Diet dinner - recipes with photos on povar.ru (190 diet dinner recipes)

Proper diet – one of the main components of a healthy lifestyle. The issue of choosing the right evening meal regimen is especially acute. “What's for dinner? When should we have dinner?” - these and other questions related to dinner are the most discussed on the Internet. We will try to answer them briefly.

Breakfast

Breakfast is an important element in every person’s daily routine; it helps the human body “wake up”.

Morning meal:

activates brain function;
starts the “dormant” metabolic process in the body;
creates a reserve of internal energy for the entire working day.

It has been noticed that those who do not have breakfast in the morning or even eat the wrong breakfast are more irritable and susceptible to stress, less attentive and concentrated. The optimal calorie content for breakfast is about 25-30% of the daily diet.

You need to eat about 30-40 minutes after you wake up. During this time, you need to wash your face and do light exercises - a little morning physical activity is not only good for health in itself, but also improves appetite.

Nutritionists recommend making any cereal porridge, the fiber of which helps remove toxins from the body and absorb fats, as the main breakfast dish . Cereals are a storehouse of healthy carbohydrates, B vitamins (affects the nervous system) and vitamin E, which is responsible for slowing down the aging process.

You should not have breakfast with advertised “ready-made breakfasts” such as muesli, chocolate and frosting flakes - despite the content of valuable vitamins and microelements, these breakfasts contain a lot of sugar and are high in calories. It is for this reason that it is better to eat porridge.

Porridge for weight loss

Below is a list of the most important cereals that help any age and gender take on the normal form given by nature.

Buckwheat

According to the results of the study, buckwheat porridge is the most useful cereal for weight loss. In addition, buckwheat is useful for people who play sports, because its components contribute to rapid muscle recovery after training. Glycemic index – 50. Calorie content per 100 grams – 310 calories – quite low. The amount of carbohydrates in buckwheat porridge is 61, fats – 3.2, and proteins – 12.5 grams , and this is a considerable amount for products of plant origin.

Oatmeal

This cereal is ideal for breakfast, as it will help the body recharge with energy. Another property of oatmeal is to avoid inflammation of internal organs, since when this cereal is consumed, they are enveloped in a film. If you are still wondering whether you can eat oatmeal while losing weight, then feel free to eat it, but remember the main rule when choosing oatmeal - forget about instant cereals. Porridges that are cooked for five minutes undergo a completely different processing method, during which beneficial substances are lost.

More on the topic >> The right combination of foods for weight loss

Another important point is that oatmeal should not be consumed daily. This flushes calcium from the body. The best option is in a day or two.

In 100 grams of oatmeal - 368 calories, GI (glycemic index) - 55, carbohydrates - 69.2, fats - 7.1, proteins - 11.8.

Barley

If you are looking for what kind of cereals you can eat while losing weight, then here is another example. The glycemic index is quite low - 25-30 units. For 100 grams of barley, a person receives 320 kcal, where carbohydrates are 73.3, fats – 1.1, proteins – 9.3 . Barley groats are not only nutritious, but also have another pleasant advantage - low price. Vitamins B and D are contained in the cereal in sufficient quantities, and the cereal is enriched with magnesium and calcium.

Wheat

Wheat porridge can also be eaten when losing weight. In addition, it has a very beneficial effect on the body - it removes dangerous elements from it. Millet helps the body burn fat, as it is rich in a variety of microelements aimed at this process.

Pea

Pea porridge is also considered low-calorie and is not prohibited during diets. It is very nutritious and rich in zinc and potassium. The composition of peas resembles meat and very successfully replaces it in the diet of vegetarians. It is not recommended to combine pea porridge with any meat - it can be very difficult for the stomach to digest.

Corn

Corn grits contain all the necessary substances that help fight extra pounds, so it is also indispensable in the diet when losing weight. In addition, this cereal is good at helping the body fight internal suppuration.

Rice

Rice porridge has always been considered an indispensable product in any diet. It has unique properties: it helps remove toxins, it contains many microelements, as well as B vitamins.

Dinner

Long breaks between meals are harmful, and eating a lot at night is harmful. This means that about 35-45% of calories a person should eat between breakfast and dinner. Not everyone can afford to eat a little every 1.5-2 hours, so the best option is lunch.

Lunch time should be approximately 4-5 hours after breakfast and approximately 4-5 hours before dinner.

The main course of lunch is the “hot entrée” (soup, borscht, cabbage soup, fish soup). Firstly, it promotes digestion. Secondly, it creates a feeling of fullness, but does not overload the stomach.

You should not eat dessert during the day; a high-calorie lunch contributes to a feeling of fatigue and drives you into an afternoon nap (the initial surge of energy from an increase in glucose levels quickly passes, and as soon as the level begins to return to normal, lethargy occurs and begins to lead to sleep).

Late dinner: is it really that bad?

Whether a person is on a diet or not, he should remember that great harm is possible from a late dinner. This happens when it becomes very plentiful and satisfying, for example, after an evening feast. True, if it ends three hours before going to bed, nothing bad will happen.

But if after this meal you immediately fall asleep, all processes in the body will slow down, including digestion processes. As a result, food lingers in the stomach, stretching it. Moreover, the nutrients will also remain in it, and decay products will enter the bloodstream, poisoning the body. As a result, the next morning the person will feel unwell, and there may even be signs of poisoning.

It should be remembered that it is in the evening that the insulin hormone is especially active, so everything eaten before bed turns into fat, and this not only threatens the appearance of excess weight, but also the possibility of problems with the cardiovascular and endocrine systems.

