers have added to the range with chocolate chip cookies. These are bigger than Maryland Cookies, for example, so technically are higher in calories per cookie. However, they are sugar-free. Per 100g, these cookies have 454 calories and Maryland Cookies have 491 calories.

Tesco Plant Chef

 

If you haven’t explored the new Tesco Plant Chef range, then I would suggest you hot-foot it down to your nearest Tesco soon. There’s goujons, pizzas, Cumberland-style bangers, Southern-fried fillets, ready meals, sandwiches, wraps and so much more.

This is their ‘affordable’ plant-based range and the aim is to make it easier for consumers to find plant-based alternatives to their favourite dishes. The newest addition to the range is their breaded nuggets with a load more dishes due to be added in the coming months.

Co-Op Well & Good Ready Meals

 

My local Co-op has four of these ready meals in stock and they are really tasty, all coming in under 365 calories.

Ready Meal	Calories	Fat	Protein
Well & Good Beef Lasagne	311	6.5g	26g
Well & Good Chicken & Veg Paella	365	5.4g	21g
Well & Good Chicken Tikka Masala	345	8.1g	23g
Well & Good Cottage Pie	332	10g	11g

Add a nice crisp salad or some steamed veg and you’ve got yourself a nice, quick meal. I tried the Chicken Tikka Masala (345 calories) and the Chicken and Vegetable Paella (365 calories) – they were both great. I did have a small plain naan bread that I’d picked up in Waitrose with the Tikka Masala meaning that meal came in at 516 calories in total but, for a Friday night curry, it was much lower calorie than a takeaway version, it was ready in minutes and I felt like I was being quite indulgent!

Fibre One Chocolate Brownies

 

Chocolate lovers, this one is for you.

Fibre One are launching a new version of their chocolate brownies.

Already low-calorie, the manufacturer has reduced the sugar content of its best-selling brownie range by a whopping 30%, without compromising on taste. The new brownies will start to roll out and be on shelves soon. Still only 83 calories and now with a whole lot less sugar – win, win!

Walkers Baked – Sour Cream & Chive

 

Yep, you can lose weight and still eat crisps – we would just recommend you go for baked crisps rather than fried. Walkers Baked are a good example. Their ready salted baked crisps are 104 calories in a 25g bag as opposed to 132 calories in a 25g of their normal, ready salted crisps.

They have added a new flavour to the range of baked crisps. Introducing . . . Sour Cream and Chive flavour. I really like these ones (cheese and onion would be my normal choice) and they are just 109 calories for a 25g bag. Yum!

Heinz Tomato with Chilli Soup

 

You can’t beat a bowl of soup for lunch when it’s cold outside. It’s generally low in calories, satisfying and one of my comfort foods. Heinz have such a huge range of flavours and they have launched a black label tomato soup before with a kick of chilli. But, I have a bit of a baby mouth when it comes to spice and that one is a bit hot for me.

Heinz has come to my rescue with this new tomato with chilli soup. It’s much more gently spiced than their black label version and comes in at 232 calories for the whole can. Thankz Heinz!

Sharwoods Reduced Sugar Stir Fry Sauce

 

If you like a stir fry (I love them for a quick, low-cal meal during the week) then you might want to check out Sharwoods new range of reduced sugar stir fry sauces.

There are three flavours:

• Chow Mein
• Sweet & Sour
• Sweet Chilli & Garlic

All of them have 30% less sugar and add less than 70 calories to your stir fry but don’t compromise on taste. Definitely worth adding these babies to your store cupboard for when you want a quick, tasty meal.

McGuigan Zero Alcohol Wines

 

The award-winning vineyard has created a range of alcohol-free wines. Perfect if you want the taste, but not the alcohol or the calories, of an alcoholic wine.

The Zero family comprises five alcohol-free wines, featuring a Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Rosé, Shiraz and Sparkling. Created to maintain the characteristics of each variety, they also contain no artificial sweeteners or additives.

Because they are alcohol-free, the calories in these wines are pretty low. A large 250ml glass of the Sauvignon Blanc, for example, has just 60 calories. And for red wine lovers, the Shiraz has just 72.5 cals.

You really can indulge in a glass of wine without the hangover and the calories!

Seriously Spreadable Creamy Cheese Squares

 

For cheese lovers, trying to shed the pounds, the stronger the flavour of the cheese, the less you need to satisfy the palate. Opting for a more mature cheese generally means you’ll eat less of it.

