Need inspiration for some fab meals under 300 calories? You've come to the right place...
Finding tasty recipes that come in under 300 calories can be a real challenge. Whether you’re a 5:2 veteran, giving a low-cal diet a go for the first time, or just watching your weight, we’ve rustled up 52 of our best low calorie dinners for you to try – and they’re all delicious.
They might be low in calories but they’re definitely big on flavour and will help curb those pesky cravings that make you want to snack between meals. From easy chicken recipes to filling fish dishes, these tasty meals are all under 300 calories per serving.
Just flick through the gallery above, pick a dish that you like the look of and then find the recipe in the list below!
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Healthy lunchtime soups under 300 calories
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58 chocolate treats under 200 calories!
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Naked chicken fajitas with mango salsa
Calories per serving: 226
Find the recipe here Flavoursome fajitas
Trying the 5:2 diet? Give our 500 calorie meal plans a try
Slimline margherita pizza
Calories per serving: 238
Find the recipe here Slimline margherita pizza
Trying the 5:2 diet? Give our 500 calorie meal plans a try
We’ve swapped pasta for thin vegetable strands to make this mouth-watering skinny bolognese.
Pizza with a cauliflower base? It’s delicious! It still tastes great and is a tasty way to cut the calories.
We’ve given the comfort food favourite, bangers and mash, a slimming twist!
Big on flavour, low on calories – that’s why we love this fragrant and filling lamb rogan josh curry.
These burgers don’t have a hint of beef in sight. We’ve swapped bread buns for Portobello mushrooms and a beef burger for a Quorn offering and ta-dah – you’re left with one totally veggie, totally tasty burger.
Our gardener’s pie is so cheap and so good it’ll soon become your go-to dish when money is tight. At just 50p per serving, you can’t beat it.
Trying the 5:2 diet? Give our 500 calorie meal plans a try
This is the kind of dish that will sit happily in the fridge for a couple of days. So it’s perfect to make up a big batch and let everyone microwave their own portions as needed.
Trying the 5:2 diet? Give our 500 calorie meal plans a try
Packed with sizzling sausages as well as lots of good stuff, this dinner is the perfect way to sneak in some veg without any complaints.
Calories per serving: 262
Find the recipe here Sausages with roasted ratatouille
Trying the 5:2 diet? Give our 500 calorie meal plans a try
Keralan curry paste really livens up this prawn curry. Give it a go on your next curry night.
Get a taste of Thailand with our fragrant Chiang Mai beef curry.
Zingy and refreshing, make it fish on the menu tonight with our citrus baked cod fillets.
Smothered in a mustard and tarragon coating, this chicken thigh dinner is so flavoursome – it’s hard to believe it’s just 150 cals!
Our roasted vegetable and giant couscous dish is tasty hot or cold, making it a great leftover lunch as well as dinner.
Looking for a delicious new way with chicken? We’ve found it with this flavoursome chicken peperonata. If you want to make it more filling, serve with pasta.
Trying the 5:2 diet? Give our 500 calorie meal plans a try
We are hooked on this quick and delicious dish using chicken thighs. It’s easy to make and great value for money. To make it more filling for the rest of the family, serve with new potatoes.
Trying the 5:2 diet? Give our 500 calorie meal plans a try
You can still enjoy curries if you’re watching the calories. Tuck in to this guilt-free chicken tikka masala tonight.
Find the recipe here: Chicken tikka masala
Trying the 5:2 diet? Give our 500 calorie meal plans a try
Fill out a tuna salad with penne pasta – this tasty dish still includes a light dressing, so it’s still packed full of flavour.
Trying the 5:2 diet? Give our 500 calorie meal plans a try
We’ve jazzed up cous cous with paprika chicken to make this easy one-pot dinner so flavoursome.
Find the recipe here: Spiced chicken cous cous
Trying the 5:2 diet? Give our 500 calorie meal plans a try
If fish is the dish of the day, let us present to you this Italian-style cod. The tomato and chilli sauce gives it a real kick.
Calories per serving: 200
Find the recipe here: Italian-style cod
Trying the 5:2 diet? Give our 500 calorie meal plans a try
Harissa paste gives this chicken dinner from the Hairy Dieters’ a real spicy kick.
Trying the 5:2 diet? Give our 500 calorie meal plans a try
Curry isn’t completely off the menu if you’re trying to be good. This hunger-busting veg balti has a heavenly calorie count.
Calories per serving: 211
Find the recipe here: Veggie balti
Trying the 5:2 diet? Give our 500 calorie meal plans a try
Making a roast dinner doesn’t have to be stressful, as this time-saving dish proves. Healthy, flavoursome and quick – that’s our kind of chicken dinner!
