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Healthy cooking

General cooking tips

  • Rather than frying foods try: grilling, stewing, poaching, steaming, boiling, dry roasting, stir-frying, dry frying, micro-waving or baking in the oven, instead.
  • Try using non-stick cookware to reduce the fat needed
  • If you have to use oil in cooking, measure it onto a spoon (rather than pouring it from the bottle) to help reduce the amount that you use. For a healthy heart use olive oil, rapeseed oil or canola oil. 

Cooking with meat

Grill meat on a rack so that the fat drips away.

Brown meat and mince without adding fat or oil

Choose lean meat and mince, trim the visible fat off the meat and the skin off poultry before cooking

Cooking with dairy products

Use reduced-fat and low-fat dairy products (such as skimmed milk, semi-skimmed milk or reduced-fat cheese) whenever possible

Use a small amount of strong cheese for flavouring and grate it rather than slice it (it looks like you have a lot more)

Choose a low-fat spread rather than butter (for a healthy heart, choose a spread based on olive oil or rapeseed oil) but still use these sparingly.

Replace cream in recipes with low fat natural yogurt, low fat fromage frais or reduced fat crème fraiche

Sauces and flavourings

Salad dressings, mayonnaise, cream and rich sauces are all high in fat so choose low fat versions (whatever spread you use, use it sparingly)

Use stock cubes, stock and corn flour or a little gravy powder to make gravy rather than fatty juices from the meat

In casseroles and stews use less meat and add more beans, pulses or vegetables

Choose tomato or vegetable based pasta sauces rather than cheesy or creamy ones

Spices, herbs, lemon juice and vinegar are a low fat, tasty way of flavouring foods. Also try using soya sauce, Worcestershire sauce, fresh chillies, fresh ginger or garlic to add flavour

How do I start?

Why does it matter if someone is overweight?

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