Stretch meat dishes with pasta or vegetables for hearty meals. You can use less meat this way and still have the flavor. Experiment with substituting applesauce for oil or cut back the amount of oil in the recipe. Use dry peas and beans as the main ingredient in casseroles, soups, or other one-dish meals. They are excellent sources of protein and fiber.
Examples are canola, corn, olive, peanut, safflower, sesame, soybean, and sunflower oils.
Buy light or nonfat mayonnaise instead of the regular kinds that are high in fat. When using fats and oils, use only small amounts and substitute those high in unsaturated fat for those high in saturated fat. For a spread, use tub or liquid margarine , or vegetable oil spread instead of butter. Flavor cooked vegetables with herbs or butter-flavored seasoning. Even though they have less fat, they still may be just as high in calories.