Bread ... What is a healthier substitute?

ValGogo

Besides the cutting down on how much bread you eat, also get better bread.

What American's think bread is:

What actual bread is:

One slice of real bread fills you up, toast does not. Also, there are breads that use whole grains *omnomnom*. However, stay away from pumpernickel and sunflower bread. Those are super high in calories.

I don't think you are allowed to post porn on this site.....(Homer Simpson type drool)

BarbieAS

I wrap my normal sandwich stuff in a big lettuce leaf. Works for tacos, burgers, sandwiches, etc.

Please stop with the silliness, that is not an adequate substitute

Wait. Why is it silly for you? He is eating it and it's going in his body.
Apparently its working for him and it seems he is enjoying.

Please explain how is it silly for you.

A lot of people who are afraid of vegetables like to claim that "moderation" means eating tiny portions of the "good" stuff and apparently nothing else, no matter how hungry you are. Heaven forbid someone use a lettuce leaf or add vegetables to a stir-fry or pasta.

I'm huge on moderation and "making it fit", I just can't understand why "making it fit" doesn't ever incluce swapping in an egg white or a vegetable. Someone already went off on cauliflower.

So, so, so many times this. Every time I see one of these threads and I see all the "ew!! never substitute XYZ!! it will never be as good!!" responses, I see red.

Sometimes, I plan out my day, and I say to myself "self, with this plan, you're over your calories by 200 and your carbs by about 40. we need to cut something out. what shall we do?" Obvious answer is obvious: remove the bread from my lunchtime sandwich (or re-tool my lunch entirely) and replace it with something else.

Creating MODERATION means that sometimes you cut things out and sometimes you don't, and yet so many people seem to gloss over the first part of that statement. Yes, bread is magical and delicious. No, lettuce is rarely better than bread. But if I ate exactly what I wanted 100% of the time then my weight would still be on the way up rather than the way down. Moderation means continuing to eat some things that you love and, in order to make that happen, removing some of the things you love (not forever, no, but here and there - balance it out). Maybe today I don't have bread with my sandwich so I can have ice cream for dessert. Maybe tomorrow I have that bread, and I skip dessert that day. Asking for ideas for a different way to eat a sandwich that doesn't involve bread is totally reasonable, as long as the person isn't intending to NEVER EVER eat bread again.

With that said, my idea is to take all your sandwich insides and chop them into a salad instead :happy: .

Mgypsygirl

I still eat bread and like others I just eat less. I do low carb tortillas and whole wheat. I often make Philly cheese steak sandwiches baked on half a piece of French bread. Also, I do tacos in a romaine lettuce leaf. I could never stop eating bread completely, some people can, but I like bread! I make bread once a week. Good luck finding your balance!

ValGogo

One slice of real bread fills you up, toast does not.

?? Why would toasting bread make it less filling? :huh:

One loaf of seeded semolina will fill me up.

Acg67

I wrap my normal sandwich stuff in a big lettuce leaf. Works for tacos, burgers, sandwiches, etc.

Please stop with the silliness, that is not an adequate substitute

Wait. Why is it silly for you? He is eating it and it's going in his body.
Apparently its working for him and it seems he is enjoying.

Please explain how is it silly for you.

A lot of people who are afraid of vegetables like to claim that "moderation" means eating tiny portions of the "good" stuff and apparently nothing else, no matter how hungry you are. Heaven forbid someone use a lettuce leaf or add vegetables to a stir-fry or pasta.

I'm huge on moderation and "making it fit", I just can't understand why "making it fit" doesn't ever incluce swapping in an egg white or a vegetable. Someone already went off on cauliflower.

I made the comment and eat plenty of vegetables, however can you name one instance in which you swap out bread for lettuce that is as good as it was with bread? Mmmmhmmm

I wasn't aware that everything had to be equally tasty when a person is trying to make things fit their macros, but I can point you to plenty of times I've eaten chicken curry with cauliflower instead of rice, or italian pasta sauce on zucchini and mushrooms instead of wheat pasta, or if I've felt like a big juicy burger, actually preferring lettuce to bread for a wrapper.

Can you please tell me a time when you actually preferred air to a vegetable? Because that's what all this simplistic "just eat less bread" means.

