How To Replace Expensive Products

Karen Lennox Author: Karen Lennox Time for reading: ~9 minutes Last Updated: December 05, 2022
How To Replace Expensive Products

Often in recipes there are expensive or exotic ingredients that cost a lot, and it is not easy to find them. Not to mention some basic products, the presence of which is desirable in our diet, the price of which is increasing every day. However, this is not a reason to limit your menu or to give up cooking, because most of them can be replaced with other products - which will do

Recipes often contain expensive or exotic ingredients that cost a lot and are difficult to find. Not to mention some basic products , the presence of which is desirable in our diet, the price of which is increasing every day. However, this is not a reason to limit your menu or give up cooking, because most of them can be replaced with other products - which will cost less, are quite competitive in terms of nutritional value, and the taste and appearance of the dish will not be affected.

Meat

What to replace: offal.

 

Meat is a source of protein. The main building material for the body, as well as vitamins of group B. Beef is considered the highest quality meat from the point of view of benefits.

However, in terms of the content of proteins and vitamins of group B, poultry, liver and heart are quite competitive. And the undoubted plus, among other things, is that. That these full-fledged beef substitutes can save a significant part of the family budget.

Also , meat can be replaced :

  • Beans, legumes - ideal for soups, salads and rice.

  • Nuts - add to salads, stir-fries and vegetables.

  • Eggs can make a great dinner — for example, an omelet or a frittata. You can also use only proteins.

  • Mushrooms will provide the meaty structure of sauces, casseroles, gravy, etc.

  • Tofu goes well with vegetables and fried dishes.

Red fish

What to replace: herring and mackerel.

The main value of red fish (salmon, salmon, trout) is the presence of omega-3 unsaturated fatty acids. They protect against aging, heart diseases and have a positive effect on blood vessels.

Red fish has never been a cheap pleasure, and recently it has become so.

However, this is not a problem: the body's need for omega-3 can be completely satisfied at the expense of herring and mackerel. They are not inferior to the noble fish of red breeds in terms of the content of unsaturated fatty acids, but they are definitely cheaper.

You can also replace the fish with:

Canned fish are much cheaper, but they have almost the same benefits. There is even a small advantage: thanks to conservation, fish bones become softer, and therefore suitable for eating, just like the flesh. Why, you'll get a double dose of calcium.

 

Cheese

Low-fat and salted cheeses

What to replace: tofu.

If you are worried about your figure and are afraid of heart attacks, you probably eliminated fatty cheeses from your diet a long time ago. In part, this is the correct solution: dairy fats are indeed considered very harmful due to their high cholesterol content. But, on the other hand, cheese is almost the best source of calcium and many vitamins. In addition, it is filling and tasty.

Soy tofu cheese can boast almost the same achievements. There is even more calcium in it than in milk cheese, and there is very little fat, and that is vegetable. Another advantage is that it is an excellent source of protein. True, the taste is not at all similar - it is practically absent. But it is easy to fix: tofu "picks up" the taste of any products with which it is prepared.

Mozzarella

Replace it with: suluguni or Adyghe cheese.

Everyone knows mozzarella - little balls of cheese floating in brine. Mozzarella is often used in the preparation of salads and pizza. The taste of this young cheese is neutral, the structure is fibrous.

It is much cheaper to use the same neutral Adyghe cheese or suluguni. After all, suluguni is salty, in contrast to the neutral and delicate mozzarella, but many tastes will only benefit from this quality of cheese.

Mascarpone

What to replace: cream cheese mass.

Another product that is often found in Italian recipes, mainly in desserts. A clear example is the well-known and beloved tiramisu.

Although mascarpone is a cheese, its consistency is more like a cross between sour cream, yogurt, and cottage cheese. Besides. It is often consumed as a spread for sandwiches.

The main secret of mascarpone is its high fat content - 30-40%. It is sold almost everywhere, but it cannot be called cheap. However, you can replace .

To do this, you need to mix cottage cheese (high fat content, at least 15-18%), grind it through a sieve to bring it closer to the original structure. Then you need to take high-fat cream (at least 30-35%) and beat it together with cottage cheese to a homogeneous thick mass. Of course, it is not cream cheese with wine vinegar, but it "looks" great in desserts.

Parmesan

What to replace:  hard cheeses of cheaper varieties.

In Italy, grated parmesan is used probably as often as we use salt and pepper. It is generously sprinkled on pasta, pizza, added to soups and sauces. The taste of this hard cheese is so characteristic and original that it can be replaced with something else. Unfortunately, it is very difficult.

For example, pasta carbonara without parmesan has a completely different taste. If you want to save money , you can add, for example, another hard cheese, similar in properties to Parmesan - there are similar cheaper varieties - but be prepared for a change in taste.

 

Citrus fruits

What to replace: sauerkraut.

Oranges. Mandarins, grapefruits, lemons and sweet peppers are the main sources of vitamin C in winter. In apples, it quickly breaks down, and by spring it is practically gone.

But sauerkraut is an excellent source of vitamins. This is the only vegetable that preserves vitamin C for a long time in a stable concentration when fermented. In addition, sauerkraut contains another extremely useful trace element - potassium, which is necessary for the normal functioning of the heart. And for intestinal peristalsis, sauerkraut is a real find.

Another good substitute for citrus is black currant, which keeps well even in frozen form. Bushes of this berry are easy to grow on almost any plot of land, so its cost will, accordingly, allow you to save money .

Fresh berries

What to replace: frozen berries.

