Tips to Make Recipes Lighter: Low-Calorie, Low-Fat Cooking Substitutions

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Over the years, we've collected many registered dietitians' best low-calorie and low-fat substitution ideas—ingredients that transform recipes but still make them taste delicious. Now, we've compiled them all in one place, along with some nutritious substitution tips, to make your dishes healthier. If you try any of these, we'd love it if you'd post a comment and let other readers know your review!

Cooking

Baking

Meat recipes

For more ideas, check out "Tips for Making Your Meals Lighter."

Low-Calorie or Low-Fat Substitutions for COOKING

IF YOU LIKE ...	TRY ...
butter and cream in mashed potatoes	using buttermilk instead of cream and light butter instead of regular. —Tsang
cream in soup recipes	fat-free half-and-half for a smooth texture without cream's saturated fat. —Duryea OR evaporated skim milk, to save 600 calories per cup (versus heavy cream). —Ruggiero
oil for sauteing	defatted broth or white wine. Substitute 2 tablespoons of fat for calorie and fat savings. —Ruggiero (Editor's note: On the other hand, a small amount of oil with your vegetables can be nutritious. Read more in the box on this page, where it talks about salads and salad dressings.)

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Healthy Substitutions for Bread Recipes

Cornbread:
Add real corn (for flavor, texture and fiber), whole-wheat flour (instead of white) and vegetable oil (instead of butter). Use cranberry sauce instead of butter for a delicious, healthier topping. —Heller

Muffins or Pancakes:
Add ground flaxseed and whole oats to packaged muffin and pancake mixes to increase the fiber and add omega 3s. You can also use frozen berries for additional fiber and an antioxidant boost. —Owens

Muffins, Pancakes or Waffles:
Add puréed, cooked pumpkin, sweet potato or carrots for beta carotene. Grated carrots or zucchini also works well in pancakes and muffins when trying to eat more vegetables. —Priebe

Reduced-Calorie or Reduced-Fat Substitutions for BAKING

IF YOU LIKE ...	TRY ...
butter for baking	Smart Balance 67% Buttery Spread. It bakes and cooks well, exchanging equal amounts of the butter a recipe calls for--with about 65 percent less saturated fat and 20 percent fewer calories. —Duryea (Editor's note: Smart Balance contains palm fruit oil. Read about this ingredient in the box labeled "Palm Oil Controversy" on this page.)
butter in frosting or icing	replacing it with marshmallow creme, for creaminess without fat. —Ruggiero
buttermilk biscuits	substituting whole-wheat pastry flour and using half canola oil and half butter (instead of all butter), for more fiber and less saturated fat. —Hingle
brownies: packaged mixes	substituting equal parts plain, nonfat yogurt for the oil. The brownies are chocolaty and delicious without the fat! —Owens
sour cream in baked goods or recipes	fat-free plain yogurt. It tastes amazing in ambrosia-style fruit salads and is even delicious in stroganoff! (It also has more calcium than sour cream.) —Ruggiero

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Healthy Substitutions for MEAT RECIPES

IF YOU LIKE ...	TRY ...
meatloaf	half extra-lean ground beef (like ground round) and half turkey, with whole-wheat breadcrumbs, for more fiber and reduced saturated fat and calories. (Also, drain the excess fat after the meatloaf's done cooking; this won't dry it out.) —Hingle
fried chicken	oven-baked chicken: Spray chicken tenders with cooking-oil spray. Roll in bread crumbs. Bake at 400º for 20 minutes, turning after 10. —McDonald

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The Experts

Cynthanne Duryea, R.D., L.D., Cooper Clinic (Dallas and McKinney, Texas)
Samantha L. Heller, M.S., R.D., C.D.N., nutrition counselor, Fairfield, Conn.
Melanie Hingle, M.P.H., R.D., senior research specialist, University of Arizona.
Linda McDonald, M.S., R.D., L.D., editor, Supermarket Savvy newsletter
Mindy Podolsky Owens, M.S., R.D., owner, Have a Healthy Home, Los Angeles
Robyn Priebe, R.D., C.D., director of nutrition, Green Mountain at Fox Run health retreat, Ludlow, Vt.
Tina Ruggiero, M.S., R.D., corporate and private nutrition consultant, Tierra Verde, Fla.; blogger, Voice of Reason
Gloria Tsang, R.D., founder, nutrition community HealthCastle.com

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Last updated and/or approved: May 2010. Tips originally appeared in various issues of the former print magazine. Bios current as of their original appearance dates. This article is not meant as individual advice. Please see our disclaimer.

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