Cooking Methods to Cut Calories

Knowing where the calories are lurking

Cook without added butter, margarine, fat back or bacon. Let each person season his or her own food.

When it comes to cutting calories in your cooking, one of the first things you need to be able to do is recognize high calorie foods. Generally, high calorie foods have these characteristics... thick, oily or greasy, crisp, slick, smooth or gooey, sweet or sticky, compact or concentrated alcohol.

Generally, low calorie foods have these characteristics: thin, watery or dilute, bulky or with lots of fiber or coarseness. wafer-crisp.

Cutting calories

Avoid adding fat to cooked vegetables. Instead, combine different vegetables to get variety. For example...green beans and mushrooms; peas and onions. Also, cook without added butter, margarine, fat back or bacon. Let each person season his or her own food.

What you see is what you get

You can also cut down on calories in your cooking by removing all visible fat from meat. Most fish are low in fat. Fat in poultry is usually just under the skin, by removing the skin you will reduce the calories. Use meat drippings after the fat has been skimmed off. Definitely stay away from "country-style" preparation. Cooking foods in, or adorned with, gravies or sauces adds many calories.

Remember, alcoholic beverages are high in calories. There are loads of calories in the snacks often eaten with alcoholic beverages. The once famous three martini lunch contains 420 calories and you haven't eaten anything. Add a few handfuls of peanuts and crackers and you've quickly consumed over a thousand calories. Dry wines are lower in calories than sweet wines.

If you must, use items containing sugar substitutes in moderation. You will benefit even more by training your tastes toward fewer sweets.

For more nutrition and cooking information and suggestions contact your Iocal county Extension office.