Afternoon snack

An afternoon snack is simply necessary if the working day is too long, if due to circumstances it is difficult to organize the interval between breakfast and dinner of 9-11 hours.

The main goal of the “day snack” menu is to avoid acute hunger pangs.

You need to eat about 2-3 hours after lunch.

Calcium-rich unsweetened fermented milk products (kefir, yogurt, curdled milk, cottage cheese) are ideal for a “daytime snack.” For a greater preventive effect of the “snack”, you need to take your afternoon snack slowly, eat cottage cheese with a teaspoon, and drink liquid foods in small sips.

Late Dinner Options

After work, where breakfast consisted of a cup of coffee and lunch of a bun with tea, it is difficult to deny yourself and not eat a portion of mashed potatoes and a couple of cutlets for dinner. But just such a menu will not be very useful for digestion, since it consists of starch and proteins, which combine very poorly with each other. What is considered ideal for evening food? Nutritionists insist that it should account for no more than 20% of daily calories.

What can you eat for late dinner? The body basically tells itself what foods it wants to see on the plate. But again, to maintain health it is very important that they bring only benefits to the body. So, if you want to eat a piece of loaf with butter, it is better to replace it with low-fat cottage cheese and whole grain bread; if it is a meat dish, it is advisable that it is not a fatty cutlet, but a piece of boiled beef and vegetables. Kefir or yogurt is also very useful, since the fermented lactic bacteria contained in the product take care of the microflora of the stomach and comfortable cleansing of the intestines.

Dinner should be as light as possible and at the same time quite filling, only in this way will you sleep soundly and be in a great mood in the morning. However, do not forget that if you drink low-fat kefir after a difficult day at work, it is possible that you will want to eat something more nutritious, and then it will be very difficult to refuse a sandwich with sausage. Ideally, the chosen product should be digested for about 2-3 hours, so heavy foods such as pork, sausages and canned meats should be avoided.

Dinner

Adequate rest and sleep is simply impossible in a hungry state. In addition, at night, a number of hormones are produced that are necessary for the normal functioning of a person (restoration of the skin, muscles, bones, hair).

Nutritionists recommend focusing on 2 points - the usual time of breakfast and the time when a person goes to bed. Dinner should be approximately 9-11 hours after breakfast and no later than 3 hours before bed in the evening.

For dinner it should be easily digestible:

fresh vegetable salad, vegetable stew;
some boiled meat or fish;
weak and not very sweet tea.

Abuse of foods high in fat can cause serious disruptions in the body's physiological clock, which is responsible for the processes of sleep and wakefulness - it is always difficult to fall asleep after eating fatty foods.

Proper nutrition for dinner

All nutritionists and gastroenterologists unequivocally state that you should never refuse dinner. Even if you cannot organize your last meal 3 hours before bedtime, it is still better to have a light snack than to go to bed hungry.

The main thing is to follow basic nutritional rules:

dinner should be no more than 1/3 of the daily diet , so you should not skip other meals during the day;
Under no circumstances should you eat a lot of flour and fatty foods in the evening;
in the evening diet, you should avoid slowly digestible simple carbohydrates - it is better to give preference to protein foods and foods containing complex carbohydrates with a high index of hypoglycemic components;
A very useful ending to an evening meal would be chamomile tea - it creates a feeling of fullness and promotes digestion;
After dinner, it is harmful to immediately collapse on the sofa or take a comfortable position in a chair - a short walk or at least some active activity around the house will be very useful.

Dinner for those with a sweet tooth

Most often, the desire for sweets occurs in those who lack complex carbohydrates in their diet. Therefore, it is imperative to include foods high in starch and fiber (beans, rice, buckwheat, bran bread, vegetables).

It is advisable that fresh vegetables make up at least 60% of the dinner volume for a person with a sweet tooth - they will help prevent spikes in blood sugar levels and the person should not be tempted to eat extra cake or chocolate before bed.

All basic sweets (that is, chocolate, candies, cakes, pastries) should be eaten approximately 6-7 hours before bedtime.

It is necessary to replace white sugar with the “correct” sweets:

Honey, which contains many useful minerals, organic acids and vitamins. In addition to being sweet, it is a good preventative against colds.
To prepare sweet baked goods, use cane sugar, which is rich in magnesium, iron, calcium, phosphorus and potassium.
If you want sweets and can’t stand it, it’s better to snack on fruits or berries.

For lovers of seafood and cereals

Nutritionists do not recommend cereal porridge on its own in the evening, but a small amount for dinner with fresh and properly prepared seafood can be very beneficial.

Boiled with minimal addition of spices, crabs, lobsters, shrimps, squids, octopuses contain the protein of delicious sea meat, which is almost 4 times less caloric than any protein of any other meat, therefore it is easily digested and absorbed; saturated with polyunsaturated acids, which have a beneficial effect on the functioning of the cardiovascular system.

However, when dealing with seafood, you must always adhere to clear rules:

Nutritionists do not recommend exceeding the 400-gram limit of seafood in a weekly diet—in any case, you should not abuse it.
You should buy exclusively fresh seafood to minimize the risk of getting products with parasites.

Dinner for those losing weight

Those who are losing weight should follow a few simple rules:

Rule 1. Introduce simple carbohydrates and starchy foods (dumplings, rice, potatoes and others) into the category of “taboo” in the evening, minimizing the amount of bread as much as possible;
Rule 2. Boiled, stewed and pureed foods significantly increase the speed of digestion. Eggs, low-fat cottage cheese, citrus fruits, apples are quickly digested;
Rule 3. Dinner should in no case exceed 1/4 of the daily caloric value for supporters of fractional meals and 1/3 for three meals a day. To put it simply, dinner should be somewhat similar to lunch with half portions and following rule 1;
Rule 4. If light physical activity after dinner is simply beneficial for everyone, for those losing weight this should be the rule.

