It's hard not to love side dishes. Most of us take comfort in cheesy macaroni, creamy mashed potatoes or fluffy rice dishes. We're talking about the beloved sidekicks that can derail just about any diet in spite of the best-intentioned main dish. Take traditional mac and cheese. A 12-ounce serving of the scrumptious side made by Stouffers has a whopping 529 calories and 25 grams of fat. That has more calories and fat than most meals. A side of sweet potato casserole from Boston Market has a whopping 460 calories and 17 grams of fat. One cup of homemade mashed potatoes prepared with whole milk and butter has 237 calories and almost 9 grams of fat. Those numbers are nothing to scoff at. All of these foods may leave your mouth watering. However, they'll also cause your waistline to expand. Cheese, butter, heavy cream, half and half and cream-based soups are the stuff that a high-calorie, high-fat side is made of.
Even if you're not sure of how many calories or fat grams a side dish has, these ingredients are usually indicative of the fact that the dish is going to be heavy on the lips... and the hips. Instead, use skim milk, chicken broth, buttermilk to kick your side dishes up a notch. The secret to a slimming side is using low-fat, low-calorie ingredients. Find recipes that have been given a healthy makeover and eliminated the sources of fat and calories. Or instead of opting for these starchy sides, choose fresh steamed vegetables, salad or whole-grain carbohydrates to complement your main source of protein. This will help you keep your calorie count down.