Take Comfort in Healthy Comfort Food

When the temperature drops, do you suddenly crave meat loaf and mashed potatoes? Grandma’s cookies? We all have foods that make us feel good, but these old family favorites tend to be loaded with fat and calories. Take heart; you can find comfort in your favorite foods without hurting your health.

• Prepare food yourself rather than relying on fast food restaurants or takeout.
• Add canned, frozen or fresh vegetables and beans to soups, stews and casseroles. They will add bulk to help fill you up, plus provide you with additional vitamins, minerals, and fiber. If you’re watching your salt intake, pick up ShopRite no-salt added canned vegetables.
• Try broth-based rather than cream soups. If you make cream soup, substitute low-fat milk or evaporated skim milk for cream; the texture may change, but it will still taste good.
• Choose lean meats and skinless poultry; bake, don’t fry. When making a dish like meatloaf, look for extra-lean ground beef or try preparing it with ground turkey breast.
• Use reduced-fat cheese and whole wheat pasta when making macaroni and cheese. Choose sharp cheese for extra flavor.
• Prepare pizza at home. Pizza doesn’t have to be a thing of the past, try preparing pizza at home using whole wheat crust, reduced fat cheese and topping it with your favorite vegetables.
• Try frozen yogurt instead of ice cream. It has less fat, and some brands even have more calcium and vitamin D.
• Snack on fiber-rich foods like carrot sticks with reduced-fat dressing, fresh fruit, and air-popped popcorn (without butter) instead of chips.
• Watch drinks like hot chocolate and specialty coffees prepared with whole milk: They can be high in fat and calories, and beverages provide only a short-term feeling of fullness. If ordering a latte or milk-based drink, ask for it to be prepared with skim milk.
• Limit portion sizes. Believe it or not, you can even overeat healthy foods
• Don’t forget exercise!

Substitute these heart-healthy alternatives for high-fat ingredients:

• egg whites or egg substitutes instead of whole eggs
• low-fat or skim milk instead of whole milk or half-and-half
• reduced-fat cheese instead of regular cheese
• whole grains rather than white or enriched bread, rice and pasta

For a new healthy recipe each week, visit the health and wellness section of ShopRite.com for the Right for Tonight weekly meal idea.