How to make your kitchen a low-fat kitchen

Committing to a low-fat lifestyle means making some changes in our kitchens. But what do we mean by a low-fat kitchen? Essentially, we mean replacing high-fat foods with low-fat foods. So yes, those double chocolate-stuffed cookies should be tossed, along with that extra-butter popcorn. But don’t despair, there are so many low-fat products available these days, alternatives are pretty easy to find. So what should we choose and what should we lose?

Choose:

Oils: Olive oil, canola oil, safflower oil or Spray and Cook
Canned Fish: Water-packed tuna, salmon, sardines and Mackrele
Canned Tomatoes: Whole, diced or crushed tomatoes, tomato purees, tomato sauces (with no added salt)
Legumes and Grains: Canned or dried black beans, pinto beans, chickpeas (Garbanzo beans), kidney beans, navy beans, black-eyed peas; rice, lentils, barley, couscous, quinoa, bulgur, kamut concentrates low-sodium Worcestershire sauce, soy sauces and bottled marinades flakes or low-fat granola seeds, and flax seeds nutritious ingredients on hand. Including nuts, seeds, oils and fatty fish in our diet is fine in moderation, as most of the fat from these sources is heart healthy.
Be sure, also, to buy plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables, from across the color spectrum.
Pasta: Whole wheat spaghetti, penne, lasagna sheets and other noodles
Jars: Anchovies, capers, pimientos, peppers, artichokes, pickles, sundried tomatoes, minced garlic
Soups and Stocks: Low-fat, low-sodium canned soups and soup mixes; low-sodium, fat-free broths, bouillon cubes and stock
Flavorings: Herbs, spices and seasonings; whole garlic, garlic paste, tomato paste, chili paste, bottled ginger,
Dressings: Vinegars, mustards, low-fat or fat-free salad dressings and mayonnaise
Breads and Cereals: Whole grain breads, rolls and bagels; whole wheat flour; whole-grain cereals such as oatmeal, bran
Dried Fruits: Cranberries, cherries, blueberries, mango, peach, appricot and raisins
Nuts and Seeds: Almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts, peanuts, pecans; pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, poppy
Sugars: Honey, molasses, maple syrup
Snacks: Pretzels, low-fat microwave popcorn or plain popcorn, whole grain crackers
This is not an exhaustive list, but it gives us an idea of what kinds of things to stock in a low fat kitchen so that we have

Lose:

Regular mayonnaise and oil-based dressings
Shortening, you can use a trans-fat-free version, if available
Oil-packed tuna and fish
Canned meats
Canned Cream soups and tinned vegetables (high in salt)
Boxed: Pasta dishes, Macaroni and cheese, Pasta sauces
Flavored pasta and rice mixes
Refried beans, unless fat free
Gravy mixes, cheese sauces, pancake and biscuit mixes
Sugary cereals
Anything with “partially hydrogenated” on the label (cookies, cakes, donuts, muffins
Potato chips, corn chips, unless baked
White bread
Coffee creamer (Cremora)

02 September 2020

How to make your kitchen a low-fat kitchen

Choose:

Lose:

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