Salads for dinner

A light salad is a dish that satisfies hunger and at the same time creates a feeling of lightness and harmony in the body. On the Internet and in cookbooks you can find a huge number of recipes for light salads. Here are some to prepare at home.

Fish salad with beets:

Boil 0.5 kg of pink salmon fillet in slightly salted water, cut the fish into medium-sized pieces.
Boil and peel 1 medium beet and cut it into small cubes.
Take 2 sour cucumbers and cut them into half circles.
Grate the pulp of 2-3 Antonovka apples on a coarse grater.
Place all this in a salad bowl, add salt to taste, add herbs (dill, green onions), mix and pour in 0.5 cups of mayonnaise sauce.

Salad with seaweed:

Finely chop 300 grams of fresh white cabbage.
Finely chop 2-3 fresh cucumbers and 1 sweet bell pepper.
Take 150 grams of seaweed, strain off the water and chop finely.
Mix everything in a salad bowl, add salt, add finely chopped herbs and pour 200 grams of mayonnaise.

Chicken salad:

Cut into small cubes 400 grams of chicken meat, well boiled in lightly salted water.
Cut 4-5 pickled cucumbers into cubes.
Place everything in a salad bowl, add 2.5 tablespoons of strained pickled onions, add iodized salt to taste, 2 tablespoons of low-calorie mayonnaise and mix.

Salad with rice and pickled pink salmon:

Boil 1 cup of rice.
Cut 2 fresh cucumbers into medium cubes.
Finely chop 100 grams of green onions.
Place everything in a salad bowl, add a little salt, pour the liquid from 100 jars of pickled pink salmon and mix.
Remove all large pink salmon bones and mash the fish meat with a fork.
Place the mashed fish on top of the remaining ingredients, pour 100 grams of light mayonnaise over the salad and let it brew in a cool place.

Evening potato salad:

Boil 4-5 medium potatoes, 2 small beets and 2 carrots (in different dishes), peel and cut into small cubes (beets and carrots can be grated on a coarse grater).
Very finely chop 60-70 grams of green onions and 30 grams of dill.
Cut 5 sour cucumbers into cubes.
Place everything in a salad bowl, add 300 grams of strained sauerkraut, 100 grams of green peas, 70 grams of vegetable oil, add a little salt and pepper and mix everything.

Dinner for adults

One should not assume that adults can do without dinner - sleeping on an empty stomach is harmful to the stomach itself, the nervous system and the entire human body as a whole.

An adult's dinner should be complete, but light. Nutritionists recommend using mainly a “second” course as dinner, but the products included in it should be easily digestible so that the stomach has time to digest them before bedtime.

That is why pork and beef, legumes (except beans), fried, fatty foods, hot sauces and seasonings should be excluded from the evening diet. You should not drink coffee, cocoa and strong tea in the evening - you can use slightly sweetened weak tea, fruit drinks, compote, kefir, ryazhanka.

Dinner for children

The daily diet for children differs significantly from the diet, so dinner for children should be given a little more attention. Unlike an adult, it is difficult to explain the principles of proper nutrition to an actively growing 6-10 year old child - adults must supervise this.

Briefly about the basic rules of a proper children's dinner:

If the child goes to bed at 21:00-22:00, the main dinner should take place at 18:30-19:00, and about 20 minutes before bedtime, give him a glass of warm milk or low-fat kefir;
Semolina, wheat and pearl barley porridge, as well as meat dishes (with the exception of steamed fish) in the evening are dangerous for children - these products take a long time to digest and can result in stomach problems. Despite the state of drowsiness after a hearty meal, sleeping on a full stomach is harmful even for adults;
“Light” children's evening porridges are buckwheat or oatmeal. Also ideal dishes for a children's dinner include: Cottage cheese dishes (casseroles, cheesecakes, cottage cheese with fruit;
Boiled eggs or omelet;
Vegetable purees, stews and zrazy, raw vegetables;
Fresh bananas and green apples, baked fruits;
Fermented milk products – primarily kefir and low-fat yogurt.

Under no circumstances should children be allowed to eat ice cream, chocolate, or candy in the evening.

There should always be freshly prepared (maximum yesterday's) jelly, fruit drink or compote in the house - you can give a drink to a very hungry child at any time without loading his stomach.

Dinner for pregnant women

Despite the fact that pregnant women have to eat “for two”, their dinner diet should not be very different from the diet of any other adult woman - you still cannot overeat.

But there are some organizational moments that a pregnant woman can afford - 15-20 minutes after the main dinner, drink a cup of green tea without sugar, hibiscus or rose hip decoction.

If you feel hungry before going to bed, be sure to drink a glass of kefir with dried fruit or eat 125-150 g of yogurt or a sweet apple before going to bed.

Dinner according to Ayurveda

Anyone who is interested in the Hindu Samkhya philosophical system knows about a type of alternative medicine - Ayurveda. This technique offers its own version of dinner.

According to the teaching, the digestive fire, called Agni, is responsible for the digestion and assimilation of food. Its strength is variable throughout the day, and it is weakest in the early morning and evening. That is why “heavy food” should be eaten during the day.

