Contrary to popular belief, these "forbidden foods" are fine for your waistline.

White potatoes. You may have been avoiding them due to their high carb content, but the problem with potatoes isn’t the carbs—it’s how many folks eat them, as chips and fries or stuffed with butter, say the RDs. Potatoes are full of vitamins and potassium and are low in calories (a medium potato has about 110). They’re also considered to be good carbs for dieters because they increase satiety.

Dried fruit. You may have heard that it's essentially gummy candy. But it's okay to snack on if you select a brand with no added sugars, and don’t overdo it; dried fruit is more calorie-dense than the raw stuff (picture a cup of grapes versus a cup of raisins). But the fiber and vitamins are still there.

Whole-milk Greek yogurt. The fat helps you stay satiated. Plus, research published last year in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that out of more than 18,000 women, those who ate the most high-fat dairy products lowered their risk of being overweight or obese by 8 percent across the course of the study.

Cereal and milk. Thought that all cereals are loaded with sugar and have no nutritional value? That's simply not true. “Choose a cereal that has more than 2 1/2 grams of fiber per serving and isn’t just a bowl of added sugar, and have it with 8 ounces of whole milk,” says Mashru. Aim for 10 grams of sugar or less per serving, she says, and add fruit if you want extra sweetness.