10 Meals That Are Less Than 500 Calories

With the new year comes a fresh beginning. It is a time to restart your diet and recharge a healthy and active lifestyle. For many, the new year is about making positive changes and sticking to resolutions to lose weight and become more fit. To help you achieve your nutritional goals and start the new year off right, we've rounded up a few of our favorite dishes that are less than 500 calories.

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Who says low-calorie has to taste like cardboard and have no flavor? Eating a healthy diet is about choosing fresh ingredients like vegetables and lean protein, swapping out a few ingredients for healthier ones, like olive oil for butter, and watching portion control. The key to creating a meal that is less than 500 calories is to pay careful attention to the suggested serving size.[slideshow:

Eating a low-calorie meal doesn't mean that you have to neglect your taste buds. Some of the dishes we've picked include crunchy baked salmon with ginger and spinach, chicken and rice soup, and bison sirloin steaks, which are healthier than traditional beef steaks. We've even thrown in a game-day idea with chicken wings and pasta salad, which total less than 500 calories. Score!

So this new year, make 2014 the start of a new and healthy you. Check out some of these tasty and easy-to-make recipes for go-to low-calorie meals. And remember, try not to think about being on a diet, but instead focus on fueling your body with the right nutrients that it needs to prosper in the new year.

Emily Jacobs is the Recipe Editor at The Daily Meal. Follow her on twitter @EmilyRecipes