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Grilled Cheese While Dieting
How to Reduce Calories

Written by Sky Taylor, Diet Bites

Grilled Cheese Sandwich Incognito

If You're Not Eating at Least One Grilled Cheese Sandwich Daily, You Might be Lagging in the Weight Loss Race

Any stressed dieter is acutely aware that enjoying a grilled cheese sandwich while dieting is taboo - not recommended by most leading health experts.

Perhaps not - but if you are embracing a healthy diet, odds are that you are eating at least one grilled cheese sandwich daily, whether leading health experts like it, or not.

Traditional Grilled Cheese Recipe

The traditional recipe for grilled cheese is: Two slices of bread spread with margarine or butter layered with one slice of cheese.  

All of these foods are included in the daily nutritional recommendations by the USDA, even for ultra low calorie daily diets.

Here's our take as we step out of the Diet Box to view the USDA's daily nutritional recommendations for a 1,400 calorie diet which incorporates the makings of a grilled cheese sandwich - which are highlighted in red.

Food Groups, Daily Serving Size

Fruits = 1.5 cups
Vegetables = 1.5 cups
Grains, Breads = 5 ounces
Meat, Beans = 4 ounces
Milk, Dairy = 2 cups
Oils = 4 teaspoons
Discretionary Calories - allow about 170 kcals for foods that do not fit into the official food groups - such as a candy bar.

Notice that the grilled cheese sandwich is traveling incognito.

The only element lacking is the stove or grill.

This unique take on the daily diet almost makes a dieter inclined to feel naughty, as if they are getting away with something which is not only harmless, but also good for them!  

Sort of fits the old saying, "He who laughs last, laughs best," doesn't it?

Cheese & Dieting

While cheese and margarine might not be at the top of the Healthiest Foods List on the Official Food Pyramid, they are there!  

In addition, they are recommended and recognized by the USDA, as well as qualified health professionals as a healthy addition to the daily diet.

Our original example just goes to show that many of our favorite foods can be enjoyed by incorporating healthy foods AND that just because a food appears Diet Evil, it just might be a Diet Angel in disguise.  Even a small slice of cheese pizza.....

A Few Nutrition Notes for the 1,400 Calorie Diet

Grains: 1 slice of bread equals 1 ounce from the Grain Group

Milk & Dairy: 1 1/2 ounces of natural cheese or 2 ounces of processed cheese equals 1 cup and sources should be skim, or low fat.

Oils: Margarine used to prepare the sandwich. Example of 1,400 Calorie Diet

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