Trying the 5:2 diet? Give our 500 calorie meal plans a try
On the table in 15 minutes, as well as being a healthy dinner, this veggie spaghetti is also super speedy.
Trying the 5:2 diet? Give our 500 calorie meal plans a try
Lemon adds a zingy and refreshing twist to this chicken dinner.
Trying the 5:2 diet? Give our 500 calorie meal plans a try
This take on the classic potato salad is great served with grilled gammon steaks or bacon if you want to serve for the whole family.
Trying the 5:2 diet? Give our 500 calorie meal plans a try
We can’t recommend this tasty Quorn burger with large beef tomatoes enough.
Find the recipe here: Quorn burger
Trying the 5:2 diet? Give our 500 calorie meal plans a try
Rustle up these tasty meatballs for the family tonight. The roasted vegetables go great with the meatballs, are low cal, and the one pan means less washing up too!
Find the recipe here: Meatballs with roasted vegetables
Trying the 5:2 diet? Give our 500 calorie meal plans a try
Treat yourself to steak tonight! You can definitely afford to as this offering with balsamic onions is still low cal.
Find the recipe here: Steak with balsamic onions
Trying the 5:2 diet? Give our 500 calorie meal plans a try
Need to rustle up dinner in a hurry? This cashew stir-fry is much healthier than your usual takeaway option.
Trying the 5:2 diet? Give our 500 calorie meal plans a try
Thought chicken korma was off the menu? Think again with this simple recipe.
Trying the 5:2 diet? Give our 500 calorie meal plans a try
Mmmm! Reduced-fat mozzarella is the delicious topping for this veggie mixed grill.
Find the recipe here: Vegetarian mixed grill
Trying the 5:2 diet? Give our 500 calorie meal plans a try
This 3-step chicken tikka masala is a winner in our eyes.
Trying the 5:2 diet? Give our 500 calorie meal plans a try
If you like your seafood, you’ll love this crayfish salad – especially as it’s less than 200 calories!
Trying the 5:2 diet? Give our 500 calorie meal plans a try
Low-cal and low in cost – this lovely and light smoked haddock and leek pie is a winner dinner.
Trying the 5:2 diet? Give our 500 calorie meal plans a try
Bursting with flavour, it’s hard to believe this delicious Mediterranean vegetable stew is so low in calories.
Trying the 5:2 diet? Give our 500 calorie meal plans a try
Swap your takeaway fish and chips for this delicious pesto cod and veggie parcels. We guarantee you’ll be impressed, and not just by the calorie count!
Trying the 5:2 diet? Give our 500 calorie meal plans a try
You can still get your carb fix and be good, as this prawn and potato curry proves.
Trying the 5:2 diet? Give our 500 calorie meal plans a try
Swap your Thai takeaway for this slimmer version. Packed with prawns, this soup is one of your healthier options but doesn’t compromise on taste.
Trying the 5:2 diet? Give our 500 calorie meal plans a try
So simple to prepare and stuffed with flavour, this roasted cod recipe from the Hairy Dieters’ is a real treat.
Trying the 5:2 diet? Give our 500 calorie meal plans a try
You can still treat yourself to cheese – honest! This roasted vegetable and cous cous salad is made extra filling thanks to the feta.
Trying the 5:2 diet? Give our 500 calorie meal plans a try
This beef stew is perfect for all the family and makes a great midweek meal.
Trying the 5:2 diet? Give our 500 calorie meal plans a try
Make a classic Mediterranean salad more substantial by combining it with pasta. Our Greek goodness pasta really is good!
Trying the 5:2 diet? Give our 500 calorie meal plans a try
With a light Italian dressing, this pasta salad is bound to go down a treat as it’s packed with pastrami, mustard, cherry tomatoes and more.
Trying the 5:2 diet? Give our 500 calorie meal plans a try
If you haven’t got ages in the kitchen, opt for a speedy omelette, filled with chopped chorizo.
Trying the 5:2 diet? Give our 500 calorie meal plans a try
Madagascan prawns are a lovely treat. This light dinner comes in at under 150 calories, but if you want to make it more filling, serve with wholemeal bread.
Trying the 5:2 diet? Give our 500 calorie meal plans a try
This comforting creamy potato, celeriac and leek bake is definitely a veggie dish guaranteed to fill you up.
Find the recipe here: Creamy potato, celeriac and leek bake
Trying the 5:2 diet? Give our 500 calorie meal plans a try
This healthy chilli vegetable hotpot is packed full of good foods and on the table in a very impressive 30 mins.
Find the recipe here: Vegetable jalfrezi
Trying the 5:2 diet? Give our 500 calorie meal plans a try
This veggie curry really hits the spot.
Find the recipe here: Chilli vegetable hotpot
Trying the 5:2 diet? Give our 500 calorie meal plans a try
