Use these ingredient substitutions to cut down on calories, fat, cholesterol and sodium in your favorite recipes but keep the flavor.
  • Butter, margarine, shortening or oil

    Butter, margarine, shortening or oil

    Replace 1 cup of butter with ¾ cup of a healthy oil (avocado, canola, corn, olive or sunflower). Applesauce or prune puree can replace half of the butter or shortening in recipes for baked goods.
  • Eggs

    Eggs

    Instead of whole eggs, try 2 egg whites or 1/4 cup egg substitute for each whole egg.
  • Evaporated milk

    Evaporated milk

    Evaporated skim milk can be substituted equally with regular evaporated milk.
  • Cream cheese

    Cream cheese

    Substitute fat-free or low-fat cream cheese or low-fat cottage cheese (pureed until smooth) for regular cream cheese.
  • Sour cream

    Sour cream

    Replace sour cream with fat-free plain yogurt or fat-free/low-fat sour cream.
  • Mayo

    Mayo

    Try plain yogurt as a substitute for mayonnaise.
  • Sodium

    Sodium

    Replace table salt with cumin, cayenne, cinnamon, garlic, ginger, lemon peel, nutmeg, onion powder, oregano, paprika, black pepper or rubbed sage.
  • Sugar

    Sugar

    Cut the amount of sugar by half.
  • Canned fruit

    Canned fruit

    Instead of canned fruit in heavy syrup, use fresh fruit or canned fruit in its own juices or water.
  • Yogurt

    Yogurt

    Use plain yogurt instead of fruit-flavored yogurt.
  • White flour

    White flour

    Substitute ½ cup of wheat flour for 1 cup of white flour.
  • Bread crumbs

    Bread crumbs

    Replace plain bread crumbs with oatmeal or bran cereal.
  • White bread

    White bread

    Use wheat bread or whole-grain bread instead of white bread.