Portion Fix Container Ideas from Autumn Calabrese

If you’ve been using Portion-Control Containers, then you know how helpful they can be in learning portion control and what a healthy portion size looks like.

These seven color-coded containers take the guessing out of healthy eating. No more calorie counting. No more weighing your food. If it’s on the food list and fits in the container you can eat it.

The Portion-Control Containers are used in many BODi programs. By using them every day, you’ll learn what one serving of veggies, fruits, and protein looks like.

Then, when you go out to eat or you’re dining at a friend or family member’s house, you’ll be able to create a healthy portion without even thinking about it!

When you first start using the containers, you might find it easiest to fill each with one ingredient.

Boneless, skinless chicken breast in red, broccoli in green, sweet potatoes or brown rice in yellow. And, while those choices are healthy, it’s easy to fall into a rut of eating the same thing every day.

If you don’t know where to start, Portion Fix will help you and your whole family establish healthy eating habits for life. This nutrition program from Autumn Calabrese includes the FIXATE Vol. 2 Cookbook, a PDF of 75 Healthy Lunch Ideas for kids, and much more. Learn more about the program here.

Autumn Calabrese’s Portion-Control Container Ideas

One easy way to add more flavor to your meals without adding calories is by adding spices, herbs, or citrus zest to your meals.

It sounds simple, but these little additions can make a big impact and they don’t add to your container count.

Green Container

The Green Container is for vegetables:

Add lemon zest and balsamic vinegar to steamed vegetables to boost the flavor.
Steam your favorite vegetables – Autumn uses squash, carrots, cauliflower, and asparagus in the video below and then add herbs like sage and rosemary. Dried herbs work, too, but fresh herbs have more flavor.

Red Container

The Red Container is for proteins such as chicken breast, yogurt, fish, tofu, and eggs:

Chop two hard-boiled eggs and add Dijon mustard and dill to create an egg salad! Enjoy it on its own (1 red), on top of a bed of mixed greens (+1 green), or on top of a slice of whole-grain bread (+1 yellow). Here’s how to hard-boil eggs so you don’t get chalky yolks or rubbery whites.

Purple Container

The Purple Container is for fruits, but you can also use your purple for dessert:

Chop up strawberries, drizzle balsamic on top, add a bit of lemon zest, and you’ll have a sweet, tart, healthy treat.
Or, mix 1 blue container of walnuts with one chopped green apple and top with cinnamon for a snack that tastes like apple pie.

Yellow Container

The Yellow Container is for grains, legumes, and other carbs. This is where you’ll be able to add sweet potatoes, oats, rice, beans, and pasta. (Oh, and waffles!):

Cook brown rice, add ancho chile powder or cumin, and shake to give those complex carbs Southwestern flair.
Mix rice vinegar into red quinoa to make it taste reminiscent of sushi rice then enjoy on its own as a side or mix it into your salad.

Blue Container

The Blue Container is for healthy fats such as avocado, nuts, and hummus:

Mash ¼ of an avocado and mix it with chopped jalapeno, diced tomatoes, a dash of cumin, a squeeze of lime, and cilantro (if you’re a fan of the herb) to make guacamole. Enjoy with sliced veggies like cucumber and bell pepper strips (+1 green) or these baked corn tortilla chips (+1 yellow).
Heat a skillet on the stove, and when warm, add nuts, and a pinch of cayenne and paprika. Cook for two minutes over medium heat, stirring continually. Let cool, then store in an airtight container and enjoy per the serving recommendations in your program or Portion Fix guide.

Orange Container

The Orange Container is for seeds and dressings:

Heat a skillet on the stove, and when warm, add seeds, and a pinch of coffee grounds and cinnamon. Cook for two minutes over medium heat, stirring continually. Let cool, then store in an airtight container and enjoy.