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Low-Calorie, Lower-Fat Alternative Foods

Ranked #72,938 in Healthy Living, #787,536 overall

These low-calorie alternatives provide new ideas for old favorites. When making a food choice, remember to consider vitamins and minerals. Some foods provide most of their calories from sugar and fat but give you few, if any, vitamins and minerals.

Read labels as you shop. Pay attention to the serving size and the servings per container. All labels list total calories in a serving size of the product. Compare the total calories in the product you choose with others like it; choose the one that is lowest in calories.

Dairy Products

- Evaporated whole milk
+ Evaporated fat-free (skim) or reduced-fat (2%) milk

- Whole milk
+ Low-fat (1%), reduced-fat (2%), or fat-free (skim) milk

- Ice cream
+ Sorbet, sherbet, low fat or fat-free frozen yogurt, or ice

- Whipping cream
+ Imitation whipped cream (made with fat-free [skim] milk)

- Sour cream
+ Plain low-fat yogurt

- Cream cheese
+ Neufchatel or "light" cream cheese or fat-free cream cheese

- Cheese (cheddar, Swiss, jack)
+ Reduced-calorie cheese, low-calorie processed cheeses, etc.

- Whole milk ricotta cheese
+ Part-skim milk ricotta cheese

- Coffee cream (1/2 and 1/2) or nondairy creamer (liquid, powder)
+ Low-fat (1%) or reduced-fat (2%) milk or non-fat dry milk powder

Cereals, Grains, and Pastas

- Ramen noodles
+ Rice or noodles (spaghetti, macaroni, etc.)

- Pasta with white sauce (alfredo)
+ Pasta with red sauce (marinara)

- Pasta with cheese sauce
+ Pasta with vegetables (primavera)

- Granola
+ Reduced-fat granola
+ Cooked grits or oatmeal

Meat, Fish and Poultry

- Coldcuts or lunch meats (bologna, salami, liverwurst, etc.)
+ Low-fat coldcuts (95 to 97% fat-free lunch meats, low-fat pressed meats)

- Hot dogs (regular)
+ Lower-fat hot dogs

- Bacon or sausage
+ Canadian bacon or lean ham

- Regular ground beef
+ Extra lean ground beef such as ground round or ground turkey (read labels)

- Chicken or turkey with skin, duck, or goose
+ Chicken or turkey without skin (white meat)

- Oil-packed tuna
+ Water-packed tuna (rinse to reduce sodium content)

- Beef (chuck, rib, brisket)
+ Beef (round, loin) (trimmed of external fat)

- Pork (spareribs, untrimmed loin)
+ Pork tenderloin or trimmed, lean smoked ham

- Frozen breaded fish or fried fish (homemade or commercial)
+ Fish or shellfish, unbreaded (fresh, frozen, canned in water)

- Chorizo sausage
+ Turkey sausage, drained well (read label)
+ Vegetarian sausage (made with tofu)

Baked Goods

- Croissants, brioches, etc.
+ Hard french rolls or soft brown 'n serve rolls

- Donuts, sweet rolls, muffins, scones, or pastries
+ English muffins, bagels, reduced-fat or fat-free muffins or scones

- Party crackers
+ Low-fat crackers (choose lower in sodium)
+ Saltine or soda crackers (choose lower in sodium)

- Cake (pound, chocolate, yellow)
+ Cake (angel food, white, gingerbread)

- Cookies
+ Reduced-fat or fat-free cookies (graham crackers, ginger snaps, fig bars) (compare calorie level)

Snacks and Sweets

- Nuts
+ Popcorn (air-popped or light microwave), fruits, vegetables

- Ice cream, e.g., cones or bars
+ Frozen yogurt, frozen fruit or chocolate pudding bars

- Custards or puddings (made with whole milk)
+ Puddings (made with skim milk)

Fats, Oils, and Salad Dressings

- Regular margarine or butter
+ Light spread margarines, diet margarine, or whipped butter, tub or squeeze bottle

- Regular mayonnaise
+ Light or diet mayonnaise or mustard

- Regular salad dressings
+ Reduced-calorie or fat-free salad dressings, lemon juice, or plain, herb flavored, or wine vinegar

- Oils, shortening, or lard
+ As a substitute for oil or butter, use applesauce or prune puree in baked goods

Miscellaneous

- Canned cream soups
+ Canned broth-based soups

- Canned beans and franks
+ Canned baked beans in tomato sauce

- Gravy (homemade with fat and/or milk)
+ Gravy mixes made with water or homemade with the fat skimmed off and fat-free milk

- Fudge sauce
+ Chocolate syrup

- Avocado on sandwiches
+ Cucumber slices or lettuce leaves

- Guacamole dip or refried beans with lard
+ Salsa

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