Tips for healthier cooking
Swapping less healthy ingredients with healthier alternatives can improve the nutritional quality of your favourite recipes. By making some simple changes you can reduce the RED options on your menu and increase GREEN and AMBER foods and drinks at the same time. Use the tables below to help you make some healthy ingredient swaps.
Dairy products and alternatives
| RED | AMBER | GREEN |
|---|---|---|
| N/A | Milk (regular fat) | Milk (reduced fat) |
| N/A | Evaporated milk (regular fat) | Evaporated milk (reduced fat) |
| N/A | Yoghurt (regular fat) | Yoghurt (reduced fat) |
| N/A | Cheese (regular fat) | Cheese (reduced fat) |
| N/A | Long life cheese spread (from jar) | Cottage cheese, ricotta, cream cheese (reduced fat) |
| N/A | Custard (regular fat) | Custard (reduced fat) |
| Cream (regular fat) | Cream (reduced fat) | Evaporated milk (reduced fat) |
| Sour cream (regular fat) | Sour cream (reduced fat) | Natural yoghurt (reduced fat) |
Fats and oils
| RED | AMBER | GREEN |
|---|---|---|
| Butter or dairy blend spread | Margarine | Spread: avocado, ricotta or cottage cheese (reduced fat) Baking: natural yoghurt (reduced fat) |
| Palm oil, coconut oil, ghee, lard, copha, shortening | Mono- or polyunsaturated oil e.g. canola, olive, peanut, sesame, sunflower, safflower | N/A |
| Coconut cream / coconut milk (regular fat) | Coconut milk (reduced fat) | Coconut flavoured evaporated milk (reduced fat) |
Fruit and vegetables
| RED | AMBER | GREEN |
|---|---|---|
| N/A | Vegetables in oil or brine e.g. sundried tomatoes, olives | Fresh vegetables Frozen vegetables Roasted vegetables (lightly sprayed with olive oil – add herbs for extra flavour) |
| Deep-fried hot potato chips, wedges, potato cakes, hash browns, gems | Oven-baked commercial hot potato chips, wedges, potato cakes, hash browns, gems* | Hot potato chips and wedges prepared on-site from fresh potatoes and oven-baked with minimal oil/salt |
| N/A | Canned fruit in syrup or jelly | Canned fruit in natural juice |
| N/A | Stewed fruit with added sugar | Stewed fruit with no sugar added |
| N/A | Dried fruit (plain) | Dried fruit (plain) |
Meat, poultry, fish and nuts
| RED | AMBER | GREEN |
|---|---|---|
| Sausages, frankfurts, chorizo | Meat or poultry (regular, with visible skin or fat) | Meat or poultry (lean, skinless, without crumbs or coating) |
| Sausage mince | Mince meat (regular) | Mince meat (lean) |
| Processed meats (regular fat, regular salt) e.g. bacon, ham, salami, Strasburg, Devon, kabana | Processed meats (lean)* e.g. lean ham and pastrami | Sliced cooked meat or poultry e.g. roast beef, chicken/turkey breast |
| N/A | Canned fish (in brine, oil or sauce) | Canned fish (in spring water) |
| N/A | Smoked salmon Note: reduced salt smoked salmon is a healthier option than regular salt varieties | Canned salmon slices (in spring water) |
| Chicken (deep-fried) e.g. chicken nuggets | Chicken fillet (with skin) | Chicken fillet (skinless) |
| Fish fillet (battered, deep-fried) | Fish fillet (commercial, crumbed, oven-baked or grilled)* | Fish fillet (plain, steamed) Fish fillet (coated on-site using minimal oil/salt, oven-baked or grilled) |
| Tofu (deep-fried) | Tofu (marinated in sweet/salty sauce, pan-fried in mono- or polyunsaturated oil) | Tofu (plain, pan-fried in mono- or polyunsaturated oil, steamed or stir-fried) |
| N/A | Meat or vegetable patties/balls (oven-baked or shallow-fried with extra oil/salt)* | Meat or vegetable patties/balls (lean with minimal oil/salt, grilled or oven-baked) |
| Nuts with sweet or savoury coating | Nuts or seeds (roasted in oil and/or lightly salted without coating) | Nuts or seeds (raw or dry-roasted and unsalted) |
Bread and pastry
| RED | AMBER | GREEN |
|---|---|---|
| N/A | Focaccia | Turkish bread, wholemeal and wholegrain bread, rolls and wraps |
| Puff pastry (regular fat) or shortcrust pastry | Puff pastry (reduced fat) | Filo pastry |
| N/A | Focaccia | Turkish bread, wholemeal and wholegrain bread, rolls and wraps |
Sauces, dressings and seasonings
| RED | AMBER | GREEN |
|---|---|---|
