Healthy Food Swaps You Should Try

If you’re trying to stick to a healthy diet, sweet and savory temptations can derail any of your good intentions. And while you should never have to completely eliminate any of your favorite foods, you can definitely satisfy your cravings with some simple healthy swaps.

Try out these healthier alternatives for different “junk” food cravings to help keep you on track with your health-related goals.

Craving a big slice of cheesy pepperoni with smooth marinara sauce? Try veggie pizzas. Swap out the crust for a low-calorie vegetable alternative such as mini eggplant pizzas, portobello mushroom pizzas, or zucchini pizza boats. You can also make a more traditional crust out of mashed cauliflower, eggs, and a little mozzarella.

Craving a zesty pasta? Try using veggie noodles. Make your favorite pasta sauce then pour it on top of spaghetti squash instead of regular pasta noodles. You can also try making your own noodles with a veggie spiralizer with zucchini. Swapping out your noodles for veggie alternatives gives you more vitamins and fiber at much less of a caloric cost.

If your favorite sauce is a cream sauce, try swapping out the heavy cream, cheeses, and butter for plain nonfat Greek yogurt. It gives the creamy consistency without the extra calories, plus it is packed with protein and calcium.

If you’re wanting the crispy salty crunch of potato chips, try making your own kale chips. Get the crunch without all the calories and trans fats. Just trim leaves, toss with 2 tbsp olive oil, and bake at 275 for 20 minutes. You can also try it with sweet potatoes, zucchinis, spinach, or Brussel sprouts!

If you’re wanting the crunch and creamy combo of chips and dip, try veggie sticks with hummus, or sweet potato chips with some chunky tomato based or mango salsa.

Got a sweet tooth? Go for fruit, aka natures candy. If you’re feeling tangy sweet, go for pomegranates, kiwis, or grapes. If you’re feeling more of a rich sweet, bake some red apples or peaches sprinkled with cinnamon. Blend some fruits together with a little ice and coconut water for a sweet smoothie.

If you’re craving chocolate, go for some dark chocolate or cacao which makes you feel satisfied much quicker than milk chocolate plus dark chocolate contains antioxidants. Our non-glycemic chocolate also makes a great healthy treat!

Want something creamy? Make a fruit parfait with Greek yogurt, berries, and a little granola. Or you can blend together some yogurt, strawberries, and a banana for a creamy smoothie.

Craving some salty thick cut fries? (Who doesn’t?) Try sweet potato fries. Don’t fry them in oil, but lightly coat sliced sweet potatoes in olive oil, salt, and pepper then bake for 25 minutes at 425 degrees. You’re getting less fat by baking instead of frying, plus sweet potatoes are rich in beta-carotene, vitamin C, pro-vitamin E, anthocyanins and more!