Recipes That Keep You Fuller For Longer
When you’re trying to eat a little healthier, the key is balanced, nutritious meals that keep your belly full throughout the day. Whether you’re counting calories or following a specific diet plan like Weight Watchers, you can’t go wrong with filling recipes that keep you satisfied until your next meal.
Losing weight shouldn’t mean going hungry, and a varied meal plan that’s packed with hearty, healthy foods will stop your tummy rumbling and help you smash your slimming goals.
So, what are the best recipes to keep you full for longer? Scroll down to discover inspiration for each meal of the day!
Start the day with a satisfying breakfast
Whatever the day holds in store for you, you can guarantee that a good breakfast will get the morning off to the very best start. Sitting down to eat a healthy brekkie makes sure you’re filled up and fueled right through to lunch.
To stop those feelings of peckishness creeping in, you’ll need a meal that’ll slowly release energy throughout the day. Oats are ideal for this, as they’re a complex carbohydrate – they’ll keep your energy up and your belly happy until lunchtime.
If a big bowlful of plain porridge doesn’t sound all that tempting, don’t worry! We have loads of recipes that turn oats into a tasty breakfast that’ll make you jump out of bed.
For the ultimate convenience, these Tiramisu Overnight Oats can be made before you go to sleep, ready to give you a boost at breakfast.
Infused with coffee and vanilla flavours, this creamy, layered, oaty breakfast tastes as delicious as the dessert it’s named after. Made with porridge oats, natural yoghurt and chia seeds, this recipe makes sure your day starts with a balance of carbs and protein that’ll keep you feeling full until midday.
Leave it in the fridge overnight for the oats to soak up all those flavours and then tuck in when you wake up!
If it’s slow release oat-energy you’re after, but you like your breakfast with a little more bite to it, how about turning your porridge into these Oat Pancakes? You only need a handful of ingredients and they’re on the table in 15 minutes.
This recipe contains eggs as well as oats, making it doubly filling. Eggs are a great source of protein, which helps to keep you fuller for longer. Combined with that oaty goodness, you’ve got a breakfast of champions that’ll fuel you for hours.
Speaking of eggs, these Breakfast Muffins are a slimming friendly dream. For just 256 calories you can enjoy a healthy breakfast on the go, and keep those hunger pangs away until lunchtime.
The protein-rich eggs give you a boost of energy, and you can load the mixture up with all your favourite veggies to add extra fibre. Almost anything goes – use ham instead of bacon, add extra cheese, throw in any leftovers (just remember to adjust the calories accordingly).
These are great if you’re not particularly hungry first thing in the morning. Pack a few to nibble on mid-morning and they’ll see you right through to your next meal.
How about an egg dish with a spicy twist? These Turkish Style Eggs are great as a weekend brunch that’ll keep you full until dinner. Simply serve a perfectly poached egg on a swirl of fat free Greek yoghurt and finish with fiery harissa. All that protein will keep you satisfied – so you won’t be reaching for the biscuits with your afternoon cuppa.
If you’re not convinced you’ll be full from the eggs alone, there are just 141 calories in this recipe, leaving you plenty spare to add on a bread roll or a slice of wholemeal toast to mop up all those flavours.
Refuel at lunch
By the time it gets to midday you might start to feel like you’re running on empty. Lunchtime is for refuelling and recharging yourself, ready to take on the afternoon ahead. Eating plenty of veggies is a great way to keep you feeling full, without consuming too many calories.
A big bowl of soup is the perfect choice for the middle of the day, with broth and veggies to fill you up, without being so stodgy as to leave you feeling sleepy in the afternoon.
Our Mulligatawny Soup recipe is ideal. It’s a fragrant, Indian-inspired soup that comes in at just 188 calories per serving. Every bowlful is a balance of nutrition and flavour, packed with vegetables, lentils and rice that’ll keep you energised until the evening.
This is soup with a bite to it, finished with a swirl of fat free Greek yoghurt, a squeeze of lemon juice and fresh coriander.
