The Best Volume Eating Recipes (2024)

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By Brittany Mullins

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Published Feb 04, 2017, Updated Dec 28, 2023

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The best volume eating recipes for those times when you’re craving a big plate of food, butstill want to stick with your health and fitness goals.

Since I was little I’ve loved to eat. Literally my mom tells stories about how in order to feed me as a toddler my dad or sister had to hold my hands down while my mom shoveled food into my mouth as quickly as possible. If not, I would go crazy grabbing at the food or would start crying if the food wasn’t coming fast enough.

So it’s no surprise that as an adult I still love to eat. I’m okay with it because “People who love to eat are always the best people.” 🙂 Luckily over the years I’ve found ways tosatisfy my love for food and desire to eat large quantities while still remaining my health. My secret? Loading up on nutrient dense foods like veggies and fruit!

You’ll notice that every one of the volume eating recipes I’m featuring here is made with REAL FOOD and has at least one fruit or vegetable in it. Fruits and veggies FTW!! Just don’t forget the protein and healthy fat because they’re the key for making ameal satisfying. Plus, they will help to keep youfeeling full!

With that said, this post is for all my food-loving, volume-eating friends out there!Here are 15 recipes that you’ll love.

The Best Volume Eating Recipes (2)
The Best Volume Eating Recipes (3)

Peanut Butter Banana Chia Oatmeal—The ultimate healthy breakfast recipe, this peanut butter banana oatmeal is creamy, voluminous and will keep you full all morning long! Plus it only takes about 10 minutes to make. Each bowl has around 370 calories, 17 grams of fiber (woot!), and 11 grams of protein.

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Zucchini Noodle Pad Thai—This Zucchini Noodle Pad Thai features spiralized zucchini noodles in a spicy peanut sauce. It’s delicious, low carb and much healthier than Thai takeout!

The Best Volume Eating Recipes (5)

Chia Seed Pudding—Chia pudding is super filling and works forfor breakfast, as a snack or dessert. Vegan, gluten-free, paleo and keto-friendly.

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Cauliflower Tabbouleh—Low carb and gluten-free cauliflower tabbouleh. It’s fresh, flavorful and perfect for picnics and parties.

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Smoothie Bowl— Smoothie bowls made with frozen fruit, veggies and bit of protein are perfect for volume eating. Eating the smoothie with a spoon rather than a straw makes it feel more like meal and it takes longer to eat.

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Healthy Cauliflower Popcorn/ Kettle Corn—Regular popcorn is actually pretty healthy on it’s own, especially if you air pop it and eat it plain. But I love this cauliflower version too!

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Meal-Sized Salads—It’s no secret that I love salads! I think they’re one of the best ways to load up on tons of veggies and fiber. With salads you can eat a huge plate of food and feel good about it!

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Baked Butternut Squash Fries— These fries are delicious and it’s a good thing they’re healthy because it’s so easy to eat the whole pan! I love these baked sweet potato fries too!

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Mixed Berry Fruit Salad—Nutritious and easy to prepare, this colorful fruit salad combines ripe strawberries, blueberries, grapes, kiwi and pineapple chunks with a zesty lime and poppy seed dressing.

The Best Volume Eating Recipes (12)

Zucchini Noodle Fettuccine with Cauliflower Alfredo—This healthy fettuccine alfredo recipe features a base of spiralized zucchini noodles with a creamy cauliflower alfredo sauce. It’s a quick and easy dinner idea that’s packed with veggies and much lighter than regularfettuccine alfredo.

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Stuffed Spaghetti Squash Lasagna Bowls—Turn spaghetti squash into a meatless meal with this recipe for stuffed spaghetti squash lasagna bowls. Made with vegan ricotta and hemp parmesan.

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Healthy Chocolate Banana Ice Cream—Make HEALTHY Chocolate Banana Ice Cream with frozen bananas, cacao powder, chocolatealmond milk and almond butter. It’s absolutely delicious, healthy, dairy-free and doesn’t require an ice cream maker!

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Tofu Veggie Noodle Bowl with Cabbage Noodles—I love love love cabbage sonaturally this cabbage noodle bowl is a winner in my book. The sautéed cabbage gives the dish a caramelized sweet flavor that pairs perfectly with theAsian style sauce.

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Root Vegetable Tagine with Apricots and Rosemary—A slow simmered root vegetable tagine with apricots and rosemary! Serve this vegetarian dish as a side or over rice or quinoa for a complete meal. Vegan and gluten-free.

