Food...

The Dairy Case
Try plain, low fat or no-fat yogurt as a mayonnaise or sour cream substitute.
Look for part-skim mozzarella's (or fat free better yet), part-skim string cheese, part-skin or low fat ricotta and light and/or reduced calorie cheeses that contain less than five grams of fat per ounce. Go for low-fat cottage cheese.

Choose skim milk or low fat milk, or better yet, instant nonfat dry milk instead of regular whole milk or cream.

Substituting Flavor for Fat

• For most cooking and baking you can easily replace regular whole milk with reconstituted instant nonfat dry milk and save calories and fat while reducing cholesterol.
• In the dry milk section you will also find low calorie cultured buttermilk blend, perfect for baking and as a low fat replacement for milk in a wide variety of recipes.

Bread and Cereal

• Look for cereal with at least two grams of fiber, eight grams or less sugar, and two grams or less fat per serving.
• Compare portion sizes and calories on cereal labels. Some call a portion 1/4-cup, others 1-1/2 cups!
• Look for whole grain cereals; oatmeal, cracked wheat, etc.

Canned Foods

• Choose 100-percent pure fruit juices over fruit "drinks" and punches.
• Many dry coffee creamers are mostly saturated fat and sugar. Instant nonfat dry milk is an excellent replacement.
• The edible bones of canned salmon and sardines provide calcium.
• If your sodium level is restricted, check sodium levels of canned foods. Many plain canned items (tuna, vegetables, soups, etc.) contain high quantities of hidden salt. See also: BellyBytes.com: Canned Food Convenience

Snacks, Sales and Sodium

• Look for products that limit palm, kernel, or coconut oil. If those items are high on their ingredient list, keep looking.
• Thick, unsalted pretzels are lower in fat and sodium than most other packaged snacks.
• Graham crackers, animal crackers, gingersnaps and fig bars have less sugar and fat than most other cookies.
• Microwave popcorn is usually high in fat and sodium. Make your own in an air popper. Use a butter flavored substitute in place of butter and salt.
• Rice and pasta mixes are usually high in sodium; use only half the seasoning packet or choose fresh herbs to add flavor.
• Try not to grocery shop when you are hungry - it's true that you are likely to buy more - and more of the "bad" items. And avoid buying a snack item just because it is on sale.

Dressings

• Soft tub margarine and spread is made with unsaturated oils. Regular butter and margarine have about 100 calories per tablespoon; spreads have 80 calories per tablespoon; whipped butters have 70 calories per tablespoon.
• Light mayonnaise has about half the calories of regular mayonnaise (mix diet mayonnaise with an equal amount of mustard and at about 30 calories per tablespoon, you have a zippy, low fat, low calorie sandwich spread).
• Diet dressings with less than ten calories per tablespoon can be used as a taste-enhancing marinade for meat, poultry, or vegetables.

Meat Counter Musts

• Select only lean, well-trimmed cuts; flank steak, round steak, ground round or roasts, sirloin or tenderloin, loin pork chops, 85 percent lean ground beef.
• Meat graded select has less fat than choice or prime grades.
• Lean beef, pork and lamb are not much higher in dietary cholesterol than poultry or fish, but they have more saturated fat.
• Beef liver is very high in iron, zinc and many vitamins, but also very high in dietary cholesterol.
• Limit high fat meats such as ribs, corned beef, sausage, or bacon. Better yet, eliminate them.

Fresh Fish and Poultry

• Fish from deep waters have heart healthy Omega 3 fatty acids. Choose salmon, tuna, mackerel, sea trout, bluefish, herring, bonito or pompano.
• Fresh ground turkey is a low fat substitute for ground beef.
• Most chicken and turkey nuggets, patties and rolls are made with ground skin and have a lot of salt - better to avoid them.
• Roast meat on a rack and discard the drippings. Steam fish when possible.

Frozen Fast Foods

• To limit fat and sodium, buy frozen fish and poultry without breading.
• Look for frozen dinners with less than 15 grams of fat, less than 400 calories and less than 800 milligrams of sodium.
• Low fat frozen yogurt has less fat than most ice cream.
• If you are an ice cream addict, choose low fat ice milk or low calorie frozen juice and fruit bars instead.

Tidbit
Many people choose a fish sandwich or chicken nuggets at fast food counters thinking they are making a healthier choice. Either choice has more fat than a large hamburger.

Note:  These guidelines are for healthy adults. If you have special health considerations, please consult your physician or registered dietitian for special dietary guidelines.