Healthy and Low-Fat Cooking Tips

Healthy and Low-Fat Cooking Tips

Many modern cooks are concerned about preparing healthy, low-fat meals. Fortunately, there are simple ways to reduce the fat content of most dishes. Here are a few general tips for adapting the recipes in this blog. Throughout the blog, you’ll also find specific suggestions for individual recipes—and don’t worry, they’ll still taste delicious! Many recipes call for butter or oil to sauté vegetables. Using oil instead of butter lowers saturated fat right away, but you can also reduce the amount of oil you use. You can also substitute a low-fat or nonfat cooking spray for oil. Sprinkling a little salt on vegetables brings out their natural juices, so less oil is needed. It’ s also a good idea to use a small, nonstick frying pan if you decide to use less oil than the recipe calls for.

Another common substitution for butter is margarine. Before making this substitution, consider the recipe. If it is a dessert, it’s often best to use butter. Margarine may noticeably change the taste or consistency of the food. Cheese and other dairy products, such as cream, milk, and sour cream, are common sources of unwanted fat. 


Many cheeses are avail­able in reduced fat or nonfat varieties, but keep in mind that these varieties often don’t melt as well. Another easy way to reduce the amount of fat from cheese is simply to use less of it! To avoid losing flavor, you might try using a stronger-tasting cheese. Another easy way to trim fat from a recipe is to use skim milk in place of cream, whole milk, or 2 percent milk. In recipes that call for sour cream, try substituting low-fat or nonfat sour cream, or plain yogurt. There are many ways to prepare meals that are good for you and still taste great. As you become a more experienced cook, try experimenting with recipes and substitutions to find the methods that work best for you.