The following are considered suitable for evening meals:

stewed vegetables - onions, beets, carrots, zucchini, broccoli and cauliflower, bell peppers, beets, potatoes, stew made from them;
cereals, cereals;
vegetable and red lentil soups.

But you can’t overeat, because then “light” foods become “heavy”. Overeating is indicated by heaviness in the stomach, drowsiness, and apathy.

Foods that are difficult to digest are not suitable for evening meals:

Dessert;
fermented milk products - cheeses, cottage cheese, sour cream;
nuts.

Dinner according to Ayurveda

The listed products are difficult to digest and cause blockage of the lymphatic channels. As a result, “unhealthy weight” appears in the body.

In addition, followers of Ayurveda do not consider kefir and fermented baked milk yogurt as dietary foods, even if they contain almost no fat. It is believed that they also form mucus, which contains Kapha energy. People who ignore this rule may get a runny nose and accumulation of mucus in the nasopharynx.

You should also not take fresh vegetables and fruits - these products cool the body.

The correct time for dinner in Ayurveda is considered to be from 18.00 to 19.30. If you go to bed on a full stomach, the digestive fire dies out and food is not digested.

If you still feel hungry, you can eat some dried fruits or honey. Milk tea with spices will also help fill you up. But drink no later than an hour before bedtime. It has a diuretic effect (which is very useful for excess weight).

Below are a few recipes.

Tea with milk and spices

Have to take:

cardamom - a quarter spoon;
nutmeg - one pinch;
ginger - a quarter spoon of powder or a little fresh;
cloves - two buds;
sugar (palm, cane) – one teaspoon;
water – 150 ml;
milk – 50 ml, if intolerant, replace with a tablespoon of coconut milk powder.

Tea with milk and spices according to Ayurveda

Spices are crushed. Water is poured into a saucepan with a thick bottom, milk and spices are added, and brought to a boil. Reduce the heat and leave for about three minutes. Then filter and add sugar. Use the milky-spicy mixture warm.

Barley-vegetable porridge

150 ml barley;
a quarter of zucchini;
half a carrot;
half an onion;
composition of spices: turmeric, salt, asafoetida, dried fenugreek;
2 cups boiling water;
ghee butter

Vegetables are cut into small cubes, onions are chopped as if for frying, carrots are grated on a coarse grater. Then heat the oil in a thick-bottomed pan, add turmeric and asafoetida, fry for 30 seconds, add onions, fry for one minute, throw in the zucchini, grated carrots, fry for another two minutes, add salt.

Barley-vegetable porridge for dinner for weight loss

The cell is washed, poured into a saucepan, and kept for about two more minutes. Then pour boiling water over the mixture and leave on low heat for about a quarter of an hour. If the porridge turns out to be too thick, add water to the bowl. When the dish is almost ready, add fenugreek.

What to eat for dinner to lose weight?

As a guide, you can take the following formulas for an ideal dinner for those who want to lose weight:

Regular dinner: A piece of lean boiled fish (seafood) or poultry, not exceeding in thickness and size the size of your own palm without fingers;
2 “fists” of fresh or boiled vegetables;
no more than 1.5 tablespoons of vegetable oil for those involved in sports and those who constantly work physically hard, and no more than 1 teaspoon for everyone else.

"Dairy" option:

1 “fist” of low-fat cottage cheese;

2 “fists” of fruits or berries.

Protein dinner

Some of the most common options for a proper protein dinner for those who want to lose weight:

Milk omelet with fresh tomatoes.
Grilled chicken fillet with fresh vegetable salad.
Steamed low-fat fish with vegetable garnish.
Seafood with vegetables and boiled rice.

Dinner after training

After intense evening sports training or a physically difficult day at work, the body needs food rich in carbohydrates and proteins.

As a guide for a proper sports dinner, you can alternate with the following options:

Option No. 1: 2-3 hard-boiled eggs (with such a dinner, the body will receive a sufficient amount of iron, vitamins and proteins - components that will help quickly restore strength after physical activity).
Option number 2: fresh salmon (its meat contains a lot of protein), steamed, with a salad of fresh vegetables.
Option number 3: puree soup or light smoothie (easy and quick to prepare, has a good effect on the gastrointestinal tract, helps remove waste and toxins from the body).
Option No. 4: durum wheat pasta cooked in slightly salted water with the addition of a small amount of vegetable oil and hard cheese.
Option No. 5: boiled chicken breast (low in fat, but rich in easily digestible protein) with a light vegetable salad.

Light dinner for weight loss

Adhering to the correct principles of nutrition for weight loss, you can focus on the following options for a basic light dinner:

steamed lean fillet with a small amount of steamed rice and a medium portion of any vegetable salad, seasoned with a small amount of vegetable oil;
a small piece of boiled rabbit meat with a medium portion of lightly salted fresh tomato salad;
omelette as a bite with low-fat cheese;
steamed fish meatballs with mashed potatoes (season the mashed potatoes with kefir, not mrlok - do not add butter);
unsweetened pumpkin soup, seasoned with a small amount of vegetable oil.

What to combine porridge with

It’s difficult to eat bland porridge; you always want to season it with something and dilute it with something. But what can you eat with, for example, oatmeal while losing weight?

More on the topic >> The ratio of proteins, fats and carbohydrates: what is the norm?

If you like sweet porridge, then, as already mentioned, you can replace sugar with honey and add some fruits, nuts or dried fruits. It is necessary to choose fruits, berries and dried fruits that do not contain a lot of sugar. These include:

Avocado;
Sea buckthorn;
Blueberry;
Raspberries;
Strawberry;
Blackberry;
Raspberries;
Currant;
Blueberry.

