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Adopting a healthier approach to eating, or wanting to lose weight, is not something that has to leave you feeling hungry all the time.
If it does, then something’s definitely wrong somewhere.
Eating clean, or following a healthier diet should leave you feeling energized, satisfied and on top of your game. Not the other way around.
If you want to enjoy easy, healthy and delicious foods that won’t leave you feeling hungry and will actually help you lose weight, then you’re in luck.
Here, I’ve gathered 21 of the best clean eating dinner recipes which are all below 500 calories, and are super satisfying.
Staying healthy and in shape with delicious food has never been easier. And I’m very sure your family would love them as well.
Clean Eating 101
The clean eating diet/lifestyle is one that’s very popular today, and for a lot of good reasons too. But what exactly is it and how does it work?
Well, at the base level, it is a style of eating that focuses on consuming more rich whole foods, and minimally processed foods, than their heavily processed counterparts.
As it turns out, when most foods undergo heavy chemical processing, a lot of nutrients may be lost, and some not so good chemicals may be added which in some cases may pose health problems.
Notice I said “heavy”, because not all level of “processing” is necessarily bad. For example, the pasteurization of milk, which involves treating it with mild heat, makes it safer to drink, and is quite useful.
However heavily processed foods pose the highest risk, and can lead to issues like weight gain, inflammation, and increased risk of heart disease, among other things when consumed a lot.
By focusing on more rich whole and minimally processed foods, you can potentially avoid these issues and even enjoy several health benefits.
Benefits
Health benefits associated with clean eating include;
- Weight loss
- Improved heart health
- Better energy levels
- Lower risk of certain cancers,
- Improved brain health,
- Longevity, and more
If you’re still new to this, check out our complete beginner’s guide to clean eating, which goes more in-depth into how it works, what to eat and avoid, along with a nice clean eating grocery list printable to help you out.
Now on to these yummy clean eating dinners.
Made with simple and healthy ingredients, they’ll satisfy your cravings easily, and they all pack less than 500 calories, which is great if you’re trying to lose weight and eat better.
Enjoy.
21 Clean Eating Dinners Under 500 Calories
1) Healthy Orange Chicken
Forget takeout. This orange chicken made with just a few ingredients, is the perfect weeknight dinner you want to be enjoying with your family.
It’s so easy to out together, and is super satisfying. Serve with some green beans or broccoli and enjoy.
Calories: 362
2) Clean Eating Butter Chicken
This delight features some delicious chicken, marinated in yoghurt and seasoned to perfection in a creamy tomato base. Super easy to put together, and sure to satisfy your cravings.
Calories: 435
3) Easy Chicken Soup with Wild Rice
Those cold and chilly nights got nothing on you. This yummy chicken soup made with chicken, wild rice, and tasty veggies is the perfect weeknight meal to whip up in less than 30 minutes easy.
Calories: 250
4) Keto Chicken Stir Fry
Trying to keep carbs low? No problem. This chicken stir fry is low carb and keto friendly, coming out at only 7g net carbs per wholesome serving.
It combines nutritious veggies like broccoli, bell peppers and mushrooms, with juicy chicken breasts, all seasoned to perfection, and ready in under 30 minutes as well.
Calories: 262
Also See: 25 Healthy Chicken Dinners Your Family Will Love
5) Grilled Chicken Southwest Chili Lime Salad
Gone are the days where you had to settle for boring salads all in the name of losing weight.
This healthy cobb salad, which combines grilled chicken, with colorful veggies, black beans and a nice chili lime dressing is far from boring, and is sure to fill you up. This is one salad you’ll love.
Calories: 473
6) Sheet Pan Sausage and Veggies
Remember those days where the thought of doing cleanup after cooking a tedious meal brought nothing but joy and gladness to your heart? Well me neither.
This tasty sheet pan dinner made with sausage and veggies is super easy to make, and requires very little cleanup afterwards, but will still leave you satisfied.
Calories: 429
7) Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breasts
A simple and yummy way to enjoy your veggies, even if you’re not a usual fan of them. This recipe is also low carb and keto friendly, packing just 2g net carbs per serving.
Calories: 407
8) Vegan Truffle Mac and Cheese
Tastes just like the real thing. And the crunchy truffle topping makes it a hundred times better.
Calories: 380
Also See: 20 Mouthwatering Vegan Dinners To Satisfy Your Cravings
9) Healthy Taco Salad With Ground Beef
The kind of salad you’ll want to have over and over again. Perfect for taco nights and also keto-friendly at 5g net carbs per serving. Consider your cravings satisfied.
Calories: 332
10) Italian Stuffed Peppers
Calories: 437
11) Healthy Chicken Alfredo
Its comfort food o’ clock, and this healthier chicken Alfredo is on the menu. Creamy, delicious, and weight loss friendly.
Calories: 454
12) Creamy BLT Chicken
With bacon, chicken, tasty greens and cherry tomatoes all in a tasty creamy sauce, you possibly couldn’t ask for more. This recipe is also keto friendly, delivering just 8g net carbs per serving.
Calories: 327
Also See: 21 Amazing Low Carb Dinners For Weight Loss
13) BBQ Baked Salmon and Zucchini
Rich in heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids, seafood like salmon definitely deserve a spot on your plate. Baked and seasoned to perfection, and combined with some zoodles, quinoa and avocados, you have yourself a delicious, nutritious and quite filling meal.
You can also meal prep this ahead of time, to save yourself the extra work on those super busy days.
Calories: 407
14) Curried Chickpea Bowls with Garlicky Spinach
Speaking of meal prepping and saving yourself some time, these curried chickpea bowls are the perfect meal for the job.
The tasty clean eating dinner combines a nice well-seasoned chickpea curry, a lemon and garlic spinach and brown rice. It’s vegan friendly, and packs a good protein and fiber content that’s sure to fill you up and leave you satisfied.
Calories: 455
15) Smoky Tofu, Peanut Butter & Plantain Curry
Get your taste buds ready. For this delight, sweet plantain, cooked in a nice peanut buttery sauce is combined with some tofu, and served over some rice. It’s super easy, and still makes for an amazing vegan comfort meal.
Calories: 420
16) One Pot Burrito Bowls
Easy to make, flavor-packed and super healthy, this one pot burrito bowl is the perfect weeknight clean eating dinner to make in just 30 minutes.
Calories: 350
Also See: 16 Healthy Sheet Pan Dinners For Busy Weeknights
17) Lemon Salmon Orzo Skillet
Calories: 423
18) Black Bean Quinoa Salad with Orange Lime Dressing
This yummy Mexican-inspired meal is loaded is made with quinoa, black beans, avocados, tasty greens and an orange lime dressing that makes it simply irresistible. Easy to make in under 30 minutes.
Calories: 446
19) Egg Roll in a Bowl with Creamy Chili Sauce
This tasty clean eating dinner takes well under 30 minutes to make, and is loaded with flavor. From the perfectly seasoned ground pork to the veggie mix and the creamy chili sauce, it’s sure to become a family favorite.
Calories: 416
20) 15-minute KETO Asian Beef Bowl
You’d have never guessed that this was low carb. Whip these up in only 15 minutes and you’re good to go. Perfect for those busy weeknights, and also super delicious.
Calories: 426
21) 30 Minute Honey Lemon Chicken and Potato Skillet
Calories: 330
Eating healthy and losing weight shouldn’t always be such a hassle. Thanks to these yummy low calorie dinners, you can satisfy your cravings easily without being subject to the frequent pangs of hunger.
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Which one was your favorite? Let me know down below.
