I've played around in my kitchen A LOT over the years, and finding healthy swaps for some of my favorite less healthy foods/ingredients has always sparked an interest in me.
That interest led me to discovering lots of healthy swaps that I love to share with anyone that's curious.
If you're reading this, I'm assuming you're interested in improving your nutrition, health, fitness, or all three. I want to say that it's totally okay to eat your not-so-healthy favorite foods every now and then, but if you're trying to improve your diet, these swaps can be super useful. These swaps can help you cut back on some of the things you want to reduce, without compromising taste.
Fresh cut veggies for potato chips.
Skip the chips & replace with veggie sticks. You'll consume WAY fewer calories and increase your fiber intake at the same time. Plus, veggies are way more filling than chips.
Ever tries carrots or sliced bell peppers with guac?...don't be close-minded—try it before you judge. SO good!
Zoodles for noodles.
1Whoever invented zucchini spiralizers deserves an award. Zucchini noodles, aka, ‘zoodles’ are the perfect way to up your daily veggie count & cut back on the processed carbs. Even using half of your go-to pasta noodles & subbing the other half for zoodles can help you cut back on lots of calories & extra carbs and you can ‘eat more for less’.
Cauliflower for rice.
Cauliflower is insanely versatile. Spin the florets in a food processor then steam it, strain it, & create some cauli rice. Or you can even buy pre-made cauliflower rice & steam it in the microwave. Subbing this for rice clearly cuts back on the calorie & carb count, and I personally prefer the taste & texture over standard white rice.
*Just remember, if you’re going to go halfsies on rice & cauli rice, get rid of the white & opt for brown or black rice instead*.
Unsweetened applesauce for eggs.
I always use this swap for baking. Applesauce is a great vegan swap for eggs. I’m not suggesting that eggs are bad, but for vegans or those interested in eating less animal products, here’s a great swap for ya.
Peanut butter powder (PB2) for peanut butter.
With peanut butter powder, you can make your own peanut butter by just mixing it up in a small cup with water. I do this daily, & it’s another way to eat more for less. PB2, PB fit, etc. provides way less fat and calories than traditional peanut butter. Most peanut butter powders are 50-70 calories & 1-2g fat per 2 tbsp serving, whereas typical peanut butters average 190-210 calories & 16-17g fat per 2 tbsp serving. Make that swap regularly, and you can save lots of cals & on your fat intake.
What are some food swaps that have become part of your normal routine?
Feel free to share in the comments!
xo Mackenzie.