Basic Food Options List
Food Options with approximate macro count to help you determine your daily needs!
These are just a FEW of MANY options that are out there. Just because something isn’t on this list, doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s not considered healthy and can’t help you reach your goals. Please use your discretion. This is just a basic list to help make things simple as you plan your meals & learn about nutrition moving forward in your healthy lifestyle.
*Some brands will vary in nutrition facts. Most of this data was collected from https://www.caloriecount.com , nutritiondata.self.com , OR household brands from Kroger
LEAN PROTEIN SOURCES
Food Item | cooked weight | Calories | Fat | Carbs | Protein |
Chicken Breast | 4oz | 120 | 2 | – | 24 |
Tilapia | 4oz | 145 | 3 | – | 30 |
Tuna, Albacore in Water | 4oz | 128 | 0 | – | 28 |
Tuna, Albacore in Oil | 4oz | 220 | 8 | – | 32 |
Cod | 4oz | 116 | 1 | – | 24 |
Halibut | 4oz | 156 | 3 | – | 28 |
Orange Roughy | 4oz | 116 | 1 | – | 24 |
Flounder | 4oz | 132 | 0 | – | 28 |
Shrimp | 2oz | 56 | 0 | – | 12 |
Swordfish | 4oz | 195 | 8 | – | 27 |
Turkey Breast | 4oz | 116 | 0 | 3 | 20 |
Egg Whites | 4 or 2/3 cup | 100 | 0 | – | 20 |
Whey Protein | 1 scoop | 125 | 2 | 2 | 24 |
FAT/PROTEIN SOURCES
Salmon | 4oz | 232 | 12 | – | 24 |
Ground Chicken | 4oz | 212 | 12 | – | 28 |
Ground Turkey (93/7) | 4oz | 160 | 8 | – | 22 |
Lean Ground Beef | 4oz | 184 | 8 | – | 32 |
Ground Beef 90/10 | 3oz cooked | 173 | 9 | 21 | |
Flank Steak | 4oz | 208 | 8 | – | 32 |
GOOD FAT SOURCES
Almonds, lightly salted | 1oz (1/4 cup) | 170 | 16 | 5 | 6 |
Raw Cashews | 1oz | 160 | 12 | 8 | 5 |
Raw Walnuts | 1oz | 180 | 18 | 4 | 4 |
Avocado | half (75g) | 120 | 10 | 6 | 1 |
Extra Virgin Olive Oil | 1 Tbsp | 120 | 14 | 0 | 0 |
Natural Peanut Butter | 1 Tbsp | 95 | 8 | 3 | 4 |
Natural Almond Butter | 1 Tbsp | 95 | 9 | 3 | 4 |
Whole egg (yolk) | 1 whole egg | 70 | 5 | 0 | 6 |
VEGETABLES
Asparagus | 1 cup/ 8 spears | 25 | – | 5 | – |
Broccoli | 1 cup | 30 | – | 6 | – |
Brussel Sprouts | 1 cup | 38 | – | 8 | – |
Cabbage | 1 cup | 22 | – | 5 | – |
Cauliflower | 1 cup | 25 | – | 5 | – |
Celery, raw | 1 cup | 16 | – | 3 | 1 |
Cucumber | 1 cup | 16 | – | 4 | – |
Green Beans, raw | 1 cup | 35 | – | 8 | 2 |
Green Beans, canned | 1 cup | 27 | – | 6 | 2 |
Kale, raw | 1 cup | 33 | – | 7 | 2 |
Lettuce, iceberg | 1 cup | 35 | – | 3 | – |
Mushrooms | 1 cup | 35 | – | 6 | – |
Onions, chopped | 1 cup | 60 | – | 15 | – |
Peppers, red, raw | 1 cup | 46 | – | 9 | 1 |
Spinach | 1 cup | 33 | – | 6 | – |
Squash | 1 cup | 35 | – | 7 | – |
Tomatoes | 1 cup | 25 | – | 5 | 1 |
Zucchini | 1 cup | 20 | – | 4 | – |
Spaghetti Squash | 1 cup | 76 | 4 | 10 | 1 |
Salsa, fresh | 2 Tbsp | 10 | – | 1 | – |
CARBOHYDRATES
Oatmeal, dry (pre-cooked) | 1/2 cup | 150 | 3 | 27 | 5 |
Cream of Rice (pre-cooked) | 1/4 cup | 160 | 0 | 36 | 3 |
Grits, instant, plain | 1 packet or 28g | 96 | 0 | 22 | 2 |
White Rice, cooked | 1/2 cup | 110 | 0 | 22 | 2 |
Brown Rice, cooked | 1/2 cup | 108 | 1 | 22 | 2 |
Yellow Rice | 1/2 cup | 100 | 0 | 17 | 2 |
Couscous, Garlic | 1/2 cup | 110 | 1 | 19 | 4 |
Baked Potato, white | 4oz | 104 | 0 | 24 | 4 |
Sweet Potato, cooked | 4oz | 128 | 0 | 30 | 1 |
Red Potatoes, cooked | 4oz | 100 | 0 | 20 | 4 |
Black Beans | 1/2 cup | 120 | – | 23 | 8 |
Red Beans | 1/2 cup | 110 | 1 | 18 | 6 |
Quinoa | 1 cup | 222 | 3.5 | 40 | 8 |
Rice Cake, lightly salted | 1 each | 35 | 0 | 7 | 0 |
Rice Cake, buttered popcorn | 1 each | 35 | 0 | 7 | 0 |
Rice Cake, Caramel | 1 each | 50 | 0 | 11 | 0 |
Eziekel Bread | 1 slice | 80 | 0.5 | 15 | 4 |
FRUITS
Simple Sugars | ||||||
Banana | Medium size | 100 | – | 28 | – | 20 |
Apple | Medium size | 95 | – | 25 | – | 19 |
Blueberries | 1 cup | 84 | – | 21 | 1 | 12 |
Strawberries | 1 cup | 50 | – | 12 | 1 | 7 |
Blackberries | 1 cup | 62 | – | 14 | 2 | 0 |
Orange | 1 large | 86 | – | 22 | 2 | 17 |
Pineapple | 1 cup, diced | 80 | – | 19 | 1 | 17 |
Grapefruit | 1/2 Medium | 52 | – | 13 | 1 | 8 |
Kiwi | 1 Medium | 50 | – | 12 | 1 | 8 |
Watermelon | 1 cup, diced | 45 | – | 11 | – | 9 |
Cantaloupe | 1 cup, cubed | 54 | – | 13 | 1 | 13 |
OTHER
Cottage Cheese, low fat | 1 cup | 163 | 2 | 6 | 28 | 6 |
Feta Cheese, crumbled | 1/2 cup | 198 | 16 | 3 | 10 | 3 |
Greek Yogurt, Vanilla, Lite, Kroger brand | 5.3oz cup | 80 | 0 | 7 | 14 | 5 |
Oikos Triple Zero Greek Yogurt | Single Serve Cup | 120 | 0 | 14 | 15 | 6 |
2% Low Fat, Shredded Cheddar Cheese | 1/2 cup | 180 | 12 | 4 | 14 | |
Cheddar Shredded Cheese | 1/4 cup | 110 | 9 | 1 | 7 | |
Almond Milk, unsweetened | 1 cup | 40 | 3.5 | 2 | 1 | |
PB2 / Powdered PB | 2 Tbsp | 45 | 1.5 | 5 | 5 | 1 |
*Some brands will vary in nutrition facts. Most of this data was collected from https://www.caloriecount.com , nutritiondata.self.com , OR household brands from Kroger