TL;DR: High volume, low calorie foods are rich in water and fibre, so you can eat large portions for very few calories. The best examples include leafy greens (15 to 25 kcal per 100g), cucumber (15 kcal), watermelon (30 kcal), broth based soups and air popped popcorn. Pair them with lean protein to stay full for hours.
Trying to cut calories but constantly feeling hungry? The answer might not be eating less, but eating differently. High volume, low calorie foods give you more to chew on, literally. Because they are full of fibre and water, they let you eat satisfying portions without loading up on calories. This guide covers the 25 best options with their calories per 100g, the snacks that actually fill you up, and seven meal ideas that put it all together.
The 25 best high volume, low calorie foods at a glance
Every food below is listed with its approximate calories per 100g and what actually fills you up (water, fibre or protein), grouped by category. Figures are approximate and based on standard UK nutrition data.
Figures are approximate and based on standard UK nutrition data.
What are high volume, low calorie foods?
High volume, low calorie foods are foods rich in water and fibre that you can eat in large portions without consuming many calories; think leafy greens, berries, broth based soups and air popped popcorn. They physically fill your stomach and help you feel satisfied, even though the calorie count stays low.
This way of eating is based on a principle called energy density: the number of calories in a given weight of food. Foods with low energy density, like cucumber or strawberries, take up more space in your stomach and digest more slowly, which triggers fullness signals before you have eaten too many calories. This approach, known as volumetrics and developed by Dr Barbara Rolls, has been linked to better weight loss results than diets built around meal replacements, largely because it is easier to stick with.
The maths makes the point better than any theory. 100g of crisps carries around 530 kcal; 100g of strawberries carries 32. Same weight on the plate, seventeen times the calories. Eat 500g of food built from the list below and you might total 150 to 250 kcal; the same weight of pastry, cheese and crisps clears 2,000. Your stomach measures weight and stretch, not calories, which is exactly the loophole volume eating uses.
Lower volume foods like nuts, cheese and oils pack a lot of calories into small portions. They are not "bad" foods, but they provide little physical volume, which makes it easy to overeat without noticing. If you want filling, low calorie foods doing the work at every meal, the trick is simply to build your plate around the high water, high fibre options and add lean protein for staying power.
Skip the cooking: Frive’s low calorie meal plan keeps every dish under 500 kcal, freshly made with no ultra processed ingredients.
What are the benefits of volume eating?
In short: you feel fuller on fewer calories, which makes healthy eating dramatically easier to sustain. Here is what that looks like in practice:
Fuller for longer: high volume foods trigger fullness signals through your stomach’s stretch receptors, reducing overall calorie intake without any sense of deprivation.
Easier weight management: satisfying portions make a calorie deficit easier to stick with than restrictive or replacement based diets.
Fewer cravings: when meals genuinely satisfy, you are less likely to reach for calorie dense snacks like sweets, cheese and crisps later on.
Effortless portion control: large portions of low energy density foods provide visual and physical satiety, so you naturally stop when full without weighing every bite.
Steadier blood sugar: fibre rich, high volume foods slow the absorption of sugar into the bloodstream, which can reduce energy crashes and sugar cravings.
Better digestion: most high volume foods are high in fibre, which keeps digestion regular and supports a healthy gut microbiome.
Steady energy: unlike calorie dense snacks that spike and crash, high volume options fuel you gradually thanks to their fibre, water and nutrient content.
In contrast, high calorie, low volume foods like chocolate, nuts and cheese are easy to overeat: a few bites can contain hundreds of calories while offering little satiety. That mismatch is often why a calorie deficit fails; not too little willpower, just too much hunger. Studies of low energy density diets consistently find people eat a similar weight of food day to day regardless of its calories, which is why lowering the energy density of your meals reduces intake without reducing satisfaction.
The 25 best foods, category by category
Here is how to actually use each group, with the standout foods in each.
Low calorie vegetables
14 to 34 kcal per 100g
Vegetables are the backbone of volume eating: mostly water and fibre, packed with micronutrients, and cheap.
Leafy greens (lettuce, spinach, rocket): incredibly low in calories but full of water and fibre. Swap tortilla wraps for large romaine leaves, or add a handful of spinach to stir fries and smoothies.
Cruciferous veg (broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage): fibre rich with real substance and dense texture. Roast cauliflower instead of potatoes, use cauliflower rice, or blitz broccoli into soups.
Courgette: light, hydrating and endlessly versatile: grate it into oats, spiralise it into noodles in place of pasta, or roast it as a side.
Cucumber and celery: the classic high volume snacks at around 15 kcal per 100g. Their crunch slows eating down, giving your brain time to register fullness. Dip into hummus instead of crackers.
Tomatoes and mushrooms: juicy, low energy density flavour carriers. Use chopped tomatoes as a pasta sauce base instead of cream, and fold chopped mushrooms through mince to stretch it further for fewer calories.
