Need fast food ideas for this Saturday its my 3rd fast day. I am a vegetarian, I normally have melba toast with cucumber for breakfast and then soup for lunch and then whatever ready meal light choices one for dinner. Any ideas to change a little?
This topic contains 27 replies, has 21 voices, and was last updated by Arielle 2 years, 6 months ago.
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@mark…beans on toast for one meal on one day is fine. I find I don’t want to think too much about food on fast days so if I haven’t prepared anything the day before I often have beans on toast. Quick and easy – add some Worcester Sauce to the beans and put a dry fried or poached egg on top = 375 calories
Hi Mark – yep I am with sylvestra. I am not necessarily saying you should have it on every fast day – but when I started this back in August I was working long hours and travelling a lot for work – so it was the default setting – no prep required, filling and pretty healthy. I usually grate a bit of cheese over the top too (woo hoo!)
In previous ‘diets’ that I have followed I think I have become obsessed about planning food and counting calories and I had neither the time nor the inclination this time. Once my fast day pattern was established as one meal in the evening then beans on toast – or occasionally egg on toast or soup – became quick easy and stopped any deviation or possibility of eating more calories than I should. I therefore think it will be sustainable as now it is just an ingrained habit.
Hi Mark for the first time instead of preparing my own meal I’ve just had a Tesco “healthy living” vegetable, chickpea & lentil dahl ready meal. This is suitable for vegetarians & just 440 cals (as well as being 2 of your 5 a day portions). It was delicious & very filling.
I try to just eat once a day on my fasting day. I consume nothing all day except 2 or 3 cups of tea/coffee with semi-skimmed & mineral water. Sometimes I have a cup a soup at midday but that seems to make me hungrier somehow? I prefer to wait & eat a more substantial evening meal at about 5pm so deducting the 50 calories for the milk in my tea means I can eat around 450 calories in the evening.
The fact this ready meal is calorie counted is great. Often I would have tuna/low fat mayo & a huge salad or cooked chicken breast & salad. You could substitute Quorn easily enough if you like it.
Obviously as a man you are allowed 600 calories on your fast days so you could have approx 160 calories for breakfast or lunch if you feel the need to divide your meals.
Hi Mark, I’m not a veggie, and only had 2 fast days so far, but for dinner I cooked mixed veggies (fresh or frozen) with 40g of bulgur wheat in stock, then after 15 minutes or so, seasoned with pepper and Worcestershire sauce. You can use any favouring as the bulgur wheat is like couscous and takes on the flavour of what you cook it with.
It’s very filling, and 40g of bulgur wheat once cooked is only about 120 calories.
Hi whoopsadaisyangel, I think the rationale for avoiding carbs on fast days is that in general carbs are higher in calories than protein and other food groups. But I know I find beans on toast tasty and filling. To be honest I am not sure of the calorie content (I think the beans are around 170 calories)but it definitely works for me.
My beans on toast meal is usually 2 slices of wholemeal/granary toast with a bit of butter, half a tin of beans and a little grated cheddar cheese on top. And of course a cup of tea. I reckon that can’t be more than 500 calories.
But you can obviously eat whatever you want within the 500 calorie limit – I imagine with vegetarian options there is a lot of scope, particularly if restricting carbs.
Good luck!
Cath xx
Hi Rach,
I started back in mid-August and lost 1.5 stones by the end of 2013 and that was without fasting at all during 2 weeks holiday in Spain in September and 3 weeks over Xmas & New Year or doing any real exercise. I need to lose about 3 stone in total – but my key motivation (apart from not fitting into most of my clothes any more) was a hip replacement op which I finally had 2 weeks ago. So I’ve had another 2 week break and re-started again yesterday.
Because of my hip issues and inability to exercise my TDEE came out very low (about 1650!) – but I roughly stuck to 500 calories on fast days and 1600-1700 on non-fast days, although I have never counted calories – just went for a rough guestimate. Because of my deadline for the op I also added a 3rd fast day quite a few times – mainly to counteract my sedentary lifestyle and to try to avoid plateau-ing which many others have reported. To start with I lost around 2lb a week and this then slowed to around 1lb.
At the start I was travelling a lot for work (UK to Sweden every week), staying in hotels and working long hours. Hence my simplistic ‘beans on toast’ approach to fast days (or soup/salad if I was in a hotel). On non-fast days I tried to only eat when I actually felt hungry, which meant I often skipped breakfast or lunch. I also made a big effort to stop when I felt full (revolutionary for me!)But I never ever fasted over the weekend (Friday, Saturday or Sunday) and still had a decent social life involving wine, beer and eating out. I do really love food and cooking – I think I eat healthily – but my portion control was terrible and beer and salty snacks my downfall (I am entirely disinterested in anything sweet!). Towards the end of the year I volunteered for redundancy so I am now officially unemployed – and it will be a month or two before I am fit to work again.
The main thing is to find what works for you and get into a routine. Sometimes the scales don’t move but you’ll see a big difference in measurements and the fit of your clothes. Even though I’ve had several breaks, I have found it easy to resume, clock up my fast days and then really enjoy food in reasonable moderation on non-fast days.
I wish you well – let us know how you get on.
Cath x
Hi marK i to am a veggie and a man and have the same name as you but spelt with a c lol .if Save your Cals for one main meal and have tesco own brand veggie sausages in baked beans on toast you can have a whole can its filling ,i fast on a Wednesday and Sunday and i prepare my next fast day meals on those days it does not make me hungry preparing meals on a fast day it keeps me busy and i always have a selection of easy microwaveable meals in the freezer
a great thing to make as a veggie is cauliflower rice it is filling bulks up a meal is very low in cals no carbs i use it the same way you use normal rice it goes well with a lot of tesco pre made veggie meals like their spinach,lentil & potatoes curry 394 cals for the whole packet and cauliflower rice is 24 cals a 100grams You can find out how to make it on line lots of recipes for it and so easy to do you can also find lots of lovely veggie recipes that are quick and easy to do on the web just put ……quick veggie 5-2 fast day meal recipes in to your search engine and your get lots hope its been a bit of a help i have lost 10 stone in 14 months . i dont count cals and i dont do a lot of exercise as i am disabled and find it hard to do ,i was waiting to have a gastric bypass but at the rate i am going i wont need it which is fantastic ,i dont feel hungry or like i am dieting my cholesterol is good and my blood pressure is nearly normal both were very high it the first time ever i have stuck to something and i have tried like most lots of things but this just seems to do it all by its self and you just do it out of habit .i have cut lots of high fat things down to low fat except my butter and cheese lol but i would rather have the flavor and use less hope you all have a great week take care marc
I am vegetarian too. On most fast days I just have breakfast and an evening meal. I really like the Marks and Spencer ready meal which is mushrooms in a gravy with potato topping and it is under 300 cals. I really, really enjoy that meal on fast days. VegiDeli sage and onion slices are great with tomatoes, beetroot etc and the whole pack is 110 g and 234 cals. Soup and yogurt with fruit is good value too. Good luck
These fasting days are killing me, I find myself drinking gallons of Pepsi Max. I’m only a week into this diet so I’m hoping it gets easier. I’m trying not to eat carbs on the fasting day because they don’t fill you up as much as veg (so I’ve read). I love stir fry with Tofu, but I’m going to leave out the rice noodle 😰 and use courgettes spirals (just bought a spiralizer). I’m not that fat (5ft 9- 12 stone 7), and fairly fit (run 18-21 miles a week), but I stopped doing the weights due to injury and I haven’t been back to they gym since, and I’m starting to feel rather flabby round the midriff. Any help for a weak willed Veggie will be welcome (don’t eat dairy apart from eggs).
Hi all, am a Veggie as well. On fast days I eat fruit for breakfast with some low fat yogurt and then raw/uncooked veggies like carrot sticks in the afternoon/evening. I don’t miss any warm meals these days but drink herbal tea. Lots of it. And coffee. I am also traveling quite a bit, so this kind of food is great to carry on/snack while on a flight etc. But the biggest advantage is that this kind of raw food is an energy booster! Your body doesn’t need to bother with the digestion of fats and protein – try it and you will be amazed how much power you have for the FD. Following my FDs I always stay up really late because I am never tired and then I still cannot sleep well – also thinking about next day’s breakfast 😉
Paco, you might want to try to reduce the diet drinks. When I have them occasionally they tend to stir my appetite for sweet stuff/more food in general.
