I am sometimes contacted by people who are concerned that they will not be allowed to have condiments on Nutrisystem. And they imagine themselves having to eat soft diet foods. They imagine eating toast without butter or jam, bagels without cream cheese, sandwiches without mustard, and salads without dressing.
The truth is that you are allowed to have well-chosen seasonings in moderation. Like all foods, seasonings fall into a category. For example, fruits are considered “smart carbs.” Proteins are considered “energy fuels” and condiments and sauces are placed in the “extra” category. And this is where choosing carefully can be very important. If you can find a seasoning item that is less than 10 calories per serving, then it’s unlimited. You can have everything you want. But if you choose an item in the “other” category that has more than twenty calories per serving, then you’re limited to three times a day. Now, to be fair, few people are going to need seasoning much more than three times a day.
Just thinking about it, you’ll probably want butter or jam for breakfast, and maybe some for lunch and dinner, but this equates to three times throughout the day. It is true that there are many examples of Nutrisystem meals that lend themselves to these extras. Of course, the breakfast bagel is one. Also, the hot dog and hamburger call for mustard or ketchup. It’s not that satisfying to eat a salad without dressing. (The company provides a shopping list on its website that lists suggested brands that offer low-calorie, low-fat, and low-sugar options. I’ve tried many of them and am often surprised at how good they are.) Better yet, many of the suggestions fall into the unlimited category.)
The serving size for most condiments (honey, ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise, cream cheese, salad dressing, salsa, and syrup, for example) is one tablespoon. So hopefully this might make you feel a little better. You won’t have to swallow dry toast or eat a salad without dressing. And yes you can have some ketchup for the hot dog or even some bar b that sauce for the sloppy joe or some sauce for the fajita. You can have more than three servings per day if you choose carefully. But even if you don’t, at least you’ll have a choice of seasoning for all three main meals.