Simple Food Substitutions for Healthy Eating
Simple Food Substitutions for Healthy Eating
Cooking healthily and making nutritious meals that also taste great can sometimes feel like a daunting task. However, I’m here to help alleviate that stress. Today, we’ll explore various ways to substitute ingredients in your meals or snacks to make healthier choices. Here’s a compilation of my favorite food substitutions for a healthier lifestyle.
It’s important to recognize that adopting a healthy lifestyle doesn’t happen overnight. Rather than trying to overhaul your entire diet at once, let’s focus on making gradual, sustainable changes. Choose one category from the list below and commit to it for about two weeks until it becomes a more natural part of your routine. Once you feel comfortable with that change, move on to another category. Rinse and repeat! Remember, it all begins with small, consistent changes. You’ve got this!
– Kimmy
- Dairy
Instead of: Try This:
Milk —————————> Almond, Coconut, Flax, Cashew, Oat, or Hemp Milk
Cheese —————————> Nutritional Yeast, Raw Cheddar Cheese
Yogurt —————————> Greek Yogurt, Coconut Yogurt
Whipped Cream —————————> Coconut Whipped Cream
Creamer (Coffee) —————————> Oat Milk, Coconut Oil, MCT Oil, Onnit
Butter —————————> Ghee Butter, Coconut Oil
Mayo —————————> Avocado, Primal Kitchen Mayo
Sour Cream —————————> Plain Greek Yogurt
- Pasta, Bread, & Starches
Instead of: Try This:
White Bread —————————> Udi’s Bread, Breadsrsly, Northern Bakehouse
Tortillas —————————> Siete Tortillas, Mikey Tortillas
Taco Shells —————————> Siete Taco Shells
Noodles —————————> Spaghetti Squash/ Zucchini Noodles, Ramen Noodles, Paleo Noodles
White Rice —————————> Cauliflower Rice, Quinoa
Mashed Potatoes —————————> Mashed Cauliflower, Sweet potatoes
French Fries —————————> Sweet Potato Fries
Cereal —————————> Gluten Free Rolled or Quick Oats, Granola, Warm Buckwheat, Rice Cakes
Chips —————————> Siete Chips, Kale Chips, Beet Chips
Pancake —————————> Birch Benders, Simple Mills
Crackers —————————>Marys Crackers, Simple Mills Crackers, Flackers, GF Crackers
Popcorn —————————> Buddha Bowl Popcorn
Pizza Crust —————————> GF Pizza Crust, Simple Mills Pizza Dough
White / Wheat Flour —————————> Almond, Coconut, Buckwheat, Tapioca, and Cassava Flour
- Sugar & Sweeteners
Instead of: Try This:
White Sugar / Splenda —————————> Monk Fruit, Stevia, Raw Honey, Dates
Powdered Sugar —————————> Lakanto Powdered Sugar
Maple Syrup —————————> Pure Maple Syrup, Lakanto Maple Syrup
- Drinks
Instead of: Try This:
Soda —————————> Zevia, LaCroix
Fruit Juice —————————> Coconut Water, Fresh squeezed oranges
Alcohol —————————> Kombucha, Red Wine
- Desserts
Instead of: Try This:
Ice Cream —————————> Dairy Free Halo Top, Frozen Bananas
Hard Candy —————————> Frozen Grapes
Frosting —————————> Canned Coconut Cream
Baked Goods —————————> Simple Mills Cookies
Cake —————————> Simple Mills Cake Mix
Candy Bars —————————> Onnit Protein Bites, Quest Bars, RX Bars, Lara Bars, Collagen Bars
Milk Chocolate —————————> Lilys Chocolate Chips, Lilys Chocolate Bars
Whey Protein Powder —————————> Onnit Hemp Protein, Vegan Protein Powder
- Oils, Dressings, & Condiments
Instead of: Try This:
Vegetable & Canola Oils —————————> Coconut, Avocado, Grapeseed, EVO Olive Oil
Table Salt —————————> Himalayan Salt
Ketchup —————————> Hot Sauce, Primal Kitchen Ketchup
Ranch Dressing —————————> Primal Kitchen Ranch Dressing
Salad Dressing —————————> Primal Kitchen Dressing
Peanut Butter —————————> Powdered Peanut Butter
Soy Sauce —————————> Coconut Aminos
