30 Healthy Recipes for Cutting Weight

Nutrient-dense meals that taste A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!

These gorgeous grilled shrimp tacos are sure to impress you and all of your guests!

If losing weight is one of your top priorities, one of the first things you might consider is cleaning up your diet. When you’re trying to slim down, choosing whole foods and less processed ingredients is a great place to start. These foods will keep you feeling fuller for longer (thanks to fiber and protein) and are typically less calorie-dense as well. 

Below, you will find a list of some of our newest and favorite healthy recipes for cutting weight. They’re perfect for helping you reach your weight loss goals. Each of these delicious options is made with lower-calorie, nutritious ingredients that you can feel good about! 

If you’re looking for even more healthy recipes for cutting weight, you’ll definitely want to check out our list of 50 Snacks that I Used to Lose 30 Pounds.

Eating for Your Health Goals

How many calories should I eat to lose weight?

Eating healthy food is one thing, but you also need to make sure you’re keeping your portion sizes under control. After all, you can still “overeat” healthy foods! Not only do we want to provide you with meals that are good for you and taste amazing, but we also want to help you understand how many calories your body requires daily. 

While it is true that daily energy balance (or consuming the right amount of calories each day) is largely responsible for weight loss, it’s important to remember that high-quality ingredients offer your body more vitamins, minerals, and nutrients. Luckily, the healthy recipes below have the latter covered, but we highly recommend checking out our article: How Many Calories Should You Be Eating Daily? to help you figure out how many servings of each recipe you need.

Our Tastiest Recipes for Cutting Weight

our overnight peaches and cream oats are perfect for busymornings!

Once you know an estimate of how many calories your body requires each day, select a few of our healthy recipes to try out. There are several breakfast, lunch, and dinner options to choose from. We’ve included calorie counts per serving for each meal as well to help you plan your meals to fit your daily calorie allotment. Enjoy!

Healthy Breakfast Options

The whole family will enjoy these nutritious and flavorful breakfast burritos!

Eating a healthy breakfast can control cravings and has been shown to reduce the risk of binging later on in the day. Mom was right; it IS the most important meal of the day! Prepare your breakfast ahead of time for a stress-free morning!

Quick & Easy Egg Muffins 208 calories per serving

Baked Banana Oatmeal  305 calories per serving

Protein Packed Vegan “Omelette” 339 calories per serving

Overnight Peaches and Cream Oats 366 calories per serving

Slow Cooker Breakfast Casserole Recipe 198 calories per serving

Chocolate and Peanut Butter Breakfast Smoothie – 335 calories per serving

Southwestern Protein Breakfast Burrito – 176 calories per serving

Spicy Breakfast Tacos – 293 calories per serving

4-Ingredient Protein Pancakes 57 calories per serving

Egg and Turkey Bacon Stuffed Baked Tomato – 261 calories per serving

Nutritious Lunch Ideas

Our skinny BLT is a delicious and nutritious lunch option!

Enjoying a protein-rich lunch that is full of healthy fats and energy-boosting carbohydrates is the best way to squash those midday hunger pangs! 

Spinach & Bean Burrito Wrap – 282 calories per serving

Greek Yogurt Chicken Salad with Toasted Pecans and Apples – 215 calories per serving

Ultimate Skinny BLT with Dill Mayo – 183 calories per serving

One Pan General Tso’s Chicken with Broccoli – 217 calories per serving

Vegan “Chicken” Salad – 121 calories per serving

Sriracha Salmon Power Bowl – 216 calories per serving

Slow Cooker Chicken Fajita Tortilla Soup – 263 calories per serving

Tortellini Pasta Salad – 296 calories per serving

Mediterranean Quinoa Bowls with Spiced Tofu – 551 calories per serving

Tuna Salad Stuffed Avocado 313 calories per serving

Dinner Recipes for Weight Loss

greek chicken kebabs

Nourish your body with a healthy and delicious dinner. Keeping your evening meal on the light side is best. Getting another dose of protein in your last meal of the day is an excellent way to hold you over until breakfast time!

Eating 2-3 hours before bedtime may help you to shed some pounds and sleep more soundly. Our bodies need ample time to digest the last meal of the day before hitting the hay

Check out this article on How to Lose Weight with Intermittent Fasting.

One Pan Broccoli, Sweet Potato, and Chicken Dinner – 311 calories per serving

Easy Grilled Shrimp Tacos – 512 calories per serving

Black Bean and Tofu Enchiladas with Creamy Cilantro Lime Sauce – 333 calories per serving

Low-Carb Cheesy Meatball Casserole – 355 calories per serving

Simple One Pan Lemon Salmon with Roasted Asparagus – 458 calories per serving

Philly Portabella Mushroom Zucchini Sliders – 288 calories per serving

One-Pot Skinny Sloppy Joes – 173 calories per serving

Summer Fish Tacos 452 calories per serving

Delightful Greek Chicken Kebabs – 197 calories per serving

Healthy Cheesy Pizza Pasta Bake – 321 calories per serving

Healthy recipes for cutting weight don’t have to be bland or boring. All of the recipes on this list are nutritious, flavorful, and exciting. You can mix and match them to create a meal plan that interests you, so that you’ll always have ideas for tasty, nutrient-dense, low calorie meals on hand. As with any weight-loss plan, make sure that you pay attention to your portion sizes, stay hydrated, and get plenty of rest. Even incorporating a few of these healthy recipes into your weekly routine will have you feeling and looking better in no time! 

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Do any of these healthy recipes for cutting weight look good to you? If you try any of them, be sure to share your thoughts with us in the comment section!

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Erin Miller

Erin is an NASM Certified Personal Trainer and Corrective Exercise Specialist. She is also a Performance Nutrition Coach, certified through the Clean Health Fitness Institute. Some of Erin’s favorite hobbies include hiking, kayaking, and hanging out at the beach, although weight lifting is her greatest passion. She says, “Weight training is one of the most empowering things a person can do. Not just seeing, but feeling yourself transform… There’s just nothing else like it.”

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