Strategies to Make Comfort Food Healthier There are a few strategies for doing this: substituting ingredients, reducing the quantity of unhealthy ones, and changing the cooking technique. Let’s talk about soup. There may be no food as comforting as thick creamy soups, with their cream, butter, and cheeses. Ways to make soup healthier: Substitute olive oil for the butter when sautéing the ingredients. Use light whipping cream or milk to replace the half-and-half that thickens the soup. If the recipe calls for cheese, choose a low-fat variety or simply reduce by a third or a quarter the amount