Buy unsweetened frozen fruit or fruit canned in its own juice or water. In cookies, bars and cakes, replace one-quarter of the sugar called for with an equal amount of nonfat dry milk. This reduces calories and increases calcium, protein and riboflavin in the recipe. Choose fruit juices, club soda or skim milk over soft drinks and punches. Make fruit juice coolers with equal parts fruit juice and club soda or seltzer.
Nonsugar sweeteners can replace part or all of the sugar in many recipes.
However, most have limitations. Saccharin can be used in hot and cold foods but may leave a bitter aftertaste. Neither product can provide the volume or structure that sugar does, so rather than substitute, it's best to choose recipes especially tested for use with nonsugar sweeteners. Check product labels for nutritional values of specific brands. Decrease Sodium Salt may be omitted or reduced in most recipes.