Healthy substitutes for favourite foods?

DavidG789

So I've been trying to eat healthier recently and one of the biggest problems I've had is battling craving e.g burgers, sweet tooth, pasta etc. I've started subbing eggs, for egg whites and burgers for turkey burgers with whole wheat bread. For pasta I've subbed whole grain pasta but if any of you had any other suggestions for substituting foods for healthier alternatives I'd be pretty happy to hear them, also how do you guys beat those cravings for when you want foods like burgers, fast food etc?

RodaRose

What is the goal? Are you trying to reduce calories or are you trying to adjust to some made up idea of what is "healthy."
Whole wheat pasta is just as "healthy" as regular wheat pasta. Not much nutritional difference at all.

Fast food works as long as you are looking carefully at the calories. For example, I do not find fries worth the calories but do like bacon cheese burgers without the bread.

MelaniaTrump

Have a green leaf salad every once in a while (low fat dressing). Good for your health. The cravings will pass with time. Just drink a lot of water when you get them.

beemerphile1

DavidG789 wrote: »

So I've been trying to eat healthier recently and one of the biggest problems I've had is battling craving e.g burgers, sweet tooth, pasta etc. I've started subbing eggs, for egg whites and burgers for turkey burgers with whole wheat bread. For pasta I've subbed whole grain pasta but if any of you had any other suggestions for substituting foods for healthier alternatives I'd be pretty happy to hear them, also how do you guys beat those cravings for when you want foods like burgers, fast food etc?

In order to make relevant recommendations we would need to know your goals. Nothing is particularly healthy or unhealthy eaten in reasonable quantities.

RogerToo

Hi
FWIW I use the Hebrew national 97% fat free hot dogs, They are all beef and 45 calories per.
Then Since I live in a area with ShopRite Grocery Stores I can get their Pre-cooked Bacon slices at 20 calories per slice and use a slice on a Hamburger or Grilled Chicken Breast sandwich along with Tomato, Lite mayo, Lettuce and Onions. I cal also use a slice of Velveeta Cheese at 40 calories per slice with the bacon to have a bacon cheeseburger. Use a Lean ground Beef. I also use WW Whole Wheat or Rye bread at 45 calories per slice.

BTW a 1/2 slice of the cheese and a slice of bacon on a slice of the WW bread is tasty on the HN hot dog too
These will help if You are watching calories or working on reducing fat in the diet.

Good Luck
Roger

TeaBea

Lifestyle changes for me. I won't be giving up burgers or chocolate for the rest of my like....so I don't substitute them.

However, I realize that I can't have these calorie bombs....whenever. I substitute leaner meats (even beef can be lean) and make burgers on the grill more often than eating the fast food versions. My "homemade" burgers taste better anyway. I like the taste of whole grain bread and like getting more fiber, that's a habit worth keeping (for me). Sure pasta is calorie dense, I just eat regular pasta and watch my portions now.

Like RodaRose said find your true preferences....most fast food fries aren't worth it to me either. One exception is Culver's, I indulge about 3 times a year. Otherwise it's green salad all the way.

claraoswold

I found skinny cow ice cream. Low cal, and individually wrapped so I get one serving and done. Plus since I still eat ice cream I don't feel deprived.

sabinmihai

From my point of view, eating healthy implies eating wholesome and nutritious foods, which have a low index of processing. Please tell me if you have a different point of view on the "healthy eating" topic. I do not fully understand your situation, but I will share my experience when facing cravings and eating habits. If you find that my experience is somewhat close to yours, you could try some of the things I eat and be sure to reply with some feedback.

Without further ado.

• Pasta is OK, but whole wheat pasta is better. The whole wheat variety is higher in fiber, which means your stomach will digest the food more slowly. Also, the whole wheat version is higher in vitamins and minerals since they are found in the germ and bran(which are removed during the process of making normal wheat and pasta). For more info on this please check https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whole_grain.
• Whole eggs are a good source of healthy fats and protein. Take into consideration eating a mix of whole eggs and eggs white. Doing so increases the volume of food and also the quantity of protein(the egg white is only protein).
• Healthier and more nutritious foods include brown/basmati rice instead of white rice, sweet potatoes instead of the normal ones.
• Try eating raw vegetables(bell peppers, carrots, cucumbers) or fruits as snacks. Eating every 2-3 hours keeps you full and forces you to eat less at the dinner. Furthermore, eating less towards the end of the day will make you feel slimmer in the morning(I personally like this feeling).
• Try distributing your calories evenly around the macro-nutrients. What I mean by this is to eat a wide variety of foods : lean meat, vegetables, fruits, nuts and seeds, rice, potatoes, bread etc.

From what I understand from my body, the cravings start when I have a deficiency of micro-nutrients(vitamins and minerals) or macro-nutrients(protein,carbs,fats). Therefore to beat them is to anticipate them. This can be done eating 3 meals a day and 2 snacks, eating fiber-dense foods(raw veggies and fruits or whole grains) and keeping your fridge/pantry packed with healthy options.

Also, when fighting cravings, there is a component of patience. When changing your eating habits or style, your body will react slowly to the changes you make. Eating healthy one day will not suffice. For me, it take 1 - 2 week(s) to notice the difference.

