I dont like to think about food that much when on a diet. It makes me hungry. I just buy healty food, then cook what I want. I follow the Richard Simmonds 1800 cal diet, where you get food exchanges, like the old diabetic diet. You get 6 carbs, 6 proteins, 4 fruits, 2 milks, 3 fats, 7 veggies, & one extra for 1800 cal. The books explain the portions, & what an extra is, also what is free to eat any time you are hungry & your calories are gone. Also it comes with a restarant guide. I like it because once you close your windows you are done, & dont have to write down what you eat. I may try some of the Alli recipies, some of them look good.
I do cook allot of stuff in mass, then freeze it in portions, rather than buying frozen dinners. Then I can use wheat carbs, brown rice, low fat stuff ect. Like stir fry & brown rice. Wheat pasta & marinara, soups ect.
I try not to eat white flour, white rice, white potatos ( I usually eat sweet potatoes, or squash), white sugar, fruit juice (you are better off with the actual fruit, it stays with you longer) artificial sweetner ( I make exceptions for my sugar free fugde pops, & the very rare diet pop) artificial sweetners just make you hungry. I also avoid preseratives, they are hard for your body to break down, so make you gain wt.