Water rich fruits
30 to 52 kcal per 100g
Watermelon and strawberries: sweet, hydrating options that curb sugar cravings without the calorie hit of biscuits. Watermelon is around 92% water.
Raspberries: the fibre champion of the fruit bowl at roughly 7g of fibre per 100g, which is why they keep you fuller than their 52 kcal suggests.
Grapefruit and oranges: water and fibre rich citrus that takes time to peel and eat, a natural brake on mindless snacking.
Apples: high in pectin fibre and water; eating one before a meal has been shown to reduce how much people eat afterwards.
Lean proteins
52 to 165 kcal per 100g
Protein is the missing piece in most volume eating advice. It is the most satiating macronutrient, and pairing it with high volume foods beats volume alone for keeping hunger away.
Egg whites: almost pure protein at 52 kcal per 100g; bulk out a whole egg omelette with extra whites for a bigger plate at a small calorie cost.
0% Greek yoghurt: creamy, versatile and around 10g of protein per 100g. Use it as a breakfast base or a swap for cream and mayonnaise.
White fish and prawns: huge, lean portions for their calories; a 150g cod fillet is under 130 kcal. Perfect for big dinners that stay light.
Cottage cheese: a high protein snack that pairs well with the vegetable sticks above.
Chicken breast: the densest food on our list at 165 kcal per 100g, but its protein content makes it the anchor that turns a bowl of vegetables into a meal that lasts all afternoon.
Whole grains and pulses
71 to 116 kcal per 100g
Porridge oats made with water: oats swell dramatically when cooked, so a modest 40g serving becomes a big, warming bowl at around 150 kcal.
Boiled potatoes: unfairly maligned; plain boiled potatoes rank among the most satiating foods ever tested, at only 87 kcal per 100g. It is the frying and toppings that add up.
Lentils and beans: fibre and protein together make pulses exceptionally filling. Slightly higher in calories than vegetables, but they work harder per calorie than almost anything else. If you have IBS or struggle with bloating, start small; lentils are often the easiest on the gut.
High volume, low calorie snacks
Snacking is where most calorie budgets quietly fall apart. These options give you plenty to eat for very little:
Air popped popcorn: a big 20g bowl is around 80 kcal, with fibre to keep you full. Season with herbs or a little nutritional yeast rather than butter.
Veg sticks and hummus: cucumber, celery, carrot and pepper with two tablespoons of hummus comes in around 120 kcal.
Berries with 0% Greek yoghurt: a large bowl for roughly 120 kcal, with protein for staying power.
Rice cakes: around 35 kcal each; top with cottage cheese and tomato for a more substantial bite.
Miso soup: warming, savoury and about 35 kcal a bowl; brilliant for the late afternoon slump.
Pickled gherkins: crunchy, salty satisfaction at roughly 12 kcal per 100g.
Frozen grapes: a sweet treat that takes ages to eat; a handful is around 55 kcal.
Skip the cooking: browse this week’s Frive menu for fresh, portion controlled meals with the full nutrition on every label.
Volume eating recipes: 7 high volume, low calorie meal ideas
Approximate calories are per serving. Each idea combines volume foods with a protein source, the pairing that keeps you full for hours.
Veggie packed stir fry (around 350 kcal): courgette, broccoli, cabbage and mushrooms in soy, garlic and chilli, with prawns or chicken, served over cauliflower rice or a small scoop of brown rice.
Souped up salad (around 400 kcal): a big base of leafy greens with cherry tomatoes, cucumber, celery and lentils, topped with grilled chicken or tofu and a balsamic drizzle.
Berry yoghurt bowl (around 250 kcal): 0% Greek yoghurt with mixed berries, a teaspoon of chia seeds and cinnamon; breakfast or dessert.
Stuffed courgettes (around 300 kcal): hollowed courgettes filled with lentils, chopped tomatoes, garlic and herbs, baked until tender.
Broth bowl (around 320 kcal): miso broth with steamed greens, shredded carrots, tofu and courgette noodles for a light, warming dinner.
Prawn courgetti (around 280 kcal): spiralised courgette with garlic prawns, cherry tomatoes and chilli; pasta night feel at a quarter of the calories.
Big batch chicken and vegetable soup (around 330 kcal): chicken breast, cabbage, celery, tomatoes and beans simmered in stock; makes several lunches.
Skip the cooking: Frive’s chefs build the same high volume, protein paired logic into every meal on the menu, with calories and macros printed on the label.
What foods should you limit?
Knowing what to limit matters as much as knowing what to eat. These foods are dense in calories but low in volume, so they are easy to overeat:
Sweets and pastries: small in size but packed with sugar and calories, with very little satiety or nutrition.
Cheese and fatty meats: calorie dense and easy to overdo; even small portions add up quickly.
