Substitutes for butter?

Pretty much any oil will do.

If it's just to keep things from sticking to the pan, then vegetable (soybean), canola, and corn oil are fine. Peanut oil may be needed for frying at high temperatures.

If it's for flavor, olive oil is great. Sesame oil also has a strong flavor. Real butter can also be good in moderation, and is much better than the fake ones, even if it tends to scald or burn.

If it's for baking, stick with actual butter. The chemical reactions during baking depend highly on butter's unique properties.

Butter is more natural try to find natural oil spreads and not chemicals

Personally, if you're going to do it, just use butter. You at least know what's in it. "Healthy" substitutes aren't necessarily healthier - it just may have different nutrient content.

you could try a spread that's based on olive oil.

real butter is the only thing I use. the rest of the spreads read like a science experiment.

In my opinion butter is healthier than any substitute out there. Just eat in moderation. I also use good quality olive oil for sautéing and nut oils for baking.

For frying eggs, olive oil works fine.
For mashing potatoes, plain yogurt works fine.

I often use a combo of butter and other things. Butter is natural (and healthy) if eaten in appropriate quantity. It tastes good so I use some butter and then supplement with other natural things like olive oil or yogurt.

Parkay is AWFUL for you as are all margarine products.

margarine