17 Ingredient Substitutions To Cut Costs Without Cutting Flavor

Bone-in chicken thighs instead of boneless

One of the easiest ways to save money is to buy bone-in chicken thighs. You’re paying for the convenience of not cutting the meat off the bone.

Bone-in chicken thighs are a delicious and cheap protein source that you can make in a variety of ways. From Alfredo to skillet meals and fajitas, the sky is the limit.

Canned fish instead of fresh fish

Canned tuna or canned salmon are practical and shelf-stable alternatives to fresh fish, perfect for tight budgets. Usually costing around $1.20–$1.50 per 5-ounce can, it’s significantly cheaper than fresh fish, which can cost $8–$15 per pound. The convenience factor is huge — it’s pre-cooked, so there’s no need to worry about defrosting or cooking it before using.

For variety, canned mackerel or sardines are also affordable options packed with omega-3s. Mix tuna with cooked pasta, olive oil, and capers for a quick pantry meal, or try canned salmon in homemade fish cakes with breadcrumbs and egg. If you’re concerned about sodium, look for low-sodium options or rinse the fish before using.

Ground turkey instead of ground beef

Ground turkey costs $3–$4 per pound compared to $5–$6 per pound for ground beef, saving about $2 per pound. It’s also a leaner option, which means less fat to drain and fewer calories in your meals.

One trick to enhance its flavor is to cook it with a little olive oil and plenty of seasoning since turkey can be milder than beef. If you’re using turkey in burgers or meatballs, add a bit of moisture, like grated onion, shredded zucchini, or breadcrumbs soaked in milk to keep it juicy.

Turkey also works well in bulk recipes like chili or taco meat, which can be portioned out and frozen for future meals.

Whole chicken instead of chicken breasts

Take a look at the price per pound, and it might surprise you how much you’ll save when you buy an entire chicken. In fact, some stores sometimes sell whole chickens for around $1 per pound.

Then, roast the chicken, and you have juicy, fully cooked chicken breast meat ready for all of your chicken recipes. It’s an easy way to cook something once and use it over and over again throughout the week.

Beans instead of meat

If you really want to save some serious money, go meatless. Replace the meat with beans. This will work really well in things like chili and tacos. Did you know that cooked lentils are the perfect ingredient for tacos or goulash?

Even if you don’t want to replace all of the meat with beans, you can cut costs by replacing some of them. “I often replace half the ground beef, ground turkey, or ground chicken with green or brown lentils,” explains Sarita Harbour of Recipes From Leftovers. “This works especially well with chili, spaghetti sauce, and sloppy joe-style recipes.”

Turkey bacon instead of pork 

Fry up some turkey bacon instead of pork bacon. It’s often much cheaper and is lower in calories.

It’s really easy to crumble up and use it on top of salad or as a side with a healthy breakfast. You can also add it to sandwiches for an extra layer of flavor and crunch, or even mix it into turkey chili.

Buy bone-in steaks

Like the chicken, you can save money when choosing a T-bone steak instead of sirloin. In this case, cooking and eating the bone-in steak is an upgrade.

If you’re going to plan a steak dinner, grill a bone-in steak. You’ll notice a big difference. “The bone helps retain moisture in the steak. This contributes to a juicier and more tender texture,” Jessica Haggard from Primal Edge Health shares. “Plus, the bone also adds to the flavor. Save these bones and add them to a stock pot with a few more marrow or meaty knuckle bones for bone broth later. It’s a great way to reuse them and save money on broth.”

You aren’t just saving money on the meat; you’re also getting ingredients for a delicious broth you can make, too. Plus, using the bones for broth ensures that nothing goes to waste, making your meal even more sustainable.

Dried herbs instead of fresh

This is more of a long-term savings than an immediate one. One jar of dried herbs might cost more upfront than some fresh herbs, but look at the cost per recipe. As you use the dried herbs over and over again, you’re saving money.

Instead of spending money each time you need to make a sauce or marinade, you can use what’s in your spice rack. It also reduces food waste because dried herbs last longer than fresh herbs.

White onions for shallots or leeks

Since onions, shallots and leeks have similar flavor profiles, you can almost always use them interchangeably. White or yellow onions are often priced well below green onions, so feel free to use them as a money-saving substitute.

The only thing white onions won’t do is provide the pop of color as a garnish that green onions do. But if you’re not worried about adding a garnish, use the cheaper option.

Saltines instead of breadcrumbs

Even though a box of Saltines and a box of breadcrumbs have about the same price, you get more in a box of Saltines. In fact, you can pretty much double the amount of breading you make with a box of crackers.

The crackers taste the same, especially if you crumble them into fine crumbs. Since they’re salted, you shouldn’t have to use more salt.

Chicken broth for white wine

Swapping white wine for chicken broth in recipes like risottos, sauces, or soups is an easy way to cut costs. A quart of chicken broth costs about $1.50 compared to $6–$10 for a bottle of cooking wine.

Homemade broth is even cheaper — use leftover chicken bones and vegetable scraps to make it essentially free. Just simmer the bones, onion skins, carrot tops, and celery ends in water for a few hours. Freeze it in portions for future use. While broth doesn’t replicate wine’s acidity, a splash of lemon juice or white vinegar can mimic that flavor if your recipe needs it.

Grate cheese at home

Not only will grating your cheese at home give you better flavor, but it melts better and saves you money, all at the same time. You’ll be cooking with pure cheese, not cheese that’s coated with anti-caking agents or preservatives.

The price savings are minimal at first sight. If you make a lot of recipes with shredded cheese, the cost savings will add up over time.

Evaporated milk instead of cream

At about $1.50–$2 per 12-ounce can, evaporated milk costs significantly less than heavy cream ($4–$5 per pint). It’s shelf-stable, making it a great pantry staple when fresh cream isn’t an option. Use it in soups, casseroles, or baking — it works especially well in creamy potato dishes or pumpkin pie.

To replicate the richness of cream, combine evaporated milk with a pat of butter for recipes that need extra fat. If you need a dairy-free alternative, canned unsweetened coconut milk (unsweetened) can serve the same purpose in recipes like curries or baked goods, and it’s often comparably priced to evaporated milk.

Cottage cheese instead of ricotta

Per ounce, cottage cheese is priced lower than ricotta cheese. And they can be used interchangeably in many recipes.

If you don’t like the curds in the cottage cheese, purée it in a blender. It will be as smooth as ricotta cheese.

Make your own buttermilk

When a recipe calls for buttermilk, you don’t need to rush out and buy a whole carton for just one cup. It’s easy — and often much cheaper — to make your own using ingredients you already have at home.

To make it, you can mix one tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice into one cup of milk, give it a stir, and let it sit for 5–10 minutes until it thickens and curdles slightly.

This DIY buttermilk has the same tangy kick and acidity that makes pancakes fluffier, fried chicken crispier, and baked goods rise better. It works in marinades too, tenderizing proteins just as well as store-bought versions. Bonus: if you don’t use buttermilk often, this method prevents waste since you’re only making what you need.

Powdered sugar instead of maple syrup

Change up your breakfast routine and dust your French toast or pancakes with powdered sugar. The price difference between powdered sugar and maple syrup is pretty significant.

The fluffy white sugar is fun and adds the perfect amount of sweetness. It will remind you of funnel cakes from the fair.

Make powdered sugar at home instead of buying it

Granulated sugar costs around $0.30 per pound, but powdered sugar costs about $0.80 per pound. If you bake a lot, this can add up.

Make powdered sugar at home. Use a food processor to process white granulated sugar. It will eventually become fluffy like powdered sugar.