11 Low-Calorie Meals That Will Take Over Your Weekly Menu

Aug 11, 2023

Are you on a quest for healthier eating without compromising on flavor? I'm familiar with the struggle! If you're looking to find balance with your health or reset your meals after vacation, these recipes are a great place to start. Because every body is different, specific dietary needs will also look different for everyone, so make sure to find what works for you.

With these 11 mouthwatering recipes, you won't compromise on flavor! This assortment of low-calorie meals is full of wholesome and delicious dishes you'll adore, proving that adopting a healthy lifestyle can be very tasty. From vibrant salads, grilled meat options, and yummy vegetable sides, you'll get an idea for every meal on your weekly menu.

Grilled Vegetable Kabobs with Fajita Butter

Image via A Spicy Perspective

These grilled fajita vegetables are suitable for veggie and meat eaters, and make a great addition to any summer picnic! Thanks to the bright colors and zesty spices, these skewers are a delicious and nutritious delight. (via A Spicy Perspective)

Smashed Cucumber and Watermelon Feta Salad

Image via Half Baked Harvest

I absolutely love this salad and tend to make it a lot during the summer. Luscious watermelon, crisp cucumber, and tangy feta cheese are a fantastic and unusual combination, and every bite contains a rush of sweetness and savory delight! (via Half Baked Harvest)

Old Fashioned Cabbage Soup

Image via Give Recipe

No low-calorie recipe collection is complete without a comforting soup! This ultimate comfort food's nostalgic flavors will take you back to your childhood.

Easy Pan Fried Asparagus

Image via Vanilla And Bean

If you're looking to reset your meal planning, veggies are always a good place to start. One of the first things that pops into my mind is asparagus! It's low in calories and rich in fiber, with just enough crispiness. These asparagus spears make a delectable side dish that will also make your gut happy. (via Vanilla And Bean)

Creamy Low Carb Cauliflower Mac and Cheese

Image via The Girl On Bloor

The low-carb recipe is the perfect comfort food with a healthy twist! This delicious dish blends the healthiness of cauliflower with the rich taste of conventional mac & cheese, creating a wonderful dinner you'll enjoy again and again. (via The Girl On Bloor)

Avocado Tempeh Sandwich Recipe

Image via Veggie Society

This sandwich contains under 400 calories per serving, and it is delicious. Layered with fresh and wholesome veggies, this plant-based delight perfectly balances textures and flavors.

Roasted Rainbow Carrots And Radishes

Image via Forks and Foliage

We all need a pop of color in our life from time to time as a pick-me-up. With their vibrant colors and natural sweetness, these roasted vegetables will impress your visitors and delight your taste buds. This simple yet fulfilling meal has plenty of natural goodness and brings the essence of the garden to your table! (via Forks and Foliage)

Grilled Shrimp Skewers

Image via Feel Good Foodie

If you're like me, when you're seeking low-cal options, you go for a protein-packed meal. Trust me, this delicious meal is exactly what I eat whenever I'm in a rush! (via Feel Good Foodie)

Greek Grilled Salmon Kabobs With Feta Sauce

Image via Whole and Heavenly Oven

The perfect way to reduce your calorie intake is to grill anything! Salmon, vibrant veggies, and feta sauce create a flavor sensation that'll transport you to the shores of Greece. This versatile and visually appealing dish is a must-try for foodies seeking a burst of fresh and savory delights. And the best part: it contains less than 400 cals per serving! (via Whole and Heavenly Oven)

Zucchini Soup with Yogurt, Lemon, and Dill

Image via Bowl of Delicious

Zucchini soup is one of my favorite low-calorie meals when looking for something light and healthy. With soft zucchini, aromatic herbs, and a rich vegetable broth, this soup is the perfect way to enjoy the tastes of summer. (via Bowl of Delicious)

Thin Pork Chops In The Air Fryer

Image via Where Is My Spoon

One more way to cook with less grease/oil is air frying! Trust me, the air fryer is my best friend, especially during summertime. You can air fry almost anything! With lean pork chops, a drizzle of heart-healthy olive oil, and a medley of aromatic spices, this recipe is super satisfying. (via Where Is My Spoon)

Find more low-calorie recipes and delicious eats on our Pinterest!

