Build a better light meal. 

Make one meal each day a “light” meal.  

	Have a simple, light lunch if you’re planning to go out to dinner.  
	Or make dinner a light meal if you’ve had a large lunch.
	Think simple and quick:	Sandwich, fruit, milk.  Salad, bread, fruit, yogurt. 
Pasta, veggies, beans.  Rice, stir-fried veggies, chicken.  Burrito, salad, fruit.  Frozen entree, salad, fruit.

Keep healthy, “quick-to-fix” foods on hand.  

	With the following foods in your ’fridge, freezer, or pantry, 
	you’ll be able to pull together a packed lunch or light dinner at a moment’s notice.

Grains
C	Low-fat breads, < 2 g fat/slice (whole grain bread, bagels, English muffins, plain rolls, pita bread, tortillas)
C	Low-fat crackers
C	Cold cereal, hot cereal
C	Quick cooking brown rice
C	Pasta (angel-hair pasta and fresh pasta cook most quickly)

Fruits/vegetables
C	
Fresh fruit
C	Peeled carrots
C	Prepared raw vegetables
from the salad bar
C	Salad greens in a bag 
C	Canned fruit, in water or juice
C	Canned tomatoes
C	Frozen mixed vegetables, for soups, stir-fries, etc.
C	Frozen potato wedges (no fat added)
Dairy
C	Skim or 1% milk
C	Nonfat or low-fat cheeses 
C	Nonfat, sugar-free yogurt

Meat, poultry, fish, beans
C	Water-packed tuna, salmon, chicken
C	Sliced turkey or chicken breast
C	Sliced, extra lean ham
C	Canned dried beans (garbanzos, black beans, navy, kidney beans, black eye peas, etc.)
C	Vegetarian refried beans

Miscellaneous
C	Canned, low-fat soups and broth
C	Bottled low-fat sauces, including spaghetti sauce
C	Bottled nonfat salad dressings
C	Flavored vinegars 
C	Salsa
C	Spicy mustard
C	Low-calorie frozen entrees 
(< 300 calories, 10 grams of fat)

My best light meal. 

	Look through several of your completed Keeping Track booklets. 
Find some examples of healthy light meals.  

What food choices work well for you?  

	                                                                                                         
	                                                                                                         
How many fat grams and/or calories at your light meal are best?

		     Fat goal for main meal:                   grams

		Calorie goal for main meal:                   calories

Use the examples to build 3 “standard” light meal menus for yourself.  

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