Try these tips to decrease the total fat content, sodium and calories in recipes. Also use the suggestions at the end of the article to increase fiber in recipes for healthier eating.

If you have tried nonfat, low salt or sugar substitutes in the past and did not like them, you may find formulas and options have changed in the past few years. The health benefits may make them worth a second trial.

Good luck, here’s to a healthier, leaner 2010!

Tips to reduce total fat and loser calories:
Instead of -
Shortening, butter, margarine or solid fat – such as lard
Try this:
Use ¼ less liquid oil or solid fat called for in the recipe. If the recipe calls for 1 cup, use ¾ cup. If the recipe uses ¼ cup shortening use 3 tablespoons of oil. Use equal amounts of oil for melted shortening, margarine or butter.

Instead of -
Shortening, butter, or oil in baking
Try this:
Use applesauce or prune puree for half of the butter, shortening or oil. You may need to reduce baking time by 25%.

Instead of -
Whole milk, 2% milk, half and half, or evaporated milk
Try this:
Use skim milk, 1% milk, evaporated skim milk, fat-free half and half, or plain soymilk fortified with calcium.

Instead of this:
Butter, shortening, margarine or oil to prevent sticking, and fat to sauté or stir-fry
Try this:
When frying foods use cooking spray, water, broth or nonstick pans.

Instead of -
Full-fat cream cheese
Try this:
Use low-fat or nonfat cream cheese, Neufchatel or low-fat cottage cheese pureed until smooth.

Instead of -
Full-fat sour cream, full-fat cottage cheese and full-fat ricotta cheese
Try this:
Use nonfat or reduced fat sour cream or fat-free plain yogurt (In no-cook recipes as yogurt is not heat stable.)  Use 2% or fat-free cottage cheese. Use part skim ricotta.

Instead of -
Eggs
Try this:
Use egg whites (usually 2 egg whites for every egg) or ¼ cup egg substitute.

Instead of -
Whole fat cheese 
Try this:
Using reduced fat or fat-free cheeses; but add these at the end of the baking time. Part skim mozzarella cheese also may be used…be sure to read labels for fat content.

Instead of -
Frying in a pan
Try this:
Use cooking methods such as baking, boiling, broiling, grilling, poaching, roasting, stir-frying or microwaving.

Instead of -
Regular mayonnaise or salad dressing
Try this:
Use low-fat, reduced or non-fat mayonnaise or salad dressing.

Instead of -
Canned fish packed in oil
Try this:
Use water-packed canned fish.

Instead of -
Fatter cuts of meat- or cooking fowl with the skin on
Try this:
Leaner cuts of meat or ground meat, and remove any skin on fowl before cooking.

Instead of -
Ground beef or ground chuck
Try this:
Ground round or ground sirloin, watch for “family-size” sales on these items and freeze in more usable portions if you cook for only one or two persons. Ground lean turkey and chicken also may be used…again, check fat content on labels.

Tips to reduce sodium:
Instead of -
Salt 
Try this:
Omitting salt or reducing salt by ½ in most recipes (except in products with yeast). Cook foods without adding salt. Don’t put salt shaker on the table. Read sodium content on labels, you may be surprised at how much hidden salt already is in your meals.

Instead of -
Frozen or canned vegetables
Try this:
Choose frozen vegetables without sauces or use no-salt-added canned goods. Rinsing canned vegetables will also help to reduce sodium.

Instead of -
Seasoning salts or spice mixes with salt
Try this:
Use salt-free seasonings and spice mixes. Use herbs, spices, lemon juice or vinegar to flavor food instead of salt. Seasonings high in sodium include catsup, chili sauce, chili powder, bouillon cubes, barbeque sauce, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce and meat tenderizers. Look for low sodium versions.

Tips to reduce amounts of sugar:
See also the VVMC website article: "If there must be cookies" – for a chart on sugar substitutes.

Instead of -
Sugar
Try this:
Reducing sugar by ¼ to 1/3 in baked good products and desserts. If a recipe calls for 1 cup, use 2/3 cup.  Cinnamon, vanilla and almond extract can be added to give an impression of sweetness. Do not remove all sugar in yeast breads as sugar provides food for the yeast.

Instead of -
Sugar
Try this:
Use sugar substitutes according to package directions. Some are not suitable for use when baking.

Instead of -
Fruit-flavored yogurt
Try this:
Plain yogurt with fresh fruit slices or use light versions of yogurt.

Instead of -
Syrup
Try this:
Pureed fruit, such as no sugar added applesauce, or sugar-free syrup. Grated apples with cinnamon, warmed - also make an excellent topping instead of syrup.

Instead of -
Sugar in canned or frozen fruits
Try this:
Decrease or eliminate sugar when canning or freezing fruits or buy unsweetened frozen fruit or fruit canned in its own juice, water or light syrup.

Instead of -
Regular puddings, gelatin and soda pop
Try this:
Most brands offer a “sugar-free” variety.

Ways to increase Fiber:
Instead of -
White rice, enriched grains
Try this:
Whole grain, brown rice, wild rice, whole cornmeal (not degermed), whole barley, bulgur, kasha, quinoa or whole wheat couscous.

Instead of -
All purpose flour
Try this:
Substitute whole wheat flour for up to ½ of the flour. For example, if a recipe calls for 2 cups flour, try 1 cup all purpose flour and 1 cup minus 1 tablespoon whole wheat flour. Use “white whole-wheat flour” or “whole wheat pastry flour” for total amount of all-purpose flour.

Instead of -
Pastas, crackers, cookies, cereals
Try this:
Whole grain pastas, crackers, cookies and cereals.

Instead of -
White bread
Try this:
100% whole grain bread and 100% whole wheat bread. The “100% whole” labeling is what makes a difference in fiber content

Instead of -
Iceberg lettuce
Try this:
Romaine lettuce, endive and other leafy lettuces or baby spinach.

Instead of -
Meat
Try this:
Use more dried beans and peas. Add legumes and lentils to many different dishes: try adding lentils to your spaghetti sauce.

Instead of -
Peeled fruit and vegetables
Try this:
Add extra fruits and vegetables, such as adding grated carrots to spaghetti sauce, leaving apple peels in apple crisp, zucchini bread, etc. Add extra fruits and vegetables to recipes and include the peel when possible.