Lead image via Whole and Heavenly Oven

16 Low-Calorie Starbucks Drinks That Still Taste Like A Treat

Indulging in a Starbucks coffee is an important ritual for many, but sometimes Starbucks drinks can pack a dense caloric punch. If you're looking to be more mindful of your intake, make sure to reference this list of low-calorie Starbucks drinks!

As a coffee-lover andformer barista, I've curated some delightful healthy, low-calorie Starbucks drinks that still feel special. These alternatives ensure that your next coffee run can be both delicious and guilt-free! Scroll on for some scrumptious (and healthy) sips! ☕️

Black Iced Coffee

If you order a grande iced coffee plain with no Classic syrup, it'll be fewer than 5 calories with 0 grams of sugar. The iced coffee from Starbucks comes with the Classic syrup for added sweetness – the drink comes out to 80 calories and 20 grams of sugar with it included.

Iced Americano

Made with just espresso, cold water, and ice, a grande iced Americano from Starbucks totals 15 calories.

Unsweetened Cold Brew

With less than 5 calories and 0 grams of sugar, cold brew is a great ordering option that still has plenty of caffeine! The Starbucks cold brew is steeped for 20 hours and carries notes of chocolate and citrus. If you like your coffee creamier, just add a splash of your go-to milk.

Nitro Cold Brew

The Nitro Cold Brew from Starbucks is just their regular cold brew infused with nitrogen to create a satisfyingly creamy top layer of crema. A grande size has 5 calories or less and no sugar.

Vanilla Sweet Cream Nitro Cold Brew

If you prefer your Starbucks on the sweeter side, this is the drink for you! The Vanilla Sweet Cream Nitro Cold Brew is topped with vanilla sweet cream that makes the drink a lot creamier and subtly sweeter at the same time. This one clocks in at 70 calories and 4 grams of sugar.

Black Brewed Hot Coffee

A grande plain hot coffee from Starbucks has less than 5 calories, and depending on the featured brew, you'll still get some really yummy flavor notes in each sip.

Hot Americano

A grande plain hot Americano contains about 15 calories, and unlike a brewed hot coffee made with beans, it'll wake you up with strong espresso shots! The grande comes with 3 espresso shots by default, whereas a tall size has 2 and a venti size has 4.

Unsweetened Iced Tea

Starbucks has numerous teas at the ready. You can order iced black tea, iced green tea, and iced herbal teas like the Passion Tango. Unsweetened, each one is 0 calories, plus you can always add your own guilt-free sweetness with Splenda or Stevia.

Unsweetened Hot Tea

Like their range of iced teas, Starbucks' hot teas are available in a ton of varieties and flavors. You can order chai, earl grey, English breakfast, and mint teas hot, and they're so good! Each one, unsweetened measures up to be 0 calories. Add some sweetener and a splash of milk for somethin' a little extra.

Iced Brown Sugar Shaken Espresso

This is by far one of my favorite low-calorie Starbucks drinks. It's sweet and smooth, but doesn't leave me feeling like I'll crash from the sugar afterward. A grande of the Iced Brown Sugar Shaken Espresso has 120 calories and 12 grams of sugar.

Iced Hazelnut Oatmilk Shaken Espresso

Instead of being flavored with brown sugar syrup, this bev gets a nutty dose of hazelnut syrup. For 150 calories and 16 grams of sugar, this low-cal option is worth the splurge.

Starbucks Refreshers

There are three different fruity flavors for the Starbucks Refreshers, and each one is generously low in calories for how flavorful they are! A grande size of the Strawberry Acai has 100 calories, the Mango Dragonfruit has 90 calories, and the Pineapple Passionfruit has 100 calories.

Nonfat Cappuccino

You can order this next option hot or iced, depending on your preferences. Filled primarily with milk foam, getting a cappuccino with nonfat milk significantly decreases the amount of calories from the standard recipe. Plus, yay for espresso!

Skinny Vanilla Latte

Any Starbucks drink that's "skinny" just means it's made with less syrup pumps than the original recipe, nonfat milk, and no whipped cream. You can order most Starbucks drinks "skinny," including lattes. Just note they might not be as sweet or as flavorful as the OG! The Skinny Vanilla Latte is a lighter, lower-cal version that still tastes yum.

Skinny Mocha

Available hot or iced, the "skinny" version of a Starbucks mocha is made with less syrup, nonfat milk, and no whip, which cuts the calories down by a long shot. Chocolatey and coffee-y – what more could you want?!

