When making food for friends and familiy I slip in a lot of changes to cut the fat and calories. When making lasagna I use the whole wheat noodles, soy crumbles or 97 % lean ground chicken (or turkey). I make my own sauce with no added salt tomato sauce with added italian seasoning and veggies such as peppers, mushrooms, onions and spinach. I also top with 4 percent milk fat cheese and no one ever notices that it has been "healthified". You can do small little tricks to boost nutrion and cut the fat. As for the ham you can make it leaner by first boiling it (cuts out the additional sodium and some of the fat) before oven roasting. Choose leaner cuts of meat and make them last longer by cutting the meat up and adding veggies for a stirfy or a caserole.

For some low calorie sweet desserts you can try some of the following.

-fat free surgar free ice creams or frozen yogurts

-fat free/sugar free jello puddings

-sugar free gelatin with fat free cool whip

-a small bowl of sweeter cereal like mini wheats

-fat free yogurts come in individual containers and make a great treat

-popcicles  are ready grab treats

-the 100 calorie cookie/muffins/cake packs make quick desserts but are not that filling and are high cost.

-ready made crepes with fruit and cool whip or even chilled with fat free/sugar free pudding and shaved chocolate.

In the place of traditional flour you can use brown rice flour, this is a wheat free alternative or there is corn flour as well.

I have used brown rice flour in cakes and muffins and it seems to work ok, the end product is a little more dense but the taste is not changed.

Usually you can use grilled chicken or even roasted chicken for cubed chicken or if in a time pinch grab some already cooked chicken strips and cut them into cubes.

For dessert ideas how about replacing the ice cream with fat free/sugar free frozen yogurt. I know Blue Bunny has a few that range in calories of 70-120 per half cup serving. Sugar free jello with some fat free cool whip is another good dessert idea either comes ready made or you can make a box and store it in individual servings for later. Fat free yogurt can be a good dessert as well plus you are getting some calcium with that. Angel food cake either made at home or store take away with a few berries is a good dessert idea. You could also make a fruit and better plate with some sugar free chocolate syrup or cool whip as a dipping sauce.

You can also use pumpkin in replace of butter as well and it works out well.

I try to aim for at least 40 g of fiber a day. A typical day for fiber intake for me goes:

1/2 cup fiber one original= 14 g

1/2 cup fiber one honey c=6.5 g

2 slices of diet multigrain bread=4 g

1 la tortilla factory tortilla =12 g

1 mini bag of 94 % ff popcorn =4 g

1 medium apple=4 g

approx daily intake=44.5 g