We all have our guilty pleasures, I know I do! The things that you absolutely canNOT live without. Perhaps the reasons why you don’t want to commit to a “diet” or “healthy eating” is because you know you’ll fail and be disappointed in yourself AGAIN!
Honestly, until I moved in with my sister (Megan again) as a teenager I had NO clue that there was such a thing as “baked chips”, or “sugar free candy” because, as I stated in one of my previous blogs giving you a few ways to jumpstart a healthier lifestyle, my mom fed me ALL THE GOOD STUFF!
When I started dating my husband who is a health freak and gym geek (hahaha not a geek it just rhymed), my mind got a bit more enlightened on things like ‘macros’ and ‘caloric intake’ etc. He taught me that I can still have the things I like, just different versions of them.
Five years later and our house is filled with, as our family says, “healthy snacks”, but to us it’s just life as normal. Instead of soda we drink carbonated water; instead of eating a pint of Häagendazs on the weekends we eat a pint of Halo Top; When we want chips we have Pop Chips or Pop Corners instead. Those are just a few examples!
Keep reading for a list of substitutes you can use to stay happy AND healthy!
1.POP CHIPS VS. TRADITIONAL POTATO CHIPS
In my opinion the PopChips taste better than the traditional potato chip. If you’re a salty snacker and love the crunch, these are for you! The best part is that they are half the calories! You can find these at most grocery stores or you can order them on Amazon! They even have Ridged options with flavors such as, Buffalo Ranch (my fave), tangy BBQ and cheddar and sour cream. Click HERE!
2. Caronated water vs. Soda
So I will say, carbonated water TASTE’S nothing like soda. I use to be in LOVE with soda, especially the burn you get as you gulp it down, my fave! After I decided to cut out the soda I still craved that burn (if you’re a soda drinker you know what I mean). It took me about a week to get use to carbonated water and now I actually prefer it over soda! Its perfect to subside the craving of soda and its WAY WAY better for you.
3. Processed white bread vs. Nutrient rich whole grain bread
Bread is the enemy!! Right? WRONG! Here’s the thing, our body burns calories as it digests, and the more processed (broken down) the food is when it enters the body, the less your body has to work. The process that it takes to make white bread takes out all the nutrients and good carbohydrates and thus when we eat it, it causes more harm than good. Whole GRAIN bread is rich in nutrients and our bodies can actually benefit from consuming it!
4. Cookies vs. Cookies
COOKIES! My straight up kryptonite. Pepperidge Farm is my favorite so I had to find an alternative! My sister has a gluten allergy and had these in her office one day, I tried them and was shocked that they were so good! These are now my go-to when I need a flakey, buttery, chocolate filled cookie.
5. Sour Cream vs. Plain greek yogurt
Who in the world does not love Sour Cream?? Well, let me tell you, plain greek yogurt TASTE THE EXACT SAME! I even tried it out on my teenage cousins and didn’t tell them it wasn’t sour cream they were eating, and they never knew. If you don’t believe me just try it out and see for yourself!
6. Corn tortilla chips vs. Cassava flour tortilla chips
To be honest these Siete tortilla chips are AHH-MAZING!! Especially the lime flavored! Get some good salsa or a chunky guac and you’ll be amazed. They are made with cassava flour, so they are without a doubt the version with the least amount of carbs.
7. Flour tortillas vs. Almond flour tortillas
Well, we might as well follow that with the Siete almond flour tortillas! These taste better than traditional tortillas to me. See, I’m a huge texture person and thats a reason I love these so much, the texture is so bomb. Heat them up for a minute or two on the stove or heat them in olive oil for a crispy taco shell. They are my absolute favorite tortilla! You won’t be disappointed.
8. Traditional Ice cream vs. Halo Top ice cream
I don’t even want to talk about this sore subject but someone has to. Ice cream is my husbands FAVORITE! Me, I prefer cookies but I do get the occasional craving for some cold sweetness! In any case, when we do get ice cream we prefer the Halo Top brand. Something my husband always reminds me of is that this brand says “___calories per PINT”, vs. “Per SERVING”. There is a difference so make sure to pay attention so you don’t eat the whole pint thinking you only ate 320 calories and really you ate 960.
9. Fruit Punch vs. Water flavoring
Juice is definitely not everyones thing but for those who love it and can’t live without it, this is for you. Well, if your one of those people, one way to help phase you out of juice is using a water flavoring such as Crystal Light. This is also not for everyone but it did help me transition from drinking sugary liquids to drinking those with far less calories. Try it with carbonated water for more of a ‘soda’ feel!
10. Peanut butter vs. Protein butter
Listen Linda, this ‘nuts’n more’ butter is….ohhh my gaawwddd…SO.SO.GOOD!! It’s actually a protein butter and has similar calories to peanut butter or almond butter but tastes way better. Spread it on a cinnamon rice cake topped with strawberries or banana, delicious!
So there you have it! There are so many more substitutes that you can use to save some daily calorie! Tell me your swaps below!
~Molly K. Carter