Low-Fat Meals for Dieting

Whether your goal is to lose weight or simply lead a healthier lifestyle, sticking to a strict low-fat diet can be a tough task. One of the main reasons for diet failure is the feeling of deprivation. While it is true that following a low-fat diet may exclude your favorite food groups, sticking to your diet will be easier if you make meal time an exciting event by getting creative with food. Once you master the art of creating heavenly healthy meals, you will forget you are even on a diet.

Appetizer

• Serving up a tasty low-fat appetizer will allow you to stay on track with your diet and keep you from overindulging on your main dish. If you are cooking for an informal dinner or barbecue, consider cooking up an all-American classic, like Crispy Potato Skins (see link in References). This heart-healthy potato skin recipe contains less than 115 calories per serving and 0 calories from fat. If you are having a formal dinner and Crispy Potato Skins don't seem as an appropriate appetizer, try going for an exotic appetizer like Chipotle Spiced Shrimp (see link in References). This intricate recipe is sure to wow your guests and contains 73 calories per serving and just 2g fat.

Main Dish

• After a long day of dieting, our stomachs are often yearning for greasy fast food like pizza from Domino's or a double cheeseburger and fries from McDonald's. It'll be easy to resist pulling into a drive through when you are looking forward to a filling dinner at home. If you are looking for a kid-friendly yet heart-healthy dinner, consider whipping up a quesadilla (see link in References). It is tough to believe that such a cheesy, indulgent dish can be heart-healthy, but at just 103 calories and 3g of fat per serving, it is one of the most heart-healthy and kid friendly dinners you can serve. If you are lactose intolerant or practically live for seafood, you'll love digging into every flaky bite of this broiled white sea bass dish (see link in References). Coming in at just 114 calories and 2g fat per filet, you can go for second helpings without feeling guilty afterward.

Dessert

• Just because you are on a diet does not mean you have to ban yourself from desserts. The trick to maintaining your low-fat diet while indulging in a decadent dessert every now and then is to craft your desserts consciously. Be aware of the fat and calorie content of all ingredients necessary to complete the recipe and practice moderation. Due to the high fat and calorie content in traditional cheesecakes, dieters and cheesecakes rarely ever cross paths; most cheesecakes contain more than 300 calories and 18g fat per slice. If you are a cheesecake lover, you will appreciate this low-fat and low-calorie cheesecake recipe (see link in References). Coming in at just 80 calories per slice and less than 1g fat per serving, you can indulge in your favorite dessert without derailing from your low-fat diet.