As a mother of two young children, I am very conscientious about the food I prepare for them and when recipe developing, I incorporate wholesome ingredients whenever possible. Our children rely on us to provide them with wholesome foods and a nutritious diet and as parents, we are responsible for encouraging them to acquire an appreciation for a variety of healthy foods and to develop adventurous palates. Providing nutritious meals for the family doesn’t always mean changing one’s lifestyle and attitude completely toward healthy eating. Sometimes, all it takes are a few minor substitutions in order to provide healthier options.
With these 31 healthy ingredient substitutions you can prepare healthier and lighter variations of your family’s favourite recipes:
Breadcrumbs ➪ Fiber-rich oats, protein-rich nuts or gluten-free rice cakes
Bacon ➪ Prosciutto, pancetta or peameal bacon – they contain half the fat and calories
Butter (baked goods) ➪ Applesauce or mashed banana/avocado-they add a creamy consistency without the fat and calories
Butter (frying) ➪ Extra virgin olive oil or coconut oil—contain heart-healthy
omega-3s and less polyunsaturated fat than butter
Canned fruit ➪ Fruit compotes—use naturally sweet pureed fruit as opposed to artificial sweeteners and refined sugar
Canned legumes ➪ Dried legumes—high in fiber/protein and sodium-free
Chocolate chips ➪ Carob chips—they’re caffeine-free and have a light caramel flavour
Cream cheese ➪ Pureed low fat cottage/ricotta cheese
Cream (in soups/stews) ➪ Pureed potato/sweet potato—they add creaminess without the added fat and calories.
Croutons ➪ Cubed fresh bread, toasted in the oven with extra virgin olive oil and spices
Eggs (baking) ➪ Chia or flax seeds—these superfoods have the same consistency as eggs. (Soak 1 tbs. of either one with 3 tbs. warm water and let sit for about 10 minutes until thickened.)
French fries ➪ Zucchini, eggplant, or sweet potato fries (baked or fried)
Flour (baking) ➪ Fiber-rich beans or whole wheat flour, using a 1:1 ratio
Flour tortillas ➪ Corn tortillas—contain half the calories and fat and are gluten-free
Frosting ➪ Substitute butter with equal parts omega 3-rich avocado
Ground beef ➪ Lean ground chicken/turkey—they contain less fat and calories. (For a vegan option, substitute with ground cauliflower).
Iceberg lettuce ➪ Nutrient-dense leafy greens, such as kale, spinach, or arugula
Ice cream ➪ Banana ‘ice cream’-freeze bananas then puree for a dairy-free snack
Marinades ➪ Wine, balsamic vinegar or fruit juice (oil-based)
Mashed potatoes ➪ Mashed root vegetables—a sweeter, more nutrient-dense option.
Mayonnaise ➪ Avocado mayonnaise—vegan option that is packed with omega 3’s and contains less fat and calories than mayo
Pasta (refined) ➪ Whole grains/pastas (brown rice, quinoa, etc.) or for a vegan option, raw zucchini or squash ribbons.
Potato chips ➪ Kale chips—same crunchy texture, fat-free, and packed with vitamin K and iron
Seasoning Salt ➪ Fresh/dried herbs—they add a sodium-free burst of flavour to food and you can experiment with a variety of combinations
Sour cream ➪ Plain Greek yogurt—contains almost double the amount of protein
Sugar (in baked goods) ➪ Vanilla bean, pure vanilla extract, or natural liquid sweeteners (organic maple or brown rice syrup, agave, or raw honey)
Sweetener (in raw desserts) ➪ Protein-packed fresh Medjool dates-blend into smoothies or puree with water until they become a paste and use as a sweetener
Table Salt ➪ Himalayan sea salt, fresh lemon/lime juice, or Parmesan cheese—they bring out flavour and freshness without the additional sodium.
White rice ➪ Roasted or steamed cauliflower (grated)-it has the same crumbly texture as rice and soaks up a variety of condiments.
Whole milk ➪ Skim milk or dairy-free options, such as coconut or almond milk—they contain less fat and calories and are ideal for vegan diets
Yogurt ➪ Plain Greek yogurt with fresh sliced fruit, sweetened raw (fruit-flavoured) honey or maple syrup
Get these recipes with healthy ingredient substitutions:
Blueberry Mini Muffins
Coconut Curried Lentils & Brown Rice
This is a great list. I have tried avocado chocolate chip cookies before at a health convention and they were delicious. Thank you for sharing
Thanks! You have? That’s a cookie you don’t see very often!
