Tips for Healthy Food Substitutes

If you usually buy:

Try these:

Milk and Milk Products

1. Evaporated whole milk
    
2. Whole milk
    
3. Ice cream
    
4. Whipping cream
    
5. Sour cream
    
6. Cream cheese
    
7. Cheese (cheddar, Swiss, or jack)
    
8. American cheese
    
9. Regular (4%) cottage cheese
    
    
    
10. Whole milk mozzarella cheese
     
11. Whole milk ricotta cheese
     
12. Coffee cream (1/2 and 1/2)
    or non-dairy creamer (liquid or powder)

1. Evaporated fat-free (skim)
   or reduced fat (2%) milk
2. Fat-free (skim), low-fat (1%),
   or reduced fat (2%) milk
3. Sorbet and ices, sherbet, and
   low-fat or fat-free frozen yogurt
4. Imitation whipped cream (made
   with fat-free [skim] milk)
5. Plain low-fat yogurt
    
6. Neufchatel or "light" cream cheese
   or fat-free cream cheese
7. Reduced calorie cheese,
   low-calorie processed cheeses, etc.
8. Fat-free cheese
    
9. Fat-free American cheese or
   other types of fat-free cheeses
10. Low-fat (1%) or reduced fat
    (2%) cottage cheese
11. Part-skim milk, low-moisture
    mozzarella cheese
12. Part-skim milk ricotta cheese
     
13. Low-fat (1%) or reduced fat (2%) milk or non-fat dry milk powder

If you usually buy:

Try these:

Cereals, Grains, and Pastas

1. Ramen noodles
    
2. Pasta with white sauce (Alfredo)
    
3. Pasta with cheese sauce
    
4. Granola
    
    
    
    
    
5. White rice
    

1. Rice or noodles (spaghetti,
   macaroni, etc.)
2. Pasta with red sauce (marinara)
    
3. Pasta with vegetables (primavera)
    
4. Bran flakes, crispy rice, etc.
    
5. Cooked grits or oatmeal
    
6. Reduced-fat granola
    
7. Brown rice
    

If you usually buy:

Try these:

Meats, Fish, and Poultry

1. Cold cuts or lunch meats
   (bologna, salami, liverwurst, etc.)
2. Hot dogs (regular)
    
3. Bacon or sausage
    
4. Regular ground beef
    
5. Chicken or turkey with
   skin, duck, or goose
6. Oil-packed tuna
    
7. Beef (chuck, rib, or brisket)
    
8. Pork (spareribs or untrimmed loin)
    
9. Frozen breaded fish or
   fried fish (homemade or commercial)
10. Whole eggs
     
11. Frozen TV dinners (containing
    more than 13 grams of fat per serving)
     
12. Chorizo sausage
     

1. Low-fat cold cuts (95% to 97%
   fat-free lunch meats or low-fat pressed meats)
2. Lower-fat hot dogs
    
3. Canadian bacon or lean ham
    
4. Extra lean ground beef such
   as ground round or ground turkey (read labels)
5. Chicken or turkey without
   skin (white meat)
6. Water-packed tuna (rinse to
   reduce sodium content)
7. Beef (round or loin) (trimmed
   of external fat)(choose select grades)
8. Pork tenderloin or trimmed,
   lean smoked ham
9. Fish or shellfish, unbreaded
   (fresh, frozen, or canned in water)
10. Egg whites or egg substitutes
     
11. Frozen TV dinners (containing
    less than 13 grams of fat per serving and
    lower in sodium)
12. Turkeysausage, drained well (read label)
     
13. Vegetarian sausage (made with tofu)
     

If you usually buy:

Try these:

Baked Goods

1. Croissants, brioches, etc.
    
2. Donuts, sweet rolls, muffins,
   scones, or pastries
3. Party crackers
    
4. Cake (pound, chocolate or yellow)
    
    
    
5. Cookies
    
    

1. Hard french rolls or soft
   brown ‘n serve rolls
2. English muffins, bagels, reduced
   fat or fat-free muffins or scones
3. Low-fat crackers (choose
   lower in sodium)
4. Saltine or soda crackers
   (choose lower in sodium)
5. Cake (angel food, white,
   or gingerbread)
6. Fat-free or reduced fat cookies
   (graham crackers, ginger snaps, or fig bars)
   (compare calorie level)

If you usually buy:

Try these:

Snacks and Sweets

1. Nuts
    
2. Ice cream, for example, cones or bars
    
3. Custards or puddings (made with whole milk)
    

1. Popcorn (air-popped or light microwave),
   fruits, vegetables
2. Frozen yogurt, frozen fruit, or
   chocolate pudding bars
3. Puddings (made with fat-free milk)
    

If you usually buy:

Try these:

Fats, Oils, and Salad Dressings

1. Regular margarine or butter
    
2. Regular mayonnaise
    
3. Regular salad dressings
    
    
4. Butter or margarine on toast or bread
    
    
    
5. Oils, shortening, or lard
    

1. Light spread margarines, diet margarine,
   or whipped butter, tub or squeeze bottle
2. Light or diet mayonnaise or mustard
    
3. Fat-free or reduced calorie salad
   dressings, lemon juice, or plain,
   herb-flavored, or wine vinegar
4. Jelly, jam, or honey on bread or toast
    
5. Non-stick cooking spray for
   stir-frying or sautéing
6. As a substitute for oil or butter,
   use applesauce or prune purée in baked goods

If you usually buy:

Try these:

Miscellaneous

1. Canned cream soups
    
2. Gravy (homemade with fat and/or milk)
    
    
3. Fudge sauce
    
4. Guacamole dip or refried beans with lard
    

1. Canned broth-based soups (low-sodium)
    
2. Gravy mixes made with water or homemade with
   the fat skimmed off and fat-free milk
    
3. Chocolate syrup
    
4. Salsa