An adequate subsitiute would be one that there is little to no loss in quality of the overall product. The poster suggested lettuce for tacos (tacos don't often use bread), sandwiches and burgers. There is a noticeable loss in overall quality of a sandwich or burger if you were to omit bread in favor of lettuce.

laurenk08

I have been dealing with this same issue! Bread is so packed with preservatives and unnatural ingredients a lot of times, so instead I have been using more beans and brown rice bowls, or a lot of times, salads with meats and cheeses on them! Wraps and pita pockets are always good too! I would just make sure you can pronounce all the ingredients

ValGogo

Bread with butter?

Yes ma'am!

bcattoes

There is no substitute. Lettuce isn't a substitute for anything - it's lettuce. Same goes for the cauliflower and squash that people are constantly trying to manipulate to "replace" certain "evil" foods like carbs. Just eat the damn bread as long as it fits your macros.

What is wrong with the OP wanting to eat less bread? Geez, she has a right to eat what she wants, or doesn't want.

ValGogo

I have been dealing with this same issue! Bread is so packed with preservatives and unnatural ingredients a lot of times, so instead I have been using more beans and brown rice bowls, or a lot of times, salads with meats and cheeses on them! Wraps and pita pockets are always good too! I would just make sure you can pronounce all the ingredients

It's still delicious. I will eat beans if I want beans.......but I want bread, dammit!

And please tell me what unnatural ingredients are in the corner Italian bakery's Neapolitan crusty bread, aside from white flour or the durham wheat in Semolina?

Swiftlet66

Make your own bread! That way, you can add almost any veggies/nuts/cheese you want to it. I make mine with different types of alternative flours. Lately I'm obsessed with chickpea flour. I make simple tortillas out of them along with ground flax seeds and it's great as a nutty-tasting wrap or pizza dough! And you only need to pan fry it for a few minutes too. Yum...

AsaThorsWoman

It was awkward to figure this out, but there really is no good sub.

You can make a lettuce wrap, but if you don't want to eat bread, just try to start thinking about life without it.

Burger no bun.

Fajitas no tortilla.

Salad no croutons.

"Sammich" as you previously knew it no longer exists.

Just let it go.

bevers1948

Have you tried the Weight Watchers breads? They are smaller loaves & cut thinner. The idea of using lettuce leaves sounded like something I might try though. I eat way too much bread

SunofaBeach14

There is no substitute. Lettuce isn't a substitute for anything - it's lettuce. Same goes for the cauliflower and squash that people are constantly trying to manipulate to "replace" certain "evil" foods like carbs. Just eat the damn bread as long as it fits your macros.

What is wrong with the OP wanting to eat less bread? Geez, she has a right to eat what she wants, or doesn't want.

What do we want?

Bread rights!

When do we want it?

Now!

EricJonrosh

Try gluten free bread.

green83eyes

Ezeikiel Bread is pretty good -- fewer calories and some argue that it's healthier for you. I really like it.

SuzyLy

I don't have a substitute, but when I buy/eat it, I buy unbromated (flour) like Pepperidge Farm.

lemurcat12

Lunchtime ideas without bread--leftovers from dinner, sometimes with a different vegetable, soup, or salad with meat. Like someone else said, I like to eat soup and a half sandwich sometimes too.

I eat whole sandwiches or wraps on occasion too, and didn't understand the OP to be planning to cut bread (or gluten) out. Just looking for other ideas.

JasonKnight85

It was awkward to figure this out, but there really is no good sub.

You can make a lettuce wrap, but if you don't want to eat bread, just try to start thinking about life without it.

Burger no bun.

Fajitas no tortilla.

Salad no croutons.

"Sammich" as you previously knew it no longer exists.

Just let it go.

So true. Seriously.

My suggestion would be to try your hand at baking your own bread, use whole grain flours, there are so many out there! Then you can keep track of exactly what goes in your bread, and know that it is healthy.

Plus there is something soothing and inviting about the smell of fresh baked bread throughout your house. There's a reason good real estate agents will go through the trouble of baking in a home before they show it.

Real bread is not the enemy in moderation, it can be an excellent source of vitamins, protein, and fiber. Try adding a little flaxseed to your recipe's, and get in your omega 3-6-9's. So many options, so many ways to enjoy your kitchen!

GreenIceFloes

More bread. And then some more.
Because bread is awesome.