Our busy schedule often means eating out. So whenever you've got the chance to cook at home, it's important to serve up healthy, low-fat dishes. Check out these six simple ways you can reduce fats and oils in your cooking without compromising the taste of your food.

1. Low-fat cooking methods

Cut down on deep-fried dishes and explore these healthier cooking methods instead. Try steaming, baking and broiling as no extra oil is added to the foods. Stir-frying in chicken, beef or vegetable broth adds a great flavor and really cuts down on the fat. Cooking in foil packets in another great low-fat way to prepare meals: Add flavorings such as herbs and spices to food, wrap in individual foil packages, then bake, steam or barbeque. This allows the food to retain all the flavor, moisture and nutrient value.

2. Leaner cuts

Always trim the skin and fat from your meat, or go for leaner cuts. For beef, cuts graded as 'Prime' have more marbling (i.e., the distribution of fat throughout the meat). Opt instead for 'Choice' or 'Select' cuts of sirloin, tenderloin and flank steak. For pork, the leanest cuts are tenderloin and loin chop, whereas skinless chicken thigh and breast are the leanest among poultry choices.