Updated August 07, 2014.

If you're looking to make some easy changes to your eating habits in order to get healthier, you'll love this top-ten list of ingredients to stock in your kitchen. These simple swaps will save you a lot of calories and fat...

Instead of Dairy Milk... Light Soymilk or Unsweetened Almond Milk

Dairy milk is a fridge staple in many homes, but I love vanilla-flavored alternatives -- both light soymilk (refrigerated) and unsweetened almond milk (in shelf-stable and refrigerated varieties).

A cup of whole milk has about 150 calories and 8g fat; even skim milk typically has 90 calories per 8-ounce serving. The same amount of light vanilla soymilk has around 65 calories and 2g fat, while a cup of unsweetened vanilla almond milk has just 40 calories and 3.5g fat! Use these swaps in your coffee, with cereal, in recipes... practically anywhere you'd use dairy milk. Get more info on low-calorie milk swaps right here.

Instead of Cream Cheese... The Laughing Cow Light Cheese Wedges

With just 35 calories and 1.5 - 2g fat each, these cheese wedges are a smart way to add creamy, cheesy taste to an endless number of dishes. They're not only much lower in calories and fat than traditional cream cheese, but they're also more flavorful and portion controlled. The staple variety in the product line is Creamy Swiss, but the flavor is mild, making it incredibly versatile. Add them to omelettes and egg scrambles (I make mine in the microwave), pasta dishes (easy Alfredo swap), casseroles, and more.

They're also great on flat bagels and sliced fruit. Use them almost anyplace cream cheese would be used.

Instead of Fried Food... High-Fiber Cereal for Baked-Not-Fried Swaps 

High-fiber cereal is a magical ingredient -- grind it into crumbs and season it for a crispy coating. It'll allow you to re-create fatty favorites like chicken fingers and onion rings, guilt-free of course. Click for more info on these fried-food alternatives. And high-fiber cereal isn't good for just breadcrumbs. Have it in your cereal bowl (mixed with other types of cereal, if you don't want to go full fiber), over yogurt (it's the perfect crunchy topping)... you can even use it make fiber-infused marshmallow treats! 

 

Instead of Salt and Standard Seasoning Mixes... Salt-Free Seasoning 

If you're concerned about sodium but aren't willing to live a life of bland food, good news: Salt-free seasoning mixes have come a long way, and they're better than ever. Typically found in the baking aisle, these blends come in countless varieties and bring major flavor to your meals. There are even salt-free packets for dishes like tacos and meatloaf -- Mrs. Dash is my go-to brand.

Instead of Whole Eggs... Egg Whites or Fat-Free Liquid Egg Substitute

Did you know a single large egg has about 70 calories and 5 grams of fat? A 1/4 cup of egg whites or egg substitute -- the equivalent of a whole egg -- has only about 30 calories and is virtually fat-free. If you're a three-egg omelette kinda person, that's a savings of over 115 calories and 14 grams of fat! Egg substitute, in case you're unfamiliar with it, is just real egg whites with added nutrients. And both egg whites and egg substitute work seamlessly in most recipes that call for whole eggs. All of the protein; none of the fat.

Instead of Pasta... House Foods Tofu Shirataki and Other Noodle Swaps

When it comes to pasta, most people can't stop at a single cup (which has around 200 calories, by the way). Luckily, there are lower-calorie alternatives that allow you to enjoy larger, more realistic servings. House Foods Tofu Shirataki is at the top of my list. Click here for the full 411 on this swap, as well as my other top picks for noodle alternatives.

Instead of Sour Cream... Fat-Free Greek Yogurt

There are so many reasons to keep fat-free plain Greek yogurt in your fridge. It's not only a lot lower in calories and fat than sour cream (each 2-tbsp. serving of sour cream has 50 calories and 5g fat, while the same amount of the Greek yogurt has around 15 fat-free calories), but it's also packed with protein! Use it as a topping for Mexican food, an ingredient in creamy sauces, a baking ingredient, and more. Plus, it's delicious with a no-calorie sweetener packet and chopped fruit. I love multipurpose food...

Instead of Butter... Light Whipped Butter or Light Butter Spread

Regular butter, and even margarine, is full of fat, much of it saturated. Instead, look for tubs of light whipped butter or light buttery spread with 45 - 50 calories and about 5 grams total fat per tablespoon. That's half the calories and fat in standard butter or margarine. My favorite pick is Brummel & Brown, which is actually made from yogurt. You'll still want to measure out your portions, though, because the calories and fat do add up.

Instead of Sweet Potatoes... Butternut Squash

While sweet potatoes are certainly healthy, they're a little calorie dense. Butternut squash (yummy and similar in texture) has around half the calories of sweet potatoes! Use butternut squash to make French fries (baked, of course!), mock sweet potato pie, and more. And here's a tip: To make it easier to slice, microwave it whole for a few minutes first.

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