Who isn’t trying to eat healthier these days? I don’t know many people who aren’t. But who wants to eat cardboard and often more importantly who has the money to spend on fru-fru food products that taste like cardboard?! I sure don’t! We want to eat the foods we love but how do we make them healthier? Here are my top ten tips we are using right now!
1. Use whole wheat pasta. I have found this works well in baked dishes. I will admit don’t love whole wheat spaghetti but penne is great!
2. Cut back on the butter. Do you really need all of that butter on your roll or breakfast muffin? try cutting what you use in half and see if you notice a difference! Or try half olive oil and half butter when sauteing.
3. Try applesauce instead of oil in recipes. I have started to do this in my banana bread or banana muffins. They taste just as great but are missing that oil they used to have!
4. Cut back on the salt. Do you need all of the salt in your recipes? Don’t go without but look at how much you add. You can also try to buy salt-free or reduced fat canned items.
5. Add in veggies to your main dish. Is your main dish just a meat or a pasta dish? Add some veggies when you cook your chicken or your mac and cheese dinner! Veggies don’t just have to be a side dish!
6. Try vegetarian nights. Do you need to eat meat every night for dinner? You don’t just have to eat salads to have a vegetarian night. You can have a pasta dish or fried rice!
7. Grill it instead of frying it! Do you need a breaded chicken for dinner once a week? Try grilling or even baking that chicken to save those extra calories in the breading. It will taste just as good.
8. Try replacing mayo with Greek yogurt! Is chicken salad your downfall? Try replacing the mayo with Greek yogurt (get the plain kind!). You save a ton of calories and you add protein and tang to your chicken salad recipe. You can shake it up a little with grapes and apples in it to make a well rounded dish at that!
9. Make a juice spritzer instead of grabbing that can of soda. Did you know a glass of juice can have just as much sugar as a can of soda? Take a couple of ounces of juice and add club soda to fill up your glass. You will get the fizz you love but save on the calories and all of that sugar!
10. Fruit can be dessert! Growing up fruit was often a dessert at our house. My kids believe fruit is a dessert too. Cut up an apple. Get a fresh, local fruit to serve up. Make a fruit salad with all of your favorite fruits. This is a simple addition to shake up your meals and keep them ending as healthy as they started!
Do you have any ways you make your favorite foods healthy? If you do, let me know!! I am always looking for new ideas.
Leave a Reply