Diet-be-gone

Ellyn Ritterskamp

I have been trying this Diet-to-go plan, and while it is convenient and tasty, it is far too expensive for more than an experiment.

I will instead stick with the Five-Factor plan, which is far simpler. Each meal and snack should include:

a protein
a fiber
a good carb
a nonsweet drink
a good fat or no fat

Since good carby foods are often rich in fiber (sweet potatoes, apples, like that), they tend to overlap. So a good snack can be a piece of string cheese and an apple.

I was not way impressed with the book in which the Five-factor plan was presented, but the formula itself, I like.

Tonight's Diet-to-go dinner: herb-encrusted whitefish, polenta, and broccoli (picture above). Last night's was a yummy turkey burrito, Mexican rice, and refried beans that they somehow made creamy. The first meal was a cioppino seafood medley. I grew up not eating most seafoods, so the fishier ones and the things that literally live on the bottom (except flounder) still don't suit me.

But at $9 a meal including shipping on dry ice, these ought to taste good. The other plans cost less per meal but I wanted the lowest total cost for this experiment.

Onward.