1,300 to 1,500 Calorie Diets
Including Example Menus

Example of 1300 Calorie Diet, 3 Meals, 2 Snacks

The 1300 Calorie Diet

1300 calories is a workable diet plan for women who are petite and who require about 1500 calories in order to maintain their ideal weight.

When planning, one must make certain that they include at least the minimum daily serving requirements from the basic food groups.

In addition, for those having a significant amount of pounds to lose, they will require a daily diet plan which contains more calories until a good deal of the weight is gone.

Breakfast Menu, 400 Calories

Food Selection	Serving Size	Food Group Serving	Calories/kcals
cereal	1 serving	1 grain	120
banana, sliced	1 small	1 fruit	80
skim milk	1 cup	1 dairy	90
dry toast	one slice whole grain	1 grain	70
margarine	1 serving	minimal fat	40
TOTALS			400

Lunch Menu, 400 Calories

Food Selection	Serving Size	Food Group Serving	Calories/kcals
lean frank with mustard	1 frank	1 protein	50
hot dog bun	1 bun, whole grain	1 grain	100
chili sauce	1 serving	1 protein	50
baked potato chips	1 serving	1 vegetable	110
skim milk	1 cup	1 dairy	90
TOTALS			400

Dinner Menu, 400 Calories

Food Selection	Serving Size	Food Group Serving	Calories/kcals
fish, pan or oven roasted	3 ounces	1 protein	100
wild rice	1 serving	1 grain	160
steamed veggies	2 cups	2 vegetables	50
whole grain bread	one slice	1 grain	50
margarine	1 serving	minimal fat	40
water	1 cup	free	0
TOTALS			400

2 Snacks, Total 100 Calories

Food Selection	Serving Size	Food Group Serving	Calories/kcals
strawberries	1 cup, raw	1 fruit	50
melon, any variety	1 cup, raw	1 fruit	50
TOTALS			100

Example of 1400 Calorie Diet, 3 Meals, 2 Snacks

The 1400 Calorie Diet

The 1400 calorie daily diet might be suitable for smaller women but for most, it doesn't contain enough energy values to support a healthy body.

Breakfast Menu, 400 Calories

Food Selection	Serving Size	Food Group Serving	Calories/kcals
English muffin	1 muffin	1 grain	150
margarine	1 serving	minimal fat	40
egg	1 scrambled, large	1 protein	120
skim milk	1 cup	1 dairy	90
TOTALS			400

Lunch Menu, 400 Calories

Food Selection	Serving Size	Food Group Serving	Calories/kcals
fast food tacos	2, regular size	2 protein, 2 grain, 2 veggie	310
black or pinto beans	1 order	1 protein	90
water	1 cup	free	0
TOTALS			400

Dinner Menu, 500 Calories

Note that the tomatoes which are the base for the marinara sauce reside in the fruit group but are often incorrectly assumed to be a vegetable food group member.

The steamed vegetables are based on the following mix: mushrooms, bell peppers, onions, thin circles of carrot and celery.

Food Selection	Serving Size	Food Group Serving	Calories/kcals
spaghetti	1 cup pasta, whole grain	1 grain	100
marinara sauce	1 serving	1 fruit	160
Italian bread, garlic	1 serving	1 grain	100
steamed veggies	4 cups	4 vegetables	100
margarine	1 serving	minimal fat	40
water	1 cup	free	0
TOTALS			500

2 Snacks, Total 100 Calories

Food Selection	Serving Size	Food Group Serving	Calories/kcals
apricots, raw	1 medium	1 fruit group serving	50
orange	1 small, raw	1 fruit	50
TOTALS			100

Example of 1500 Calorie Diet, 3 Meals, 2 Snacks

The 1500 Calorie Diet

The 1500 calorie diet plan may be suitable for individuals who require 1800 calories per day in order to maintain their recommended healthy weight.

In addition, most smaller, petite women need about 1500 calories per day - so if they went on a diet containing this amount of energy values, they would naturally drop the excess pounds.

Breakfast Menu, 400 Calories

Food Selection	Serving Size	Food Group Serving	Calories/kcals
oatmeal, sweetened	1 serving	1 grain	160
skim milk	1 cup	1 dairy	90
blueberries	1/2 cup	1 fruit	40
whole grain toast	one slice	1 grain	70
margarine	1 serving	minimal fat	40
TOTALS			400

Lunch Menu, 500 Calories

If you wish you can prepare your hamburger at home. Use the leanest ground beef available, small hamburger buns and be generous with the vegetables. Use mustard as a spread rather than Mayo. If you add cheese, use 1/2 slice - or about 40 to 40 calories of cheese.

Food Selection	Serving Size	Food Group Serving	Calories/kcals
fast food hamburger	1 sandwich	1 protein, 1 grain, 1 veggie	260
baked chips, potato	1 serving	1 veggie	150
skim milk	1 cup	1 dairy	90
TOTALS			500

Dinner Menu, 500 Calories

We're going to use our 500 calories in preparing a hearty and healthy stir fry.

Food Selection	Serving Size	Food Group Serving	Calories/kcals
chicken breast, lean	3 ounces	1 protein	140
steamed white rice	1/2 cup	1 grain	100
steamed veggies	4 cups	4 vegetables	100
egg roll	2 small	2 grains, vegetables	100
sauce, Asian	2 Tablespoons	minimal fat	60
water	1 cup	free	0
TOTALS			500