Try puffed rice to fill up on fewer calories

“Puffed brown rice is low in calories, fat-free, sodium-free and glutenfree—I use it as a healthy filler rather than bread crumbs and it performs beautifully,” notes Rocco. “It’s a great way to stretch a pound of meat into two pounds of meatballs. And since the starch in the brown rice absorbs liquid in meat mixes, the net result is tender, juicier meatballs.”

That’s not the only perk: Using puffed rice in place of bread crumbs also slashes 367 calories and 66 grams of carbs per cup, plus adds 200 percent more filling fiber. And research in the British Journal of Nutrition found that enjoying high-fiber fare helps dieters lose up to five times more weight than those who opt for low-fiber foods.