Southern girl problems- Fried food

KellyAnn1874

I can't be the only girl on here that lives in the deep south were everything is fried! It's so hard to avoid and say no to all the delicious crispy foods out here, which is part of why I have gained a little weight. Do any of you who live in the south have any good tips for resisting? Or maybe some replacement recipes/good substitutes when I'm faced with a craving for something deep fired and golden brown?

amh83

I am from Louisiana, so I know what you mean! I love my cajun, creole, and southern comfort foods. I still eat them, just not as much. I would be interested in replacements/ substitutions also!

KellyAnn1874

I don't know how you do it! I'm from Alabama, so we don't have nearly as many tasty things as yall do! Every time I go to New Orleans I just tell myself that those calories don't count. I don't even want to know how much weight I would gain if Mother's po boys and Acme Oyster House were within a 30 mile radius haha

angelbeville

Nope, you're not the only girl here dealing with this issue! I'm a Ohio transplant now, but True Grit at heart (Girl Raised in the South). For Christmas, I'll be going home to Georgia where the Bacon Grease container sits on the back of the stove and seasons EVERYTHING - from cornbread to collard greens. It's the way I was raised, and the reason I have been fat since birth!

But I've made such a healthy lifestyle change in the last few months that I don't want to ever go back! That said - I know the food is delish - I know I will have some - and I know I will enjoy it! then I will get back on the wagon and make the best choices I can for the rest of my life.

For those of you who live in that Deep Fried Culture every day, my only advice is to plan for it occassionally. Someone once told me to eat well 80 percent of the time. Maybe that will work for you!

noelslp

I've heard of grounding down Fiber One Original Bran cereal and using that to coat chicken or something and "faux-fry" it by baking it in the oven. I've never actually tried it but some friends have and they say it's pretty good.

isisbryan

OMG!!!! Who in the world invented fried/comfort food should be shot! I'm from Texas and we have the same problems. The "healthy options" are just as fattening. So, I just get the fried stuff and enjoy it. I work it off later.

I order lettuce wrapped burgers and get the small fries. I heard suggestions to get the kid size meals if the restaurants will let an adult purchase them. Some restaurants won't. I love the Cotton Patch Restaurant because they let you get a half size meal.

Instead of frying the meal, I bake it. I cut potatoes up and put them in the oven. For meats, I use seasoned bread crumbs and plain yogurt to coat. I put it in the oven at 450 degrees. It saves some calories. It is not as good as fried but it better for you.

Alachofra15

Ok I'm not Southern (well I am, but Southern England... lol) but you could try home-cooking as much as you can. You could look for a Southern cuisine cookery course and ask the teacher for healthy substitutes they recommend.

I bought a low fat/ low calorie American cookbook recently, and alot of the stuff in it is really filling, spicy, but wholesome stews and one-pot meals that are supposed to be Southern-inspired. It's actually a vegan cookbook called Appetite for Reduction - I'm not vegan but was recommended it and love it.

Or remember most things that are fried can also usually be grilled or roasted at home will much less fat.

stylistchik

I'm from the midwest but spent the last 3 years of the FL/GA border and the food is SOOO different! if you like fried food you might want to check out Hungry Girl's "faux frying" method. If you're just having trouble coping, take in some of the abundant fresh fruits and veggies that are around almost all year! I miss the year-round farmers markets mmmm fresh peaches....

hello77kitty

Bump,would love to hear responses!

bahamachick

I live in The Bahamas and we enjoy alotttttttttttt of fry foods with very little to no veggies, I just find way to avoid some stuff and look for replacement for others. I love fry chicken to death, but I started eatting rotisserie chicken instead. It still taste good but way healthier. I also make baked wedges instead of fries, with Mrs. dash instead of salt. Try wheat pasta over white, then every now and then indulge in your craving in small amounts.

Being prepared helps alot too, eatting before you go certain places ensure that you will not be hungry so u will not be so tempted to cheat. I still struggle with this myself, especially during this holiday season.

Hope this helps.

amh83

I've heard of grounding down Fiber One Original Bran cereal and using that to coat chicken or something and "faux-fry" it by baking it in the oven. I've never actually tried it but some friends have and they say it's pretty good.