Fruits and berries with an average sugar content:

Apples;
Mandarin;
Orange;
Melon;
Cowberry;
Pears;
Plum;
Grapefruit.

Fruits and berries with high amounts of glucose that should be avoided when losing weight:

Bananas;
Pomegranate;
Raisin;
Dates;
Figs;
Persimmon.

If we talk about nuts, the amount should not exceed the daily norm. You can eat this many nuts per day:

Almonds – 10 pieces;
Pine nuts – 60 pieces;
Walnuts – 10 pieces;
Cashews – 15 pieces;
Peeled pistachios – 20 pieces.

It is better to eat salty porridge with vegetables or prepared salad. The salad should be seasoned with a small amount of oil and, ideally, not salted. It is best to simply chop fresh vegetables without dressing. Baked or grilled vegetables are also low in calories.

How many calories are there for dinner?

If we talk about calorie standards for dinner for adults, we should focus on the following indicators:

for those who want to lose weight, the caloric content of dinner should be: for a woman, a serving of 250-300 g - 70-80 g of protein + 180-220 g of vegetables (250-275 kcal);
for men 350-400 g - 100-125 g protein + a little more than 250 g vegetables (325-350 kcal).

for adults involved in sports:

for women, serving 300-350 g

for men, a serving of 400-450 g - 125-150 g of protein + 275-300 g of vegetables (about 400 kcal).

Recommendations

Sequence of dishes

First you need to eat a vegetable dish so that it prepares the stomach to digest heavier food. After this, you can start eating protein foods. Drinks can be drunk only half an hour after eating.

Portion volume

A vegetable dish should be 2-3 times larger in volume than a protein dish: this is approximately 250 g of vegetables and 100 g of protein for women, 300 g and 150 g, respectively, for men.

Calorie content

Should be 25-30% of the daily diet. With proper nutrition - about 400 kcal, for weight loss - no more than 300 kcal.

Time

Everyone knows the simple truth that you need to have dinner 3-4 hours before bedtime, so that the food is digested and your stomach rests at night. Otherwise, everything that does not have time to be processed will go to the formation of fat depots. In this case, nutritionists advise taking into account the time of breakfast. At least 10 hours must pass between it and the evening meal. If in the morning you eat at 08.00, then in the evening you can do it at 18.00. But if you get up late and eat later for the first time, then move dinner too.

Always have dinner at the same time.

Cooking method

Vegetables are best eaten raw. Make light salads out of them. If you have stomach problems, bake, use a steamer or boil as a side dish. Meat and fish should be baked, steamed or boiled. Diet dinner as part of weight loss excludes fried foods.

General points

Thorough chewing will facilitate and speed up the digestion process and quickly satisfy hunger.
You can’t limit dinner to just fermented milk products. They will not be able to provide the body with everything it needs.
About 1.5 hours after dinner, it is recommended to take a walk in the fresh air for half an hour to use up some of the calories consumed in the evening.
Half an hour before bedtime, a glass of kefir or herbal tea is allowed. In case of a strong attack of hunger - a small green apple.
A complete refusal of dinner (recommended in some diets - in particular, the model diet) forces the body to store fats during breakfast and lunch. Don't expect him to use them all up in one evening.
You need to leave the table with a slight feeling of hunger.

For many, dinner is the only meal of the day when the whole family gathers around the table together. Unfortunately, more and more often it is spent not having warm conversations, enjoying home cooking, but watching TV, ordering delivery of ready-made food with trans fats (pizza, sushi, hamburgers, quick salads, nuggets, French fries). If your goal is to eat right or lose weight, don’t make this mistake.

IN THE USA. Americans have two dinners: early (from 18.00 to 19.00) and late (around 22.00). The first (Dinner) is almost a complete lunch, since during the day they are busy and only allow themselves snacks. And in the evening the whole family gathers at the table. Traditional dishes include burgers, fries, grilled steaks, nuggets and lots of sauces. You won't see any side dishes here. Second dinner (Supper) - pizza to order, chips, nuts and other fast food, which is consumed in front of the TV. These features of American national cuisine explain why the United States is the leader in the number of people suffering from obesity.

The main principles of proper dinner

Moderation. You should avoid overeating at night, but also do not go hungry.
Balance. Nutrition must be properly balanced - you need to correctly calculate the calorie intake and stick to it.
No fasting or shocking diets. They may give a temporary effect, but in the end they will only cause health problems.
Maximum reduction (or better yet, negation) of evening consumption of “harmful foods” - semi-finished products, fatty, spicy, processed, fried, very sweet.
Compliance with the regime. It is advisable to strictly follow the diet during the day so that the evening meal in volume and calorie content does not exceed 1/3 of the daily norm.

Why do you need dinner?

Everyone understands why breakfast is needed: to wake up and gain energy. No one doubts the importance of lunch, which is the main meal of the day. But many people easily refuse dinner, saying that they have already eaten to their fill all day and there is no point in loading their poor stomach before bed.

In fact, it is no less important than breakfast and lunch, as it performs a number of vital functions.

Eliminates prolonged starvation of the body, which leads to fat deposits.
Does not allow deficiency of nutrients.
Helps you fall asleep, since hunger and the rumbling of an empty stomach are common causes of insomnia.
Maintains the necessary metabolic rate, which slows down if food does not enter the stomach for too long.
Provides the body with amino acids, which are used at night to build muscle mass, grow nails and hair.
Helps restore strength at the end of a hard working day and after training.
Saturates, preventing attacks of night hunger and late gatherings in the kitchen.
Relaxes and calms.

