How to Make Cooking Easier

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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Simple Ingredient Swaps

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!

• 1 cup vegetable/canola oil (in baking)--> 1 cup applesauce
• 1 cup buttermilk --> 1 cup yogurt, or 1 cup milk with 1 Tbs vinegar
• 1 tsp cream of tartar --> 2 tsp lemon juice or vinegar
• 1 tsp lemon juice --> 1/2 tsp vinegar
• 1 tsp lemon zest --> 2 tsp lemon juice
• 1 cup mayonnaise --> 1 cup plain yogurt
• 1 cup ricotta cheese --> 1 cup silken tofu
• 1 cup sour cream --> 1 cup plain nonfat yogurt
• 1 egg --> 1/4 cup silken tofu, pureed or 1 Tbs ground flax seed with 3 Tbs water

For more ideas, you might like "Ingredient Substitutions" from food.UNL.edu. ​

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Is the Spice Right?

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 

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Building a Healthy Meal

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.

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Easy Recipes

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:  

Recipes with 5 Ingredients or Less

Quick & Easy Recipes