I’m definitely bookmarking this! What a great list!
Great! Thanks!
This is a great list of food substitutions!! I’m not sure if I could do avocado in my frosting but I’m glad that option is available!!
Don’t knock it until you’ve tried it! lol! Actually, you definitely have to be up for it…it’s NOT the same thing, but it is delicious (if you give it a chance!)
Yes, yes, and yes! Great list!
thanx for ths amazig list.If we start using this ingredients in our daily routin am sure we will not have healh issues
I defintely think these make a difference!
Yum what a fabulous list!
It all looks so good, I need to start making some of my recipes with healthier alternatives!
Thank you! These are very easy substitutions to make!
Great list! There are quite a few I did not know about (eggs substitution with chia or flax for example). Thank you!
I eat eggs but I often use chia or flax seeds as a substitute for them in baked goods.
That is really cool!
Thank you for this list. It is never too late to start eating healthy. I guess there won’t be much difference in the taste, so I will start substituting common ingredients for healthier ones.
No problem…I hope it’s helpful for you!
I knew of some of these, but wow what a great list! I didn’t realize that so many of these could be substituted like this!
And there’s so many more!
I use a lot of these but I had no idea that you could puree cottage cheese and use it instead of cream cheese. I’m going to try that soon!
The consistency is slightly different…I’ve tried it once but I added some Greek yogurt to make it thicker!
Wow this list is full of so many awesome suggestions for the kitchen! Small substitutions can make a big difference! Thanks for sharing!
Yes, they can!
Oh my goodness did you say avocado chocolate chip cookies. I must try these. I’m all for eating healthier.
Yes, I did, lol! THey’re very different from traditional chocolate chip cookies but if you want to eat healthy they’re a great substitute!
My dad has a lot of health issues and needs to start eating better. He hates giving up food so we have been looking to “replace” foods instead. This list is perfect!
I think that makes a big difference..it’s one thing to give up on all your favourite foods and another to make small changes.
I use applesauce instead of butter/oil a lot when I’m baking. This is a great list of healthful substitutes.
Works like a charm, doesn’t it?! Thanks!
I need to save this to refer to in the future. This is a great list of substitutions! Thank you so much!
Great, thanks!
I love making healthy ingredient substitutions when baking. It’s such an easy way to cut calories and fat!
And most of the time you can’t even tell the difference!
I’m bookmarking this. This is genius! Thanks for this list, I try to make healthy subs as much as I can.
That’s great, thanks!
What a thorough list! I have just recently been using arugula as a darker green and subbing turkey for ground beef.
And I’m sure whatever you made was just as delicious, right? 😉
Thanks for all the tips. I use coconut oil in place of butter all the time. Those pancetta eggs look amazing.
I LOVE coconut oil!!! And yes, those pancetta eggs ARE delicious! You should try them…and they’re easy to prepare!
I mostly eat a vegan diet because of my intolerance to certain foods, thus I’m always looking for an alternative. I agree that chia or flax seeds make a wonderful egg alternative.
Which do you prefer? I often use chia seeds but I think I prefer flax!
This is such a great resource to come back to, great list of substitutions! Just starting a new clean diet, doctors orders and this will surely come in handy! Thank you!
Good to hear…and good for you for eating clean 😉
Oh wow, I’ve never heard of gluten-free rice cakes being a substitute for bread crumbs – I will have to remember that one. I’m Pinning this on my food hacks Board.
Yes, I use them ALL the time! Gluten-free breadcrumbs cost a fortune!!
This is a really great list! I have been doing more cooking from scratch so thanks for this list.
That’s great Bonnie!
I love using avacado as an oil substutuion. The flavor is amazing! Made a pound cake a while back that used an avacado. It was the bomb!
A pound cake with avocado?? That sounds amazing!!
These are such great tips for substituting foods with healthier ones. I particularly love the banana “ice cream” idea.
You have to try it…it’s delicious! Sometimes I just blend them with some honey and nut butter! YUM!
I’ve heard avocado is a great substitute for butter but I’ve never used it. Will have to give it a try one day.
It’s just as creamy as butter but obviously it doesn’t have that sweet flavour. Works like a charm though 😉
I am absolutely saving this! What a very helpful resource for everyone. It’s great to know these healthy alternatives.
AMittenFullofSavings.com
this is some great information. i’ve saved it to reference for later! thank you!
I’ve done with applesauce instead of butter. And we make BANANA SWIRL which is just frozen and blended bananas. This is a very helpful post.
Blended frozen bananas are the BEST!