I have done this with fish. I used plain corn flakes and baked it in the oven. It was pretty good

KellyAnn1874

I live in my sorority house so I can't really cook (which makes sticking to an eating plan kind of difficult), so I have to rely on what our cook makes or go out. And our cook is an old southern lady that loves to make comfort food, and it's really delicious but the girls and I would love some healthier options. We plan on talking to her at the beginning of next semester and making a "resolutions menu". I plan on saving a bunch of recipes that she could test next semester! I've already got about 6!

summer827

I'm from near you! I just have to find other foods I am happy with and plan for my favorites occasionally. Personally, I don't keep any unhealthy foods or fry anything at home and I save my splurges for the things I REALLY love. For me, it's not quite so much fried foods, but other butter and/or cheese laden foods. I like to wait for when I can get something really good and homemade to go over my calorie goal. A fast food restaurant's food or a grocery store convenience food item isn't worth it to me, I've decided.

getitamb

Anything fryable was at the Texas. Stuff that shouldn't be fried. So I feel you.

sandy2006

Grew up in NC! Never ate anything green growing up. No veggies unless you consider corn a vegetable. We ate fried everything and mashed potatoes(powder from a box) and mac n cheese and grits! Daily! Very hard for me not to fall into the comfort foods!

savlyon

I would recommend cutting the portion sizes of the deliciousness. Bulk up on salads.
Also, check out the Hungry Girl cookbook or website. A Resolution menu suggestion is a great idea! Hopefully the southern gal will take you up on it!

Every cultural group has it's struggles. I live in Nebraska, and our "comfort" food is BEEF and mashed potatoes/corn. It took a long time to get out of that habit.
Good luck to you!

mjbrenner

I love my fried food, and I pretty much hate giving it up, so I won't. Here are my tricks for frying and still eating pretty healthy:

Use garbanzo flour instead of wheat flour. It has a faintly nutty taste that goes really, really well with meat and fish, but it doesn't have the grittiness of whole wheat flour. It is similar in calories to wheat flour, but it has less digestible carbs and more protein. Even if you don't season your breading, you won't miss white flour.

Fry at a HOT temperature. The hotter the oil you cook in, the less the oil will be absorbed by your food. If your food won't cook all the way through without burning, that's okay, because you can . . .

Fry your food briefly, then bake it to finish cooking. This gives the crust on your food that nice fried flavor, but you don't spend a long time just soaking up more oil while the insides cook. For both fried and baked meats, the inside essentially cooks by steaming. This meas that once you fry the outside of the food at a hot temperature, the flavor is not changed if you finish it in the oven.

If you give these a try, let me know how they work out for you. This is what I do in my kitchen, and it's been great for me.

KatiD83

I live in Kentucky and love fried foods. I still eat them, but in moderation. My trick is to pair my fried foods with veggies or salads. I have been making fried chicken at home, without skin, and a light breading (no batter). I cut 3-4 chicken tenders up on a salad full of veggies and found I eat less chicken than if I made it with mac and cheese.

CraigG75

I am from North Carolina and I love all that southern food. It's tough but I just eat in moderation and not too often. Smaller portions help also.

KellyAnn1874

I'll just have to use our salad bar a whole bunch haha

carolkobe

I have whatever I want to eat every ten pounds I lose, I mean that very day!! I dream about what that will be while I'm working out and I have a week to balance the calories over:) In addition I find being good for breakfast and lunch (while at work it's crazy busy so this is easier for me) allows me more flexibilty for dinner. Coming up to Thanksgiving I made sure I got a workout in every day no matter how tired I was and didn't use those calories, I also saved a few extra food calories each day and for the first time did not gain weight and ate (small portions) of everything that I really wanted:)

You could try the Hellman's oven "fried" chicken in between:
1/2 cup 1/3 less fat mayo
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
Pinch of pepper and cayenne if you like a kick
Coat skinless chicken with this mixture (if can be messy but worth it!)
Roll the chicken in seasoned bread crumbs abd bake at 425° for 20 minutes or until cooked through.


Created by MyFitnessPal.com - Nutrition Facts For Foods

pixiechick8321

This is one of the reasons I gain weight whenever I go home (GA).

Suggestions:
eat healthy for breakfast and lunch - try and eat more of your calories when you control the food, and then eat a smaller sized supper

bring snacks with you throughout the day so you aren't starving when you get back to the house

give your cook a day off and then make it a sister event to come up with a recipe and cook together

A fun rush event could involve getting favorite "healthy" recipes together in a special book to pass down.

Finally, she's someone y'all hire, so you can dictate her food (or the president can)...just offer options (like panko instead of bread crumbs or like a light layer instead of frying triple layers or using different oil, or baking potatoes instead of frying them) and make sure the equipment is available for her.

mrsskinny629

I live in my sorority house so I can't really cook (which makes sticking to an eating plan kind of difficult), so I have to rely on what our cook makes or go out. And our cook is an old southern lady that loves to make comfort food, and it's really delicious but the girls and I would love some healthier options. We plan on talking to her at the beginning of next semester and making a "resolutions menu". I plan on saving a bunch of recipes that she could test next semester! I've already got about 6!

