When following a low-fat diet, packaged foods that are labeled "low fat" or "fat free" are usually allowed. Keep in mind that just because these foods are low in fat, they are not necessarily low in calories. Sweeteners are often added to improve the taste of low-fat foods, which increases the calorie count. According to the Ohio State Medical Center, low-fat foods have 3 g of fat or less per serving.
Meat, Fish and Poultry
Choose meat that has little visible fat, or has fat around the edges that can be trimmed away before cooking. Avoid meat that has a marbled appearance from streaks of fat. Loin or round cuts of meat tend to be lower in fat. The University of Nevada recommends giving ground beef a hot water rinse after cooking to eliminate as much fat as possible. In the case of meatloaf where it is not possible to drain away fat, use ground round instead of hamburger. Choose fish that is packaged in water instead of oil. Chicken should be prepared without the skin.
Dairy
Use dairy products that are labeled "low fat" or "fat free." This includes milk, cheese, cottage cheese, ice cream, sour cream, cream cheese and pudding. Milk is sometimes labeled as "reduced fat," "low fat" or "nonfat." According to the USDA, reduced fat milk is the same as 2 percent milk and contains around 5 g of fat per cup. Low-fat milk is 1 percent milk and contains about 3 g of fat per cup. Nonfat milk is the same as skim milk and contains only trace amounts of fat.
Fruits, Vegetables and Legumes
Fruits and vegetables are considered low-fat foods, with some exceptions like olives and avocados. While these are high in fat, they contain the healthy type of fat that is good for you. Legumes are low-fat or fat-free as long as they are not prepared with any added oils or butter. Soups made with vegetables and legumes should be made with skim milk or low-fat broth. If full-fat broth is used, allow the soup to cool so the fat will rise to the top and solidify. Remove this top layer of fat before consuming the soup.
Packaged Foods
Labeling on packaged food is standardized to guide you when shopping for low-fat food. According to the University of Nevada, foods that are labeled "fat free" contain 0.5 g or less of fat in each serving. "Low fat" foods have 3 g or less. "Less fat" and "reduced fat" means each serving has 25 percent less fat than the regular variety of that food. "Light" means the food has 50 percent less fat or 1/3 less calories that the regular variety of the same food.
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