You don’t have to give up your favorite comfort food to eat well. Learn how to make family favorite recipes healthier with easy, practical swaps to upgrade your nutrition without losing the flavor you love.
Did you know many of the recipes in the Peas and Hoppy Meal Guides app are inspired by the meals I grew up with?
They’re the kinds of dishes that bring back memories of family dinners, second helpings, and handwritten recipe cards smudged with butter. But after studying nutrition and working as a dietitian, I realized that while these recipes hold some of my favorite memories, they don’t always reflect the balance of nutrition I aim for now.
Some recipes call for ingredients I no longer keep in my kitchen. Others are one-dish meals that are delicious, but don’t have the right nutrition to support optimal health.
So, I gave them a little glow-up.
Because I don’t think you should choose between nourishing your body and enjoying what you eat.
We can keep our favorite flavors and memories alive while upgrading the quality of ingredients and nutritional balance.
That’s why I’ve personally written and tested every single recipe in the Peas and Hoppy Meal Guides app. Not only do I make sure the macros are balanced, but I also make sure they taste great and use ingredients you can find in your local grocery store.
Today I’m sharing a few of my favorite recipe glow-up tips so you can do the same in your own kitchen.
Healthier Recipes Start with Real Food and Fresh Ingredients
Great meals start with great ingredients!
Fresh, seasonal produce tastes better and delivers more nutrients. I love sourcing veggies from a local farmer’s market or my backyard garden when it’s in season.
Swap Highly Processed Ingredients
Grandma’s cookbooks are full of nostalgic staples like Velveeta cheese, shortening, and canned soups. Some of these are hard to find and most are not as healthy as folks in the 1950s thought they were.
Here are some easy swaps for these processed ingredients:
- Shortening → Butter or coconut oil
- Velveeta → Real cheddar cheese
- Cream of Mushroom soup → Homemade blend of 1 cup milk + 2 Tbsp cornstarch + 1 tsp dried parsley + ½ tsp each of salt, garlic powder, onion powder + ¼ tsp black pepper
The swaps are simple and you’ll hardly notice a difference in flavor.
Use Seasonings Beyond Salt for Lower Sodium Recipes
Most people in the United States could benefit from reducing sodium in the diet, which comes primarily in the form of salt. But because salt enhances the flavor of food, you’ll want to add other seasoning to make sure your food tastes delicious!
Different cuisines can offer inspiration:
- Italian: Basil, oregano, rosemary
- Indian: Cumin, coriander, turmeric
- Mexican: Smoked paprika, chili powder, garlic
- Japanese: Ginger, rice vinegar, soy sauce
Spices add depth and complexity, and they make meals more exciting! If you’re not sure what to add, consider simply adding more of the seasoning in the original recipe.
Choose a Better Fat for Heart-Healthy Recipes
In recipes, fat gives food flavor and texture. Nutritionally, fat helps to keep us full and the right types of fats can improve heart health.
The goal isn’t to cut out fat, but rather to choose fats that support your body. Here are a few ideas to start with:
- Instead of sauteing in butter, choose olive oil, canola oil, or avocado oil
- In baking:
- Avoid any ingredient with the word “partially hydrogenated” on the label to make sure to avoid trans fats
- Choose butter or coconut oil – or to improve heart health even more, swap for canola oil at a ratio of 1 cup butter to ¾ cup oil
- Swap animal proteins for plant-based and fish sources of protein a few times per week
Focus on the proportions of the type of fat you choose rather than leaning into extremes, like avoiding all animal fats.
Add More Veggies for Healthier Recipes
Plants contain tons of nutrients that most of us don’t get enough of – vitamins, minerals, fiber, and phytonutrients, to name a few.
Here’s how I spotlight more veggies:
- Add a complimentary veggie, that plays well with other flavors in the dish: Like kale and tomatoes in my One-Dish Mac & Cheese with Tomatoes and Kale
- Mix plant and animal proteins: Add black beans to taco meat or lentils to ground beef. Bonus: this is a great way to reduce the cost of meals, too!
- Just add more of what’s already there: Like in my Broccoli Rice Casserole where I upped the broccoli and added mushrooms and onions
If you’re trying to eat according to the “Healthy Plate” model, with half your food coming from a fruit or vegetable, adding veggies into your main dish can be a great way to get there.
Rethink Frying for Less Mess and Better Health
Crispy fried food is tasty, but the mess of deep frying is not.
To enjoy the texture you love of frying, try these cooking methods instead:
- Roasting at high heat for golden edges. Use the convection setting if available!
- Grilling for a smoky, charred flavor
- Pan-frying in a small amount of oil for crisp texture with less mess
With these methods you can use healthier oils such as olive or canola to give you that crave-able bite with fats that nourish.
Don’t Change a Thing (Really)
Sometimes, it’s best to leave a recipe exactly as it is. That slice of pie or cheesy casserole might be perfect in its original form – and that’s okay.
Instead of changing the recipe, think about the meal as a whole. Pair it with a side salad, roasted veggies, or a scoop of whole grains.
And if the day leans a little heavier on the comfort food? Balance it out tomorrow. Health isn’t defined by a single dish—it’s about patterns over time.
Want more recipes that strike the balance between flavor, nostalgia, and good nutrition?
Download the Peas and Hoppy Meal Guides app for family-friendly recipes that are inspired by tradition and upgraded for modern, balanced living.
You’ll find simple swaps like these built right into the recipes, so you can spend less time stressing over nutrition and more time enjoying your food.
Try the app for free and discover how easy it is to upgrade your favorite meals – without losing what you love about them.
Have a favorite recipe you’re stumped on how to modify? Drop a comment below. I’d love to help!
Happy recipe upgrading,
Dietitian Ann
Less Effort, More Nourishment
Inside the Peas & Hoppy Meal Guides app you’ll get:
✅ Balanced meals with real, wholesome ingredients
✅ Flavor-packed recipes the whole family will eat
✅ Weekly menus + shopping lists to save time and reduce waste
The app starts at just $14.99/month, but you can try it free for 30 days!
“I love the balanced meals and variety of food choices the guides provide. The meals are filling, taste good, and are nutritious.”
-Rhonda, member of the Peas & Hoppy Meal Guides