The Medifast Lean & Green meal is an important part of the Medifast plan, so you’ll want to make sure you include the right ingredients. You get three servings of vegetables as part of each lean and green, but there are some vegetables that aren’t included in the plan.
Since Medifast works by limiting carbohydrates and calories, it’s important to pay attention to carbohydrates in the “green” portion of your Lean & Green meal. Therefore, some of the carbohydrate-rich and starchy vegetables are not allowed while you are in the weight loss phase of the plan. These no-no’s include potatoes, carrots and corn. You’re probably not too surprised by that list, but would you be surprised to learn that onions are also excluded? Yes, onions are quite high in carbohydrates. Peas and Brussels sprouts are also quite high in carbohydrates, so be sure to exclude those as well until you reach your weight loss goals.
So what is allowed?
Well, you can start with all kinds of green salads. You can have butterhead, iceberg, and romaine lettuce. In fact, enjoy any lettuce you find in your grocery store. Try choosing a few of the different salad green mixes available for some variety, like spring mix. Since you can have three servings of vegetables with each meal, I like to have two cups of salad and then another high carb vegetable like 1/2 cup of broccoli or tomato to round things out.
Some other favorite vegetables that I like to eat with my lean, green meal are asparagus; summer or winter squash and all kinds of mushrooms. Oh, and don’t forget the spinach, zucchini, and cauliflower.
I find that the best thing I can do, to get a variety of vegetables each week, is to pack the list of Medifast approved vegetables in my bag. This way, when I go shopping each week, I can pull out the list while I’m in the produce aisle and let my eyes pick out the most appealing vegetables to add to my cart. And vegetables that don’t end up in salads, I steam or lightly roast. Choose a salad dressing spritzer made with olive oil and use it to lightly drizzle grilled vegetables for a delicious flavor that adds negligible calories.