| |
Healthy Food Choices
Lower-Calorie Alternatives for Your Diet
Making healthy food choices starts with realizing that there are healthy alternatives to many of the foods that you already eat. Here is a list of foods that you may buy on a regular basis and a list of healthier alternatives for you to chose from. DairyHigher-Fat Foods (Left) vs. Healthy Food Choices (Right) - Evaporated whole milk
- Whole milk
- Ice cream
- Whipping cream
- Sour cream
- Cream cheese
- Cheese (cheddar, Swiss, jack)
- American cheese
- Regular (4%) cottage cheese
- Whole milk mozzarella cheese
- Whole milk ricotta cheese
- Coffee cream (1/2 and 1/2) or nondairy creamer (liquid, powder)
| | - Evaporated fat-free (skim) or reduced-fat (2%) milk
- Low-fat (1%), reduced-fat (2%), or fat-free (skim) milk
- Sorbet, sherbet, low fat or fat-free frozen yogurt, or ice
- Imitation whipped cream (made with fat-free [skim] milk)
- Plain low-fat yogurt
- Neufchatel or "light" cream cheese or fat-free cream cheese
- Reduced-calorie cheese, low-calorie processed cheeses, etc.
- Fat-free cheese
- Fat-free American cheese or other types of fat-free cheeses
- Low-fat (1%) or reduced-fat (2%) cottage cheese
- Part-skim milk, low-moisture mozzarella cheese
- Part-skim milk ricotta cheese
- Low-fat (1%) or reduced-fat (2%) milk or non-fat dry milk powder
| | Pastas, Grains, and CerealsHigher-Fat Foods (Left) vs. Healthy Food Choices (Right) - Ramen noodles
- Pasta with white sauce (alfredo)
- Pasta with cheese sauce
- Granola
| | - Rice or noodles (spaghetti, macaroni, etc.)
- Pasta with red sauce (marinara)
- Pasta with vegetables (primavera)
- Bran flakes, crispy rice, etc.
- Cooked grits or oatmeal
- Reduced-fat granola
| | Fish, Meat, and PoultryHigher-Fat Foods (Left) vs. Healthy Food Choices (Right) - Coldcuts or lunch meats (bologna, salami, liverwurst, etc.)
- Hot dogs (regular)
- Bacon or sausage
- Regular ground beef
- Chicken or turkey with skin, duck, or goose
- Oil-packed tuna
- Beef (chuck, rib, brisket)
- Pork (spareribs, untrimmed loin)
- Frozen breaded fish or fried fish (homemade or commercial)
- Whole eggs
- Frozen TV dinners (containing more than 13 grams of fat per serving)
- Chorizo sausage
| | - Low-fat coldcuts (95 to 97% fat-free lunch meats, low-fat pressed meats)
- Lower-fat hot dogs
- Canadian bacon or lean ham
- Extra lean ground beef such as ground round or ground turkey (read labels)
- Chicken or turkey without skin (white meat)
- Water-packed tuna (rinse to reduce sodium content)
- Beef (round, loin) (trimmed of external fat)
- Pork tenderloin or trimmed, lean smoked ham
- Fish or shellfish, unbreaded (fresh, frozen, canned in water)
- Egg whites or egg substitutes
- Frozen TV dinners (containing less than 13 grams of fat per serving and lower in sodium)
- Turkey sausage, drained well (read label)
- Vegetarian sausage (made with tofu)
| | Baked ItemsHigher-Fat Foods (Left) vs. Healthy Food Choices (Right) - Croissants, brioches, etc.
- Donuts, sweet rolls, muffins, scones, or pastries
- Party crackers
- Cake (pound, chocolate, yellow)
- Cookies
| | - Hard french rolls or soft brown ’n serve rolls
- English muffins, bagels, reduced-fat or fat-free muffins or scones
- Low-fat crackers (choose lower in sodium)
- Saltine or soda crackers (choose lower in sodium)
- Cake (angel food, white, gingerbread)
- Reduced-fat or fat-free cookies (graham crackers, ginger snaps, fig bars) (compare calorie level)
| | Sweets and SnacksHigher-Fat Foods (Left) vs. Healthy Food Choices (Right) - Nuts
- Ice cream, e.g., cones or bars
- Custards or puddings (made with whole milk)
| | - Popcorn (air-popped or light microwave), fruits, vegetables
- Frozen yogurt, frozen fruit or chocolate pudding bars
- Puddings (made with skim milk)
| | Oils, Fats, and Salad DressingsHigher-Fat Foods (Left) vs. Healthy Food Choices (Right) - Regular margarine or butter
- Regular mayonnaise
- Regular salad dressings
- Butter or margarine on toast or bread
- Oils, shortening, or lard
| | - Light spread margarines, diet margarine, or whipped butter, tub or squeeze bottle
- Light or diet mayonnaise or mustard
- Reduced-calorie or fat-free salad dressings, lemon juice, or plain, herb flavored, or wine vinegar
- Jelly, jam, or honey on bread or toast
- Nonstick cooking spray for stir-frying or sautéing
- As a substitute for oil or butter, use applesauce or prune puree in baked goods
| | MiscellaneousHigher-Fat Foods (Left) vs. Healthy Food Alternatives (Right) - Canned cream soups
- Canned beans and franks
- Gravy (homemade with fat and/or milk)
- Fudge sauce
- Avocado on sandwiches
- Guacamole dip or refried beans with lard
| | - Canned broth-based soups
- Canned baked beans in tomato sauce
- Gravy mixes made with water or homemade with the fat skimmed off and fat-free milk
- Chocolate syrup
- Cucumber slices or lettuce leaves
- Salsa
| |
More Healthy Eating Tips
Healthy Food Choices to How to Burn Belly Fat Home
New! Comments
Have your say about what you just read! Leave me a comment in the box below.
|