There is no berry in nature that is not useful. Blueberries, for example, are considered an indispensable helper for good eyesight, raspberries protect against infections and keep the skin toned, cherries are a champion in terms of antioxidants, and strawberries are rich in minerals such as zinc, manganese, copper, phosphorus and calcium. It is not for nothing that they claim that a glass of berries charges the body with vitamins for a week in advance.

However, in winter and spring, prices for berries bite.

Fortunately, fresh berries can be replaced with frozen ones. The taste, of course, will not be the same, but most of the useful substances are preserved when frozen - unlike jam and compotes, the heat treatment of which leaves mostly only sugar.

 

Chocolate

What to replace: dried fruit.

There is no point in questioning the taste qualities of real chocolate: it is delicious, with a wonderful aroma, and, if you believe the experts, it contributes to the formation of the "hormone of happiness".

By the way, you can get pleasure by replacing high-calorie and expensive chocolate with natural dried fruits: raisins, dried apricots, prunes, etc. Dried fruits will not only allow you to save money , but will also bring significant health benefits, as they are characterized by a high content of minerals and fiber.

Raisins, for example, are rich in potassium, which has a positive effect on the heart and nervous system. Dried apricots contain phosphorus, iron, potassium. It is useful for anemia and promotes the removal of radionuclides from the body. Due to its rich iron content, prunes are very good to consume to increase hemoglobin and enrich with vitamins.

It is only worth remembering that the calorie content of dried fruits is quite high - 270-290 kcal/100 g - so you should not get too excited about them. But it is almost 2 times less than chocolate (554 kcal/100 g).

Coffee

What to replace: chicory.

For many, coffee is a "helper" when you need to cheer up and activate work capacity.

Coffee tones the body, in optimal doses it reduces fatigue and drowsiness. But endless stimulation of the body in this way can lead to the exhaustion of nerve cells, and excess caffeine is not at all useful for the heart. Despite all this, the price of coffee rises not by days, but by hours.

You can replace coffee with chicory. It is sold in stores as a quick-dissolving powder or concentrated drink. Chicory also invigorates and increases the tone of the body, besides, it contains a whole set of useful substances. Chicory has a positive effect on the work of the cardiovascular, nervous and digestive systems. And it costs, by the way, many times cheaper.

By the way. Not only coffee will help cheer you up, but also properly brewed tea.

Olive oil

What to replace: sunflower oil.

Olive oil has recently received a lot of attention, positioning it as the most valuable of vegetable oils. And, by the way, its uniqueness is clearly exaggerated, as is the price.

According to experts, corn oil ranks first in terms of benefits, linseed oil ranks second, and the praised olive oil is in the same row as ordinary sunflower oil.

Also, olive oil can be replaced with:

Corn oil. The only advantage of olive oil is the content of phytosterols, which block the absorption of cholesterol, thus helping to reduce its level in the blood. In this case, you can choose corn oil - it contains 1 4.5 times more.

 

"Overseas" delicacies

Capers

What to replace: pickled cucumbers or olives.

Small green florets sold in jars and floating in brine - nothing but capers - not small pickled cucumbers. They have a grassy taste, with sourness and sharpness. And did you know that the original Olivier recipe uses capers, not pickled cucumbers?

Although, if you want to implement an exotic recipe immediately, and there are no capers at hand, then you can replace them with salted or pickled cucumbers. Green olives are another option.

Anchovies

What to replace: several or capelin.

Real anchovies cost a lot - they are small "herring-like" fish that are marinated in a special way. They are used in pizza, salads and their dressings, cold appetizers, pâtés, and also for decorating dishes.

In order not to spend extra money, you can replace the anchovies with a handful or capelin of spicy salt. If you make a purchase not at the market, but in a good store, no one will notice the change.

Coconut milk

What to replace: cream or milk.

This liquid should not be confused with the liquid that forms directly inside the coconut. The coconut milk that is sold in supermarkets is the result of a special treatment of the coconut pulp.

Coconut milk can be found in recipes for cocktails, desserts and soups. In sauces, it can be replaced with low-fat cream, in desserts - with ordinary milk with a slight addition of coconut shavings for flavor. But in soups of oriental cuisine , it will not be possible to replace coconut milk, since it is mainly one of the main ingredients.

Exotic vegetables and fruits

Lime can easily be replaced with lemon, and if necessary, with citric acid in general. Fresh artichokes - canned, but not canned - canned sweet pepper will come to the rescue. Replace leeks, which you can't always find in the vegetable department, with onions. And papaya can be safely replaced with melon.

Sauces and seasonings

Oregano and marjoram. Balsamic and wine vinegar, rum and cognac are easily substituted in recipes. Wasabi can be replaced with ordinary mustard or horseradish. And if you add sugar to the mustard, you will get the same Dijon mustard. Maple syrup can be replaced with honey, and coconut milk can be replaced with cream or regular milk.

If you need white wine to make the sauce, replace it with 2 spoons of sugar with a little vinegar.

 

About | Privacy | Marketing | Cookies | Contact us

All rights reserved © ThisNutrition 2018-2024

Medical Disclaimer: All content on this Web site, including medical opinion and any other health-related information, is for informational purposes only and should not be considered to be a specific diagnosis or treatment plan for any individual situation. Use of this site and the information contained herein does not create a doctor-patient relationship. Always seek the direct advice of your own doctor in connection with any questions or issues you may have regarding your own health or the health of others.

Affiliate Disclosure: Please note that each post may contain affiliate and/or referral links, in which I receive a very small commission for referring readers to these companies.