Lighten Up for the Holidays
These suggestions can free up calories,
but still give you the best of holiday flavor!
Ingredient
Substitution
1 whole egg
¼ cup egg substitute or 2 egg whites
Butter for seasoning vegetables
Poly/mono-unsaturated tub margarine, Butter Buds or
Molly McButter
Shortening
Decrease fat by ¼ and use vegetable oil (canola, corn)
1 cup whole milk
1 cup skim or 1% milk
1 cup whole buttermilk
1 cup low-fat buttermilk
1 cup light cream
1 cup evaporated skim milk
1 cup evaporated milk
1 can skimmed evaporated milk
1 cup sour cream
1 cup low fat or no fat yogurt or 1 cup blended low-fat
cottage cheese with lemon juice; or no-fat sour cream
1 ounce regular cheese
½ oz. sharp
2 tablespoons flour for thickener
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 ounce baking chocolate
3 tablespoons powdered cocoa
1 can condensed soup
homemade skim milk white sauce (1-1/4 cups
Skim milk, 1-1/2 tablespoon cornstarch and
one tablespoon margarine).
Cream of celery
1 cup sauce plus ¼ cup chopped celery
Cream of chicken
1-1/4 cup sauce plus low-sodium chicken bouillon
Cream of mushroom
1-cup sauce plus one can drained mushrooms.
Cream Cheese
Use reduced fat or fat free cream cheese. Caution:
these products have a high water content, especially the
fat free ones. May not be the best
choice for some recipes, especially
frosting.
(over)
Ingredient
Substitution
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 cup dry milk, 2/3-cup sugar, 1/3 hot water
mixed in blender
White rice
Brown rice
Sugar
Reduce amount. Reduction can be up to 1/3 of
the original amount. Use no more than ¼ cup
added sweetener such as sugar, honey,
molasses or concentrated fruit juice per one
cup flour.
When baking reduce up to ½ the amount of
sugar and use flavorings such as lemon,
almond, vanilla, coconut for added sweetness.
Also, spices add a sweet taste. Just don’t over
do!
Fat
In breads, cakes and cookie bars substitute up
to ¾ amount of fat with fruit puree such as
applesauce and the rest with vegetable oil.
Bacon
Boiled, baked or deli ham – at least 95% fat
free
Shortening (grease cooking pans)
No stick cooking spray
Product information given herein is supplied with the understanding that no discrimination is
intended and no endorsement by OSU Cooperative Extension is implied.
Donna Stangl-Jung, RD/LD
FCS/4-H Extension Educator
Canadian County
(405) 262-0155
[email protected]