One of my earliest childhood memories occurred at one of my favorite places: the dinner table. I was five-years-old and my dad had marinated and grilled a filet mignon. As a very picky kid, I eyed the piece of meat with disgust. It looked raw, was bleeding out the sides, and was nothing like the mac and cheese or chicken fingers I was used to. So when my dad served it to me, I threw a "hissy fit" and begged him to let me have Eggo Minis instead (remember those? I'm not sure if they are even still around). If it were up to my mom, I would have probably been "lego-ing my ego" in no time. But with my dad it was non-negotiable. After 45 minutes, I finally took a bite of the steak. To my surprise, it was pure bliss to my taste buds. And from that moment forward I was in love with red meat.

As of today, if I could eat any meal in the world, it would hands-down be steak and potatoes. To me, there is nothing else that tastes as good or is as satisfying. But as a nutritionista, there seems to some "beef" when it comes to consuming red meat. Although it's a great source of protein and iron, red meat tends to pack a high calorie punch. Well nutritionistas, I recently found out that's not completely the case! You can eat red meat and not ruin your diet, you just have to select the right kinds. So, I asked Marissa Lippert, Registered Dietician and owner of Nourish Nutrition Counseling, how to steak out the healthiest kinds of red meat at the grocery store. Here are a few of her tips:

1. Always go for cuts of beef that are over 93 percent lean. The healthiest cuts are 95 to 97 percent lean.
2. If opting for a steak choose flank, tenderloin, sirloin, filet mignon, or top round roast. Stay away from T-bone or prime rib.
3. When looking at the grades of meats go for the cuts that are labeled "select." These are the healthiest. A "prime" grade of meat generally has the highest fat content. If you do go for a prime grade, consider eating it in smaller portions (a recommended six to eight ounces).
4. Avoid cuts of red meat that have a marbled look to them. This means they are very high in fat.
5. One of the healthiest types of red meat with a similar taste is buffalo or bison. It is actually lower in calories and fat than chicken!

For more food advice click onto iMag's Food section. Thanks for reading my blog!

Marissa Lippert is a registered dietitian in New York City. Voted as one of the "Best Nutritionists" in 2007 by New York Citysearch, Marissa currently counsels clients through her self-owned company, Nourish. She frequently contributes to numerous publications including Glamour, The New York Times, Women's Health, Woman's Day, Runners World, and Health magazine and has partnered with Equinox Gyms, Whole Foods, Disney and other corporations to plan and promote nutrition and healthy cooking programming and seminars. For more information, see Marissa's Web site.