Even if you know everything there is to know about fat, it could be hard to put that knowledge into practice.  Fortunately, there are lots of healthy options to help you eat fat-sensibly whether you’re shopping for groceries, cooking at home or eating out. This section features some of the best advice we’ve collected to help you make good decisions.

A healthy diet balances the number of calories you eat with the number of calories you burn. It emphasizes eating vegetables, fruits, whole-grain/high-fiber foods, fat-free and low-fat dairy products, lean meats, poultry, fish (at least twice a week) and limiting your saturated fat, trans fat and cholesterol. Also, drink fewer beverages and eat fewer foods with added sugars; choose and prepare foods with little or no salt.

As you begin making healthier choices, remember that old eating patterns can be hard to break, so you may not be able to change overnight. Introduce improvements to your diet gradually. Before you know it, your new choices will become as routine as your old ones.

	Heart-Healthy Recipes Enjoy tips and recipes from celebrity chef Alton Brown and others.		Snacking Choose and prepare healthier snacks by making some heart-healthy choices.
	Reading Food Labels Learn how to decipher food labels and make healthier choices.		Eating Out Learn how to enjoy healthier meals when you eat out.
	Grocery Shopping Find out how to fill up your shopping cart with good-for-you foods.		Eating Fast Foods Learn about heart-healthier options for when you’re eating on the run.
	Cooking Learn some healthier ways to prepare and cook food at home.		Sensible Substitutions Easy substitutions all in one place.

Summertime means grilling time. Keep these important tips in mind to help you grill “fat-sensibly” through the summer season.

Last update October 2009