Fast starts, grab-and-go meals, healthy snacks

When short of time, pick and mix from our calorie-counted basics to assemble a quick breakfast or light meal. Eggs make a great start to the day. Boiled, scrambled or as an omelette, they’ll keep you fuller longer than toast or cereal (and they contain all eight essential amino acids, which are important for body maintenance and repair). Full-fat yoghurt is also good – add a handful of berries and a sprinkling of nuts and seeds. Keep some hard-boiled eggs, hummus and vegetable crudités (such as sticks of cucumber, carrots and peppers) in the fridge for snacking. Nuts make good snacks, too, but try to avoid the salted or sweetened kind, which can be moreish. Go for things such as unsalted almonds or walnuts that you know you can stop eating after a small handful.

1 medium egg – 79 cals

30g slice of lean ham – 32 cals

45g slice of turkey – 46 cals

50g cooked peeled prawns – 34 cals

45g smoked mackerel – 135 cals

45g smoked salmon – 92 cals

70g tuna tinned in oil – 111 cals

50g sardines tinned in oil – 110 cals

1 x 65g tomato – 7 cals

50g uncooked mushrooms – 4 cals

50g uncooked spinach – 25 cals

50g lettuce – 7 cals

20g rocket leaves – 4 cals

¼ avocado – 67 cals

2 tbsp guacamole – 63 cals

2 tbsp hummus – 92 cals

125g natural yoghurt – 99 cals

50g cottage cheese – 52 cals

25g cream cheese – 62 cals

25g cheddar cheese – 104 cals

25g feta – 63 cals

25g goat’s cheese – 80 cals

25g parmesan – 104 cals

10g almonds – 61 cals

10g cashews – 57 cals

10g walnuts – 69 cals

40g blackberries – 10 cals

40g blueberries – 16 cals

40g raspberries – 10 cals

80g strawberries – 24 cals

1 x 85g apple – 37 cals 

1 x 100g pear – 45 cals 

WITH MORE GREENS Add sides of leafy greens or salad leaves, all very low in calories, to any meal. Or try cauliflower ‘rice’ (30 cals per 100g) – small florets, minus tough stalks, whizzed in a processor to resemble grains, then steamed for a few minutes. 

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk