What does a 300 Calorie breakfast look like?

Posted by Lisa Newton on February 11, 2008 at 3:00am

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Why 300 calories?

If you are trying to lose or maintain a healthy body weight, typically having a daily calorie count around 1200-1500 calories is ideal. Therefore, a meal should consist of approximately 300-400 calories.

Based on the scenario outlined below, you could eat several times a day and it would be still be a sensible and smart balanced diet; of course, if you follow certain essential guidelines.

Do you want to eat 4-5 times per day? It’s up to you. There is no one-size-fits-all. It’s about personalization.

This blog will be the first in a series featuring different meal ideas. Today’s focus will be breakfast, the healthiest meal of the day. (Look for a future blog entry featuring the health and nutritional benefits of breakfast.)

So, on what’s for breakfast?

Photo courtesy of JaMmCat

Breakfast 1 – Do you like bagels?

Oat Bran Bagel	0.5 bagel (3" dia)	73
Raw Clementines	1 fruit	35
Plain Yogurt, skim milk	1 container (8 oz)	127
Low-fat Cream cheese	1 Tablespoon	35
Total		270

Photo courtesy of tortuga del desierto

Breakfast 2 – Or maybe an English muffin?

Wheat english muffins	0.5 muffin	64
Apple juice, canned or bottled, unsweetened	4 fl oz	58
Raw Cantaloupe	1 wedge, medium (1/8 of medium melon)	23
Margarine-like spread, SMART BEAT Super Light without saturated fat	1 Tablespoon	22
KRAFT BREYERS LIGHT Nonfat Strawberry Yogurt (with Aspartame and Fructose Sweeteners)	1 container (8 oz)	125
Total		292

Breakfast 3 – Oh, yeah, oatmeal!!!

Photo courtesy of you can count on me

QUAKER Instant Oatmeal, maple and brown sugar, prepared with boiling water (a favorite of mine)	1 packet	157
Grapes, red or green	0.5 cup	52
Melons, casaba, raw	0.5 cup, cubes	24
Melons, cantaloupe, raw	1 wedge, medium (1/8 of medium melon)	23
Total		256

Breakfast 4 – How about a white egg omelet?

Photo courtesy of tvansunder

Egg, white, raw, fresh	2 large egg whites	34
Orange juice, California	1 cup	110
Banana	1 small	90
Bread, mixed-grain	1 slice	65
Raw Onion and green pepper, chopped	2 tablespoon	6
Total		305

Calorie totals have been brought to you by Weight1Minute

These are four suggestions for a healthy 300 calorie breakfast.

You want to mash it up? Be my guest and take part of it, some of it, or all of it.

If you like coffee, it’s basically calorie free, but if you add milk or sugar, that will add calories, so you might want to consider non-fat milk (5 calories per tablespoon) or a non-sugar substitute of our choice.

Ask the Dietician will then scold you about the effects of caffeine on your body, but that is entirely a different topic for a different day.

Iowa Avenue will be continuing this series featuring lunch, dinner, and snacks, because,

After all, it’s about a healthy lifestyle.

Tags: breakfast, calories

Comment by Ask The Dietitian on February 11, 2008 at 6:05am: I won't scold you but I will say that probably 2 cups of coffee a day is sufficient. I'm a coffee drinker myself. This dietitian believes in moderation. Show me a dietitian that is "perfect" and I'll show you someone with "issues".

Comment by TB on February 11, 2008 at 9:31am: I hated coffee till I started watching my weight. After I found out I could drink as much as I wanted, that's when the trouble started.

I go for oatmeal with a tablespoon of peanut butter. Usually a piece of fruit or a yogurt too.

Comment by Christine Braun on February 11, 2008 at 8:12pm: Favorite breakfast= oatmeal with 1/4 cup blueberries. Very little sugar is needed because the blueberries are sweet. The blueberries are an excellent antioxidant. This is a cholesterol buster.
Second favorite breakfast= Blueberry and plain low fat yogurt smoothie. I add fresh ground flax and 1/4 cup skim milk. I use frozen blueberries so the smoothie is nice and cold.

Comment by Lisa Newton on February 11, 2008 at 9:16pm: Wow, I love all the oatmeal ideas. In fact, I love oatmeal period just like Christine with fruit or my favorite is a touch of brown sugar. I never tried peanut butter, but I doesn't sound too bad.

Dietitian, I love my morning coffee, which actually relaxes me. On days when I'm out and about, I don't drink coffee. I hate it cold, so unless I can enjoy it hot, I don't drink it......................:)

Comment by Geosomin on February 12, 2008 at 1:32pm: These are all great ideas. I struggle with eating breakfast...and often eat way too much. I'm loving the oatmeal ideas.
As for coffee...it's a vice of mine. I wish I liked it black, as I 'm sure I drink a lot of calories through sweetened coffee. I don't like artificial sweeteners, so it's my one cheat - with milk and sugar. I'm trying to switch to more tea...don't need sugar then.

Comment by Ask The Dietitian on February 12, 2008 at 1:42pm: I am not a fan of artificial sweeteners. Sugar is OK in moderation.

Comment by Sheila Octaviano on February 13, 2008 at 1:34am: I am surprised that you eat instant oatmeal. I'm not sure why, but it surprised me. I have to have the old-fashioned oats. I love the texture. It only takes one and a half minutes in the microwave. I try to eat it every morning because otherwise I don't eat breakfast. I've been slacking on that this past week and a half.
Starting again tomorrow.

Comment by Lisa Newton on February 13, 2008 at 6:53am: I like the old fashioned kind to, and still actually cook it on the stove, once in a while. Several years ago, I got hooked on the maple and brown sugar kind because I could put an envelope in my purse, and eat it for lunch at work.