Low calorie vegetarian meals for weight loss
Build them on beans, lentils, eggs, tofu or Quorn. Cheese and nuts have protein too, but far more calories. Just 30 g of cheddar has more calories than 100 g of Quorn.
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What are low calorie vegetarian meals?
Meals built on a lean protein food, a lot of veg and a small scoop of wholegrain starch. The lean protein foods are beans, lentils, eggs, tofu, Quorn and reduced fat cottage cheese.
Cheese is the catch. In the UK food tables, 30 g of cheddar has 125 calories. A 100 g serving of Quorn pieces has 73, with more protein.
| Food (100 g) | Calories | Protein |
|---|---|---|
| Reduced fat cottage cheese | 68 | 10.6 g |
| Quorn pieces, uncooked | 73 | 14 g |
| Tofu, steamed | 73 | 8.1 g |
| Kidney beans, tinned, drained | 100 | 8.6 g |
| Red lentils, boiled | 102 | 8.1 g |
| Eggs, boiled (about 2) | 143 | 14.1 g |
| Tempeh | 166 | 20.7 g |
| Halloumi | 313 | 23.9 g |
| Paneer | 328 | 26 g |
| Cheddar | 416 | 25.4 g |
| Peanut butter | 607 | 22.8 g |
Source: CoFID (UK food tables)
Think of your calories as a daily budget. Quorn buys 14 g of protein for 73 calories. Cheddar spends 416 for 25 g.
You don’t have to give up cheese. Grate a little over a bean or lentil meal instead of making it the main event. Pick two foods from the top half of the table for this week’s shop.
Is a vegetarian diet good for weight loss?
It can help a little. A review of 12 trials with 1,151 people found those put on a vegetarian diet lost about 2 kg more than those on other diets. Most trials lasted about 4 months.
The gap was bigger for vegan diets. It was smaller and less certain for diets with eggs and dairy, and in trials that lasted a year or more.
Calories still decide it. The NHS says that if you often eat more than your body needs, even from healthy foods, you can gain weight. A cheese and pastry diet is vegetarian too.
The NHS way to eat about 600 calories a day less
- 1
Breakfast: about 100 less
Weigh your cereal. Skip jam and chocolate spreads.
- 2
Lunch: about 200 less
Check labels on shop-bought food. Drink water or sugar-free drinks.
- 3
Dinner: about 200 less
Cook from scratch more. Have fewer ready meals and takeaways.
- 4
Snacks: about 100 less
Swap crisps and chocolate for fruit or plain popcorn.
Source: NHS: calories and weight loss
The NHS calls a cut of around 600 calories a day a safe and sustainable way to lose weight. To find your own starting number, see how many calories to lose weight.
High protein low calorie vegetarian meals
Build each meal on one or two lean protein foods. The NHS says protein in each meal can help you feel full for longer.
| Meal | Protein part | Calories and protein |
|---|---|---|
| Cottage cheese jacket potato | 150 g reduced fat cottage cheese | 102 calories, 15.9 g protein |
| Quorn and kidney bean chilli | 100 g Quorn pieces, 100 g kidney beans | 173 calories, 22.6 g protein |
| Red lentil and tofu curry | 150 g boiled red lentils, 100 g tofu | 226 calories, 20.3 g protein |
| Egg and bean salad | 2 boiled eggs, 100 g kidney beans | 243 calories, 22.7 g protein |
| Tempeh and edamame stir-fry | 100 g tempeh, 80 g edamame beans | 280 calories, 30.5 g protein |
Source: CoFID (UK food tables)
These numbers cover the protein part only. Add veg to fill half the plate, plus a small portion of potato, rice or wholemeal bread.
Compare a halloumi traybake. 100 g of halloumi gives about the same protein as the chilli, for 140 more calories.
For more pairings, see high protein vegetarian meals. Eat fish as well? High protein low calorie meals adds fish and prawns.
Low calorie high protein vegan meals and snacks
Use tofu, tempeh, lentils, beans and edamame. The lentil and tofu curry and the tempeh stir-fry above are already vegan.
For a snack, 80 g of edamame beans gives about 10 g of protein for 114 calories. Fruit and plain popcorn are the NHS swaps for crisps and chocolate.
Read the label on meat substitutes. The BDA says some contain eggs, milk or honey. They can also be high in salt and fat, so have them in moderation.
If you’re vegan, the BDA says the only reliable sources of vitamin B12 are fortified foods and supplements. The NHS adds vitamin D, iodine, selenium and calcium to that list. More ideas: vegan protein sources.
How do I make a vegetarian diet plan for weight loss?
Pick three dinners from the meal table and repeat them through the week. Then use these NHS habits for every plate.
Six habits for a vegetarian weight loss plan
- Fill about half your main-meal plate with veg.
- Put some protein in each meal, like beans, lentils, eggs, tofu or Quorn.
- Keep potatoes, bread, rice and pasta to no more than a third of what you eat each day, and choose wholegrain.
- Choose reduced fat cheese and plain low fat yoghurt.
- Measure cooking oil, butter or ghee with a teaspoon.
- Have some vitamin C with your meal to help your body take in iron.
Sources: NHS: healthy eating to lose weight; NHS: the vegetarian diet
Why the iron habit? The NHS says vegetarians are more likely to have lower iron stores. Iron from plants is harder for the body to take in.
Aim to lose 0.5 to 1 kg (1 to 2 lbs) a week, and don’t skip meals. For a full week of meals, see the 7-day weight loss meal plan.
When to speak to a GP
Have a medical condition, a special diet for your health, or an eating disorder now or in the past? The NHS says talk to a GP first. Also see a GP if:
- Your BMI is overweight or obese and you want help to lose weight, your waist is more than half your height, or you have a family history of obesity.
- Your BMI is overweight or obese and you have pre-diabetes, diabetes, high blood pressure, joint pain, high cholesterol, sleep apnoea (breathing that stops and starts in your sleep) or heart disease.
- You have, or think you may have, an eating disorder such as binge eating.
- You feel tired with no energy, get short of breath or headaches, notice your heartbeat or have paler skin than usual. These can be signs of low iron.
- You feel weak or tired, or have pins and needles, numbness, muscle weakness, a sore red tongue, or problems with your vision, memory or balance. These can be signs of low vitamin B12.
Losing weight without trying? The NHS says see a GP if you keep losing weight without changing your diet or exercise.
A blood test can check iron and B12. See blood tests for vegans.