Half and half substitutes: 3 swaps and how the nutrition changes
To replace 1 cup of half and half, use 7/8 cup whole milk plus 1/2 tbsp butter, plus 2 more options below. 1 cup of half and half has 317 calories, and the swaps come to 183 to 482 calories for the same amount. The biggest change is in saturated fat: 17 g in the original, 7.2 g to 11.6 g in the swaps.
Per 1 cup
| Calories | Fat | Saturated fat | Protein | Carbs | Total sugars | Sodium | Cholesterol | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Half and half (original) | 317 calories | 27.8 g | 17 g | 7.6 g | 10.4 g | 10 g | 148 mg | 85 mg |
| 7/8 cup whole milk plus 1/2 tbsp butter | 183 calories (-134) | 12.7 g (-15.2) | 7.2 g (-9.8) | 7 g (-0.5) | 9.9 g (-0.5) | 10.3 g (+0.3) | 118 mg (-29) | 42 mg (-42) |
| 3 tbsp oil plus milk to make 1 cup | 482 calories (+165) | 47.2 g (+19.4) | 9.9 g (-7.1) | 6.5 g (-1.1) | 9.2 g (-1.2) | 9.5 g (-0.5) | 75 mg (-72) | 24 mg (-61) |
| 1 cup evaporated milk, undiluted | 338 calories (+21) | 19.1 g (-8.8) | 11.6 g (-5.4) | 17.2 g (+9.6) | 25.3 g (+14.9) | 25.3 g (+15.3) | 267 mg (+120) | 73 mg (-12) |
Numbers in brackets show the change from the original. USDA FoodData Central.
How to make each swap
- 7/8 cup whole milk plus 1/2 tbsp butter. Compared with 1 cup of half and half: -134 calories, -15.2 g fat, -0.5 g protein, +0.3 g sugars, -29 mg sodium. Source: NMSU Extension, NDSU Extension.
- 3 tbsp oil plus milk to make 1 cup. Compared with 1 cup of half and half: +165 calories, +19.4 g fat, -1.1 g protein, -0.5 g sugars, -72 mg sodium. The numbers use whole milk. Made with 2% milk, 460 calories and 44.6 g fat or with nonfat milk, 429 calories and 41 g fat. Source: NDSU Extension.
- 1 cup evaporated milk, undiluted. Compared with 1 cup of half and half: +21 calories, -8.8 g fat, +9.6 g protein, +15.3 g sugars, +120 mg sodium. Source: NMSU Extension, NDSU Extension, Illinois Extension.
Which swap fits what you need
Per 1 cup, among the swaps above.
- Fewest calories: 7/8 cup whole milk plus 1/2 tbsp butter, 183 calories (317 calories in half and half)
- Least saturated fat: 7/8 cup whole milk plus 1/2 tbsp butter, 7.2 g (17 g in half and half)
- Most protein: 1 cup evaporated milk, undiluted, 17.2 g (7.6 g in half and half)
- Least sodium: 3 tbsp oil plus milk to make 1 cup, 75 mg (148 mg in half and half)
- Least sugar: 3 tbsp oil plus milk to make 1 cup, 9.5 g (10 g in half and half)
Choosing a swap
Whole milk with a little butter makes the lightest swap, at 183 calories a cup against 317 for half and half.
Undiluted evaporated milk is close in calories and more than twice as high in protein, at 17.2 g a cup. It also has more sugar and sodium than half and half.
The oil and milk swap is the richest, at 482 calories a cup, though its saturated fat, 9.9 g, is still well under the 17 g in half and half.
Written from the extension guidance and USDA numbers on this page, reviewed by the Bioma editorial system. How we verify.
Sources
Substitution ratios
- New Mexico State University Cooperative Extension, In a Pinch Ingredient Substitution (Guide E-131, revised May 2016). https://pubs.nmsu.edu/_e/E131/ (accessed 2026-10-12)
- NDSU Extension, Ingredient Substitutions (FN198, J. Garden-Robinson, April 2013 edition). https://www.extension.purdue.edu/extmedia/HHS/HHS-784-W.pdf (accessed 2026-10-12)
- University of Illinois Extension, Substitutions for Common Ingredients (modified December 2024). https://extension.illinois.edu/media/5732/download (accessed 2026-10-12)
Nutrition numbers: USDA FoodData Central (accessed 2026-10-12)
- Half and half: Cream, half and half, FDC ID 2705594 (FoodData Central survey (FNDDS) 2024-10-31)
- Whole milk: Milk, whole, FDC ID 2705385 (FoodData Central survey (FNDDS) 2024-10-31)
- Butter (salted): Butter, stick, FDC ID 2710155 (FoodData Central survey (FNDDS) 2024-10-31)
- Vegetable oil (soybean): Oil, vegetable, soybean, refined, FDC ID 172370 (SR Legacy, published 2019-04-01)
- Evaporated milk: Milk, canned, evaporated, with added vitamin D and without added vitamin A, FDC ID 171276 (SR Legacy, published 2019-04-01)
How we calculate: each part of a swap is converted from its household measure to grams with the USDA portion weight for that food (1 cup = 16 tbsp = 48 tsp), then multiplied by the USDA values per 3.5 oz (100 g). Water counts as zero, and so do pinches under 5 g (salt, baking powder) where USDA lists no value. A dash (—) means USDA reports no value for at least one part. USDA measures sugars directly but calculates total carbohydrate by difference, so in a few foods here, mostly dairy, sugars come out slightly higher than carbs. We show the USDA numbers as published. How we verify.