Whether you’re cooking up a storm and you realize you’re all out of eggs or you’re intentionally trying to lightening up your daily meals, you don’t ALWAYS have to stick to the recipe. In moments of crisis, there are substitutes for most universally required foods. Some of our favorite replacements? Eggs, molasses, and mayonnaise. You might think without those, your recipe is doomed – but don’t panic! Instead check out these simple food substitutes that can readily take the place of some main ingredients. Best of all, these substitutes are all healthy, so if you’re looking to clean up a heavier meal, these substitutions do that, too!

Out of eggs? No problem. Don’t rush off to the store! Instead, use 1/2 of a ripe banana or a 1/4 cup of applesauce to get the job done. And these substitutions are much less fatty than your regular eggs. Especially perfect for muffins, breads, and brownies.

A great cooking ingredient is molasses – it’s got a rich, almost bitter flavor that’s perfect for baking. But, unfortunately, molasses isn’t necessarily in everyone’s kitchen cupboard. Never fear! There is an easy way to make your own molasses. Combine 3/4 cup of dark brown sugar and 1/4 cup of hot water to make your own, lighter, molasses replacement.

Mayo is one of our favorite guilty pleasures. It brings so much flavor to sandwiches and egg salads – but you don’t HAVE to use it. As delicious as mayo is, it’s also very fattening. For a slimmer substitute, combine 1 cup of plain yogurt with salt, lemon juice and mustard. The flavor and consistency will be the same, but you’ll cut the fat content in half!

Do you have any food substitutes that you swear by in a pinch or to make dishes lighter? Share them in the comments section below.