Part of living a healthy, balanced life is letting yourself eat your favorite foods. While it’s essential to fuel your body with nutritious foods, sometimes we want a sweet treat or salty snack. And if your body is craving that- go for it! Just make it’s healthy.
There are easy ways we can swap out unhealthy, processed foods for healthy alternatives that still satisfy our cravings. So the next time you’re craving one of these, opt for the healthier alternative:
Instead of chocolate, eat dark chocolate
Dark chocolate is just as delicious, comes in a variety of flavors, and is way more nutritious. Dark chocolate contains antioxidants, fiber, and iron, meaning it’s good to eat every day!
Instead of cereal, eat puffed grains
If there comes a time when you’re really craving cereal but don’t want something high in sugar, eat puffed grains like brown rice or kamut. Pair it with berries, bananas, and a drizzle of honey for a healthy version of the cereal.
Instead of candy, eat dried fruit
Instead of mindlessly snacking on gummy candies when you watch a movie, swap them out for dried fruit. Dried fruit is just as sweet and delicious and is way better for you.
Instead of ranch, try hummus
Hummus is packed with nutrition and plant-based protein and tastes just as good with veggies and crackers as ranch does.
Instead of rice, try cauliflower rice
Whether you’re trying to lower your carb intake, cauliflower rice is a great alternative. It mimics the texture of rice almost perfectly and is half the calories.
Instead of mayonnaise, try avocado
Swapping out traditional mayo for avocado is an easy healthy alternative that can be used on sandwiches, in egg salad, or on toast.
Instead of wraps, try lettuce wraps
Lettuce wraps are way fewer calories than usual tortilla wraps, plus they’re way more crunchy and light! Pile on your favorite proteins and veggies for a delicious and filling lettuce wrap.
Instead of pasta, try zucchini noodles
Zucchini noodles, or “zoodles” as they’re often called, are a popular healthy alternative for a good reason! Make them with your favorite sauce and pasta add-ins for a carb friendly pasta dish.
Instead of soda, try fruity sparkling water
For those days when you’re really craving soda but don’t want to be unhealthy, try fruit-flavored sparkling water. It’s refreshing and will give you that burst of carbonation that you’re looking for.
Instead of chips, try popcorn
If you’re looking for something salty to munch on while you watch TV, go for popcorn instead of chips. It’s light and delicious and still satisfies your craving for a salty snack.
