Making the Healthier Cut

Grilled chicken breast

Including lean proteins, such as skinless poultry, fish and lean cuts of pork and beef to your meal provides nutrients, vitamins and minerals for your body. Protein is essential for building muscle and keeping strong – especially as a person ages.    

A recommended portion of protein is about 3 ounces cooked per meal. That’s about the size of the palm of your hand or a deck of cards. Use healthy cooking methods when cooking poultry or meat, such as air frying, slow cooking, baking, broiling or roasting. 

Poultry

  • Healthier choices are:

    • Skinless chicken and skinless turkey with all visible fat discarded.
    • Lean/extra lean (skinless) ground turkey or chicken. 
    • Choose poultry that has not been injected with a sodium solution. 
    • Wild game can be lower in fat than animals raised for market. 

  • Budget tips:

    • Buy chicken or turkey parts with skin-on or bone-in, which tend to be less expensive. Discard the skin and all visible fat before cooking.
    • Buy a whole chicken or turkey and cut into pieces. Discard the skin and all visible fat before cooking. 

Pork and Beef

  • Healthier choices are:

    • Look for beef and pork labeled loin and round. These cuts have the least amount of saturated fat.
    • Buy choice or select grades of beef rather than prime. Be sure to discard the visible fat before cooking.
    • For hamburgers or meat loaf, choose 90% or more lean ground beef. If you purchase ground beef that is 90% lean or less, pour off the fat after browning. 

  • Budget tip:

    • The healthiest cuts of meat usually are the least expensive, including choice or select grade meats, beef sirloin, lean ground beef, flat-iron steak and bone-in-pork loin chops.

Fish

  • Healthier choices are:

    • Look for fatty fish such as mackerel, salmon, herring, black cod, anchovies and sardines.
    • Buy lean fish fresh, frozen or canned and avoid breaded fish options.
    • Choose fish that are grilled, baked or broiled instead of fried.

  • Budget tips:

    • Buy canned fish such as anchovies, salmon or albacore tuna, they last a long time and store well. Choose no-added-salt or low-salt options, and rinse fish before cooking to remove any remaining salt.
    • Many sustainable species such as salmon, cod, tuna and sardines are less expensive, buy these in bulk and freeze.
    • When buying fresh fish check to see what types are in season, these will be less expensive. 

Last Reviewed: Aug 28, 2024