Every new AIP cook eventually hits the same wall: a favorite recipe calls for eggs, or tomatoes, or a thickener that is off the table, and the substitution advice online is often vague or simply wrong about how the swap will actually perform once it hits heat. Some substitutions work almost perfectly. Others technically follow the rules but produce a result nobody actually wants to eat.
Here is an honest breakdown of the substitutions that genuinely replicate what they are replacing, organized by what job the original ingredient was doing in the recipe.
Egg Replacements: It Depends on the Job the Egg Was Doing
Eggs perform different functions in different recipes, and the right substitute depends entirely on which function matters most. For binding in a recipe like meatballs or a veggie patty, a gelatin egg made from unflavored gelatin bloomed in water and whisked until frothy replicates the binding function well. For leavening in baked goods, the lift that eggs provide is harder to replace with a single ingredient, which is why AIP-compliant baking mixes that are engineered around this specific challenge tend to outperform improvised substitutions by a wide margin.
For recipes where eggs add moisture and richness, like a quick bread or muffin, mashed ripe banana or unsweetened applesauce can work, though both add their own flavor that needs to complement the rest of the recipe rather than clash with it.
Nightshade Substitutes: What Actually Replicates Flavor and Texture
Tomatoes are the nightshade most people miss most acutely, and the closest AIP-compliant substitute for the acidity and body tomatoes bring to a sauce is a combination of roasted beets and a splash of vinegar or citrus, blended smooth. It is not identical, but it replicates the color, body and tang well enough that many recipes translate successfully.
For the heat that chili peppers bring, ginger and black pepper alternatives (if reintroduced) or simply leaning into other aromatic spices like garlic and fresh herbs can build a flavor profile that satisfies the craving for complexity even without capsaicin heat. For potatoes, cauliflower and sweet potato both replicate different aspects: cauliflower for mash and rice preparations, sweet potato for roasted and fried preparations.
Thickener Substitutes: Getting the Right Consistency
Cornstarch and flour-based thickeners are common in sauces and gravies, and arrowroot starch is the most reliable one-to-one AIP-compliant replacement, thickening at a similar ratio and producing a similarly glossy, smooth result. Gelatin can also thicken liquids into a more set consistency, useful for recipes where a firmer set is the goal rather than a pourable sauce.
Dairy Substitutes: Coconut Does Most of the Work
Full-fat coconut milk is the most versatile dairy replacement across AIP cooking, working in both sweet and savory applications where cream or milk would normally appear. For a lighter substitute closer to milk's consistency, diluted coconut milk or coconut water blended with a small amount of full-fat coconut milk approximates the mouthfeel without the heaviness of straight canned coconut milk in every application.
The One Category Where Substitution Advice Falls Short: Baking
Baked goods are the category where improvised ingredient substitution most reliably disappoints. The chemistry of baking depends on precise interactions between binding, leavening, moisture and structure, and stacking multiple substitutions (an egg replacer, a flour blend, a dairy substitute) compounds the margin for error in ways that often produce a dense, gummy or crumbly result.
This is exactly the gap eat G.A.N.G.S.T.E.R. mixes are built to close. Every substitution and ratio has already been solved and tested, so instead of stacking your own improvised swaps and hoping for the best, you get a baking base that reliably works every time.
Stock Your Pantry With What Actually Works
Browse our full lineup at All Products. Explore Cake and Muffin Mixes, Cookie and Brownie Mixes, Bread and Pancake Mixes, and Frosting Mix. Visit our FAQ for more on how our mixes solve the substitution problem, and our Blogs and Articles page for more kitchen guidance.
