A list of 10 best healthy substitutes for unhealthy food that will help increase your vitamins intake. These food swaps are simple to make, and taste so good that it won’t be hard keeping the cravings away.
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Hi girls, how are you today?
You will probably agree that a huge part of being a grown-up is the ever-growing obsession for eating healthier food. Suddenly paying for overpriced tofu snacks no longer seemed absurd. No longer were the McDonalds chicken nuggets a Friday night favorite, being these happily replaced by healthier snacks, such as avocado toast.
An important side of La Belle Society is to find ways for an improved lifestyle for working women, be it by improving their organization habits, learning self-care tips, and of course, eating healthier.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: we need to eat healthier and make a mindful change in our daily diets. However, it is so tempting to let go and make unhealthy choices every so often.
While it may seem impossible for you to ditch all the junk food from your life, finding alternative food solutions without sacrificing the taste is a possibility.
Below are some great food substitutes perfect for your meal that give the same taste and are super healthy, thus being able to be enjoyed guilt-free. These superfoods are simple and easy to implement and will make your life so much easier.
Table of Contents
12 Best Healthy Substitutes for Unhealthy Food Choices
Cow’s Milk with Almond Milk
It seems everyone has some sort of issue with milk and dairy products. Lately, I’ve been having a lot of hormonal acne and I found a huge factor could be cow’s milk because it is filled with hormones. That is why lately I have replaced cow’s milk to almond. To my surprise, not only my skin improved but my overall well-being throughout the day.
Almond milk is great for people with lactose intolerance, whose stomach gets easily upset with dairy products. Also, when compared to cow’s milk, almond milk is much less caloric (in fact, almond milk has the lowest amount of calories compared to other milk types).
Add it to your smoothie, froth it in your coffee, or make hot chocolate; you’ll never taste the difference.
French Fries with Baked Sweet Potato Fries
I know, French fries are a hard addiction to let go of. However, try and substitute your hard to resist fries with baked sweet potato fries and you’ll see you will never miss them again. Sweet potatoes are super healthy and packed with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
Furthermore, sweet potato fries re extremely easy to make at home. You just have to wash them, cut into wedges, drizzle some olive oil on them, sprinkle salt and pepper and pop into the oven. After, you can enjoy a guilt-free dinner eating potatoes any day of the week.
Mayo for Greek Yoghurt
I found out about this substitute when I was 18 and wanted to make lighter tuna-paste (something healthy, rather than using mayo).
My boyfriend at the time taught me to use yogurt to mix the tuna and I was mind blown how similar it was. Never again did I use mayo for pastes. There is no need.
Seriously, you’ll be surprised at how similar the textures of mayonnaise and Greek yogurt are.
The trick is to add a little salt (maybe garlic and herbs as well) to Greek yogurt and you have a perfect party dip/ sandwich spread/ dressing that’s way better than mayonnaise, being just as tasty and healthier.
Pasta Noodles to Zoodles
Forget high carb pasta noodles and try zoodles for a guilt-free pasta dish, Zucchini noodles took the world by a storm a couple of years ago, but this trend needs to stick on. These veggie noodles are low in calories, carbs, and contain no flour at all.
You can easily make them using zucchini, cucumbers, carrots, beetroots, even sweet potatoes simply by putting them into a Spiralizer (skip the boiling). Because they’re veggies, they’re rich in vitamins and will help you get your veggie quota in for the day.
After spiralizing it, simply sauté for a few minutes until soft and your meal will be ready.
White Sugar to Coconut Sugar
Sugar is the evil of the world. It’s what causes weight gain, unhealthy systems, and risks of heart attacks. I honestly can’t say enough bad things about sugar and part of my life is avoiding processed sugar intake as much as possible.
Need more reason to choose coconut sugar over white sugar? Coconut sugar is natural, less processed, low in calories, and high in nutrition. They make the best sweetener option for all your sugar needs.
PS Another sugar alternative is honey. I’ve been pushing Cris to change from adding sugar to his yogurt to adding honey instead. After initial hesitation, he did it and now he loves it. Needless to say that honey makes yogurt delicious and is much healthier.
Butter to Avocado
Honestly, there is no need to replace all your butter with avocado, but you can swap half your butter for healthier fats like avocado. Whether it’s on toast (avocado spread on toast is one of the best things as a snack), or even in your brownies.
Yes, did you know you can replace the butter in your baked goods with avocados and you won’t even tell the difference?
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Soda to Flavored Water
If you are in the habit of guzzling down a few cans of soda every day, this habit needs to stop now, even if you drink diet sodas (which as just as unhealthy).
However, I understand how difficult it can be to drink plain tasteless water at times. That is why I suggest adding some natural flavor to your water with a few slices of lemon, cucumbers, or berries and you have naturally sweetened and flavored water that’s delicious and way healthier.
You’ll be surprised at how much more water you can drink throughout the day when you have a little extra incentive to do so.
Potato Chips to Popcorn
I have never been a fan of chips because after a few of them I start feeling sick. No wonder, though, these little crunchy snacks are extremely greasy and unhealthy.
That is why, instead of munching on salty and fatty potato chips next time you have a movie session, try popcorn for a better option. Popcorn is high in fiber and low in calories.
Popcorn is not only great for a movie night but as well whenever you’re having a salty craving (just try to stay away from butter). If you need utter to be happy when you enjoy popcorn, try this butter-flavored salt from Amazon.
Milk Chocolate to Dark Chocolate
If you absolutely need something, sweet by the end of a meal yet you want to reduce your caloric intake, try eating dark chocolate instead of milk chocolate. You’ll notice that you don’t need to eat as many in order to satisfy your sweet tooth, and it is quite healthier too.
Ice Cream to Fruit Smoothies
Summer is coming and my absolute favorite food (after rose wine) is gelato.
I love gelato so much that I will never tell you to substitute it. However, you absolutely can balance your gelato intake with other healthier options.
Fruit smoothies are a delicious way to refresh yourself while having a taste of something sweet. All you have to do is blend some frozen fruit, leafy greens, and add some yogurt or liquid of your choice. They’ll taste great and make you feel refreshed.
Pro Tip: Pre-pack the ingredients into a ziplock and put in your fridge for breakfast on the go.
Mashed Potato to Mashed Cauliflower
Simply use your favorite mashed potato recipe and switch out the potatoes with cauliflower. You’ll have a tasty and healthy side dish when you try this tip.
Dishes like cauliflower mash, cauliflower soup, and so many others can be made for a healthier substitute to potatoes which are loaded with carbs. The taste and texture can be really hard to differentiate and you’ll be eating veggies that are guilt-free.
Try this: Chunky Cauliflower Chowder and Mexican Cauliflower Rice are great substitutes when you want to cut out the carbs
Delivery Pizza to Home Made Pizza
Dating an Italian guy can be tough. Think pasta and pizza on a daily basis. While my boyfriend and his ‘’man-metabolism’’ can take this like a champ, my body is not as understanding (or forgiving, for that matter).
By making your own pizza at home, you can make sure it’s fresh, healthy, and tasty. Prepare the dough ahead of time to save time in the evening. Homemade pizzas are not only healthier and delicious but also fun to make.
Who says being on diet means eating boring and tasteless meals when you can have great alternatives that give the same taste without sacrificing your health?
And the tips and hacks from the list above will make your meal taste delicious and naturally healthy. If you are interested in more healthy tips, take a look at this post from Proper Good.
So pick any of these substitutes, add them to your meal plan, and you’ll feel so much better. Let me know what you think!
Now if you have any questions about any of these substitutes, please let me know in the comments down below! I’d love to help you with your struggles.
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