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Many family favourites can be made healthier simply by substituting an ingredient or two. Here are the Frugal Fam’s top 5 substitutions.

1)     Natural low-fat or Greek-style yogurts can be used instead of many high-fat options including mayonnaise, crème freche, and sour cream. But if you are worried about your family not liking the healthier option begin by using half and half of the higher fat ingredient and the yogurt.

2)    Light spread instead of butter, margarine or lard.

3)    Honey, fruit juice or sugar substitutes can be used in most recipes that call for sugar.

4)    Whole wheat flour can be used half and half with the bleached variety to increase nutritional value and add texture to old recipes.

5)    Fresh herbs, especially those grown in your kitchen window, can spice up any recipe and reduce your need for salt.

One of our family’s favourites is Bajan coconut bread. The recipe that my mother-in-law passed on to me was the full-fat, sugar loaded option, but I have tweaked it just a bit by using light spread instead of butter, sugar substitutes and adding a bit of whole wheat flour. Although my husband clearly prefers his mother’s original recipe, our four year-old daughter cannot even tell the difference.