Enjoy the natural flavor of steamed vegetables for dinner and fruits for dessert.
Use butter-flavored granules instead of butter or margarine.
Select nonfat or low-fat salad dressings; or use herbs, lemon juice, and spices instead of regular salad dressing.
Add a little water to thick salad dressing to dilute the amount of fat.
Eat at least two vegetables (in addition to a salad) with dinner.
Snack on raw vegetables or fruits instead of high-fat items like potato chips.
Buy frozen vegetables without sauce.
breads and cereals:
Use fruit butters or honey on bread instead of butter or margarine.
Select items that are low-fat (e.g. bagels instead of croissants).
Prepare pasta with a tomato sauce rather than a cheese or cream sauce.
Watch out for grain products such as fried taco shells, croissants, and granola that are high-fat.
other tips:
Use a nonstick pan or coat the pan lightly with vegetable oil.
Bake your own cookies and pastries.
Use egg substitutes in recipes instead of whole eggs, or use 2 egg whites in place of each whole egg.
Use half the margarine, butter, or oil called for in a recipe. (The minimum amount of fat for muffins, quick breads, and biscuits is 1 to 2 tablespoons per cup of flour; for cakes and cookies, 2 tablespoons per cup.)
Select the whipped types of butter, margarine or cream cheese; they contain half the calories of the regular types.
For sandwiches and salads, use spicy mustard, lemon juice, flavored vinegar, salsa, or the nonfat versions instead of regular mayonnaise, salad dressing, or sour cream.
Add moisture and flavor with wine; lemon, orange, or tomato juice; or broth instead of butter, margarine, or oil when cooking.
Use variety to enhance enjoyment of the meal; vary colors, textures, and temperatures (cooked vs. raw).1
Too Much Fat Restriction
Most adults should receive no less than 15 percent (but no more than 30 percent) of their daily energy intakes from fats. The key word here is moderation, not deprivation.
1 Understanding Nutrition, 9th edition
2 Distinguish good fat from bad, Minneapolis-St. Paul Star Tribune
