Stand-ins for Healthier Living

 

Use the following tips to trim fat in your favorite recipes.  Experiment to determine the type and amount of substitutions that can be made without compromising flavor.

If the recipes says: Try this instead:
Whole Milk Skim or 1% Milk
Light Cream Equal portions of 1% milk and evaporated skim milk
Heavy Cream Equal portions of half-and-half and evaporated skim milk
1 ounce baking chocolate 3 tablespoons cocoa (if you need to replace fat in chocolate, add 1 tablespoon or less of vegetable oil
Fudge Sauce Chocolate Syrup
Nuts, Coconut Reduce amount called for in recipes; toast to enhance flavor
Whipped Cream Whip chilled evaporated milk or use reduced-fat whipped topping
Sour Cream Low-fat or non-fat sour cream, low-fat yogurt, or blend 1 cup low-fat cottage cheese with 1 tablespoon skim milk and two tablespoons lemon juice
Mayonnaise Reduced-fat or fat-free versions, low-fat or fat-free plain yogurt
Mayonnaise on a sandwich Reduced-fat or fat-free versions, mustard, fruit and vegetable chutney, salsa
Butter, lard, margarine, shortening To cut total fat, reduce amount called for in recipes by 1/3.  In baking, replace some fat with fruit purees.
Oil (in baking) Equal amount of applesauce in some recipes
1 Whole Egg 2 Egg Whites
Cream Cheese Reduced-fat (often called "Neufchatel cheese") or fat-free versions
Ricotta Cheese 1% cottage cheese, skim or non-fat ricotta
Whole-Milk Cheese Skim-milk mozzarella or low-fat or fat free versions
Higher-fat cuts of meat labeled "choice" or "prime" grades Leaner meat cuts labeled as "select" grade, such as round, sirloin, top loin, lean and extra-lean ground beef
Luncheon Meats Low-fat versions of higher-fat luncheon meats, skinless turkey or chicken breast, lean ham or roast beef
Sausage Homemade sausage made from low-fat ground turkey or lean ground pork
Bacon Canadian bacon, lean ham, lean pork strips.  Watch sodium.
Olives, coconut, etc., as salad garnishes Decorative fruit and vegetable garnishes that are lower in fat, such as cucumber slices, orange segments or twists, carrot curls and tomatoes roses.
Higher -fat frosting

Sifted confectioner's sugar, sifted cocoa or flavored marshmallow cream.

 

Back to Nutrition

Copyright © 1998 - 2008 Baptist Healthcare System & Central Baptist Hospital
1740 Nicholasville Road | Lexington, Kentucky 40503 | (859) 260-6100 | Contact us
Home | Mission Statement | Privacy Notice | Site Map | Disclaimer
Physician Directory
Career Center
Health Encyclopedia
Virtual Tours