How to make your kitchen a low-fat kitchen

Committing to a low-fat lifestyle means making some changes in our kitchens. But what do we mean by a low-fat kitchen? Essentially, we mean replacing high-fat foods with low-fat foods. So yes, those double chocolate-stuffed cookies should be tossed, along with that extra-butter popcorn. But don’t despair, there are so many low-fat products available these days, alternatives are pretty easy to find. So what should we choose and what should we lose?

Choose:

• Oils: Olive oil, canola oil, safflower oil or Spray and Cook
• Canned Fish: Water-packed tuna, salmon, sardines and Mackrele
• Canned Tomatoes: Whole, diced or crushed tomatoes, tomato purees, tomato sauces (with no added salt)
• Legumes and Grains: Canned or dried black beans, pinto beans, chickpeas (Garbanzo beans), kidney beans, navy beans, black-eyed peas; rice, lentils, barley, couscous, quinoa, bulgur, kamut concentrates low-sodium Worcestershire sauce, soy sauces and bottled marinades flakes or low-fat granola seeds, and flax seeds nutritious ingredients on hand. Including nuts, seeds, oils and fatty fish in our diet is fine in moderation, as most of the fat from these sources is heart healthy.
  Be sure, also, to buy plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables, from across the color spectrum.
• Pasta: Whole wheat spaghetti, penne, lasagna sheets and other noodles
• Jars: Anchovies, capers, pimientos, peppers, artichokes, pickles, sundried tomatoes, minced garlic
• Soups and Stocks: Low-fat, low-sodium canned soups and soup mixes; low-sodium, fat-free broths, bouillon cubes and stock
• Flavorings: Herbs, spices and seasonings; whole garlic, garlic paste, tomato paste, chili paste, bottled ginger,
• Dressings: Vinegars, mustards, low-fat or fat-free salad dressings and mayonnaise
• Breads and Cereals: Whole grain breads, rolls and bagels; whole wheat flour; whole-grain cereals such as oatmeal, bran
• Dried Fruits: Cranberries, cherries, blueberries, mango, peach, appricot and raisins
• Nuts and Seeds: Almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts, peanuts, pecans; pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, poppy
• Sugars: Honey, molasses, maple syrup
• Snacks: Pretzels, low-fat microwave popcorn or plain popcorn, whole grain crackers
• This is not an exhaustive list, but it gives us an idea of what kinds of things to stock in a low fat kitchen so that we have

Lose:

• Regular mayonnaise and oil-based dressings
• Shortening, you can use a trans-fat-free version, if available
• Oil-packed tuna and fish
• Canned meats
• Canned Cream soups and tinned vegetables (high in salt)
• Boxed: Pasta dishes, Macaroni and cheese, Pasta sauces
• Flavored pasta and rice mixes
• Refried beans, unless fat free
• Gravy mixes, cheese sauces, pancake and biscuit mixes
• Sugary cereals
• Anything with “partially hydrogenated” on the label (cookies, cakes, donuts, muffins
• Potato chips, corn chips, unless baked
• White bread
• Coffee creamer (Cremora)