6 Easy Hacks for Making Nutritious Meals at Home

Small changes to your recipes can lead to big calorie cuts. With just a few small changes, you can make every dish you prepare at home a little bit better, so over time, you can develop healthy eating habits.

How to Adjust Recipes to Make Healthier Meals

When it comes to recipe makeovers, a good place to start is with your “go-to” foods: those dishes that you make over and over again. If you transform a recipe for a dish that you eat every week, the calories you cut out can really make a difference in the long run.

Here are some of my best tips for cutting down on fat and calories when you cook:

1. Make healthy swaps.

Look over the list of ingredients and see if you can make some healthy swaps to reduce fat and calories or boost its nutritional value. Would plain yogurt work in your dish instead of sour cream? Would ground turkey work just as well as ground beef? Could you add more fiber by using brown rice instead of white?

2. Consider the amounts of some ingredients.

If a recipe calls for frying, could you sauté or stir-fry instead to reduce the fat? Can you use less salt or sugar? Could you double the vegetables called for?

3. Don’t wrong a right.

Don’t be fooled into thinking that by starting with very-low-calorie ingredients, it means you have extra calories to “play with” when you cook. If you fry instead of grill, or sauce instead of steam, by the time you’re finished, you may as well have eaten a cheeseburger.

4. Add veggies and fruits.

Add diced vegetables to soups, chili, meatloaf, casseroles, tuna or chicken salad and pasta sauce to reduce overall calories and boost nutrition. You can also add fresh fruits to your salad for a change. Try slices of orange, tangerine, apples or kiwi. Use deep green leafy vegetables instead of iceberg lettuce for more nutrition.

5. Be smart about seasoning.

Season steamed vegetables with lemon, vinegar, herbs, garlic, onion and spices rather than relying on butter, sauces or salt. Try different mustards and kinds of vinegar for seasoning salads and veggies without fat. Incorporate heart-healthy “good” fat by using olive oil and flaxseed oil.

6. Cook once, eat twice.

Double the recipe for dishes that freeze well, such as soups, stews, and casseroles. That way, when you’re tired and don’t want to cook, you can pull something healthy from the freezer rather than pulling into the drive-through. This is also a good exercise on portion control and meal planning.

Additionally, I’ve put together a table of swaps you can try for some common ingredients that can help you lighten up your favorite recipes. Have fun experimenting, and don’t be surprised if you end up liking the healthier version even better!