​Making a recipe or meal healthier can be as simple as cutting back on an ingredient or switching to another ingredient that has more nutrients. It is best to limit or reduce ingredients that add sodium, sugar, or saturated fat. The following small switches can make a big difference over time!

You might be thinking – If I cut back on salt, sugar, and fat, won’t everything taste bland? The truth is, making a change in your diet can be difficult at first. But over just a few weeks your taste buds will adjust. It might help to focus on one goal at a time, like switching from whole milk to 2% milk, or from drinking two cans of soda per day to only drinking one. Many people who have made these switches find that they enjoy them even better. For example, after you have been drinking water for a few months, soda tastes much too sweet! 

Cutting back isn’t the only way to make a meal healthier. Eating whole, unprocessed foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and seeds makes meals and snacks more nutritious. One nutrient in particular that makes meals healthier and more filling is fiber. Use the tips below to increase the fiber in your meals.​

• Eat a whole piece of fruit instead of drinking fruit juice.
• Choose brown rice instead of white rice, and whole wheat pasta vs. plain white pasta.
• Scrub potatoes well before cooking, and then eat the skin.
• Add a handful of chopped walnuts to oatmeal for a more filling breakfast.

​Need ideas for exactly what a healthier recipe looks like? Check out these delicious examples: 

Cooking a healthy meal does not have to be hard. But, it can certainly feel that way when you are busy and living on a tight budget.

Sometimes you don’t have all of the ingredients needed for a recipe. Or, maybe you don't have time to go grocery shopping. That’s O.K.! Recipes can often be changed to fit what you do have. And, you can build a healthy meal from some basic tips. We’ll show you how. 
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We've all had times when a recipe called for an ingredient we didn't have at home. ​Below is a simple guide for ingredient swaps. Swap the item on the left with the item on the right and you will still have a great dish!

Spices can sometimes be hard to find, and expensive too! If you don’t have a certain spice you can leave it out.

The following inexpensive spices and flavorings are easy to find, last a long time, and help make everything taste better. Experiment with which flavors taste best to you. 
 
Spices and Flavorings for Savory Dishes
Pepper, garlic power, onion powder, chili powder, curry powder, lemon / lime juice, or hot sauce  

Spices and Flavorings for Sweet Dishes
Cinnamon, vanilla extract, or fruit juice 

You don’t actually need a recipe to create a healthy meal. MyPlate is a great tool for building a healthy meal using the 5 food groups. Here are some tips to make it easier:

• Make half of your plate fruits and vegetables. Canned, fresh, or frozen all work great!
• Include a protein food like beans, lean meats, eggs, nuts, or seeds to help keep you full.
• Include whole grains like brown rice, whole grain bread, or whole wheat pasta.
• Add a serving of a dairy food such as skim or low fat milk or a dairy equivalent (calcium-fortified soy, almond, or rice milk) which are important for strong bones.

Get your own personal MyPlate Plan here, or take a quick tour with our MyPlate Guide.

Another way to make cooking easier is to start with simple recipes. Our recipe categories help you pick recipes based on meal type and also based how much time they will take. The following 2 recipe categories will have you making meals in minutes:  

If you have not cooked tofu before, we're here to make a believer out of you. When made well, tofu is tasty, cheap (3 oz is usually less than $.75), and great for you. 

The best way to end up with a week of healthy family meals on a budget? Planning ahead. But sometimes there just isn't enough time in the day! To make things easier, we have a menu to get you through the workweek. 5 quick-to-prep dinners for 4 people on a budget. Check out the menu and recipes, then grab the printable shopping list at the bottom. No planning required!