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The concept of “girl dinner” is near and dear to my heart. Before it was even a Tik-Tok trend, I’d find myself snacking on smaller portions from the fridge, putting together a little of this and that, and settling in for a cozy night of binging Netflix in my pajamas. The idea is super simple, but careless grazing can pack on the pounds and torpedo your diet. These five-point girl dinners are ideal for summer, hit on sweet and savory elements, and, best of all, are only five points or less.
1. Spinach and Cheese Hand Pies, Cranberry Hummus and Veggies
The star of this girl dinner is a flaky puff pastry with a creamy, cheesy filling with a touch of lemon and garlic that only tastes decadent and will set you back four Weight Watchers points. Paired with tart and velvety cranberry hummus at one point per serving and the veggies of your choice, it’s a tapestry of texture and taste that’s only five points combined.
2. Mexican Three Bean Salad, Sliced Chicken Breast, Garlic Bread Sticks
My best-laid girl dinner plans often fall flat when I pack my plate with food that tastes heavenly but doesn’t fill me up and sends me scurrying for the fridge a few hours later. That’s why this girl dinner has sliced chicken breast, at zero points per serving, to bulk up the meal and keep me satisfied. The three-bean, two-point salad is a fiber powerhouse, packed with tons of beans, veggies, and some jalapenos for spice, and garlic breadsticks give you the carbs you crave for two points apiece. The grand total is four points for a meal that will leave you euphoric.
3. Turkey Taco Lettuce Wraps, Chocolate Banana Ice Cream, Raspberries
This three-point girl dinner is a true MVP because you can have zero-point turkey tacos with a creamy, cottage cheese-based filling and still enjoy a frosty bowl of chocolate and banana ice cream at three points per serving to sweeten up your meal. I find that topping the ice cream with some zero-point fruit gives me a nutrient boost and enhances the flavor of the ice cream. Raspberries are my favorite, but you can always do sliced bananas or strawberries for the same point count.
4. Jerk Chicken, Apple Chips, Roasted Vegetables
If you want the girl dinner vibe but are craving more of a rounded-out meal, I humbly present this combination. It starts with one-point jerk chicken, succulent meat, and an inspired blend of scorching spices paired with beautifully roasted vegetables at three points and crisp zero-point apple chips. At just four points, you’ll love the textural interest in the meal, from the crunchy apple chips to the tender chunks of jerk chicken.
5. Hawaiian Meatballs, Pineapple Slices, Greek Yogurt
The beauty of girl dinner is that it’s a combination of different foods that somehow just work together, but sometimes it’s nice to have a theme. This combo nails it with juicy pork Hawaiian meatballs bathed in a barbeque glaze with red pepper and pineapple for just four points. Round off your plate with a zero-point serving of Greek Yogurt, and pile on extra pineapple slices for a sweet and tart finish.
6. Whipped Feta Dip, Sliced Veggies, Cream Cheese Roll-Ups
After a long day at work, I’m craving something comforting and cheesy, but traditional cheese dips are often bursting with hidden fat and calories. Satisfy your cravings with this whipped feta dip instead. Feta is a flavor powerhouse, with tons of zip for a smaller calorie tradeoff. Mixed with lemon and fresh herbs, it’s the ideal partner for sliced vegetables of your choice at zero points a serving. Plus, you’ll have space to snack on some cream cheese roll-ups, too, at just one point apiece.
7. Rainbow Fresh Spring Rolls, Carrot Fries, Sliced Papaya and Mango
This girl dinner is for those nights when you have to physically restrain yourself from reaching for the takeout menu for a plate of greasy French fries. Instead, you can guiltlessly snack on air-fried carrot fries served with a rich and tart Greek yogurt and ketchup sauce. These one-point treats come together in about ten minutes, making that take-out temptation even less. Rainbow fresh Vietnamese spring rolls are packed with good-for-you fresh veg and fruit, set you back just three points, and pair perfectly with some tropical sliced papaya and mango.
8. Crescent Roll Veggie Pizza, Shrimp, Brownie Cheesecake Bites
This girl dinner kicks it back to childhood with some authentic nostalgic flavors like rich cheesecake and crescent rolls topped with a velvety, tangy ranch base and vegetables. I like to add in some zero-point protein, like shrimp, to keep me full for longer. The crescent roll veggie pizza is two points per serving, and you can get your brownie cheesecake fix for just three points, making it an even five for a meal that’s comfort food all the way.
9. Cachapas, Chicken Breast, Chocolate Peanut Butter Dip, Sliced Fruit
Venezuelan corn pancakes, or cachapas, are made from a corn-based batter sweetened with the lightest hint of Stevia and served razor-thin. They’re only one point apiece, making them ideal snacks or part of an inspired girl dinner. Fill them with your zero-point protein of choice—I like chicken—and they’re the whole package. The three-point chocolate peanut butter dip served with sliced fruit comes in at three points and compliments the cachapas perfectly.
10. Chicken Kebabs, Funfetti Cupcakes, Canned Corn
This fab collection of favorites is the girl dinner trifecta: an easy and nutritious vegetable, some meat, and a cupcake. Funfetti cupcakes with satiny vanilla pudding icing only taste like they’re bound to bust your diet and, at three points, are the most costly thing on the menu. The rest, canned corn and succulent chicken kebabs marinated in a mixture of yogurt and spices, are zero points each.
11. Blackened Fish Tacos, Canned Refried Beans, Strawberries
I am a stone-cold sucker for tacos, and these five-point blackened fish ones are always a central piece of any great girl dinner. Start off with some Mahi Mahi fillets, blackened to perfection with a mix of cayenne pepper, parsley, cumin, and ginger, then pile them high with shredded red and white cabbage and load the whole glorious she-bang onto a whole wheat tortilla. Served with a scoop of canned refried beans and a few strawberries, they’re a tremendous quick-fix meal.
12. Instant Pot Stuffed Peppers, Turkey Breast, Greek Yogurt
The best thing about these three-point instant pot stuffed peppers is that they just taste like they’ve simmered away all day when, in reality, they need less than 15 minutes in your instant pot. Although you’ll find a mix of healthy brown rice, beef, and cubed carrot inside, you can always amp up the protein with a bit of zero-point turkey breast and top each pepper with a dollop of Greek yogurt, also zero points.
13. Ceviche, Coconut Donuts, Orange Slices
Ceviche is one of my favorite zero-point girl dinner meal hacks because you get loads of fish and seasonal veg swimming in a spicy citrus marinade that packs a major flavor punch with no tradeoff. Throw in some orange slices, and you’ve got yourself a nutrient-packed, light girl dinner. Plus, you can use your extra four points and indulge in a lemon coconut donut with a sweet lemony base and a crown of shredded coconut for extra crunch and yumminess.
These go-to girl dinners are some of my favorite combinations, perfect for summer, and offer a complex mix of protein, vegetables, and some sweet endings that will make you totally forget about ordering in takeout.
