10 Healthy Food Swaps You Can Easily Do

Here’s another recent topic that I did for Mommy Mindpower (now – MamaZen); healthy swaps so you can eat better without feeling like you’re sacrificing everything you love. If you’re busy and stressed out the last thing you want to spend time thinking about is counting calories, and you certainly don’t want to give up your favorite foods. Plus, when life is hectic, it’s not easy to stick to overly regimented eating plans. 

Instead of trying to perform a complete overhaul in regard to what and how you eat, focus on taking these baby steps instead.

Consider swapping out certain foods for some healthier alternatives, and you’ll instantly start to feel better without feeling like you’re giving up everything. Small changes really can add up to a huge difference. 

Here are 10 easy food swaps that I recently shared for Mommy Mindpower (I also encourage you to pop over to their page when you get a chance. It’s especially helpful for moms, but there are some great resources and articles that many will find helpful)!

Instead of Mayo Try – Avocado, Hummus, or Greek Yogurt — Whether you put it on a sandwich or use it as a dip, all of these alternatives to mayonnaise deliver a lot more health benefits like the heart-healthy fats found in avocado or the beneficial protein and probiotics found in yogurt.

Instead of Sugary Sodas Try – Flavored Water — Drinking away your calories on sugary liquids, whether it’s sodas, fruit juices or daiquiris, can become a real drag, literally. All of the sugar can send you crashing down in no time, plus pack on a bunch of empty calories. It’s not like you can never drink this stuff, just watch how much you consume on a daily basis. You might even find simply cutting out the soda can cause your waistline to shrink. Whenever you can, opt for H2O. You can always add some fresh fruit or a sprig of mint to give it a little flavor boost, plus you reap all of the other great benefits of drinking water.

Instead of Potato Chips Try – Almonds, Pistachios, or Raw Veggies — Sometimes you just want that satisfying crunch when you snack. Instead of reaching for that bag of potato chips, portion out a serving of healthy nuts or some raw veggies. You’ll get tons of nutrients to go along with that crunch, instead of greasy fingers covered in potato chip crumbs.

Instead of Pasta Try – Squash or Zucchini Noodles Instead of Pasta — We purchased a spiralizer and slicer like this one, and it’s pretty amazing how many things you can make look like spaghetti. Plus, it came with a few additional blades so you can make several shapes. We used it to make noodles out of squash and zucchini (talk about a huge reduction in calories!), and we also used it for some fun sides like apple strings and to make baked sweet potato fries.

Instead of Oil When Cooking and Baking Try – Applesauce (and even avocado) — The idea here is to either reduce calories, add in more nutrients, or a mix of both. It varies with your recipe, but replace your vegetable or other oil when you are cooking and baking with these healthier options. On average, if using avocado, replace half the oil in the recipe with mashed up avocado and keep the remaining half oil (this is more so the avocado flavor doesn’t take over your dish), and with applesauce use a 1:1 ratio, or adjust to your taste. You might even find that you like certain recipes even better when you use the alternatives!

Instead of a Margarita Try – a Sangria — Getting ready for a date night or going out for drinks with friends? Swap out a margarita for sangria and save about 120 calories!

Instead of a Burrito Try – a Bowl — A burrito bowl that is! Have the good stuff served in a bowl instead of wrapped up in a tortilla and save anywhere from 120-200 calories. Coincidence that you just saved enough for that sangria? I think not!

Instead of a Flour Tortilla Try – Corn — Sometimes, you just need a tortilla. You want a taco or a wrap, so go for it! However, opt for corn instead of flour, they have roughly half the calories and about twice the fiber, making them a healthier option.

Instead of Rice Try – Riced Cauliflower or Quinoa — Replace rice with riced cauliflower in a number of dishes to cut calories and up your intake of veggies; or choose quinoa, which is a great source of protein and amino acids.

Instead of Deep Dish Pizza Try – Thin Crust — I love pizza, I can’t imagine a world without it. However, I don’t love the high-calorie load so much. The crust is where a lot of the issues lie – lots of calories with little nutritional value. Give your slice a healthier punch by adding some fresh veggie toppings and selecting the thin crust. You can also go light on the sauce and cheese to reduce calories even further while still keeping all of the yummy goodness!

Before you know it, these small steps will help you make even bigger strides toward a healthier you! I know when I am eating better, I am more likely to work out and make time for a walk, plus I am more aware of doing other things that are good for me, like drinking enough water. 

Overall, staying healthier means less stress, which is always a positive! No matter how you decide to get healthy, remember, even tiny steps in the right direction will move you forward. 

*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualified purchases.