Fried foods: high in fat and low in fibre and water, so they do little for fullness.
Nuts and nut butters: healthy in moderation but very calorie rich; stick to measured portions.
Sugary drinks and alcohol: calories that never touch your stomach’s stretch receptors, and they can spike hunger later.
Is volume eating safe and sustainable?
Yes, provided you keep balance in mind. Volume eating is not about living on mountains of salad; your body still needs enough energy, protein, healthy fats and micronutrients to function well, in line with the NHS Eatwell guidance. A diet made entirely of cucumber and popcorn will not work long term. Pair volume foods with good protein sources and healthy fats, keep plenty of variety and colour on your plate, and treat the approach as a structure for satisfying meals rather than a restriction tool.
For most people aiming to lose weight safely, a deficit of around 500 calories below maintenance is the sensible ceiling; volume eating simply makes that deficit feel like far less of a sacrifice.
How do you make volume eating work day to day?
A few habits make the difference between a diet phase and a way of eating:
Tune into hunger cues: high volume meals help you feel full, but eat when genuinely hungry and slow down enough to notice when you have had enough.
Eat without distractions: mindful eating helps you enjoy food more and stop naturally, even with a full plate.
Prioritise protein at every meal: volume fills you now; protein keeps you full later. Every meal above pairs the two.
Choose wisely when eating out: pick dishes loaded with vegetables or broth based soups, ask for dressings on the side, and swap fries for salad or extra greens.
Prep ahead, or skip the prep entirely: batch cook soups and salads, or let Frive do it: meals built on whole, high volume ingredients with satiety in mind, no calorie counting required.
A simple plate formula to remember: half the plate non starchy vegetables, a quarter lean protein, a quarter smart carbohydrates (potatoes, oats or pulses), plus a thumb of healthy fats for flavour and vitamin absorption. Build every lunch and dinner that way and the volume, the protein and the calorie control all take care of themselves without a single gram weighed.
“The food is tasty and has clean ingredients, and it’s really helpful to have all the nutritional information ready. I also felt really full after each meal.” Soph, Frive customer
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Eat more, weigh less: the volume eating way
Eating well does not have to mean going hungry. Fill your plate with fibre rich vegetables, water rich fruits, lean proteins and broth based meals and you get the volume your stomach wants with the nutrition your body needs, while the calories quietly take care of themselves.
Frive meals are built around this same philosophy: low calorie, high volume ingredients, natural foods, and proper portions of protein, with no calorie counting and no restrictive rules.
Dig into Frive’s menu and see how easy it is to eat more for less. Less effort, fewer calories, more satisfaction.
*Please note, offers are subject to change. At the time of writing, Frive is offering an introductory discount on first week orders for new customers.
FAQs
What is the highest volume, lowest calorie food?
Leafy greens like lettuce, spinach and rocket top the list at around 15 to 25 kcal per 100g, being mostly water and fibre. Celery (14 kcal) and cucumber (15 kcal) are close behind. All of them let you fill your plate, and your stomach, for a near negligible calorie cost.
What foods are very filling but low in calories?
The most filling low calorie foods combine water or fibre with protein: broth based soups, boiled potatoes, porridge, berries, legumes, air popped popcorn and lean proteins like white fish and 0% Greek yoghurt. They take up space in your stomach and digest slowly, keeping you fuller for longer without extra calories.
How can I add volume to meals without adding calories?
Bulk every meal with non starchy vegetables, water rich fruits, leafy greens or broth. Grate courgette into oats, fold mushrooms through mince, serve curries on cauliflower rice, and start meals with soup or salad. Pair with lean protein and a little healthy fat so the fullness actually lasts.
What is volume eating?
Volume eating means filling your plate with foods that are low in calories but high in physical volume, mainly thanks to water and fibre. Based on the energy density principle behind the volumetrics approach, it lets you eat satisfying portions while naturally keeping total calories down, which makes it easier to sustain than restrictive dieting.
Does volume eating help you stick to a calorie deficit?
Yes. Hunger is the main reason calorie deficits fail, and high volume meals directly address it by stretching the stomach and slowing digestion. Eating bigger portions of low energy density foods makes a deficit feel like normal eating rather than restriction, which is what keeps people consistent for long enough to see results.
Can volume eating support muscle gain or fat loss?
Both, if protein is included. For fat loss, volume manages hunger while calories stay low. For muscle gain, pair high volume vegetables with enough lean protein (chicken, fish, eggs, Greek yoghurt) and adequate overall calories. Volume without protein leaves you full now but hungry later; the pairing is what works.
How do I recover well from training on a low calorie diet?
Prioritise protein at every meal, around 20 to 40g, and use volume foods to satisfy appetite around it. Fibre rich carbohydrates like potatoes, oats and pulses refill energy stores while keeping calories controlled. Recovery suffers when protein drops too low, not when overall portions are simply more vegetable heavy.
