For the Love of Food Diet

The For the Love of Food Project is a communal project but the concept can be used by individuals too. When fruit or vegetable are added to meals it dilutes the salt, fat and sugar content of that meal reducing hunger. At the same time it puts fiber, water (from the fruit and veggies) and actual weight in your stomach- qualities that promote fullness. Eating the required amounts of fruit and vegetables allows you  to control hunger and improve well being.  Eating this way also reduces cholesterol, cancer risk and improves digestion and increases energy. Try it for a week and see what happens. Go to Contact Us to send questions or comments.

Basic principles:

            Eat three meals on most days

            Fill half your plate (or bowl) with fruit or vegetables at every meal

            Include a lean protein choice at each meal

            Eat enough at each meal to feel satisfied

            Take second portions from the fruit, vegetable and lean protein choices

            Limit the serving from the “Starch” group to 1 cup or an 80-160 calorie
            portion

            Eat at a table or a designated eating place, avoid the car, desk or in front 
             of  computer
 

Snacks

            Between meals choose a fruit, vegetable, or lean protein snack. These choices  contain water  or they carry protein and control hunger.

Suggested snacks may include:

            All fruits and vegetables including applesauce, fruit salad, whole fruit,
           canned  fruit in juice or water, vegetable soups, vegetable salads, V-8 juice.

            Lean protein snacks  can include: skim and low fat milk or yogurt, soy
            milk,  soy yogurt or tofu some cottage cheese and some skim-milk 
            mozzarella cheese   sticks, a hard boiled egg, a slice of deli ham, turkey or
            chicken, vegetarian hot dog  or burger.

            In most cases snacks from the “starch” group should be avoided because
              they can  cause hunger. When a “starch” food is eaten between meals
             skips the “starch” at  meals.

Restaurants

Order fish, poultry, lean pork, vegetarian options made with little if any cheese. Include a salad or vegetable soup as an appetizer, include at least one vegetable with the meal, and limit the serving of “starch” to a 1 cup portion.

Special Considerations

• Try to eat fish twice per week
• Try eating “vegetarian” a few times per week
• Include a small amount of nuts or seeds three times per week
• Use up to 1 tbsp grated parmesan cheese per meal for flavor
• Choose most of your “starches” as whole grain
• Limit alcohol
• Avoid fried food
• Avoid most cheese
• Avoid soda, including diet (diet foods appear to promote overeating)
• Swap dessert for the “starch” at meals and eat dessert with meals not as a snack
• Practice for three to six months until this way of eating becomes routine
• Have fun trying new foods

FLOF Sample Meal Plan by food groups

Morning           Protein: egg, yogurt or milk

                        Fruit or vegetable or both
                        Starch: 1 slice bread or equivalent for each ½ cup of fruit or veg up
                          to   2 slices or equivalent

Lunch               Protein: Lean meat, fish, chicken, beans, tofu, yogurt, or milk

                        Vegetables       1 cup or more

                        Fruit                 1 cup if desired

                        Starch              1 slice bread or equivalent up to two servings

Supper

                        Fat/oil               up to two servings

                        Protein: Lean meat, fish, chicken, beans, tofu, yogurt, or milk

                        Vegetables       1 cup or more

                        Fruit                 1 cup if desired

                        Starch              1 slice bread or equivalent up to two servings

                        Fat/oil               up to two servings

Sample Menus

 Breakfast         egg or egg white (protein)                     or         skim or 1% milk

                        1 slice toast                                          or         1 cup cereal

                        1 c sautéed vegetables for eggs             or         1 cup berries

                        1-2 tsp margarine/ butter                       or         1 tbsp walnuts

Lunch               chicken breast                                      or         yogurt

                        Salad (lettuce, tomato, carrots)             or         vegetable soup

                        Wrap (80- 160 calorie)                        or         ½ bagel

                        1-2 teaspoons salad dressing                or         1-2 tsp  
                                                                                               margarine/butter

                        Fruit if desired                                                  Fruit if desired

Supper             Salmon                                                 or         Tofu

                        1 cup salad + ½ ckd veg                       or         2 cups vegetable
                                                                                                 stir fry

                        ½ -1 cup potato or noodle                    or         1/2 -1 cup rice

                        1 tbsp dressing + 1 tsp marg/butter       or         2 tsp marg/butter

                        Poached fruit                                        or         Ginger Fruit Salad

Snacks            Choose from recommended “wet” snacks above

Foods to Use in abundance 

Vegetables:

Artichokes, Asparagus, Beans, Beets, Broccoli, Brocoli rabe, Brussels sprouts

Cabbage, Carrots, Cauliflower, Celery, Corn*, Cucumber, Eggplant, Greens

Leeks, Mushrooms, Okra,Onions, scallions,Pea pods, Peas*, Peppers

Pimentos, Radishes, Sauerkraut, Spinach, Summer squash, Tomato, Turnips

Water chestnuts,Winter squash*, Zucchini

*Starchy Vegetables: Corn, peas and winter squash do contain more calories than most vegetables but unless you eat an enormous amount of these foods don’t worry about them. Enjoy them as you would any other vegetable steamed, boiled or baked. Individuals with diabetes may need to control their portion of starchy vegetables because of their higher carbohydrate content.

Fruits to enjoy

The best way to eat fruit is fresh, frozen (no sugar added) and canned (no sugar added).Do not worry about the natural sugar content of whole fruit, it is the best way to satisfy a sweet tooth. Do limt fruit juice and dried fruit because the body does not  self regulate it as well as it can whole fruit.

Apple

Applesauce

Apricots

Banana

Berries

Cherries

Figs (2 fresh)

Fruit cocktail

Grapefruit

Grapes (17)

Kiwi

Mandarin oranges

Mango

Melon: cantaloupe, honey dew, watermelon etc

Nectarine

Orange

Papaya

Peach
Pear

Pineapple

Plum

Fruits to avoid

Limit dried fruit or fruit juice to one 70 calorie serving per day that is 6 ounces of juice or 2 tbsp dried fruit.

Good Protein Sources

A source of protein included at most meals is advised and when eaten as a snack it may prevent hunger.

Choose:

Beef: lean beef such as round, sirloin, flank steak, cubed steak

Pork: Canadian bacon, tenderloin, center loin chop, fresh ham

Poultry: chicken or turkey no skin

Fish: tuna, fish fillets, crabmeat, salmon smoked salmon (lox)

Shellfish: shrimp, scallops, clams, mussels

Game: venison, buffalo, emu

Processed sandwich meats with 1 gram of fat or less per ounce: chipped beef, deli ham, turkey pastrami

Egg

Veggie burger

Veggie hotdog

Beans, ½ cup

Milk: skim, non-fat or 1%, soy milk (1 cup)

Yogurt: low or non fat, soy yogurt (1 cup)

Cheese: low fat cottage cheese, string cheese sticks, soy cheese, fat-free cheese, grated cheese and cheese with 3 grams of fat or less per ounce.

Avoid (or limit to special occasions) 

Beef: ground beef, corned beef, short ribs, Prime grade roasts and steaks

Pork: Fatty chops, spareribs, ground pork, pork sausage

Lamb: ground

Poultry: chicken or turkey with skin, fried chicken (with skin)

Fish: Fried fish and fish products