quick and easy (even instant)?

[singarainbow]

Just started this with my DP. Are there any already researched easy foods for fast days, any particular tinned/packet soups, or easy to cook basic meals. eg stir-fry, stews that can be thrown in slow cooker with minimal effort and budget ingredients? I have looked at the recipe thread, and it seems quite complicated and requires ingredients that we would not normally have. We have limited income so are trying to work with what we would normally have.

scrambled eggs or omelette with mushrooms or tomatoes. Or eggs on spinach.

Miso or Marigold powder soup.

TBH I hate calorie counting so cheat and use ready meals but they're not a cheap option.

What sort of food do you normally have?

we would normally have spag bol, curry, roasts, salads, jacket pots, chilli con carne, sausage casserole, (any casserole really!) soups..all homemade/traditional, we are quite basic in our cooking skills! We do omlettes, egg on toast, beans etc. We always have in eggs, ham, salad fruit , veggies (frozen or fresh - depending on time of week) bacon, chicken, sausages, potatoes, peppers, onions, garlic....

There is no need to be complicated on 5:2. You could have half a can of heinz tomato soup for lunch (110 cals) and a pot noodle for dinner (382 cals) if that is what you like. I often have beans on toast if I haven't planned anything else. If you save all your calories for your evening meal (as lots of us do) then there is no reason you can't still have your jacket potato (just watch the size and the filling).

Some examples of other simple meals that may suit you:

[[http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/2633/spice-and-lime-chicken Spice and lime chicken] 221 cals

Vegetable bean chilli 361 cals

chicken and chorizo jambalaya 445 cals

proper spicy pot noodle 366 cals

If you are making meals from scratch don't for get to weigh and measure EVERYTHING especially the oil and the starch.

Sorry link fail:

Spice and lime chicken 221 cals

Some of the things that you'd usually have with pasta, rice or potatoes you can still have (if you do the calorie counting) by having over non-starchy vegetables instead - that cuts down a lot.

baked beans on a slice of ham with a sprinkling of cheese

mushroom and onion omelette

tub of fresh soup

jacket potato with cottage cheese or drained tuna in spring water

Thanks, feeling a bit more prepared now!

Vegetable soup.

Many tinned or pouch soups are fine - read the calorie count on the label.

Tinned fish with salad (watch the dressing and cheese)

Eggs.

Frenchfancy, the spice and lime chicken looks lovely is it 221 cals without the rice? X

Just another quick question - we are fasting this week on weds & friday. we weighed in on Monday, do we weigh on the same day every week, or is there a particular day you are supposed to weigh/record progress?

mandmsmummy yes the 221cals is without rice.

Weigh ins are up to you. I always weigh on a Friday morning after a Thursday fast, that way I know that the weight is real and isn't skewed my leftover food in my system.

Weight fluctuates a lot on this plan - it really doenst matter when you weigh, as long as you dont get stressed out by any little ups. Look at the long term trend.

singarainbow
some people never weigh at all ....
the further back in the wardrobe you go, fitting into clothes that were too tight is an excellent indicator

I do the same as FF - always after one mug of tea (a mug of water weighs over half a pound!).

I dont think I am doing it right - It seems too easy....
completed both fast days this week with no problems?
breakfast - slice of brown toast with light spreading of "marmite" equivalent
lunch - asda light cup of soup (leek and pot)
dinner - handful of salad bag, with 1 tomato and some slices of cucumber with half teaspoon of mayo and dollop of english mustard.
I don't have milk in coffee - just sweetners , and I had a small satsuma for a snack.
I didn't feel hungry at all...... I calculated that I was under 500 cals, but reading others on the forum, I think I must be doing it wrong, as it seemed straightforward.

You are not doing it wrong. It is straightforward. It is simple. Other people feel the need to complicate it.

Sounds fine to me. Personally I skip breakfast & lunch then eat a normal dinner with the family, measured out to be around 400 kcal ( so often just having fewer or no carbs), leaving space for a few cups of tea & a piece of fruit. It doesn't need to be complicated to work!

I've just started this week - 2fd down and I've saved all my allowance for my evening meal as I'm too lazy to calorie count!

I'm surprised by how much 500 cals gets you - frozen chicken breast thingies are only about 300 - i think I'll probably stick with pre prepared stuff on fd.