Use dips as a spread in sandwiches instead of butter or margarine. As well as making them taste great, if you go for dips like fresh salsa, tzatziki and reduced-fat varieties of your favourites, you’ll also cut the fat and calorie content. A teaspoon of butter or marge contains around 35 calories and 4g fat. In contrast one tablespoon of salsa provides just 10 calories and 0.4g fat. Similarly, a tablespoon of reduced-fat sour cream and chive dip provides just 25 calories and 1.9g fat, whilst reduced-fat guacamole comes in at 20 calories and 1.7g fat per tablespoon.

Slash the calorie content of mayo-laden sandwich fillings without losing out on taste or juiciness by swapping the mayo for your favourite dip. A tablespoon of mayo contains 104 calories and 11.3g fat. Or simply add dips to liven up sarnies. Try the following combinations:

• tuna and sweetcorn with tzatziki
• chicken breast and sweetcorn with salsa
• egg and cress with sour cream and chive dip
• mozzarella and tomato with guacamole
• salad with tzatziki
• houmous with grated carrot
• cheese, ham and tomato with cheese and chive dip
• canned salmon with tzatziki
• lean bacon, boiled egg and fresh salsa
• turkey, tomato and guacamole
• cucumber with onion and garlic dip

Serve dips with lower-fat alternatives to tortilla chips or crisps – for a healthier nibble, serve them with pieces of wholemeal pitta bread, breadsticks or even better, fresh vegetable crudités.

Use dips as an alternative to mayonnaise, sour cream or oily dressings in salads. Try some of the following ideas:

• Potato salad: mix boiled new potatoes in their skins with sliced spring onions and sour cream and chive dip
• Coleslaw: mix shredded carrot, cabbage and onion with garlic and onion dip
• Mixed salad: simply top with a dollop of onion and garlic dip
• Rice salad: mix cooked brown rice with kidney beans, sliced spring onions and halved cherry tomatoes with guacamole
• Pasta salad: Mix cooked wholewheat pasta with tuna, sweetcorn and salsa
• Greek salad: mix chopped green peppers, tomatoes, red onion, feta cheese and olives with tzatziki
• Caeser-style salad: mix cos lettuce with grilled chicken, croutons and cheese and chive dip.

Make lower calorie creamy sauces to go with pasta by replacing double cream with a creamy dip. A tablespoon of double cream contains 67 calories and 7.2g fat. In contrast, a tablespoon of sour cream and chive dip contains 45 calories and 4.3g fat, and a tablespoon of onion and garlic dip has 55 calories and 5.6g fat. The reduced-fat varieties contain even less.

For a tasty, lower-fat snack, top crackers or crispbreads with cheese and chive dip rather than Cheddar cheese, Edam or Brie.