Meatloaf is a family favorite but unfortunately traditional recipes are loaded with calories and saturated fat. With a few substitutions, subtractions and additions, meatloaf can be both a family favorite and a healthy option.

Ingredient List

Original Meatloaf Recipe
Yields 8 Servings

• 1 1/2 pounds ground beef
• 1 large egg
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 cup 2% milk
• 1 cup dried bread crumbs
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar (packed)
• 2 tablespoons mustard
• 1/3 cup ketchup
• salt and pepper to taste

FitDay Recipe
Yields 8 servings

• 3/4 pound lean ground turkey plus 3/4 pound lean ground beef
• 2 egg whites
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 cup, 1% milk
• 3/4 cup breadcrumbs
• 1 tablespoon Splenda brown sugar blend, packed
• 2 tablespoons mustard
• 1/3 cup reduced sugar ketchup
• salt and pepper to taste

Nutritional Information* (serving size = 1/8th of loaf)

Original Meatloaf Recipe

• Calories 377
• Protein 18 g
• Fat 25 g
• Saturated Fat 10 g
• Sugar 10 g
• Cholesterol 101 mg
• Sodium 363 mg
• Fiber 1 g
• g = grams; mg = milligrams

FitDay Recipe

• Calories 235
• Protein 20g
• Fat 11g
• Saturated Fat 4g
• Sugar 5g
• Cholesterol 61 mg
• Sodium 330 mg
• Fiber 1g

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450°F.
2. Saute chopped onions until brown.
3. In a large bowl, combine the turkey, beef, egg, onion, milk and bread crumbs. Season with salt and pepper to taste and form into a loaf and place into a baking dish leaving at least 1" on all sides.
4. In a separate small bowl, combine the Splenda® brown sugar blend, mustard and ketchup. Mix well and pour over the meatloaf.
5. Bake at 450° F for 15 minutes and then reduce temperature to 325°F until internal temperature is 160° (approximately 35-45 minutes).

With a few changes, you can make a big nutritional difference in your family's meatloaf. The above recipe alterations eliminated 142 calories and over 50% of total and saturated fat per serving. Be sure not to eliminate all fat because fat is what contributes the majority of the flavor. In order to get both healthy and flavorful meatloaf, I would recommend not going below 95% lean meats. Other great meat combinations would be ¾ ground lean turkey and ¼ pork sausage (fat drained) or substitute 33-50% of the meat for tofu. For more fiber plus beneficial omega-3's, add a 1/3 cup of flaxseed mill.

Ingredients that are used as binders for meatloaf include eggs, milk and bread crumbs. Typically not all three of these are needed to hold the loaf together. Try reducing the amount of bread crumbs, using low-fat milk and egg whites or eliminating the milk or eggs entirely. Chopped or pureed vegetables such as carrots, green peppers and celery can also be added to increase the volume and act as binding agents. To add extra flavor, try adding low sodium soy sauce or Worchester sauce. The next time meatloaf is on the menu, get creative and try at least one change to make your family recipe healthier.

*Nutritional information is only an estimate.