3-Course Lunch - 450 calories

I eat a ton of prepackaged foods.  The main reason I do that is for the built-in portion control.  I can't be the only American who does this.  Maybe I'm just the only one bold enough to proclaim it for the world on a blog?  I don't know.  I'm a very smart girl. I know it would technically be better for me to eat fresh, preservative-free and all that blah blah.  For right now, I'm gonna do the best I can with the small amount of $$$ I have to do what it takes to escape obesity.  I KNOW that to escape obesity I HAVE to not feel deprived.  Feeling deprived is only going to make me angry.  Nobody like an angry mama.  

So, I share with you my 3-course lunch.  I eat a version of this everyday.  Let's break it down.

APPETIZER (80 calories)

This is the addition to pre-packaged lunch that makes the meal filling and round.  There are some delicious light frozen meals, but are they truly filling?  Are they truly satisfying?  Not usually. Okay, not ever.  The main ingredient I'm about to share with you is life changing, and if I can't find these in my Walmart because they're sold out because I shared my top secret info, I'm gonna hunt you all down.  I want hurt you or anything, but I will totally raid your pantry and take stuff.  Don't think I won't.  

THIS, my friends is the magic.  These are Joseph's pitas.  A soft, thin little pita.  You eat 1/2 of a pita at a time.  The entire half has 30 calories.  Yes.  I said 30 calories.  What I'm telling you is you can stuff these suckers with anything and only add 30 calories worth of bread around it.  That's amazing. In this particular "recipe", I stuffed my pita with Hillshire Farms Honey Roasted Turkey, some light mayo, tomato, and lettuce.    The entire pita had 80 calories.  There are so many options possible with these things.  

These can be found on their own island in the bakery at Walmart. They are also available in the organic section at Publix, but of course they cost more.  They're $2 and something at both stores, but I believe they're $2.99 at Publix.  Publix does run them buy one get one free from time to time.  You get 6 pitas (12 APPETIZERS WORTH!!) in a package.  When I open a package, I go through and pre-slice them all with a pizza cutter.  They last WAY past their expiration date, and they freeze well if you should happen to stock

 up on them.  

ENTREE (220 calories)

The key for the entree, in my opinion, is that it must be 250 calories or less.  Usually, I eat some sort of Lean Cuisine or Smart Ones with 250 calories or less.  Or I could make a loaded slaw dog.  (RECIPE COMING SOON!)  In this particular meal, I used a Healthy Choice meal.  It was Chicken Alfredo with Spinach.  It had 220 calories and cost $1.50 at Walmart.  This particular meal is always $1.50.  At a later date, I will share the lower calorie, lower $$$ frozen meals I like the best with you.  

DESSERT (150 calories)

Dessert is essential for me.  I am hopelessly addicted to chocolate and I refuse to give it up because I have no intentions of doing so for the rest of my life.  The dessert here, as you can see, is a good ol' fashioned Fudge Round.  That's right.  A Little Debbie.  It has 150 calories.  

Why go with the Little Debbie?  I would love to go healthier.  For example, have you heard of Vitatops?  They are fudgy and awesome and preservative-free.  But guess what?  A box of 4 costs at least $4.27.  EFF THAT.  I also love the new Skinny Cow ice cream bars.  Again, a box of 5 is $4.27.  In a similar calorie range, there are variety of non-diet foods I can pick from on the cheap.  Fudge Rounds, Starcrunches, and German Chocolate Cookie Rings are Little Debbies that all have 150 calories or less. Even better, you get 8-12 in a box for around $1.50.  COME ON!!