Seriously Strong Spreadable has been in the chiller aisle for a while and is very tasty. But now, you can buy perfectly portioned squares. After all, weighing out spreadable cream cheese can be a bit of a messy job.

Seriously Tasty Squares are available in original at 41 calories a pop and lighter at 32 calories. Both are 16.7g of seriously strong spreadable cheese. Two of the lighter squares on some of the Ryvita Protein Crunchy Rye Bread makes a low-cal lunch (216 cals), packed with flavour and protein (13g).

Favourites from Last Roundup

Dr Oetker Beetroot Based Ham & Vegetable Pizza

This pizza is just 743 for the whole thing! Share it and you can enjoy half a pizza that has got rave 5-starreviews for just 371 cals. Not bad for an indulgent treat.

The reviews say things like:

It was one of the nicest shop bought pizza’s I’ve had. Base was nice and firm and crispy (even biscuity) lots of topping with lots of flavour.

First time of trying this wonderful pizza, I added tuna and olives (on my half) I’ll be stocking up next week.

We buy this very tasty and chewy pizza every grocery trip!

Here’s the nutritional information for half a pizza:

Product	Cals	Fat	Carbs	Protein
Dr Oetker Beetroot Based Ham & Vegetable Pizza	371.5 cals	17g	39g	13g

Dr Oetker Spinach Based Broccoli& Mushroom Pizza

Another different base from Dr Oetker, and another hit with consumers. This one is 696 calories for the whole thing. The reviews say:

Wonderful new pizza from Dr Oetker, with a light and crisp innovative spinach base. Tastes delicious, and finally a decent choice for veggies!

Really enjoyed this pizza - recommend it if you want something 'slightly' healthier!

I was very interested to try this as a treat - I am diabetic and vegetarian. It was delicious and filling.

Here’s the nutritional information for half a pizza:

Product	Cals	Fat	Carbs	Protein
Dr Oetker Spinach Based Broccoli & Mushroom Pizza	348 cals	14g	37g	16g

 

Muller Light Limited-Edition Yoghurts

There’s a couple of new flavours available for a limited time. There’s a fat free salted caramel latte flavour, lemon tart flavour, blueberry muffin flavour and then a summer collection that has raspberry & peach and redcurrant & blackcurrant flavours in it.

Product	Cals	Fat	Carbs	Protein
Salted Caramel Latte	80 cals	<0.5g	10.4g	7.84g
Lemon Tart	76.8 cals	<0.5g	10.08g	7.68g
Blueberry Muffin	81.6 cals	<0.5g	10.72g	7.84g
Raspberry & Peach	81.6 cals	<0.5g	11.2g	7.84g
Redcurrant & Blackcurrant	80 cals	<0.5g	10.88g	7.84g

 

 

Quaker Oats So Simple

Quaker have created some new flavours for their Oats So Simple porridge range. Some of these sound amazing!

• Apple & Cherry
• Apple & Blueberry
• Sultanas, Raisins, Cranberry & Apple
• Summer Berries
• Banana & Strawberry
• Strawberry, Raspberry & Cranberry

Porridge is a great breakfast. It helps to keep you fuller for longer, it’s full of fibre and generally not to high in calories. Check out the nutritional info (with 180ml semi-skimmed milk):

Product	Cals	Fat	Carbs	Protein
Apple & Cherry	215cals	5g	33g	9.0g
Apple & Blueberry	221 cals	4.9g	33g	9.6g
Sultanas, Raisins, Cranberry & Apple	223 cals	5.2g	34g	9.1g
Summer Berries	212 cals	5.2g	31g	9.0g
Banana & Strawberry	213 cals	5.2g	32g	9.0g
Strawberry, Raspberry & Cranberry	209 cals	5.3g	31.2g	9.3g

Jacobs Cracker Crisps Thins

If you are looking for a low cal snack, the Cracker Crisps range are all less than 120 cals a pack. There are three flavours:

• Salt & Pepper
• Thai Sweet Chilli
• Cheddar & Roasted Onion

These little cracker thins are very moreish with a decent crunch. If crisps are your downfall when it comes to dieting, these would make a great alternative because they’re baked rather than fried. The Thai Sweet Chilli flavour got the best reviews with people saying they enjoyed the kick of the chilli.

