Meat, Poultry and Fish
Vegetable and Side Dishes
Sauces and Condiments
Pot Luck

Any way you slice it, it's easy to trim fat when you're preparing your favorite foods. Try these delicious tips the next time it's your turn to be the family cook.

Meat, Poultry and Fish
Opt for the "select" grade of beef and choose cuts with the words "loin" or "round" in the name.  Choose white meat poultry and fish.

To reduce fat in ground meat, brown over low heat so that fat comes off instead of being fried into the meat. Drain well.  To rinse more fat, transfer the meat to a strainer and rinse with warm water.  Add dry seasoning as desired. Use in tacos, spaghetti sauce and casseroles. 

Marinate for flavor. Experiment with low-fat or fat-free ingredients such as citrus juice, flavored vinegars or other acidic liquids.

Use low-fat cooking methods, such as grilling, steaming, poaching, baking, broiling, braising, roasting, microwaving, simmering or stir-frying to prepare lean meats, chicken and fish. Trim all visible fat from meat before cooking and remove skin from poultry before eating.

Vegetable and Side Dishes
Choose fresh or frozen vegetables.  Steam lightly in the microwave or on a stovetop.

Cook rice or other grains in a 50/50 mixture low sodium broth to add flavor. Toss the rice with vegetables to make a colorful side dish.

Be creative! Top a baked potato with salsa, meatless chili, mixed vegetables or a tablespoon of low-fat cottage or cheddar cheese.

Simmer vegetables in a low sodium broth for added flavor, or steam veggies and top with fresh herbs and a squeeze of lemon.

Gravies and Condiments
Update your gravy recipe.  For one cup gravy, mix 1/4 cup cold liquid with 2 tbsp. flour or corn starch, stir into 3/4 cup liquid (fat free drippings and skim milk or salt-free boullion or vegetable stock) to make 3/4 cup.  Heat stirring constantly to thicken. Season to taste with pepper and no more than a 1/4 tsp. salt.

For Cream Sauces
Use pureed non-fat cottage cheese, non-fat dry milk, non-fat cream cheese, evaporated skim milk or farmer cheese in place of higher-fat dairy products.

Pot Luck
Make a little oil go further. When sauteing use a vegetable oil spray.

De-fat soups and stews by chilling in the refrigerator and skimming off the fat that rises to the top.

Use bread crumbs or crushed cereal flakes to top casseroles and baked dishes.

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