Top 7 Food Swaps

Did you know you can make a few simple changes in the kitchen that can help promote healthier eating for you and your family?When I’m grocery shopping, I look at the food I am buying, especially the items we eat frequently, to see if they can be swapped for a healthier alternative.

For example – sandwiches in kids’ lunches, we swap the white bread for a whole wheat or whole grain bread, which provides more essential nutrients.

Some other examples of food swaps to consider include:

1. Coconut or olive oil and vinegar instead of salad dressing – There are a lot of great tasting salad dressings to use on salads, however many of them are full of unnecessary sugars, fats and calories. Olive oil or Coconut oil and balsamic vinegar are a great substitute for salad dressing.
2. Greek yogurt for yogurts high in sugar – Many flavored yogurts are high in sugar. Try substituting plain Greek yogurt that is higher in protein and less sugar. Adding berries makes it taste as good as the sugary yogurt with berries. Plain Greek yogurt can also be a substitute for sour cream.
3. Apple or cucumber slices instead of crackers or chips – Use sliced apples or cucumbers (cucumbers have less calories and carbs) to put cheese or spread peanut butter (other nut butter for those with allergies) on for a much healthier snack. Enjoy apple and cucumber slices with your sandwich instead of chips.
4. Ground turkey for ground beef – Ground turkey typically has less fat and is a great alternative to ground beef.
5. 1 whole fruit instead of sugary juice – Most juice, even those labelled as “100% pure” are mostly full of sugar. There are more nutrients and fiber in whole fruit than there are in juice.
6. Quinoa versus pasta-low glycemic, high in protein, high in fiber. When sauce is added, it tastes just like pasta. Tell your kids it’s “baby pasta” to get them to eat it. 
7. Coconut oil instead of butter to cook eggs, veggies, and anything else that tastes good with butter. Coconut oil tastes exactly like butter when you cook with it, but it is filled with medium chain triglycerides which have shown to promote weight loss.

The healthy swaps are endless, but making a few here and there is a great way to slowly transition to a more healthy eating style in your family.