Have you ever planned out a meal, set out all the ingredients and then realize that you are missing that “one thing”? It can be frustrating. You realize that you either must step out and go to the store to pick up the one thing that is missing or consider making something else. What if there was another option?
Many of our meals and recipes can be made with small ingredient substitutions. In many cases you will not even taste the difference in the meal. In other cases, the meal may only taste slightly different but still delicious. Other times you can simply improvise to make use of what you have before it goes bad.
Take avocado for example. Avocado is one of those foods that reaches its peak during a specific window. If it is not consumed during that time, then it becomes food waste. Let’s say your goal is to make a taco dinner. Your plan for dinner includes sides of diced tomatoes, chopped lettuce, shredded cheese, guacamole and sour cream. You’ve taken time to prepare and season your protein of choice. Time for the guacamole. You have two perfectly ripened avocados that need to be eaten by tomorrow morning. However, you forgot to grab cilantro and red onion. In this case it’s best to improvise. Mush the avocados in a bowl, add olive oil, salt and pepper and red pepper flakes. You can add this to your taco and refrigerate any that is left over to have in the morning with eggs and toast. Next, you’ve warmed up the tortillas and go to grab the sour cream from your refrigerator. You come to find that you have no sour cream. Sure, you can have tacos without sour cream but if you have Greek yogurt, you can use it in place of sour cream.
Cooking Substitutions
What else can we substitute? It really is all about what you have available and your dietary preferences. Below you will find selected well-known ingredient substitutions.
Baking Substitutions
| Ingredient | Substitution |
|---|---|
| 1 cup yogurt | 1 cup of sour cream or buttermilk |
| 1 cup of buttermilk | 1 cup of milk + 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar |
| 1 cup of heavy cream | ¾ cup of milk + 1/3 cup of melter butter |
| 1 large egg | 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed + 3 tablespoons water |
| 1 cup of mayonnaise | 1 cup of sour cream or plain yogurt |
| 1 cup of breadcrumbs | 1 cup crushed crackers, pretzels, rolled oats or crushed cereal. |
| 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh herbs | ½ teaspoon dried herbs |
| 1 teaspoon baking powder | ¼ teaspoon baking soda + ½ teaspoon cream of tartar |
| ½ teaspoon baking soda | 2 teaspoons baking powder |
Baking Substitutions
What about baking? Perhaps you have a recipe for cake or cookies or bread. Ingredient substitutions are also possible for baking recipes.
| If you don’t have: | Use this: |
|---|---|
| 1 cup of oil | 1 cup of applesauce |
| 1 tsp baking powder | ¼ cup baking soda+ ½ tsp cream of tartar |
| 1 cup unsalted butter | 1 cup shortening or 7/8 cup vegetable oil |
| 1 tsp cream of tartar | 2 tsp vinegar or lemon juice |
| 1 cup corn syrup | 1 ¼ cup white sugar + 1/3 cup water |
| 1 cup buttermilk | 1 tbsp lemon juice or vinegar + enough milk to make a whole cup |
| 1 whole egg | ¼ cup applesauce or ¼ cup mashed banana |
Shopping Swaps
Are you going food shopping and just considering making healthier substitutions as part of your shopping list? You can purposely swap out some items without sacrificing flavor.
Sour cream is delicious, but a healthier alternative is plain low-fat Greek yogurt, which will provide more protein and less fat. Use mashed bananas, fruit purees, or stevia in place of sugar. If you are looking to reduce or eliminate the use of mayonnaise on your sandwich, consider using avocado or hummus for healthy fats and protein.
It’s no surprise that meat has increased in costs. Using ground turkey, ground chicken or lentils in place of ground beef is a cost effective and healthier alternative. Do you enjoy having sugared beverages or soda with your lunch? Try sparking water with lime. Replace croutons with nuts or seeds for salads.
Consider using an air fryer instead of deep-frying food if you have access to one. Small changes over time can lead to healthy results for the long-term. You may surprise yourself and make recipes “your own” by substituting for your favorite alternatives.
Be sure to check out our recipe database and print your favorite recipes. Try them as is or make them your own.
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