• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Everblossom

  • Oils
  • DIY Beauty
  • Garden
  • Herbs
  • Nutrition
  • Wellness
  • About
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Oils
  • DIY Beauty
  • Garden
  • Herbs
  • Nutrition
  • Wellness
  • About
search icon
Homepage link
  • Oils
  • DIY Beauty
  • Garden
  • Herbs
  • Nutrition
  • Wellness
  • About
×

Home » Blog » Nutrition

15 Real Food Swaps You Can Make for Lighter Meals

Published: Oct 4, 2018 Modified: Mar 2, 2022 by Everblossom Team This post may contain affiliate links, as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

1 shares
  • Share
  • Email
  • Print

Sometimes our favorite recipes call for heavy, fatty ingredients, but it’s not hard to make a few creative, real food substitutions when you cook. Try these fifteen surprisingly delicious swaps if you want to lower the calories.

1. Butter and cream are very nutritious - but they're also high in saturated fat. Mashed potatoes with olive oil and garlic are fabulously still rich with less saturated fat.
2. Swap the sugar in your morning oatmeal for cinnamon. It’s calorie-free and packs a flavor wallop.
3. Bulking up hamburger patties with shredded zucchini cuts calories and fat without detracting from the big, beefy taste.
4. Replace half the oil in brownies and chocolate cakes with naturally sweet applesauce.
5. Mix zucchini wedges with strips of potatoes for lower-calorie mock French fries.
6. Make low-fat canned baked beans taste as rich as their carb-heavy counterparts with chopped onion, yellow mustard and a dash of Worcestershire sauce.
7. Replace white pasta in chicken soup with fiber-rich white beans or chickpeas.
8. Add shredded vegetables to jarred pasta sauce to lighten the calorie load.
9. Try a swipe of plain fiber-filled hummus instead of mayo on burger and sandwiches.
10. Bulk up scrambled eggs with greens. They’re not just for salads!
11. Ditch the butter on corn on the cob. Try a squeeze of lime and a little cumin.
12. Make microwave popcorn at home in a paper bag using olive oil instead of butter.
13. Season plain veggies with vitamin-rich nutritional yeast flakes instead of salt.
14. Use fat-free peanut butter powder in smoothies and oatmeal instead of fat-full peanut butter.
15. Replace sour cream spoonful for spoonful with thick, low-fat Greek yogurt.

These fast and healthy nutritional fixes can make your recipes just a little bit lighter - give them a try next time you whip something up!

More recipes you may enjoy

  • Roasted Pumpkin Kale Quinoa Salad
  • 7 Alternative Sources for High Quality Meat
  • DIY Beeswax Wrap for Food Storage
  • Dandelion + Elder Flower Champagne
1 shares
  • Share
  • Email
  • Print

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

Welcome to Everblossom Your guide to learn how to use nature-based self-care, herbalism, aromatherapy, and nutrition to naturally support your overall health and well-being.

More about Everblossom →

Popular Articles

  • 15+ Self-Care Tips To Help You Make It Through Winter
  • How to Prioritize Self-Care for A More Consistent Routine
  • DIY Avocado Guacamole Bath Bombs
  • 100 Rituals to Manifest on a New Moon

Seasonal Posts

  • 15+ Self-Care Tips To Help You Make It Through Winter
  • Winter Wisdom Essential Oil Blend
  • Is it the winter blues or something more?
  • The Best Natural Remedies for Dry Winter Skin

Footer

↑ back to top

Emily Kyle As Featured In

Contact

  • About

Important

  • Privacy Policy
  • Disclosure
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Accessibility Policy

Copyright © 2023 · Emily Kyle Nutrition, LLC · Emily Kyle, MS, RDN, HCP · All Rights Reserved