Flat White

Clocking in at 170 calories and 13 grams of sugar, flat whites are a nice treat that definitely rank lower from typical bevs in terms of calorie count. Whole milk and espresso have never been tastier!

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Images via Starbucks.

Chad Michael Murray Says He Wants "A Cinderella Story 2" Too

A Cinderella Story isn't just a movie — it's honestly a cultural moment. The costume montage, the spastic colons and synchronized swimming, the rain in this drought... even Gavin Degraw singing over the One Tree Hilltrailer on the DVD stand out! Everything about this film is iconically ingrained in our collective conscious, making Hilary Duff and Chad Michael Murray the Y2k blueprint for many of the "It" pairings we know and love today.

We last left our Princeton royalty preparing for their freshman year of college, dreaming of happily-ever-after — or at least graduation — and that was that! But in this era of reboots, I've often wondered what happened to our OG tortured poets after the credits rolled. Luckily, I'm not the only one! Chad Michael Murray just tee'd up a sequel, and yes that's me you hear squealing right now. Here's everything we know about what's to come for everyone's fave modern fairytale!

Is there a part two to a Cinderella story?

Photo via Warner Bros Entertainment Inc

There's Another Cinderella Story, starring Selena Gomez and Drew Seeley, but that's more so a part of a series of "Cinderella stories" rather than an actual sequel. So far, we haven't gotten a follow-up on our Princeton-bound faves.

Has "A Cinderella Story 2" been announced?

There's been no formal announcement yet, but that doesn't mean all hope is lost. During his press tour for Mother of the Bride, Chad Michael Murray told ETthat he's definitely interested in bringing Austin Ames back. He said that even his daughter told him, "You need to make another one of these, Daddy," after she watched A Cinderella Story for the first time.

His response to the idea? "Here you go, Hil. From me to you, let's do it!" — referring to Hilary Duff, of course! The timing couldn't be better either, given that Hilary just gave birth to her fourth child and could hypothetically be available to film in the coming months...just saying!

Again, there's no official information about this project yet, but with a main piece of the puzzle on board, we're one step closer to my own personal happily-ever-after — a real sequel to A Cinderella Story once and for all.

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Header image via Warner Bros Entertainment Inc.

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These Healthy Drinks At Starbucks Will Change Your Life

If you’re eagerly awaiting the warm weather and sunny days of summer, then Starbucks is ready to get you prepped with a lineup of cool coffee drinks and frothy Frappuccinos. But, the downside of that is some of these drinks are high in sugar and calories — which is totally okay for once in awhile, but not ideal all the time (boo!).

That's why you’ll be excited to learn a few menu tricks for healthy drinks at Starbucks to make your order a little more health-savvy. Yum, and yay! let's get into the healthiest Starbucks drinks you can order today.

What are the healthiest Starbucks drinks?

The healthiest Starbucks drinks include any unsweetened tea (hot or iced), black coffee (hot or iced), or cold brew coffee because they have little no zero calories and no added sugar from syrups or whipped cream.

What is a "skinny" from Starbucks?

"Skinny" drinks from Starbucks are alternatives to the standard recipes for their beverages that use sugar-free syrups, nonfat milk, and omit whipped cream. "Skinny" Starbucks drinks aim to limit sugar, calories, and other additives.

Tips On How To Order Healthy Starbucks Drinks

First, we must prime you with a few tips on healthy Starbucks drinks. There are several things you can do when ordering to make your drink a bit healthier, low-calorie, and low in sugar. Here are our 3 best healthy Starbucks drinks hacks!

Fewer pumps: Ask for less syrup pumps to help reduce the sweetness and calories in any Starbucks beverage.
Make it light: Most handcrafted espresso drinks and Frappuccinos can be requested “light” or “skinny,” which basically means it's made with sugar-free syrup, nonfat milk, and no whipped cream.
Skip the whip: Frappuccinos, lattes, etc. from Starbucks can be customized more than 36,000 ways. Request just a little whip or no whip to save yourself 80 to 110 calories, depending on the size and type of drink!

Healthy Starbucks Drinks To Try

Unsweetened Iced Coffee

Unsweetened iced coffee typically has fewer than 10 calories! But, Starbucks iced coffee is typically sweetened with their Classic syrup, so just ask for no Classic syrup to make it totally unsweetened, zero-sugar, and zero-calorie.

