7 Healthier Alternatives to Your Favorite Everyday Treats

Trust me, we know how hard it is to find a balance between your favorite foods and sticking to your healthy habits. So, we’ve crafted a list broken down into meals, snacks and miscellaneous foods of our FAVE healthier substitutes that’ll satisfy your cravings without the guilt. 

Meals

1. Pasta Substitutes

Alternative pasta noodles can range from veggie noodles (e.g.., zucchini or butternut squash spirals or spaghetti squash) to miracle noodles— clear, gelatinous Shirataki noodles that are 97% water and 20 calories per serving. Beware, the texture of the above noodles are noticeably different than traditional pasta noodles. So, if you’re craving something closer to the real deal, we recommend chickpea or edamame pasta, which are made from vegetable flour rather than wheat flour and have the same consistency as regular pasta. We also love vegan mac and cheese. This butternut squash vegan mac recipe is honestly do die for.

2. Burgers

Red meat has been shown to have many negative health effects. Turkey burgers, which have less fat than a normal beef burger, or veggie burgers are some of our favorite substitutes (Dr. Praeger’s California Burgers are AMAZING, and you can get them at Walmart for $4. They’re a steal!). Another suggestion is to ask for your burgers to be wrapped in lettuce rather than bread. While almost nothing beats a good brioche bun, it’s all about balance!

3. Pizza

Two words: Cauliflower pizza. Our all-time favorite is the veggie or three-cheese pizza from the brand Caulipower. Cooked just right, the difference between real pizza and this is pretty minimal. Not only that, but you can even make your own at home. Trader Joe’s sells great cauliflower thins that you can use as a base to customize your own pizza. 10/10 would recommend!

Snacks

1. Peanut Butter

It’s super easy to over-indulge in peanut butter, as nuts in general are super high in fat (and therefore high in calories). Enter: PB2. This is a powdered peanut butter mix that you combine with water, and BAM, you have peanut butter. The more water you add, the more soupy the consistency of the peanut butter, and the less you add, the thicker and chunkier the texture is. The taste is comparable to real peanut butter, with approximately 4 times less calories. You can dip apples and celery in your PB2 and even throw the powder in your protein smoothies. 

2. Fried rice

Simply grab a frozen package of fried rice from Trader Joe’s and a frozen package of riced cauliflower, and combine the two together. We love to douse our fried rice in coconut aminos (also from Trader Joe’s) rather than soy-sauce. It contains lower sodium and is fiber-packed.

Miscellaneous

1. Olive Oil

FDA regulations permit companies to put zero calories on their label if there’s less than five calories per serving. A fourth second spray of cooking spray is around 5 calories as a word of caution if you have a heavy hand. Regardless, it’s a much better option than straight oil!

2. Coffee

For your coffee, black is the most ideal option, and Stevia is your best friend in regards to a sugar substitute (or any zero-calorie sweetener for that matter). Instead of using whole milk, opt for a dairy-alternative. Skinnygirl sweeteners are also heaven-sent. They’re sugar-free syrups that come in flavors such as vanilla, salted caramel, mocha and pumpkin spice. Making your drinks at home not only saves you money from the ridiculous Starbucks upcharges but also saves you in the health department too. 

These are some tips and tricks to integrate balance into your lifestyle in a healthier way. But at the end of the day, life is too short—eat the cake!