Don’t eradicate. Imitate.
Rather than banning spaghetti and meatballs, try substituting beef with mushrooms. Instead of prohibiting ice cream, try an oat milk and fruit smoothie. Healthy makeovers like these can keep versions of your favorite dishes in rotation and sidestep that scarcity mindset that curses so many diets.
Whether you’re trying to eat less meat, dairy, processed sugar, or flour or hoping to ramp up your protein and fiber intake, there are tons of ways to swap in ingredients that pack a nutritional punch and replicate the flavors and textures you love. We asked Embody readers to share some of their favorite ingredient substitutions. Here’s what they shared:
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Meatless Menu Ideas
“We swap out meat for tofu fairly often, especially in Chinese or Japanese cuisine.” — Mickey, Washington
“I swap beans for meat in many recipes. My favorite recipe is spaghetti al Sorrento—pasta, cherry tomatoes, fresh basil, cheese of choice, dried oregano, and garlic.” — Cheryl, Canada
“I love to make lentil sloppy joes to reduce meat. It still feels like a traditional ‘non-healthy’ meal, and it’s super easy.” — Sarah, Alabama
“I use jarred mushrooms rather than meat in spaghetti sauce to thicken it up and add more vitamins and minerals.” — K, South Carolina
“I bulk out chili and bolognaise with lentils.” — Annette, England
“I always use brown rice and add grated vegetables like carrots and zucchini into everything I can, and lentils in spaghetti sauce.” — Elizabeth, Australia
“My kids really enjoy enchiladas made with Morningstar Farms ‘crumbles’ (texturized vegetable protein), enchilada sauce, and Mexican cheese.” — Tracy, New York
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Vegging Out
“I put pumpkin in spaghetti sauce and mac and cheese to add nutrients.” — An Embody Reader
“We eat cauliflower onion rings, veggie fries, veggie burgers, and veggie chicken burgers.” — Shana, New York
“Celeriac root cut up into french fries! Tasty fries, few carbs.” — Cynthia, Montana
“I usually double the veggies in a recipe.” — Stephanie, Missouri
“We add spinach to just about anything we cook.” — An Embody Reader
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Ditching Dairy
“Instead of dairy ice cream, we either do frozen bananas in a blender with vanilla and chocolate chips or coconut ice cream.” — Yasmin
“The best dairy-free alternatives are dark chocolate almond milk as well as coconut milk ice creams and yogurts.” — Anne, Colorado
“I often swap canned coconut for dairy cream in recipes. It's great in chickpea curry and similar recipes.” — Helen, Canada
“I use yeast flakes (high in vitamin B) instead of cheese.” — Victoria, Australia
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Favorite Flour Substitutes
“Beans or yams instead of rolls or rice.” — Ann, Maryland
“I like baking with almond meal instead of flour.” — Nat, Australia
“My husband modified our pancake recipe to be mostly almond flour and to have more eggs for added protein.” — Heather, Massachusetts
“Corn flour works just as well as regular gluten flour for thickening sauces.” — An Embody Reader
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Alternative Sweeteners
“Banana is my go-to sweetener for anything. A favorite treat is whipped cream cheese & lime juice over ripe (not brown) sliced bananas. Key lime deliciousness!” — Jackie, Oregon
“Small amounts of coconut sugar or real maple syrup for sweetening.” — Victoria, Australia
“While baking with berries or fruit, I cut back the sugar and add more fruit.” — Helen, Canada
“I replace sugar with coconut sugar, honey, or maple syrup.” — Lisa
