When a person is planning a dinner party for several friends who are on diets, it may seem like a very hard task indeed. It would be inconsiderate to offer everyone a “day off” from their diets because some individuals are more serious than others about their regimen and may get very irritated. The best avenue is to offer low fat and low calorie dishes that everyone can enjoy. There are so many options today in healthy cooking that the possibilities are endless.
Fat content can always be lowered by either choosing a leaner meat, or simply a different cut of meat. The cooking method also attributes to extra calories, namely fried foods. All of the beef and pork cuts of meat are not created equal. Some are much more fatty or contain a lot of gristle. A rule of thumb is that if “loin” is in the name, then you are getting the leanest pork or beef. For example, pork loin is the leanest pork and sirloin steak and ground sirloin are the leanest in the beef family. Turkey and chicken breast are by far the best choices in lean meats.
Additionally, sugars and fats hide in many condiments that most people don’t think of. Barbeque sauce is delightful on any meat, but it contains quite a bit of sugar. Replacing it with soy sauce tends to add a lot of flavor and far fewer calories. Dressings and dips can contain a large amount of fats too which is from the sour cream and whole milk. There are many varieties on the market which have low fat versions and are just as tasty.
When throwing a party for a group of people on a diet, it is good to keep in mind that you don’t want it to seem like just another tasteless meal to them. Listed below are some examples of substitutions that can be made and many guests will think it is the traditional way of making them.
Appetizers: You can serve the vegetable tray with ranch dip but substitute non-fat yogurt for the sour cream. Want more flavor? Everyone loves little smoked sausages for an appetizer dipped in barbeque sauce. Try 1/2 ground turkey and 1/2 ground sirloin meatballs simmering in sweet and sour sauce. The ground sirloin adds much more flavor than just turkey and using no sugar added pineapple juice to make the sweet and sour makes it diet friendly.
Main Course: If desired, Asian food is figure friendly but your guests have probably had a lot of that recently. It adds to any gathering if the guests have some activity. Shish ka bobs are a party pleaser. You can pre-chop vegetables, fruits and lean meats and set them on a large tray. Each guest gets to make their own shish kabob with the items that they prefer. An interactive party is always a hit. Also, any party that revolves around outdoor cooking on the grill adds a special togetherness and fun while everyone participates in being a chef. Most people on a diet are also exercising. A friendly game of horseshoes will also liven up the gathering.
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