Healthy Food Swaps for Unhealthy Snacks

Lifestyle changes are hard, but food swaps can help. When you are craving unhealthy snacks, food swaps can help you beat the craving without indulging or overeating. Candy, lattes, chips, or ice cream, any chance you’re craving those? We all do have those cravings from time to time! Knowing how to avoid the indulgence is what counts. I’ve created a list of easy food swaps so you can control those unruly cravings!

Candy

The first food swap is for candy, chocolate and fruity chews! Make these delicious snacks at home and ignore the candy options at the checkout.

• Chocolate Candy

For chocolate candy cravings, treat yourself to dark chocolate covered almonds. They are easy to make at home, but you can also purchase them in most all grocery stores. For this food swap make sure that the almonds are covered in dark chocolate. Milk chocolate is packed with sugar and doesn’t have the same nutritional value and dark chocolate! Dark chocolate is a great food swap for chocolate candy because it is packed with antioxidants. The almonds will help you feel full more quickly, so you will be less likely to overeat.

• Sweet Fruity Treats

Sometimes fruity sugar candies look so delicious. Avoid them entirely. They are just sugar. They’re bad for your teeth, your gut, your health, and you energy! Food swap these candies for frozen grapes. Grapes will ease your sweet tooth, without all of the fake sugars and preservatives.

White Bread

Food swap all white bread for whole wheat bread. This means swap tortillas, sandwich bread, buns, and any other source of refined grains. This will add protein and fiber to your diet! It will help you feel full. White bread and other refined grains are loaded with hidden sugars and will only make you feel hungrier in the long run.

Lettuce

While romaine lettuce contains nutritional value, you can food swap it for kale or spinach. Spinach and kale contain more vitamins and micronutrients per serving. They truly are superfoods, and they will still taste great in your salads!

Potatoes

Food swap your regular starchy Idaho potatoes for nutrient-dense sweet potatoes. Sweet potatoes contain a healthy amount of vitamin A and taste great! They will complement any meal in the same way a regular potato would.

Ice Cream

Oh man, we all have those intense ice cream cravings. It’s so easy to overindulge.  Food swap store bought ice cream for homemade “banana ice cream.” You need a food processor, frozen banana chunks, and any toppings you desire. I like to add natural peanut butter and dark chocolate chips. Combine frozen banana chunks and peanut butter in your food processor and pulse until the texture resembles that of ice cream! Then add the chocolate chips!

I hope you find these food swaps to be helpful in resisting unhealthy cravings! The main goal is to eat healthy, real food and avoid overly processed junk food! If you would like support on your journey toward a healthy lifestyle, contact me! I’d love to help inspire and keep you motivated toward healthy living.