We asked members of the BuzzFeed Community to tell us their smartest ingredient swaps. Here are the tasty results.
1. Use oatmeal instead of breadcrumbs for all your binding needs.
2. Try sunflower seeds as a cheaper alternative to pine nuts.
"About 1/4 of the cost but a similar texture."
Submitted by anitak4bcf585fa.
Get this recipe for pesto using sunflower seeds here.
3. Use the liquid from canned chickpeas (aquafaba) as a vegan substitute for egg white.
4. Spread hummus rather than mayo on your favorite sandwiches.
5. Ditch the breadcrumbs and add crushed goldfish to top your mac and cheese.
6. Opt for applesauce rather than butter or oil in your baked goods.
7. Substitute the white sugar for pudding mix in cookies.
8. Swap out butter for avocado when baking a cake.
9. Cook rice in broth instead of water to boost the flavor.
10. Replace eggs with a combo of chia seeds & water.
11. Substitute pure maple syrup for white sugar.
12. Use yogurt instead of cream in curries or soups.
13. Use cauliflower to make mashed "potatoes."
14. If you're out of buttermilk, swap it out for milk with a little vinegar or lemon juice added.
15. If you're out of brown sugar, mix molasses with plain white sugar.
16. Cook your brats in beer instead of oil.
17. Swap out one egg for half of a ripe banana.
18. Use greek yogurt instead of butter and milk when making boxed mac and cheese.
19. Coat your chicken in crushed Ritz crackers, not breadcrumbs.
20. Use evaporated milk instead of heavy cream in desserts.
21. Low on flour? Pulverize graham crackers to fill out baked goods.
22. Use creamy avocado instead of mayonnaise in pretty much anything.
23. Replace lasagna noodles with tortillas.
Note: Submissions have been edited for length and/or clarity.