14/12/23, 00:48 Healthy cooking methods - Canada's Food Guide

Canada’s
food guide Healthy cooking methods

The way a food is prepared matters for your health. There are many different healthy cooking
methods.

Choose healthier cooking methods

A healthy meal starts with healthy ingredients. However, the way these ingredients are prepared or
cooked also matters when making a healthy meal.

Some methods of preparing and cooking can require lots of sodium, sugars or saturated fat. These
include:

curing
deep-frying
caramelizing

Try one of these healthy preparation methods instead the next time you make food at home. You can
also look for dishes cooked using these methods when you eat out.

Baking
Baking uses dry heat to cook foods slowly and evenly in an oven.

Baking is often used to cook:

breads
seafood
vegetables
lean meats or poultry

Healthy recipes that involve baking:

baked cheese stratas

savoury broccoli and cheese muffins
crunchy turkey fingers with oven fries

Broiling
Broiling uses very high heat for a short amount of time to cook food quickly and evenly. You can do
this in the oven by putting the food on the top rack or by using a toaster oven.

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Broiling is often used to cook:

fish
lean cuts of meat
some vegetables like mushrooms

Because the high heat cooks the food quickly, try slicing foods thinner for even cooking. Remember to
cut off any excess fat before broiling.

Healthy recipes that involve broiling:

eat your greens frittata

Grilling
Grilling is commonly done on a barbecue, but it can also be done on a griddle or grill pan. Use a hot
grill to help prevent food from sticking. Using a lid will help cook your food quickly.

Grilling is often used to cook:

fruits like:
mangoes
peaches
pineapple
vegetables like:
peppers
zucchini
eggplant
tomatoes
tofu or tempeh
fish or shellfish
lean cuts of meat or poultry

Grilling can be creative. Try cutting vegetables and fruits into slices or chunks, or even make kebabs.

Healthy recipes that involve grilling:

orange soy tofu pockets

lip smacking barbecue drumsticks
honey grilled salmon and asparagus

Poaching
Poaching simmers food in a pan of liquid like water or stock to cook food quickly.

Poaching is often used to cook:

eggs
poultry
some vegetables
some fruit, like pears
fish like salmon and white fish

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Healthy recipes that involve poaching:

classic poached eggs

Roasting
Roasting is normally done in an oven and often requires the use of oil.

It is similar to baking, but starts at a high temperature to create a crisp surface on the food. The
temperature is then lowered until the food is cooked.

The food is normally left uncovered when roasting.

Roasting is often used to cook:

vegetables, such as:

squash
carrots
zucchini
potatoes
sweet potatoes
lean meats or poultry

Try:

leaving the skin on your vegetables to get more fibre

using spices and herbs to flavour your food instead of relying on salt for flavour

Healthy recipes that involve roasting:

spaghetti and turkey meatballs

Microwaving
Microwaving heats the food by causing the water content of the food to move around quickly. This
causes the food to heat up very quickly.

Microwaving can be used to:

cook
reheat
defrost

Pressure cooking
Pressure cooking uses steam that is sealed in an airtight pressure cooker to cook food. This cooks food
very quickly.

Pressure cooking is often used to cook:

rice
stews
soups
stocks
bean dishes

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Slow cooking
Slow cooking uses low heat to cook food over a long period of time.

Slow cookers allow you to assemble ingredients in the pot of the slow cooker. You can leave it to cook
while you are doing other things.

Slow cookers are often used to cook:

stews
soups
casseroles

Healthy slow cooker recipes:

slow cooked lasagna

Stir-frying or sautéing
Stir-frying and sautéing involve cooking small or thin pieces of foods quickly. They involve frying foods
with small amounts of oil, vegetable stock or water.

Stir-frying or sautéing is often used to cook:

fish
tofu
vegetables
lean meats or poultry

If you are using vegetables that take a while to cook, try adding them first or steaming them before
they are added.

Remember that stir-frying and sautéing just need a small amount of oil. Also remember to
choose healthy fats, such as:

olive
canola
soybean
sunflower

Healthy recipes that you can stir-fry or sauté:

beef fajitas with lime sour cream

Mediterranean tomato ricotta pasta

Steaming
Steaming is typically done in a steaming basket (one with holes) either on a stovetop or in a
microwave. Heat the water to create steam. Place the foods over the steam and add a lid to capture the
steam.

Steaming is often used to cook:

vegetables like:
carrots

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broccoli
asparagus
cauliflower
fish and shellfish like mussels

No-cook
Not all foods need to be cooked to make a meal. You can make healthy meals by combining different
foods.

No-cook meals are often used to prepare:

wraps
salads
cold soups
sandwiches
tofu summer salad rolls
snack plates that can include:
nuts and seeds
whole grain bread
vegetable sticks and avocado slices

Try different combinations of no-cook foods to make delicious meals and snacks.

Healthy recipes that you don’t need to cook:

terrific tuna and tomato salad

fresh avocado and bean lettuce wrap
crowd-pleasing chickpea and carrot salad

For recipes and more food guide resources visit:

Canada.ca/FoodGuide

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