A properly organized dinner helps to improve well-being, improve health and lose weight.

Why is it called that? The word "supper" comes from the ancient Greek "δεῖπνον", which translates as "evening meal".

What foods can you eat for dinner?

We bring to your attention 7 main products that nutritionists recommend for dinner:

Chicken or fish. In addition to low fat content and easily digestible protein, fish and chicken meat contains tryptophan, a substance that calms the nervous system.
Buckwheat porridge. It is rich in complex carbohydrates that are beneficial for the human body and at the same time is one of the lowest calorie foods.
Low-fat (up to 5%) cottage cheese. An excellent source of protein and calcium, which has a beneficial effect on the nervous system.
Kefir. A product that normalizes digestion and at the same time satisfies hunger.
Green vegetables are a source of immune-boosting minerals and vitamins.
Unsweetened apples. A tasty source of iron, which is necessary for the restoration of blood cells.
Seafood (with the exception of shrimp and crab) is an excellent source of protein, which affects the formation of hormones.

What should dinner be like while dieting?

Late dinner on a diet should be low in calories, maximum 350 kcal. This, naturally, cannot be a piece of white bread and sausage.

Do you have a routine where you have a late dinner every night? What to eat to lose weight? To prevent weight gain, it is advisable that the evening meal consists mainly of easily digestible proteins. The best option for an evening meal could be:

cottage cheese;
yogurt;
kefir with cereals.

As for fruits, there is no clear answer to the question of whether you can eat them before bed or not. Thus, some nutritionists claim that sweet fruits are essential fiber for the body, while others say that they contain fructose and carbohydrates, which can cause the appearance of fat deposits in the evening.

The serving size of a diet dinner should be no more than 250 g, that is, fit into a glass. Naturally, the meal should end 3 hours before the planned bedtime, so that the food can be completely digested and does not cause a feeling of heaviness in the stomach.

If regular cottage cheese or boiled fish do not suit you, you can prepare, for example:

pumpkin stew;
stewed chicken with mushrooms;
light chicken salad with cucumbers;
It is not forbidden to drink tea, cocoa or coffee - the main thing is that sugar or other sweeteners are not added to them.

What foods should you not eat for dinner?

Nutritionists advise not only to limit, but to impose a strict taboo on eating after 17:00 such “difficult” foods to digest as:

Sweet pastry. It first quickly raises and then sharply drops your blood sugar level. As a result, a person constantly feels hungry.
Red meat, smoked meats and sausage. First of all, we are talking about fried red meat, although it is also better not to eat baked or boiled meat in the evening. Red meat and smoked meats contain a lot of tyrosine, which is responsible for increasing adrenaline levels - until it returns to normal, it will be difficult for a person to fall asleep. In addition, almost all smoked meats are very fatty.
Rice and other starchy grains, as well as chocolate. Starch and sugar are fast carbohydrates that are harmful to the body in the evening diet. In addition, nothing good will come from eating caffeinated chocolate shortly before bed.
Nuts. One argument is enough - a small handful of nuts contains about 600 Kcal...
Horseradish and mustard. These are very sharp and difficult to process components, which should not be abused during the day, but in the evening they are a potential threat to the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, usually manifesting itself in the form of heartburn.
Fast food and any other fatty foods mean, at a minimum, heaviness in the stomach and restless sleep.

Is it possible to eat boiled eggs while on a diet?

This product is suitable for dietary nutrition; it relieves hunger for a long time, activates metabolic processes, and supplies the body with all necessary nutrients . To achieve good results, use the following recommendations:

eat vegetables raw or boil them, do not add oil;
For drinks, use herbal infusions, green tea;
eliminate sausage, mayonnaise, fast food, sweet carbonated drinks, and other unhealthy foods from the menu;
drink plenty of water;
for constipation, add fresh fruits and vegetables to your diet;
use lean meats and fish;
Avoid the egg diet if you have kidney, heart or vascular diseases.

Which is better white or yolk?

Most (up to 90%) of the nutrients are concentrated in the yolk, and only 10% of vitamins, minerals and acids remain for the protein. The amount of calories in the whites is much less than in the yolk, so the white part is used for dietary nutrition. The lack of vitamins and minerals is the reason why it is better to eat the yellow part of the product. Experts recommend eating whites along with yolks in order to be full, get nutrients from food and lose weight.

How many eggs can you eat on a diet?

Until recently, there was an opinion that the product contained substances that could significantly increase cholesterol levels in human blood. Because of this, the restriction on their use was strict - up to 3 pieces per week. Recent research has shown that this opinion is wrong. To raise your cholesterol levels, you need to eat more fatty foods or experience constant stress.

Modern doctors and nutritionists claim that daily consumption of proteins and yolks will not harm the body. The permissible norm is 3 pieces per day for a healthy person. As for dietary nutrition, this figure can be much higher. These weight loss options are only suitable for short-term use. You should not abuse weight loss methods that use more than 3 pieces of the main component per day.

Diet dinner recipes

There are a lot of recipes for a proper dinner. Here's just a small part of them.

Soups

Cabbage soup

Ingredients:

3 liters of water;
3 small onions;
2 fresh medium tomatoes;
1/3 of a medium head of cabbage;
1 bell pepper;
a small bunch of celery.

Recipe:

Finely chop and pour 3 liters of water into 3 small onions, 2 fresh medium tomatoes, 1/3 of a medium head of cabbage, 1 bell pepper and a small bunch of celery.
Cook for 10 minutes over high heat.
Then add salt.
Add a little soy sauce.
Reduce heat to medium and cook for another 10 minutes.