Hope this helps

hgycta

I know you said you switched to egg whites, but they'll never be as satisfying as the yoke in my opinion. When I make scrambled eggs I usually use one whole egg, then add half cup of liquid egg whites and scramble them together so I get that flavor and some of that satisfying fat, while the egg whites are there to bulk it up a little.
You also mentioned turkey burgers which are great and lean, but if you're craving beef then you could always opt for leaner ground beef (I try to aim for 93 or 97%).
When it comes to dairy, I always go for low fat milk and cheese, nonfat yogurt (watch out for those sugars - I prefer Dannon's Light & Fit Greek variety), and occasionally I'll even do unsweetened almond milk which is only 30 calories.
Instead of milkshakes (one of my biggest weaknesses) I'll blend myself a protein shake (my favorite powder will always be Quest's vanilla milkshake powder) with either water or almond milk, which averages around 130 calories for a giant glass, or you could even add in a tablespoon or two of flavored nut butter for an even more indulgent shake if you have the calories.
Instead of whole wheat pasta, I've also switched to Barilla's protein plus pastas which are also whole wheat and about the same calories but also has protein (and some omega-3) added to be more filling.
Instead of bread I'll occasionally treat myself to ThinSlim Food's bread (my favorite is their plain and rye), which is 50 calories per slice so pretty comparable to some other brands, but contain a TON of fiber and sit like a rock in my stomach (only thing is they're $7.99 a loaf). Some cheaper alternatives are Joseph's pita or lavash bread.
When I want ice cream, I look for lower calorie versions (frozen yogurt, low fat, no sugar added, etc) but my favorite will always be Edy's Slow Churned.
If I want chocolate, one packet of swiss miss (not the diet kind, which has 25 calories) is 90 calories and will usually hit the spot while filling me slightly due to having more fluids in my tummy.
Also focus your meals around those veggies - super low calorie way to add more flavor, nutrients, and fill you!
Want McDonald's? Try their Southwest Salad with Grilled Chicken! Chick-fil-A? Grilled Chicken Cool Wrap. Always go on websites and look up their nutrition if you can and look for lower calorie alternatives!
Depending how you feel about artificial sweeteners, they can also be incredibly helpful when craving sweets.

juggernaut1974

Agree with those that pointed out that "healthier" without the context of your goals is meaningless.

Assuming weight management is one of your goals, the best substitutes I've found are simply smaller portions of your favorite foods.

pinggolfer96

I literally use Greek yogurt for EVERYTHING. I substitute it for mayo, sour cream, dressings, slaws, smoothies, in oatmeal as a thickener....the list goes on and on. I literally use it in some way at every meal lol

Queenmunchy

I don't necessarily go for "substitutes" but I do like certain flavor profiles. I just find a way to make that fit into my calorie count.

Craving pizza:
Low calorie pita or flatout, my homemade sauce, part skim mozz, and toppings

Chicken wings:
Smoke chicken, mix with marie's light blue cheese, hot sauce and bbq sauce - saucy, but not fried

Buffalo chicken:
Buffalo chicken pizza (made like above), buffalo chicken meatballs, buffalo chicken soup, buffalo cauliflower

Burgers and fries:
Extra lean beef with finely chopped mushroom in the patty (for moisture), and oven fries - I make these curly or just regular fry shapes.

Pasta:
Sauteed vegetables mixed with pasta, or vegetable noodles topped with sauce (even melted laughing cow or neufchatel to make it "alfredo")

Chinese food:
Diet menu (I like the steamed chicken and broccoli) - mix with store bought stir fry sauce and even peanut flour for a peanut sauce. Bake wontons and egg rolls (I even make them buffalo, bbq chicken, Thai, etc).

Tacos, enchiladas or burritos:
Lean meat, homemade seasoning, lots of vegetables, reduced fat cheese, and a corn tortilla OR a high fiber/low carb wrap (Ole Wellness).

Rachel0778

Queenmunchy wrote: »

I don't necessarily go for "substitutes" but I do like certain flavor profiles. I just find a way to make that fit into my calorie count.

Craving pizza:
Low calorie pita or flatout, my homemade sauce, part skim mozz, and toppings

Chicken wings:
Smoke chicken, mix with marie's light blue cheese, hot sauce and bbq sauce - saucy, but not fried

Buffalo chicken:
Buffalo chicken pizza (made like above), buffalo chicken meatballs, buffalo chicken soup, buffalo cauliflower

Burgers and fries:
Extra lean beef with finely chopped mushroom in the patty (for moisture), and oven fries - I make these curly or just regular fry shapes.

Pasta:
Sauteed vegetables mixed with pasta, or vegetable noodles topped with sauce (even melted laughing cow or neufchatel to make it "alfredo")

Chinese food:
Diet menu (I like the steamed chicken and broccoli) - mix with store bought stir fry sauce and even peanut flour for a peanut sauce. Bake wontons and egg rolls (I even make them buffalo, bbq chicken, Thai, etc).

Tacos, enchiladas or burritos:
Lean meat, homemade seasoning, lots of vegetables, reduced fat cheese, and a corn tortilla OR a high fiber/low carb wrap (Ole Wellness).

I'm the same way. If I'm craving something, I just make it at home. This week I had juicy lucys because I wanted a cheesy hearty burger. When you make it at home it's so much easier to control the portions and add veggies as sides for extra nutrients. Most of my food swaps are processed grains for whole grains and fattier meat cuts for lean meat cuts. These small changes make a big difference in satiety for me.