If you are anything like me, you like easy.
Easy meals to cook, and especially easy snacks you can just pack for those long car rides or work lunches.
While shopping, the easiest things to grab are those bags of chips down the snack aisle or that tub of ice cream in the freezer section. And those are the things that are easiest to eat even when we have a fridge full of healthy greens.
I am definitely a comfort food person, which usually includes foods that are high carb and low nutrients. So what can we do about this?
When tackling this problem, I know that it is way easier and more beneficial to instead of cutting out all snacks, replace them with more nutrient enriched options.
This will help you be healthier and less lethargic after eating, and by making the changes step by step, it will be more sustainable long term.
Making small changes can lead to some big results, so lets make these changes together today and get rid of the junk food!
Pop/Soda
In 2018, the average American drank just a little under 40 gallons of soft drink.
Soda is filled with lots of sugar and chemicals, and having 40 gallons worth in our body isn’t great.
If you are a big soda drinker, you’ve probably heard to just switch to water.
While this would be great, it sometimes is a little more complicated than that.
So, what is a good alternative that isn’t water?
Sparkling Water
Try sparkling water!
You will still get the carbonation that you love, but with much healthier effects to your body!
You can even add some of your favorite juice to still have some of that sweetness you love.
Chips
Potato chips, tortilla chips, cheese puffs, pretzels, you name it.
There is an entire aisle at most grocery stores dedicated to all of the different options, but usually only a small section where you can find healthy alternatives to the junk food items.
There are always chips on the end caps of the aisles as well, making it easy to grab them as you are in a rush.
Instead of grabbing a bag of one of these foods, grab these instead!
Popcorn
Homemade popcorn is a much healthier alternative to many of these snacks, especially if you pop it yourself in coconut oil and add light seasonings instead of butter.
Even getting the brands of popcorn that are lightly salted and not in butter are better for you!
Nuts
Nuts are a great source of fat, fiber, and protein, and are a great snack to keep you full.
They are good in mixes, and are best for you in their more natural form without as much added salts.
They are also great in healthy trail mixes. If you love crunching on a quick snack, then nuts are for you!
Candy & Desserts
For many, candy and sweets are the hardest things to give up.
Whether it is donuts for breakfast or ice cream, cookies, or cake for dessert, it is hard not to let your sweet-tooth get to you.
Chocolate bars and different candies also tempt you at pretty much any checkout lane, and it is hard to say no for “just a dollar.”
So what are a few things that can satisfy a sweet tooth in a more beneficial way?
Dried Fruit
There is a variety of dried fruit to choose from, and the best part is they are nature’s candy!
If you want something crunchy there are dried banana chips, or if you want something softer like dried raisins or dried cherries, or apple rings.
More options include: dates, figs, ginger, mango, papaya, peaches, nectarines, pears, pineapples, and prunes.
Carob Coated Nuts/Fruit
Chocolate covered snacks are pretty popular already, but carob can give another healthy spin to this snack.
In moderation of course, these can be a great alternative to that candy bar you’re about to eat!
Smoothies and Sorbet
If you are looking for a better option for ice cream or a milkshake, try using some frozen fruit!
You can make a pretty good smoothie that tastes delicious! Or a vegan ice cream that doesn’t leave you feeling gross afterwards.
Sorbets are also a simple, delicious option! Again, by using frozen fruit you can create a light, frozen dessert that is especially nice in the summer!
Sugary Cereals
For breakfast or just as a snack, cereal is a big part of a lot of lives.
Unfortunately, the amount of sugar in just one serving of cereal is usually over 20g.
The recommended amount of sugar per day is approximately 37.5g for men and 25g for women.
This means that one bowl of cereal has almost the amount of sugar a woman should intake for the entire day, and over half of what a man should eat.
What can we eat to lower our sugar count?
Granola
Granola is the perfect substitute for sugary cereals!
It usually has about 8g of sugar.
In addition to having much less sugar, granola contains whole ingredients like seeds, raisins, and nuts that are high in fiber and protein.
Granola can be eaten many different ways, most popularly with almond milk, but it can also be a topping for a parfait or eaten with yogurt or a smoothie.
And Many More!
There are many more junk foods that can easily be replaced by something healthier, you just have to get creative!
It can be fun trying new foods and new ways to be healthier, and for more ideas check out our products!
Did you like the healthy options we gave? A lot of these items are items that we carry at our store and on our website if you choose to buy them through us!
If you would like to place an order for some healthy food, we have a discount going on!
If you place your order on our website (countrylifefoods.com) and type in the discount code "ONLINE10" you will get 10% off of your order!
These healthy foods are waiting for you. :)