Black Hot Coffee

Black hot coffee is a classic, and has 0 calories and 0 grams of sugar.

Unsweetened Iced Tea

Unsweetened iced tea from Starbucks typically has fewer than 10 calories per serving. They have Black Tea (0 calories, 0 grams sugar for a tall size), Green Tea (0 calories, 0 grams sugar for a tall size), and Passion Tango Tea (0 calories, 0 grams sugar for a tall size) to order. There's an option to add peach juice and/or lemonade for a flavor boost, but this usually adds around 35-60 calories to your drink.

Unsweetened Hot Tea

Starbucks has a ton of hot teas to choose from, all of which have little to no calories and sugar. Earl Grey, English Breakfast, Emperor's Clouds & Mist (green tea), and Mint Majesty are all on the menu with 0 calories and 0 grams of sugar. To sweeten them up with a healthy twist, you can always ask for some honey and/or stevia packets.

Iced Skinny Vanilla Latte

A tall Iced Skinny Vanilla Latte is about 60 calories. This just means you're getting less syrup per sip and nonfat milk in the recipe.

Iced Brown Sugar Shaken Espresso

For healthy Starbucks drinks on the sweeter side, shaken espressos are where it's at! The famed Iced Brown Sugar Shaken Espresso is one of the healthiest Starbucks drinks you can order without having to fully customize the bev. A tall size is 100 calories and 9 grams of sugar, and it's so yum. So easy, too!

Light Tall Caramel Frappuccino

Ordering a Frappuccino "light" or "skinny" means it's getting made with nonfat milk, less syrup pumps, and no whipped cream. This version (for a tall size) is about 100 calories.

Cold Brew

Starbucks' smooth cold brew is steeped for over 20 hours, which gives it a rich taste. A plain, tall Starbucks cold brew has fewer than 5 calories and 0 grams of sugar. You can always add a small splash of milk to bring a creamy side to its chocolatey, citrusy flavor.

Iced Americano

An iced Americano is just espresso shots with water served over ice. It's about 10 calories and 0 grams of sugar for a tall size with no added milk or sweetener.

Iced Skinny Mocha

Order an iced Mocha "skinny," and you'll get it with less pumps of mocha sauce, nonfat milk, and no whipped cream. These customizations knock the OG drink (260 calories, 23g sugar for a tall size) down by a lot.

Starbucks Refreshers

The fruity Starbucks Refreshers are perfect for summertime! Available in flavors like Strawberry Acai (80 calories, 16g sugar for a tall size), Pineapple Passionfruit (80 calories, 15g sugar for a tall size), and Mango Dragonfruit (70 calories, 15g sugar for a tall size), they're all also caffeinated lightly with green coffee extract.

We need to try each and every one of these healthy Starbucks drinks! Let us know your favorite @BritandCo!

Images via Starbucks and @starbucks on Instagram.

This post has been updated with additional reporting by Meredith Holser.

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21 Memorial Day Sales You Need To Shop For Insane Savings

Memorial Day weekend is nigh, and in the midst of planning your epic BBQ spread and a slew of themed cocktails, it's also time to start noting the Memorial Day sales you'll be shopping for a much-needed summer refresh. We've got the scoop on savings in just about every category – from beauty to home decor to fashion – so you know exactly when and where to save big.

Scroll on for the Memorial Day sales we're most excited about for 2024, and make sure to come back here for additional sale info!

Dyson V8 Cordless Vacuum

Target

What: Items up to 60% off

When: May 24-27

KitchenAid Artisan Series 5 Quart Tilt Head Stand Mixer

Amazon

What: Deals on everything from home goods to decor

When: Now through Memorial Day

Mila Mirror

Anthropologie Home

What: Savings on home goods

When: May 21-27

Peony Vase Thank You Card Set

Papier

What: 15% off stationery & photo books

When: May 22-29

Sherpa Deluxe Black Guarenteed On Board Soft Sided Dog & Cat Carrier

Petco

What: BOGO 50% off select summer products and 20% off select sherpa carriersWhen: May 24-27

Dallas IV Hat

Hood

What: 25% off sitewide with code USA25

When: May 23-27

CZ Crescent with Stars Necklace

Sterling Forever

What: 20% off sitewide with code SUMMER20

When: May 24-28

Stemless Wine Chiller Pair

VoChill

What: 20% off sitewide

When: May 17-27

The Coated Pan

Material Kitchen

What: 20% off (*promo excludes bundles and collaborations)

