It’s that time of the year when everyone is looking to eat a little healthier. While you may be enticed to overhaul your diet, adopting small changes over time is a more sustainable and realistic way to maintain healthy eating practices.
Dietitians agree that swapping out just one ingredient in your meal can make a big difference in your health goals. As a matter of fact, not only do these swaps help you eat healthier, but they also taste good.
Here are 10 ways to add more nutrition to your food without sacrificing flavor.
Plain, low-fat Greek yogurt for sour cream
Plain low-fat Greek yogurt has the same tartness and creamy consistency of sour cream with half the calories and fat. One hundred grams (about a half-cup) of sour cream has 200 calories and 10 grams of saturated fat, while the same amount of low-fat plain Greek yogurt has 67 calories and 1 gram of saturated fat. And the two foods taste almost identical. Top your tacos, quesadilla or baked potato with plain Greek yogurt, and you won’t even notice the difference.
Tahini for butter
Believe it or not, tahini can be a substitute for butter in baked goods. Made from ground sesame seeds, tahini is rich in heart-healthy unsaturated fatty acids, unlike butter, which is high in saturated fat. Although made from seeds, tahini has a roasted nutty flavor, which may peek through in a baked good. Use a one-to-one ratio to swap tahini for butter in a baked good.
Lean, ground turkey for ground beef
“Start your next chili with lean ground turkey in place of ground beef to reduce saturated fat,” says Maggie Moon, registered dietitian and author of The MIND Diet: 2nd Edition. Four ounces of 93% lean ground turkey has 170 calories and 2.5 grams of saturated fat, compared to 225 calories and 6 grams of saturated fat in the same amount of ground beef. If lean turkey isn’t your thing, Moon recommends adding lentils, mushrooms, and chopped walnuts into ground beef for texture, umami and nutrition.
Nori flakes or furikake for salt
“Most Americans eat more sodium than recommended,” says Cara Harbstreet, registered dietitian and owner of Street Smart Nutrition. “Swapping the salt shaker for nori flakes (dried seaweed) or furikake (Japanese-style rice seasoning) infuses a savory, umami flavor into each bite without the high sodium,” she adds.
One tablespoon of nori furikake has 85 milligrams of sodium, compared to 2,300 milligrams (or 100% the daily value) in one teaspoon of table salt. “Plus, it taps into a few new trends for 2025 — expect to see more global flavors, plus sustainable-sourced ingredients, such as sea kelp, which is used to make nori,” adds Harbstreet.
Dried fruit for sweeteners
Harbstreet recommends dates as a versatile and nourishing ingredient to easily add sweetness to smoothies, sauces, and more. “Soak pitted dates in warm water before blending into a smoothie or homemade sauce,” says Habstreet. Dates provide fiber, plus small amounts of important minerals like potassium, copper and magnesium.
In addition, Moon says a prune puree in yogurt or oatmeal is a naturally sweet addition that offers fiber and polyphenols that sugar doesn’t have.
Massaged kale for other lettuce
All types of leafy greens are nutritious, but some have more nutrients than others. Iceberg or romaine lettuce is high in water and lower in nutrition than darker leafy greens, like kale or spinach.
“To boost the volume, nutrition and satisfaction in salads, try mixing massaged kale into your other greens and toppings,” says Harbstreet. You don’t need to ditch romaine or iceberg all together, but adding kale makes a satisfying salad with more fiber, folate and vitamins A and C. “Massaging this sturdy leafy green is key to making it less bitter and fibrous; drizzle a small amount of olive oil or lemon juice over chopped kale, then vigorously work it with your hands for a minute or two,” says Harbstreet.
Almond flour for white flour
“One of my favorite substitutions when baking and cooking is using almond flour instead of refined white flour,” says Malina Malkani, a registered dietitian, child feeding expert and author of “Safe and Simple Food Allergy Prevention.”
“Almond flour offers a slightly sweet, mild flavor and boosts the protein, fiber, and micronutrient content of everything from muffins, pancakes and quick bread to fritters and breaded fish,” she notes. Malkani recommends starting with a one-to-one swap in recipes, but add more flour if the batter is too moist.
Smashed berries for jelly
Replacing jelly or jam with smashed berries on toast or a sandwich reduces added sugar and increases fiber, vitamins and minerals. Malkani recommends smashing the berries with the flat side of a fork. To release the natural sweetness from the berries, pop them in the microwave for 30 seconds before smashing.
Seeds and cinnamon sugar for sprinkles
“As an alternative to sprinkles made with added sugar, I love filling empty spice containers with chia seeds, ground flax seeds and hemp hearts and letting my kids decorate yogurt and oatmeal with their seed sprinkles of choice,” says Malkani. These seeds not only mimic the crunch of sprinkles, but they also have fiber, plant protein and omega-3 fats.
Add a hint of cinnamon and sugar to the shaker to mimic the sweetness from sprinkles. “Small steps add up to big changes, and adding a little sugar or cinnamon may help more adults and kids enjoy seeds and the health-supporting nutrients they contain,” says Malkani.
