Ideas for reducing fat
Here are a few simple ways you can start going easy on the fat right away.
Cut down
Many snack foods are high in fat and should be seen as a treat. Try to limit the amount of crisps, buns, cakes, pastries and biscuits your kids eat.
Look for lower fat
Compare food labels and choose low fat spreads, and lower fat varieties of dairy foods such as semi-skimmed milk, low-fat yoghurts and reduced fat cheese. Sausages and burgers are generally high in fat, so try looking for lower fat meat such as skinless chicken or lean mince. It doesn’t necessarily have to be expensive - try turkey (without the skin on) or turkey mince.
Change your cooking
Cutting off any visible fat from meat and skin from poultry before cooking, and draining off fat after cooking are easy ways to cut down on fat. Grilling meat instead of frying it is a great idea too.
Tasty, healthy food swaps
Swapping foods is easy to do and means you don’t have to miss out. Try switching to oven chips rather than deep frying them, or having a dollop of yoghurt (frozen or fresh) or sorbet instead of cream or ice cream.
Simple supermarket swaps
Here are a few of the fattiest of kids’ favourite foods, and an easy, lower fat alternative. See if they can spot the difference!
| Leave on the shelf |
Put in basket |
| Streaky bacon |
Back bacon |
| Croissant |
Bagel |
| Butter |
Lower fat spread |
| Sausages |
Vegetarian sausages |
| Doughnut |
Currant bun |
| Biscuits |
Malt loaf |
| Cream |
Reduced fat Greek yogurt |
| Cheese sauce |
Tomato or vegetable sauce |
| Ice cream |
Lower fat frozen yogurt |
| Full fat milk |
Skimmed or semi-skimmed milk |
| Cheddar cheese |
Lower fat cottage cheese |
| Burgers |
Fish fingers (grill instead of fry) |
| Minced beef |
Turkey mince |