Look up the magazine "Southern Comfort Diet Foods" They have some amazing recipes in there that would make you feel guilty for eating, but is totally healthy!!

howajett

I live in Mobile, AL, so I definitely know your pain. Health and nutrition definitely is not forefront in the minds of the culture here. I'll have to look up that southern comfort diet foods magazine myself, sounds interesting.

lovecrystaljoy

Try This!

Balsamic-Marinated Pork Chops & Grilled Peaches
.
Serves: 4
Hands-on time: 10 minutes
Total time: 1 hour, 20 minutes (includes 1 hour for marinating)

Gluten Free
•1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
•1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
•3 tbsp honey
•1 tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped
•4 5-oz lean boneless pork chops, trimmed of visible fat
•Olive oil cooking spray (optional)
•Sea salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste
•4 peaches, halved and pitted
•Fresh thyme leaves for garnish

INSTRUCTIONS:
1.In a small bowl, whisk together vinegar, oil, honey and rosemary. Reserve 2 tbsp and add the rest to a 1-gallon zip-top bag. Add pork to bag and refrigerate for 1 hour, turning occasionally.
2.Preheat broiler to high or coat a grill pan with cooking spray and heat to medium-high over stove. Remove pork from fridge, discard marinating liquid and season pork with salt and pepper. Broil pork or cook in grill pan until pork is opaque throughout and feels firm to the touch, or until internal temperature reaches 160°F on an instant-read thermometer, about 5 to 6 minutes per side.
3.Meanwhile, cook peaches under broiler or in a grill pan over medium heat until tender and juicy, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate, season with pepper and brush with reserved 2 tbsp marinade. To serve, place a pork chop on each of 4 plates and top with 2 peach halves. Garnish with thyme leaves.

Nutrients per serving (5 oz pork chop, 1 peach, 2 tbsp marinade): Calories: 310, Total Fat: 10 g, Sat. Fat: 3 g, Carbs: 23 g, Fiber: 1 g, Sugars: 21 g, Protein: 31 g, Sodium: 125 mg, Cholesterol: 95 mg

kittzle

I'm in NW Arkansas... and trust me, it's torturing - I want my fried foods and my gravy!
I would make a list of what I miss, but that would make me too hungry...

monalissanne

I've heard of grounding down Fiber One Original Bran cereal and using that to coat chicken or something and "faux-fry" it by baking it in the oven. I've never actually tried it but some friends have and they say it's pretty good.

I did the same thing with Pork Rinds when I was doing the low carb thing. Panko bread crumbs are a fat free option. My grocery store sells them in the International Foods aisle with the Japanese products. Panko breading is crunchy even when you bake it. I think I've seen them use it on Down Home With the Neely's a few times.

CallmeSbo

I am from South Africa and I love Southern Fried chicken. Its my weakness...

KimAggie04

I am from Texas. We love fried food and mexican food! To loose weight I started eating oatmeal every morning to start the day right (no more breakfast tacos). Then I still indulge in my favorite dishes occassionally, but I just eat a lot less of it. For example when I bring fried chicken home, I'll eat one piece of chicken and steam fresh vegetables for the side. To steam vegetables, you only need a microwave. I always plan my meal for the day and make sure that I am under my calorie goal.

zbmb30

I am from Tennessee. I love fried things. I mean where else but the south can you find fried oreos, fried chicked, fried pickles. . .the list goes on. Most of the time the only fried things I like are french fries and fried chicken. One of the things that help me is just not eat out as much, so then I'm left with what I have at the house. I grill the chicken on my George Foreman grill. If it gets boring, you can add other things to it that aren't bad.

tigersword

When done properly, frying is actually a very healthy way to cook. The extra fat and calories from fried food generally don't come from the cooking oil, it's the breading that's added to the food (eggs, butter milk, bread crumbs, etc.) if you change up the breading, and keep your oil at a consistent temperature, than you should be able to have fried food without too much issue.

Here's how it works. Food has water in it. When you drop food in hot oil the water inside turns to steam and pushes out. As long as the steam is pushing out, oil can't get in. It's only when the oil is not hot enough to convert the water to steam, or when the food is overcooked to the point that all the water is cooked out of the food, that oil can be absorbed.

Fry properly, pay attention to portion sizes, and like anything else, it's nothing to be afraid of. I shallow and deep fry all the time.