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Cantaloupe Breakfast Bowls—Healthy cantaloupe breakfast bowls filled with yogurt, granola, berries and a drizzle of honey. They’re loaded with protein to keep you feeling full all morning!

Are you a volume eater? If so, share one of your favorite recipes!

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About Brittany

Hey there, I’m Brittany, the creator of Eating Bird Food, cookbook author, health coach and mama of two littles. Here you’ll find quick and easy recipes that make healthy fun and enjoyable for you and your family!

More about Brittany

The Best Volume Eating Recipes (23)
The Best Volume Eating Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What are the best foods to eat for fullness? ›

High-fiber foods not only provide volume but also take longer to digest, making you feel full longer on fewer calories. Vegetables, fruits and whole grains all contain fiber. Popcorn is a good example of a high-volume, low-calorie whole grain. One cup of air-popped popcorn has about 30 calories.

Can you lose weight by volume eating? ›

Volume eating, when done properly, can be helpful for some individuals to lose weight. Focusing on nutrient-dense whole foods helps keep you full and satisfied for longer since these foods quite literally fill up your stomach more.

How to make high volume low calorie meals? ›

High-volume, low-calorie foods include:
  1. Air popped popcorn.
  2. Greek yogurt (low fat or no fat)
  3. Lettuce and leafy salad greens like spinach.
  4. Cruciferous vegetables like cauliflower and broccoli.
  5. Oatmeal.
  6. Watermelon.
  7. Cottage cheese.
  8. Potatoes.
Jun 24, 2024

Will volume eating stretch my stomach? ›

If you consistently consume oversized portions, you can easily stretch your stomach over time. Eating beyond your body's hunger cues can expand your stomach's capacity and make it crave more substantial amounts to help you feel satisfied.

What foods fill you up without gaining weight? ›

A can of tuna, an apple with a tablespoon of peanut or almond butter, a handful of nuts, a cup of plain air-popped popcorn, a half-cup of cottage cheese or a hard-boiled egg all make excellent options. Though they do contain calories, they're high in protein, so you won't be tempted to overeat at your next meal.

What keeps you full longer, protein or carbs? ›

“Of the major macronutrients, protein rates higher on the satiety scale than carbohydrates and fats, which means it makes people feel fuller for longer after a meal,” says dietitian Melanie McGrice.

Is rice good for volume eating? ›

High-Volume, Low-Calorie Foods for Weight Loss

Whole Grains: Opt for whole grains like quinoa, brown rice, popcorn, and oats, which provide fiber and sustained energy while keeping calories in check.

Is watermelon good for volume eating? ›

High-volume foods (the kind you're supposed to eat more of with volume eating) include: Watermelon, plus other melons. Grapes. Stone fruits like peaches.

Are potatoes a high volume food? ›

Research has suggested that potatoes are one of the most satiating foods, and if you boil or bake them without adding lots of fat, they're relatively low-calorie while being high in volume.

What food has the highest calorie to volume ratio? ›

Cooking oils, such as olive oil, avocado oil, and coconut oil, are some of the most calorie-dense foods available. Since they are only sources of fat and do not contain protein or carbohydrates, gram per gram, their calorie density is higher than any other food.

What foods are high in calories but low in volume? ›

Choose Low-Volume, High-Calorie Foods
  • Nuts. They're high in fiber and protein and have about 150 to 200 calories per ounce. ...
  • Nut butters. A tablespoon of peanut butter has about 100 calories. ...
  • Dried fruit. You can get 147 calories from an ounce of banana chips. ...
  • Fresh, dense fruits.
Sep 22, 2015

What foods have the most volume? ›

High-volume foods (the kind you're supposed to eat more of with volume eating) include:
  • Watermelon, plus other melons.
  • Grapes.
  • Stone fruits like peaches.
  • Citrus fruits.
  • Cucumber, lettuce and celery.
  • Egg whites.
  • Grains like oatmeal and popcorn.
Sep 20, 2023

What food can you eat to get thick? ›

Energy-rich foods: Energy-dense foods fuel your body and can help you put on pounds in a healthy way. These include nuts (especially almonds, walnuts, peanuts), dried fruits (raisins or prunes), dark chocolate, high-fat dairy (milk), and certain vegetables (potatoes and yams).

How do I increase my eating capacity? ›

The following tips may help increase appetite and improve interest in eating:
  1. Get plenty of rest.
  2. Exercise lightly before meals to stimulate appetite. ...
  3. Select enjoyable foods and foods that have a pleasant aroma.
  4. Plan meals the day before eating them. ...
  5. Stay well hydrated. ...
  6. Aim for 6-8 small meals and snacks per day.

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