Grocery Add-Ins: What are Nutrisystem PowerFuels?

Lean proteins and healthy fats can make any weight loss plan more satisfying, delicious and easy to stick to. These ingredients are often the stars of our dinner plates and make the best smart and filling snacks. But how do you know how much of them to eat, and what is considered a healthy choice?

What is a PowerFuel?

Here at Nutrisystem, we call lean proteins and healthy fats “PowerFuels.” These hearty and filling ingredients will be incorporated into your daily menu each day. While the number of PowerFuels that you add in will vary based on your specific Nutrisystem meal plan (Check the NuMi app for your plan guidelines!), the definition is the same for everyone:

PowerFuel grocery add-ins consist of healthy fats and high-quality proteins that contain essential amino acids. They digest slower and help you stay full longer. They also contribute to muscle tone which, in conjunction with daily activity, can help you feel strong. PowerFuels consist of items like meat, fish, dairy, nuts, seeds and avocados. One PowerFuel serving is between 80 to 120 calories with at least five grams of protein OR at least eight grams of total fat (with no more than four grams of saturated fat).

What do you do if a food doesn’t fit into this PowerFuel calorie or protein/fat range? You can adjust the serving size as needed. For example, if you find a yogurt that is 200 calories with 10 grams of protein per serving, you can split the serving size in half so that it meets the PowerFuel requirements. However, if this same yogurt only had five grams of protein per each 200-calorie serving, it would not count as a PowerFuel and we would suggest selecting a different yogurt.

Examples of PowerFuels

Here is a list of Nutrisystem PowerFuel foods that we love cooking with and snacking on.

Meat, Poultry, Seafood and Meat Alternatives

• Beef, lean, trimmed, 2 oz.
• Chicken Breast, 2 oz.
• Crab meat, 3 oz.
• Fish, fatty (e.g., salmon, tuna, mackerel, swordfish, trout), 2 oz.
• Fish, white, baked or broiled, 3 oz.
• Ham, low fat, lower sodium, 2 oz.
• Pork, lean, trimmed, 2 oz.
• Salmon, canned in water, 2 oz.
• Seitan, ½ cup
• Shrimp, 3 oz.
• Tofu, ½ cup
• Tuna, water-packed, ½ cup
• Turkey Breast, 2 oz.
• Veggie Burger, 3 oz.

Dairy and Eggs

• Cheese, low sodium, 1 slice
• Cottage Cheese, 1% fat, no salt added, ½ cup
• Egg, 1 large
• Egg Whites, 3-4 large
• Milk, low-fat or soy, 8 oz. (1 cup)
• Parmesan Cheese, low sodium, grated, ¼ cup
• Yogurt, low-fat, plain, 1 cup

Nuts and Seeds

• Nut butter or tahini, 1 Tbsp.
• Nuts (almonds, cashews, peanuts, pecans, pistachios, walnut halves), 2 Tbsp.
• Seeds, 2-3 Tbsp.

Other

• Avocado, 1/3 of a medium fruit
• Edamame, cooked, deshelled, ½ cup
• Oil (e.g. olive, avocado), 1 Tbsp.
• Olives, ½ cup
• Protein Powder, (e.g. whey, soy), 2 Tbsp.

PowerFuel Snack Ideas

So now that you know a little bit about individual PowerFuel ingredients, how do you incorporate them into your meal plan?

The number of PowerFuels that you add in each day will vary based on your specific Nutrisystem meal plan. Be sure to check the NuMi app for your plan guidelines! Generally, PowerFuels will be a part of the healthy Flex meals and snacks that you prepare your own, and are usually paired with a SmartCarb. Some Nutrisystem plans are also required to add PowerFuels to some Nutrisystem meals in order to meet daily calorie requirements.

Any of our PowerFuel examples above can be enjoyed as a snack on their own, like a string cheese, protein shake or handful of nuts on the go. But on days that you don’t mind doing a little bit more prep, you can find plenty of recipes using PowerFuels on The Leaf or in the NuMi app. Check out our top 16 most logged PowerFuels in NuMi and how you can level-up ingredients into meals! >