| N/A | Tomato sauce, BBQ sauce, Worcestershire sauce (regular salt/sugar) | Tomato sauce, BBQ sauce, Worcestershire sauce (reduced salt/sugar) |
| Asian style sauces (regular salt/sugar) e.g. soy, satay, oyster, kecap manis, sweet chilli | Asian style sauces (reduced salt/sugar) e.g. soy, satay, oyster, kecap manis, sweet chilli | N/A |
| Chutney, relish, cranberry sauce (regular sugar/salt) | Chutney, relish, cranberry sauce (reduced sugar/salt) | N/A |
| Pesto (regular fat/salt) | Pesto (reduced fat/salt) | N/A |
| N/A | Tomato paste (regular salt) | Tomato paste (reduced salt /no added salt) |
| Gravy (regular fat, regular salt) | Gravy (reduced fat, reduced salt) | N/A |
| Creamy sauce (regular fat) e.g. mayonnaise, aioli, tartare | Creamy sauce (reduced fat) e.g. mayonnaise, aioli, tartare | Natural yoghurt (reduced fat), mixed with garlic, herbs or lemon juice |
| Creamy salad dressing e.g. Caesar or coleslaw dressing | Oil-based salad dressing e.g. French dressing | Citrus or vinegar-based salad dressing e.g. Balsamic vinegar or lemon/orange juice |
| N/A | Stock (regular salt) | Stock (reduced salt) |
| Salt | N/A | Herbs and spices (no added salt/sugar) |
Healthier cooking methods
Cooking methods can have a big impact on how nutritious the meal is. Where possible, avoid deep-frying as this adds unnecessary energy (kilojoules) to the meal. Boiling or braising food can cause the loss of valuable nutrients.
To keep the meal as nutritious as possible, try the following healthy cooking methods:
- grill
- stir-fry
- roast or bake with minimal oil (e.g. use spray or lightly brush with oil)
- steam or blanch in boiling water
- microwave.
Remember – all deep-fried foods and meals containing deep-fried ingredients are classified as RED.
Additional tips
| Swap this... | ...for this |
|---|---|
| Baking trays greased with butter/oil | Baking trays lined with baking paper |
| Extra fat (butter or oil) to prevent food from sticking to cookware | Non-stick cookware or a light spray of oil |
| Pastry cases for pies | Ramekins (individual crockery pie dishes) with a pastry lid for pies |
| Quiches (with pastry) | Frittatas (without pastry) |
| Frittatas (without pastry) | |
| Large amounts of sugar, fat or salt in recipes | Reduced amounts of sugar, fat and salt in recipes (use some of the healthier ingredient swaps listed in the section above for ideas) |
| All white flour in recipes | Half wholemeal flour and half white flour in recipes |
To receive this document in an accessible format phone 1300 22 52 88 or email heas@nutritionaustralia.org.au
Except where otherwise indicated, the images in this document show models and illustrative settings only, and do not necessarily depict actual services, facilities or recipients of services. This document may contain images of deceased Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. In this document, ‘Aboriginal’ refers to both Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. ‘Indigenous’ or ‘Koori/Koorie’ is retained when part of the title of a report, program or quotation. Copyright © State of Victoria 2016
For more information please phone 1300 22 52 88 or email heas@nutritionaustralia.org.au
Except where otherwise indicated, the images in this document show models and illustrative settings only, and do not necessarily depict actual services, facilities or recipients of services. This document may contain images of deceased Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. In this document, ‘Aboriginal’ refers to both Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. ‘Indigenous’ or ‘Koori/Koorie’ is retained when part of the title of a report, program or quotation. Copyright © State of Victoria 2016
Written and reviewed by dietitians and nutritionists at Nutrition Australia, with support from the Victorian Government.
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The Healthy Eating Advisory Service is delivered by experienced nutritionists and dietitians at Nutrition Australia Vic Division, with support from the Victorian Government.
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