Healthy Cooking Tips

To Cook with Less Fat:

• Steam, bake, broil or grill poultry, meat and fish instead of frying it.
• Remove the skin and all visible fat from meat and poultry food items.
• Leave cooked soup, chilli and stew in the fridge over night to allow the fat to harden and settle on top.  Remove the excess fat with a spoon.
• Choose fresh or dried spices and herbs to season vegetables, fishes, and meat dishes instead of butter and cream sauces.
• Line baking sheets with parchment paper instead of greasing the pan. Makes for an easy clean-up as well!
• Use applesauce (or yogurt, depending on the recipe) to replace some of the fat in baked goods.

To Cook with More Vegetables:

• Keep a variety of canned and frozen vegetables to add to any dish.  The added colours, vitamins and minerals will do your body good!
• Take the time to clean some vegetables when you get home from the grocery store.  Having these ready will make that afternoon snack more accessible.
• Pair each main meal with vegetables and fruit, making them the main ingredient of any dish.

To Cook with Less Sodium:

• Choose sodium-reduced options of soups, sauces, soy sauce and crackers.
• Cook from scratch as often as you can,  flavouring your food with fresh garlic, ginger, lemon juice, spices and herbs.
• Rinse canned vegetables, meats and beans well before adding them to a dish to rid of any excess salt.

To Cook with More Fibre:

• Add ground flax to smoothies, salad dressing, muffins and granola.
• Add a can of beans to soups, salads, pasta dishes or casseroles.
• Incorporate the edible skin of fruits and vegetables, as this is where the majority of the fibre is held.