Whipping Cream Substitute

In soups, pastas and sauces

Heavy whipping cream in soups, pastas and sauces creates a full-bodied flavor and thick consistency while adding unnecessary levels of fat and calories. For a similar consistency and taste in savory dishes, add low-fat cream cheese instead of the whipping cream. At 120 calories and 9 grams of fat per 2-ounce serving, low-fat cream cheese keeps the meal healthier than it would be with heavy whipping cream. Use half the amount the recipe calls for when subbing in cream cheese. To keep the calories even lower, mix 1 percent milk with cornstarch — at a 1-cup to 1-tablespoon ratio –– and use it as you would heavy whipping cream. The milk and cornstarch mixture thickens the food and works well in sweet dishes where the sour flavor of cream cheese is undesirable.

Universal Substitute

Fat-free half-and-half is a suitable substitute for heavy whipping cream in almost any situation. It is considerably healthier with 127 calories, 3 grams of fat, 2 grams of saturated fat and 6 grams of protein per fluid cup. Like 1 percent milk, fat-free half-and-half whips into a fluffy topping. It also thickens sauces, soups and pastas while adding a creamy flavor.