Wow, I’ve learnt so much from this post. Never knew half of these. Definitely going to try substituting.
That’s so great to hear…thanks for letting me know!
I have been on a subbing beef for turkey kick latley! Glad to say hubby and the toddler haven’t really noticed!
That’s great! They might catch on one day though 😉
That fried eggs looks amazing, I’m so hungry as is. This is not helping. lol I’ve always heard applesauce was great for baking. I’ve been meaning to give this a try.
Lol, thanks! I rarely use applesauce…I usually opt for bananas because they’re sweeter.
Somebody asked me once about a good substitute for eggs. I had no idea. Good to know all these stuff. Now I know that chia or flax seed can be substitutes for eggs.
They work like a charm!!
This is a great list to print and put on the ‘fridge. Sometimes little changes can turn into big changes. That’s what I’m hoping for with my youngest.
I agree. When you see first-hand that substitutions doesn’t mean compromising flavour, you’ll be more prone to make them on a regular basis, don’t you agree?
I totally agree. And just so you know, I’ve shared this post with just about everyone I know (in real life), and now I’ve tweeted it and facebooked it too. 🙂 You always do a great job though. This one is just a great reference/resource. I love it!
Thanks SO much for the support Rosey! It’s so nice to know when believe in your work 😉
These are great ways to substitute ingredients. I am going to print this off and put it on my fridge.
Great! A few commenters have said that…sorry I didn’t make up a printable version!
Great tips! I actually just started cooking with Organic Olive Oil and I’ve noticed such a difference.
I’m sure you notice the difference in flavour?? I only use the BEST quality olive oil when cooking!
Love this! I’m going to print this out. these are such easy substitutes.
Great! I should have made a printable version of this! Oops 😉
These are great sub ideas. I try to do healthy swaps whenever I can because it can really take away so much fat, sodium, and calories when you swap for healthy ingredients.
Exactly! And I don’t think that you have to compromise on the flavour either 😉
I love substituting potatoes with cauli flower when making mashed. These are great list.
Me too! I love cauliflower!!!
This is a wonderful list. I need to make a few of these switches. Of course, my family would probably protest. 🙂
What they don’t know won’t hurt them?!
This is exactly what I needed! Ive been researching substitutes like crazy lately.
Great! I hope you use some of these!
I’m using some of these substitutes, not all but it is good to revisit this and keep making strides towards healthier choices. BTW a friend of mine pointed out that agave is not really good for us and has been heavily marketed as a healthy product. You can research more on Mercola.com
That’s great! And yes, I’ve heard that about agave. I usually just use maple sryup or honey. I think it’s important to point that our (I’m going to check out that link!) I initially bought agave because of it’s ‘low glycemic index’ since I am hypoglycemic! Not sure if it makes much of a difference…
I love using yogurt and rice as substitutes. What a great list you made!
Rice as a substitute for pasta? And thanks!
avocado mayonnaise sounds like the bomb dot com to me, NOM NOM NOM 🙂
Lolol! I love it!!! If you try any of these you should try that one 😉
It works…LOL!! I am loving those eggplant fries, they look delicious!
My kids aren’t fans of eggplant…but they devour those 😉
What a great list! I am definitely going to start substituting some things in my life!
Oh wow, I’m going to have to try some of these out. I’ve never tried using avocado mayonnaise before!
I LOVE avocado mayonnaise!!! I hardly ever use regular mayo!
Wow, what a great list of healthier alternatives. I knew about some of them but not all. I’m keeping a list of my favorite ones!
There are so many more, I imagine! These are the ones I often use.
I always love finding out more ways to be healthier. Especially now that I have kids. 😀
Om my goodness those alternatives were so helpful. Never seem to have everything at home so having this list handy is perfect!
Good to hear! You can print this and keep it on your fridge or in your pantry! 😉
Excellent list. When there are certain things that you do not want to eat it is very important to find good alternatives. It helps keep you on track with your eating plan.
Exactly!
I am totally pinning this! I need to know all these substitutions I am trying to eat healthier and this will help a lot.
Thanks so much for pinning and sharing!
This is a great list and I am bookmarking this. I am trying to eat healthy and this list will be very helpful.
Great! It’s a really helpful list! I use all of these substitutions on a regular basis!
Thanks so much for sharing this list! I’ve been trying to make healthier choices, but I didn’t know where to start.
It’s easier that we think 😉
This was such a great list. I had no idea about most of these substitutions, but I am definitely going to give a few of these a try.
Many of them are super easy substitutions to make!