Adapting favourite meals

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Published on Wednesday, 07 June 2006

One important strategy of successful slimmers use is to develop healthy cooking skills. This includes adapting long-standing family favourites rather than cook new dishes all the time.

 

• Trim meat of any fat, and remove the fatty skin from chicken. Keep servings to around 90g (3-4oz).
• Make meals healthy and satisfying with plenty of vegetables and salad - half fill your plate.
• Use low fat milks and fromage frais for sauces and toppings and to make mashed potato.
• Grill, bake, microwave, char-grill, stir-fry (using 1 teaspoon of oil per person), poach or steam rather than fry.
• If using oils or spreads choose olive or rapeseed oil and reduced fat spreads labelled ¬ëlow in saturates¬í and ¬ëvirtually trans fat free¬í ¬ñ and use sparingly.
• Use a small amount of a very strong cheese ¬ñ to make the taste stretch further.
• Add canned beans to stews, casseroles, soups and main course salads
• Go continental and serve a salad before, or with meals
• Use low calorie salad dressings
• Skip the cream on fruit or fruity puddings - try a dollop of fromage frais, fruit yogurt or a low fat custard
• Use low calorie sweeteners in hot drinks, on cereals or fruit, in low fat custard and rice pudding, in baking, and other desserts.