Healthier Preparation Methods for Cooking

When you prepare and cook meals at home, you have better control over the nutritional content and the overall healthfulness of the foods you eat.  (You can also save money.) 

• Stock up on heart-healthy cookbooks and recipes for cooking ideas.
• Use “choice” or “select” grades of beef rather than “prime,” and be sure to trim the fat off the edges before cooking.
• Use cuts of red meat and pork labeled “loin” and “round,” as they usually have the least fat. 
• With poultry, use the leaner light meat (breasts) instead of the fattier dark meat (legs and thighs), and be sure to remove the skin.
• Make recipes or egg dishes with egg whites, instead of egg yolks.  Substitute two egg whites for each egg yolk.
• For recipes that require dairy products, try low-fat or fat-free versions of milk, yogurt and cheese.
• Use reduced-fat, low-fat, light or no-fat salad dressings (if you need to limit your calories) on salads, for dips or as marinades.
• Use and prepare foods that contain little or no salt.