Cheers
Karen
Thanks for the ideas everyone. I will add mine too. I am almost vegan, except for eggs, I have lots of food sensitivities and I try to stay away from processed foods i.e. mock meat.
On fast days I prefer to save up my calories for the end of the day. I find if I start eating early in the day I feel hungrier. Breakfast: coffee, unsweetened almond milk, stevia. Morning Snack: green tea, more almond milk, stevia. Lunch: vegetable broth. Afternoon Snack: Vitamin Water Zero. Dinner (almost 400 calories left): this is where I am looking for ideas but here was today’s dinner – Earnest Eats Turmeric Beans & Greens Hot Cereal (it’s a savory & spicy oatmeal with 240 cal & 10 g protein), 1 boiled egg, 1 tomato, salt & pepper. This is actually only 332 calories but felt okay without a second egg so just going to call it a night.
I batch cook mostly vegetarian food for fast day dinners.
Veg chili, curry, dhal, lasagne, lentil bake (a veggies shepherds pie. I put calorie counted portions in the freezer and I always have something good to look forward to for my fast day dinner. I don’t eat during the day as once I start eating I don’t want to stop and it means more calories for dinner.
I also make roast veggies, stir fries with tofu, individual pizzas.
There is a huge amount of choice and it is all about planning.
If I was having beans I would use tinned pulses eg borlotti beans and add some chipotle paste and tomato puree/ketchup. Forget the toast and serve with some grated cheese and guacamole.
How ’bout some Chili Non Carne:
Chili non Carne: PB GF The recipe is my mother’s, except that she used beef. And she served it on a heap of mashed potatoes, but we won’t do that on a Fast Day.
1 cup =133 calories 0.7 g fat 6.3 g fiber 7.1 g protein 9.8 g carbs 70 mg Ca
1.5 c. =199 calories 1.1 g fat 9.1 g fiber 9.4 g protein 14.2 g carb 120 mg Ca
HINT: This is enough for 4 one-cup servings OR two 1.5 cup servings with 1 cup left over. Save the remaining chili for a lunch or check other postings to see how we use it for breakfast.
For 1.5 cups chili served with cheese garnish and melon, as in photo: 276 calories 9.7 g fat 6.1 g fiber 13.3 g protein 19.4 g carbs 227 mg Calcium
15 oz canned red beans, drained and rinsed 16 oz canned tomatoes – in chunks or diced, not drained 1 cup chopped onion 1 green pepper, chopped 2-3 tsp chili pepper, or more if you like it hotter ½ – 1 tsp ground cumin per serving: 1 Tbsp cheddar cheese, grated, as a garnish 2 oz melon
Saute the onion and green pepper in some of the tomato juices until tender. Add remaining ingredients and cook gently until the stew is thickened. Taste to see if it needs more seasoning. Serve one or one and a half cups for dinner tonight with the grated cheese on top, and melon on the side.
Or a tomato-egg meal:
Eggs Pancho Villa: 293 calories 7.3 g fat 4.1 g fiber 14 g protein 32 g carbs 202 mg Calcium PB GF From La Cuisine magazine comes another eggs-for-dinner meal. TIP: doubles easily.
½ cup white beans, canned, drained, rinsed ¼ cup chopped onions 1 clove garlic, chopped or pressed 1/3 cup crushed tomatoes 1 two-oz egg ¼ oz Swiss cheese, grated ground cumin
Cook the onions and garlic in the tomatoes until they are soft. [HINT: this could be done in the microwave] Add some water if the tomatoes get too thick. Stir in the beans and the cumin. Turn into an oven-proof dish wider than a ramekin. Poach the egg and put it on the beans/tomatoes. Top with grated cheese and bake at 400 degrees F. for 3 minutes.
I have a rule: no fasting on Fridays and weekends but I work M-F. I’ve been a vegetarian for 20 years. I think it makes 5:2 easier, actually. Vegetarian foods tend to be much lower in calories. I eat a lot of vegetarian soups, chili, plain veggie burgers, eggs, plant based foods , and limit carbs which are often much higher in calories. My body looks great when I feed it these healthy foods!
Paco ,try to replace diet soda with unsweetened cold or hot teas instead. I think diet soda creates a lot of cravings and causes a lot of health issues. I think eating healthy on fast days is really VIP because it makes you feel more full than processed foods. So, try to stick to plant based, whole foods and I think it will be easier.
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