Product	Cals	Fat	Carbs	Protein
Salt & Pepper	119 cals	4.8g	16.5g	2.1g
Thai Sweet Chilli	119 cals	4.8g	16.4g	2.1g
Cheddar & Roasted Onion	120 cals	4.9g	16.1g	2.3g

 

 

Skinny Syrup Whipped Foam Toppers

We’ve highlighted Skinny Syrups from Jordan’s before but, not they have these whipped foam toppers to add to your coffees, hot chocolate and frappes. They are all zero calorie, carb and sugar and give your drink that extra something. These are only available online, but the flavours sound amazing!

• Salted Caramel
• French Vanilla
• Caramel
• Chocolate Peppermint
• Marshmallow
• Christmas Cookies
• Pumpkin Caramel
• Maple Bourbon
• Pumpkin Spice
• Birthday Cake
• Unicorn (not sure what this would taste like!)
• Mocha
• Vanilla Collagen (hmmmm!)

 

The Food Doctor Rice Goodness Pots

These pots of rice are quick to prepare, made with natural ingredients, high in fibre, a good source of protein, vegan friendly, gluten free and, at under 250 cals a pot, they won’t break the calorie bank. They would be great for lunch, or even a snack if you have enough of a calorie allowance.

There are two flavours: Mexican Style Rice & Beans and Indian Style Rice & Lentils. Here are the nutritional facts if the pots are made up as directed:

Product	Cals	Fat	Carbs	Protein
Mexican Style Rice & Beans	244 cals	1.9g	44.1g	8.2g
Indian Style Rice & Lentils	232 cals	1.6g	40.6g	9.7g

Shore Seaweed Puffs

These snacks are all less than 100 calories a pack and are, as the name would suggest, made from seaweed. Made with Wick coast seaweed, they contain a unique source of nutrients, antioxidants, electrolytes, vitamins and minerals, so your diet is easily boosted with protein, fibre, calcium, iron, iodine and vitamin C.

The reviews are really mixed with some people saying Shore Seaweed Puffs leave you with an incredibly dry mouth and are a little tasteless, whereas others give them 5 stars and say they are an absolutely amazing snack. I guess you’re going to have to try them and make your own minds up.

There are four flavours:

• Salt & Balsamic Vinegar
• Sweet & Smoky
• Thai Chilli
• Lime, Chilli & Coconut

Let us know what you think.

Product	Cals	Fat	Carbs	Protein
Salt & Balsamic Vinegar	95.4 cals	3.6g	14.7g	1.2g
Sweet & Smoky	94.3 cals	3.6g	14.3g	1.3g
Thai Chilli	94.9 cals	3.6g	14.4g	1.3g
Lime, Chilli & Coconut	94.8 cals	3.6g	14.2g	1.3g

Ilchester Cheddar Snacking Portions

If you are a cheese lover, these little 19g snacking portions might be just what you need. They come in packs of 12 and each portion is less than 100 calories. Just make sure you don’t add in a load of crackers to go with these little portions, that will soon ramp up the calories. Add a few grapes and you’ve got yourself a great little snack.

The flavours are:

• Red Leicester
• Mature Cheddar
• Applewood Smoked
• Mexicana
• Jarlsberg
• Edam
   

Pot Noodle Asian Street Style

Are you a noodle lover? Then these new Asian street style rice noodle pots might be right up your street. The rice noodle range taps into the huge trend for world food flavours and popular street food dishes. It should also appeal to health-conscious shoppers, as each pot is low in fat and under 250 calories. They’re still made the same way as the original pot noodles so are ready in minutes.

There are four new flavours - Vietnamese beef pho, Thai red curry, Malaysian Laksa and Japanese miso noodle soup.

Product	Cals	Fat	Carbs	Protein
Vietnamese Beef Pho	206 cals	1.1g	42.6g	4.7g
Thai Red Curry	243 cals	2.4g	47.6g	6.1g
Malaysian Laksa	249 cals	2.7g	49.0g	5.3g
Japanese Miso Noodle Soup	192 cals	1.0g	39.8g	4.4g

New Low Cal Coca Cola Flavours

Coca Cola have brought out a few new flavours in their diet and Zero range. There’s Coke Zero Peach, Diet Coke Twisted Strawberry and Diet Coke Mango.

They’re all zero sugar and less than 5 calories for 250ml.

I’ve tried the mango version and loved it. It gave it a bit of a twist. Other, steadfast Diet Coke lovers in the office weren’t quite so keen. It seems all of the new flavours have mixed reviews.

With Coke Zero Peach, the general consensus is that this has an overpowering taste of peach and leaves a bit of a laundry/detergent aftertaste.

And the Diet Coke Twisted Strawberry was deemed very too sweet by most, but definitely tasted of strawberries.