When: May 23-27

EOS Classic Organic Mattress

Naturepedic

What: 20% off sitewide with code MEMORIAL20

When: May 15-29

Pierrette Dress

SAYLOR

What: Extra 15% off sale styles with code MDAY24

When: May 27

Sea Green Pleated Tennis Skirt

Gold Hinge

What: 25% off sitewide with code MDAY25

When: May 23-27

Calista FAUXblo Thermal Blowout Brush

Calista

What: 20% off sitewide

When: May 24

CAROL Bike

What: Take $200 off sitewide on all CAROL bikes

When: May 24-30

Cartolina Louise Cover-Up

Cartolina

What: 30% off sitewide

When: May 22-28

Carve Designs Zella Mesh Pullover

Carve Designs

What: BOGO red, white, and blue swim; buy 1 swimsuit, get one swimsuit 50% off

When: May 23-27

Essentia Stratami Organic Mattress

Essentia

What: 25% off sitewide, plus receive free GOTS Certified Organic Cotton Sheets with qualifying mattress purchases

When: May 13-31

Harper Wilde Bliss Scoop Bralette

Harper Wilde

What: 20% off sitewide

When: May 24-27

MARLOWE. Soap Bar Discovery Gift Set

MARLOWE.

What: 20% off sitewide

When: May 27

Pura 4 Diffuser

Pura

What: 25% off sitewide through code only (subscriber early access: May 23-27), 25% off sitewide, plus subscribe to the Pura V4 and get a free car set

When: May 21-22

Vacation Classic Whip SPF 30

Vacation

What: 20% off sitewide, plus get a free boat keychain or pen on orders over $65 (while supplies last)

When: May 24-27

Sign up for our newsletter to stay up to date on these Memorial Day sales + all the best deals!

Brit + Co may at times use affiliate links to promote products sold by others, but always offers genuine editorial recommendations.

This post has been updated.

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Red, White, And Royal Blue Fans — We're Getting A Sequel!

Amazon's adaptation of Casey McQuiston’s famed Red, White & Royal Blueblew our minds with its perfectly extravagant and messy royal romance. Prince Henry and Alex Claremont-Diaz stole our hearts with their antics, proving that love isn't always as cookie cutter as we think it should be. Not only that, but it was the LGBT film we never knew we needed until it hit the big screen last year.

If you've been missing Prince Henry and Alex, you're in luck because a sequel to Red, White & Royal Blue is officially coming! Here's everything we know about the latest developments!

Is the main cast returning?

Image via Jonathan Prime/Prime Video

I'm happy to share that Nicholas Galitzine and Taylor Zakhar Perez are returning! I honestly don't think the Red, White & Royal Blue sequel would be the same if they weren't.

However, no other cast information has been released! Hopefully we'll see Uma Thurman and Clifton Collins, Jr. reprise their roles!

What's the sequel going to be about?

Image via Prime Video

As of yet, Variety reports that not much has been confirmed about the sequel's plot or release date. My guess is that there the two lovebirds will have to juggle new responsibilities and mishaps.

What the original plot of "Red, White & Royal Blue?"

Image via Prime Video

The novel centers around the character of Alex Claremont-Diaz, a first son of the United States, and his romantic relationship with Prince Henry, British royalty.

Take a walk down memory lane with these behind-the-scenes pictures 👀

www.instagram.com

Matthew López on Instagram: "“Yes, this is exactly how I always dreamed it would be. Locked in a cupboard with your elbow inside my rib cage.” #rwrbmovie"

www.instagram.com

Nicholas Galitzine on Instagram: "The bois 📸 @aneeshtheactress"

www.instagram.com

Matthew López on Instagram: "Spent the last two weeks rehearsing with @nicholasgalitzine and @taylorzakharperez It’s been a joy to watch Henry and Alex come to life in the room. Excited to make this movie with them. Here we go! #rwrbmovie @primevideo 📸: (the great Stephen Goldblatt)"

We cannot wait to see what new adventures are two lovebirds will cook up in Red, White & Royal Blue, but for now we’ll be rereading (and rereading) RWRB.

Stay updated on all the latest entertainment new with Brit + Co.

Header image courtesy of Amazon Prime Video.

This post has been updated.

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