Cottage cheese bowl with tuna, tomato, and avocado

Why it is filling

It is a no-cook dinner that brings together two very high-protein foods, cottage cheese and tuna packed in water, with the water and volume of fresh vegetables. The avocado adds a small amount of unsaturated fat, just enough for creaminess without making the bowl heavy. It comes together in five minutes, which helps on days when cooking is the last thing you want to do.

In numbers, each serving has 33.1 g of protein and 4.4 g of fiber, with an energy density of 66 kcal per 100 g of the dish. In the satiety index by Holt and colleagues (1995), the foods that were most filling per calorie were those with more protein, fiber, and water and less fat.

High in protein

At least 15 g of protein per serving and 6 g per 100 kcal.

Easy to digest

A soft dish with little fat (20 g or less per serving) and no large amounts of ingredients that often cause gas or nausea. This is an editorial call, not a measurement.

Low energy density

100 kcal or less per 100 g of the dish: plenty of volume for few calories.

Hydrating

At least 85 g of water per 100 g of the dish, not counting cooking water.

If your appetite is small

• If you fill up quickly, start with the cottage cheese and tuna and leave the vegetables for last.
• Prep the tuna and vegetables ahead and keep them separately in the fridge; cut the avocado at the last minute so it does not brown.