What Do 300 Calorie Meals Look Like?

Need help visualizing appropriate portion sizes? This guide will help.

Breakfast Meals

English Muffin Breakfast – 394 Calories 1 whole wheat English muffin

2 pats low fat butter

1 hard boiled egg

1/2 cup of fruit

8 oz fruit juice

8 oz water

Cereal – 300 Calories 1 cup of cereal

8 oz 2% milk

1 banana

1 coffee or tea

Oatmeal – 345 Calories 1 cup (cooked) oatmeal with raisins

½ cup of fruit

1 cup coffee or tea

1 small banana

Scrambled eggs – 360 Calories 2 scrambled eggs

2 strips of turkey bacon

1 piece whole wheat toast

1 pat of low fat butter

1 coffee or tea

8 oz water See our recipe for power eggs here.

Lunches

Baked potato – 305 Calories 1 medium baked potato

2 tablespoons sour cream

2 tablespoons salsa

1 cup sliced melon

12 oz water

Roasted Veg. Salad – 373 Calories 3 cups mixed greens

1 cup sweet potato

1 cup eggplant

1 cup red bell pepper

3 Tbs lite honey mustard

Soup – 350 Calories 1 bowl of soup

1 small tossed salad

2 tablespoons reduced fat oil and vinegar dressing

12 oz water

4 saltine crackers

Chicken Salad – 350 Calories 1 large tossed salad

2 tablespoons reduced fat oil and vinegar dressing

6 oz sliced chicken

1 cup of low fat wheat thin crackers

12 oz water

MORE: Quick Lunches for under 400 Calories

Dinners

Chicken – 345 Calories 6 oz of chicken

1 cup of green beans

2 pats of low-fat butter

1 small tossed salad

2 tablespoons reduced fat oil and vinegar dressing

12 oz water

Grilled Eggplant – 323 Calories 1 cup egg plant

1/4 avocado

Asparagus (10 spears)

3 whole wheat crackers

1 Tbsp olive oil and seasonings See our low calorie eggplant parmesan recipe here.

Fish – 365 Calories 6 oz broiled white fish

1 cup of mashed potatoes

1 pat of butter

1/2 cup of peas

8 oz diet iced tea

Tortellini – 366 Calories 3/4 cup tortellini

1/2 cup marinera

1 cup mixed vegetables See our easy eggplant primavera recipe here.

Chicken and Rice – 395 Calories 6 oz cooked chicken

2 tablespoons of barbecue sauce

1 cup of mixed vegetables

1/2 cup of brown rice

1 small tossed salad

2 tablespoons reduced fat oil and vinegar dressing

Stuffed Butternut – 376 Calories 1/2 small butternut squash (2 cups)

1/2 cup quinoa (prepared)

1/2 cup red bell pepper

1/2 cup onion

curry seasoning

cilantro

1/4 cup lite coconut milk

Think you can estimate calorie amounts?

I can’t. It’s too hard.

It’s one of the reasons why it is so hard to eat healthily. Most meals you buy out are far more calorie-dense that what you thought.

If you don’t believe me – check out a standard Starbucks Hot Chocolate. It’s 440 Calories. Even you ask them to hold the whipped cream, it’s still 360 Calories.

What happens when you combine that with a snack? Maybe a small chocolate croissant.

Ouch! That’s another 340 Cals.

Looking for some easy ways you can save a lot of calories in your everyday cooking? Learn how cook healthy.

The Challenge

Most of these photos are from a doctor who had prepared a diet for his patients. He felt it was easier to show them the pictures.

I think the doctor’s done great here. Although there are some items I don’t like. Low-fat butter? What is that? Reduced fat oil?

I don’t like frankenfoods. Better to have the real thing, but in moderation.

What do you think?

Did you spot some meals that didn’t quite fit?

The ones with the colorful plate.

They were made by one of our writers here – Ted. I think they are much more enticing than the doctor’s photos. You can see all his recipes here.

Any better ideas?

MORE – 10 Quick Snacks for under 200 Calories

Last Updated: October 10, 2019