I have a deep love for cheese, in all shapes and forms, and feel it really does make anything better. At the same time, I am also someone who generally tries to eat pretty healthfully but who isn't planning on denying herself something as good as melty mozzarella or salty cheddar in order to fulfill that. I am totally in the "everything in moderation" camp and am constantly striving to fit all the tasty foods into a diet full of the more wholesome stuff like veggies and whole grains. Doing so is actually quite easy if you follow this simple trick.

Lighten Up Your Meals by Choosing High-Flavored Cheese

Like I said, I really hold no biases against types of cheese, but when I am looking to fine-tune my diet or lighten it up a bit, I reach for cheeses that pack more of a punch than others. Sure, I love mild provolone and creamy Gouda, but they don't deliver that much flavor, which means you need to use more to taste them.

Instead, if you're looking to add cheese to a dish — be it pasta or pizza, tacos or burgers — opt for a stronger-flavored cheese like soft goat cheese, extra-sharp cheddar, or smoked mozzarella. Since these varieties pack more of a punch, you won't need to use as much of them to make them stand out in your meal, which means you've instantly lightened it up.

Feel free to try swapping these cheeses in for milder cheeses in your favorite recipes. Most of the time, you can get away with using about half as much than what the recipe calls for, given their stronger flavor.

Have you ever tried this trick? What are some of your favorite tricks to lighten up meals?