Being told that you need to change your diet can be really depressing. The list of foods that you can eat seems pitiful and filled with things you would never eat or hate eating. The list of foods you can't eat seems to be filled with all your favourites and the things you reach for when you're stressed out or need a pick me up. The good news is that something like a low fat diet can be delicious if you go about it the right way.
The Benefits
So why should you even start a low fat diet and stop eating all those yummy foods that are easy to prepare and so ingrained in your daily diet you would never dream of eating anything else? Well one great motivation is that you could start losing weight. If those old jeans you can't fit into are not enough motivation then maybe living a long healthy life is. A low fat diet can help you lower cholesterol and decrease your risk of heart disease.
Starting Fresh
Changing the way you cook is the first thing you might have to do when you start a low fat diet. You might also have to clear out your pantry and refrigerator. Unhealthy foods need to go or replaced with healthier alternatives when you start your low fat diet.
Start with anything white, white bread, pasta, rice, and flour all need to go. Replace these things with whole wheat and wholemeal alternatives. Toss out ice cream, whole milk, hard cheese, butter, sodas, and tinned soups.
Done all that? Now forget about recipes that have you melting cheese all over things, frying things in batter. Cooking low fat meals means a revamp of your cooking style. This doesn't mean you have to eat tasteless food, it just means you need to approach cooking differently.
Recipe Ideas
A low fat diet doesn't have to be boring and it doesn't have to be that different from the foods you are already eating. A beef stew is a great recipe that the whole family can enjoy and can be put together easily and can even be made ahead. Use lean beef meant for stewing, a can of fat free of beef broth, and add carrots, celery, green beans, butternut squash for a healthy dose of vegetables.
If your kids are resisting the idea of a low fat diet then there is one recipe they will be begging you to make again and again. Chicken nuggets are not only easy to prepare but a low fat version of this popular snack is healthy.
Use boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into strips. Coat the strips in flour, shake off any excess, and then dip the strips in yoghurt. Give them a coating of breadcrumbs then bake for ten minutes in an oven pre heated to 450 degrees.
If you love spaghetti and meatballs then you can substitute ground beef for fat free or mostly fat free ground turkey. Use wholemeal breadcrumbs, and serve with whole wheat pasta. You won't taste the difference if you use herbs like oregano, and fresh black pepper to season your meatballs.
These are just some ideas to get you started on your low fat diet. You will find that once you start substituting meats like chicken, turkey, and lean pork in place of your usual meats that there are plenty of ways to cook low fat meals. Exploring recipes will also introduce you to delicious ways of cooking.