Soup with rice and fresh cabbage

Ingredients:

2 cups rice;
1.5 liters of water;
150 g fresh cabbage;
1 onion.

Recipe:

Pour 2 cups of rice into 1.5 liters of water and put on fire.
When the rice is about half ready, add fresh sea fish cut into large pieces and cook until the fish and rice are cooked.
A couple of minutes before readiness (determined approximately), add 150 g of fresh seaweed and finely chopped onion (half a medium onion).
We wait for the soup to boil again, gently stir in 1 beaten egg and turn off the heat.
Let the soup sit for 10 minutes.

Omelette

With carrots

Ingredients:

600 g carrots;
4 eggs;
400 ml milk;
2 tbsp. l. flour;
Orange juice;
salt to taste.

Recipe:

Boil, peel and finely grate 600 g of carrots.
Beat 4 eggs, add carrot puree, 400 ml of milk, 2 tablespoons of flour and orange juice.
Add salt to taste.
Mix all this thoroughly into a homogeneous mass.
Pour it into the mold.
Bake in the oven until fully cooked.

With cauliflower

Ingredients:

200 g cauliflower;
5 tomatoes;
vegetable oil;
salt to taste;
6 eggs;
200 ml milk;
50 g hard cheese.

Recipe:

Boil 200 g of cauliflower in salted water.
Finely chop 5 medium-sized tomatoes.
Place the boiled cabbage on a preheated frying pan well greased with vegetable oil.
Place the tomatoes on top and spread evenly, add a little salt and simmer over medium heat for 5 minutes.
While the vegetables are stewing, beat 6 eggs and mix with 200 ml of milk, and also grate 50 g of hard cheese onto a fine grater.
Pour the egg-milk mixture onto the stewed vegetables, sprinkle with grated cheese and put on the fire again until fully cooked.

Porridge

Porridge with vegetables

Ingredients:

2 peeled large carrots;
3-5 tablespoons of vegetable oil;
2 bell peppers;
1 kg tomato;
1 cup rice;

Recipe:

Grate 2 peeled large carrots onto a medium grater and simmer for 15-20 minutes over medium heat in 3-5 tablespoons of vegetable oil.
Take 2 medium-sized bell peppers and remove the seeds.
Coarsely chop the pepper and 1 kg of tomato, pass the pepper, stewed carrots and tomatoes through a meat grinder.
After adding a large clove of finely grated garlic to the resulting “minced meat”, let everything simmer for 10 minutes over medium heat.
Separately, cook 1 cup of rice until half cooked - the rice should boil for about 6-7 minutes.
Drain the water and add the rice to the stewed “minced meat” and, stirring regularly so as not to burn, simmer everything for about 25-30 minutes over low heat.
After removing from the heat, let the dish sit for 15-20 minutes and then serve.

Buckwheat

Ingredients:

200 g buckwheat;
300 honey mushrooms;
1 onion.

Recipe:

Sort out 200 grams of buckwheat, rinse in running water and cook until half cooked.
Finely chop and fry 300 honey mushrooms.
Lightly fry finely chopped onion (1 medium-sized onion).
Place the ingredients in a baking dish in the oven in the following sequence - a layer of semi-finished buckwheat/a layer of fried onions/a layer of semi-finished buckwheat/cover everything on top with mushrooms.
In this form, put it in the oven and bring it to full readiness.

Eggs

soft-boiled (cooking time: 2-3 minutes);
boiled in a bag (cooking time: 5-6 minutes);
hard-boiled (cooking time: 8-9 minutes);
poached eggs - the shell is broken and the contents are released directly into boiling water (for those losing weight - poached white);
scrambled eggs fried in a dry non-stick frying pan (without any oil).

Salad recipes for dinner

Chicken salad with tangerines and herbs

This salad is quick and easy to prepare.

You will need:

400 g chicken fillet;
2 tangerines;
a bunch of lettuce;
1 teaspoon each of mustard, sauce, vegetable oil;
some Chinese cabbage.

Chicken fillet should be boiled or steamed without adding oil. When ready, place on dishes to cool.

Chop the Chinese cabbage and pour into a salad container. Cut the finished chicken fillet into cubes and also place in a salad bowl. Next, take the tangerine into slices. Finely tear the salad with your hands. Pour everything into a salad container. Add mustard, sauce, oil and mix thoroughly. What else can you cook for dinner that is low in calories?

Sea salad

For one serving you will need:

0.5 cans of seaweed;
100 g shrimp;
200 g cherry tomatoes;
1 teaspoon each of soy sauce, sesame oil;

You need to chop the seaweed as finely as possible. Peel and chop the shrimp. Cut the tomatoes into halves. Place everything in a salad bowl, add sauce, oil and mix thoroughly.

Is it possible to have cottage cheese, fruit, cabbage, fish and beans for dinner?

