Baked Mozzarella Sticks

Cheese sticks can have 700 calories and 41 g fat plus a day’s worth of saturated fat. Make your own with panko (Japanese breadcrumbs) and low-fat cheese sticks.

Swap the mozzarella for Cheddar to change things up, and dip into your favorite salsa or marinara sauce.

(152 calories per serving).

Cheesy Stuffed Tomatoes

You’ll love this spin on the tomato-basil-mozzarella salad.

• Hollow out two small tomatoes, then fill each with 1/4 cup low-fat cottage cheese.
• Top with chopped basil or chives for a quick, protein-packed snack.

Queso-Salsa Dip

This cheesy snack is so easy, it doesn’t require a recipe:

• Stir one serving (approximately 1 oz.) of reduced-fat or fat-free cream cheese into your favorite salsa
• Microwave until warm and bubbly.
• Serve with your favorite baked chips or sliced veggies.

Cheese Quesadilla

When you crave something warm and cheesy, a simple quesadilla is a great choice.

• Place 1 oz. of your favorite reduced-fat cheese inside a whole-wheat or corn tortilla.
• Microwave until warm or heat in a skillet, flipping halfway through.
• Slice into at least four wedges and dip into salsa or tomato sauce.
• Add lean chicken or beans for protein and veggies for a boost of filling fiber!

Better Cheese Dips

Make your own cheesy dip to save money, and you’ll also cut down on extra fat, salt and calories.

Pimento Cheese

Pimento cheese is salty, creamy and tangy but also quite fatty. Slim yours down by choosing reduced-fat mayo and cheese, and up the nutrition factor by stirring in chopped scallions and extra pimentos. These recipes have under 200 calories a serving!