While we’re talking about soup with a bite, we can’t forget to mention this Smoky Ham and Pasta Soup. This is such a treat for lunch – it’s hearty, delicious and perfect for batch cooking.
Made with chunks of gammon steak, ready-chopped casserole veg and any kind of dried pasta shapes, this dish ticks all the boxes. Kind to your wallet and packed with nutritious goodness, this is a lunch option you’ll turn to time and time again.
The flavours are smoky and deliciously savoury, with all that pasta helping to fill you up. You’ll be surprised how filling this is, considering it’s just 213 calories per bowl.
If you didn’t fancy eggs for breakfast, how about cracking a few for lunch? It’s no secret that we’re big fans of a crustless quiche, and our Caramelised Onion Quiche is no exception. In fact, this one might be our favourite quiche ever – and it’s gone down a treat in our Facebook group too!
Along with eggs, this recipe also uses cottage cheese, which is high in protein and low in fat – the perfect combination when you want something slimming friendly yet filling
The delicious caramelised onion flavour comes from simmering slices of red onion in balsamic vinegar until they soften and sweeten.
Skipping the crust keeps the calories on this dish low (just 164 per slice!) but you don’t lose any of the tastiness. Serve a slice with some side salad for an easy lunch.
We love leftovers for lunch and we make sure that plenty of our recipes can be batch cooked so that you can stock your fridge and freezer with easy options for busy days.
Why not whip up a big serving of Campfire Stew over the weekend and store it away for lunches during the week? We’re not kidding when we say this recipe is jam-packed with fibrous veggies, plus you’ve got plenty of beans and ham in there to give you that protein boost. Satisfying without being stodgy, it’s just what you need in the middle of the day.
Tuck into a hearty dinner
By early evening you’ll be ready for the final meal of the day. Before you start scouring the cupboards for something to snack on, grab a few healthy ingredients and prepare a tasty dinner that will help you stay on track.
You’ll want something that’s balanced and nutritious, that won’t have you feeling peckish again before bedtime. With protein, carbs and plenty of veggie goodness, this Spicy Sausage Pasta is ideal for a midweek dinner.
We love that you can use any sausages in this recipe, including vegetarian alternatives. The pasta will help to keep you feeling full for hours, and you can always bulk out your portion with extra vegetables if you’re especially hungry.
Another dish that’s packed with protein and loaded with crunchy, filling veggies is this Hoisin Chicken. It doesn’t scrimp on flavour and it comes in at just 249 calories per serving – ideal if you want to serve it with a scoop of fluffy boiled rice or some noodles to keep you feeling satisfied through to breakfastime.
With a similar flavour to the Hoisin duck that you might get from the takeaway, our homemade recipe is so much healthier. Not only is chicken far leaner, we’ve made some clever swaps to keep the sauce low in calories and still super tasty.
Although fish can seem light and delicate, it’s packed with protein that will help you to feel full. Salmon is one of our favourites, so this Moroccan Salmon Skewers with Cous Cous is a go-to meal when we’re feeling particularly peckish.
We love that it can be on the table in just 20 minutes, and it never fails to hit the spot. The delicately spiced salmon pairs so well with our fragrant herby yoghurt dressing. To bulk out the cous cous, we’ve added lots of fresh salad vegetables.
This dish is refreshing yet filling, and so versatile. Don’t like fish? Simply swap to chicken or tofu (just remember to adjust the calories).
What if we told you that you could have a comforting plate of Steak and Pepper Pie for just 388 calories? Instead of pastry, this is topped with creamy mashed potatoes, which means it doesn’t just taste incredible, it’s seriously filling too.
With all that steak and peppery gravy inside, you only need to serve this with a spoonful of steamed veggies. Sit back, tuck in and enjoy! You’ll feel full and there’ll be no stomach rumbling until the morning.
What are your favourite filling foods?
When you’re having a hungry day, what’s your go-to dinner recipe? Let us know over in our Facebook group. There are almost 1 million members waiting to share their tips and inspiration with you!