Many people wonder about the benefits of eating certain specific foods in the evening:

Cottage cheese is one of the most intensely discussed topics on the Internet. There are ardent supporters of the idea that cottage cheese is harmful to the human body, not only in the evening, but in general. But for now these are only theoretical assumptions, inflated by the Internet to the size of a proven fact. So far, most nutritionists recommend cottage cheese for dinner in small quantities. It contains casein, which supplies the body with beneficial amino acids. It is especially useful for dinner for athletes and pregnant women.
Fruits . Here we must immediately agree - not all fruits are healthy in the evening. You can eat apples, unsweetened pears, and oranges in the evening. But sugar-containing (“sweet” fruits) grapes, apricots, melon, watermelon and some others are not allowed.
Cabbage. It is one of the lowest calorie foods, which is why cabbage is present in many dinner recipes for losing weight. Unheated cabbage contains a lot of tartronic acid, which inhibits the conversion of carbohydrates into fat in the human body. Fiber in cabbage leaves ensures the creation of beneficial microflora in the intestines. The presence of vitamins of groups C, P, U, K, B and microelements such as potassium, sulfur, calcium and phosphorus have a beneficial effect on the entire body as a whole. Despite all this, the amount of cabbage consumed should be limited to those who have serious diseases of the gastrointestinal tract (ulcers, chronic gastritis with high acidity, acute enterocolitis and others).
Fish. A very valuable source of easily digestible protein, which is also enriched with fatty acids that are beneficial to the human body (strengthen the cardiovascular system, reduce the risks of atherosclerosis, heart attack and stroke) and minerals such as iodine, zinc and phosphorus (help strengthen bones and teeth) . However, you need to buy exclusively fresh fish and heat treat it for at least 20 minutes to kill all the parasites in it. In addition, you should avoid eating large types of fish (most of them contain mercury), fatty varieties (mackerel, salmon, herring, salmon, eel) and smoked fish.
Beans. Containing easily digestible vegetable protein, fiber, beneficial minerals Mg, Ca, K and a number of vitamins, it is very useful for dinner - it promotes complete saturation with minimal work on the gastrointestinal tract. But few people know that beans are also very effective in weight loss.

The main conclusion is that having dinner is not only necessary, but also vital. Compliance with the basic rules described in the article will allow you not only not to feel hungry, but also to avoid health problems (overweight, unhealthy sleep).

Alexandrova Anastasia

Nutrition and healthy lifestyle specialist and author of myfitnesblog.com. For many years, she has successfully helped women and men lose weight and maintain a beautiful figure.

Weight loss programs

Porridge can be included in any diet, but mono-diets are especially popular. They are characterized by harsh conditions, but allow you to lose weight by 5-10 kg in a short period of time. The most famous, effective and proven cereal diets are:

On buckwheat porridge . The maximum duration of the program is 2 weeks. These days you are allowed to eat only porridge, drink water, herbal teas, and kefir. Buckwheat goes well with other products, so there are more loyal weight loss programs using this grain.
On the pearl barley . You can stay on this diet for 7-10 days. Barley is boiled in fresh water. Before going to bed, porridge is consumed together with kefir 1% fat.
On oatmeal . Steamed oatmeal is eaten. Course duration is 7-14 days. You can add berries and fruits to the porridge.
On 7 porridges . This program lasts one week. Every day you can eat only one type of cereal, but in unlimited quantities. The final day is to eat an assortment of all the cereals used in equal proportions.

You need to get out of this diet smoothly and carefully, gradually adding other foods to the menu. It is important to drink a lot while dieting. The daily fluid intake is at least 2 liters. Porridges are also an ideal solution for fasting days.

We hope you have made the necessary conclusions for yourself, and now you know when and what cereals are best to eat in order to lose excess weight, become slimmer and improve your well-being.

Source

Products recommended for dinner:

Seafood. Any, of your choice, as well as the method of preparation. The main thing is not to fry in oil;
Meat or poultry. Lean pieces, any meat except pork - this is too “heavy” protein for dinner.
Cottage cheese and soft cheese. You can eat cottage cheese as an independent product, in combination with salmon and avocado, with baby puree (any fruit or vegetable puree will do, the main thing is low sugar content), add soft cheese to salads, etc.
Eggs. Boiled, omelette, poached, generally prepared in any way you like. The only recommendation is to limit the yolks (due to the high fat content). For example, in the form of an omelet, use two whites + one yolk.
Mushrooms. They are rich in protein and dietary fiber, which will help you feel fuller longer.
Vegetables. Priority is often given to cabbage: cauliflower, white cabbage, broccoli, because it contains acid, which prevents the formation of fat from carbohydrates. Also eat a variety of lettuce leaves, cucumbers, tomatoes, celery and other non-starchy vegetables.

Video recipe for the perfect protein dinner

Finally, I suggest watching a video that shows how to prepare a delicious and quick dinner from chicken fillet:

Irina Polyanitsa My name is Irina, I am the owner and admin of the site, as well as the author of most of the recipes and articles. I love to cook simple and healthy delicacies. Certified gym instructor, personal trainer. She completed a course on nutrition and health at Stanford University, Stanford Introduction to Food and Health, as well as a course at Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich (LMU) Nutrition and Lifestyle in Pregnancy (about nutrition and lifestyle during pregnancy).

What to do if it's dinner time but you don't feel like eating

This usually happens when the lunch was too rich or the person simply ate more than required. With three meals a day, dinner should account for 25% of the daily volume of food, breakfast - 35%, and lunch - 40%. In any case, to prevent hunger while you sleep, you should make yourself a low-calorie smoothie.

It can be prepared from fermented milk products, vegetables and fruits using a blender. So, you can combine cottage cheese, milk and apricots or banana, strawberries and cottage cheese. To make the cocktail lighter and cooler, which is important during the heat, you can add ice to it.

Basic rules for late dinner

To feel great and look good, your evening meal should follow these rules:

You should eat no later than three hours before bedtime.
After eating, do not rush to immediately lie down on the sofa, since light physical activity is needed to fully digest food.
You need to get up from the table a little hungry.
The serving should be no more than a glass.
Dinner should be light, so it's better to have a hearty lunch.