What are your favorite "insteads"?

swimmermama
swimmermama Posts: 526 Member
edited September 23 in Food and Nutrition
I am all about what I can "insteads" -- things that can stand in for other, less healthy options. For example, I have a long commute home a couple of days a week and pick up a subway sandwich on the way. I was always very tempted by the chips until I started bringing a bag of baby carrots with me. Now I have the same crunch I get with chips and a tasty treat with my sandwich but without the empty calories and carbs. Plus I get an extra veggie!

My other major "instead" is Thomas' Blueberry Mini Bagels. My biggest weakness is baked goods. Give me a blueberry scone, slice of banana bread, or cranberry walnut muffin over a pie, cake or other treat. One of those bagels for 110 calories is almost as good as a blueberry muffin! I don't even feel the need for cream cheese on it. With a cup of tea or coffee, it makes me insanely happy as an afternoon snack.

So, what are your "insteads"??
«1

Replies

  • theatr3geek
    theatr3geek Posts: 101
    Avocado instead of mayo!! Sounds weird but I'm telling you...
  • LisaLN
    LisaLN Posts: 54
    Any of the Blue Diamond almonds. They're fabulous! I never used to like them...but then I tried the Smokehouse ones. Wonderful. Today I tried the Butter Toffee and Mint Dark Chocolate. 6 net carbs, 5g of Sugar and 5g of Protein. Great alternative for any type of chip of "snacky" food! You can get 100 calorie packs for on the go, too. I've gotten the cocoa powder coated ones and they're wonderful.
  • monstertwelve
    monstertwelve Posts: 102
    grapes instead of candy/chocolate/anything with sugar
  • jodielee3
    jodielee3 Posts: 5
    sounds good
  • SparkleShine
    SparkleShine Posts: 2,001 Member
    spaghetti squash instead of pasta . With some spaghetti sauce on it and a sprinkle of parmesan cheese....mmmmm!!!
  • thecanface
    thecanface Posts: 1,180 Member
    cucumbers instead of anything crunchy. i am a huge sucker for crunchy salty foods like chips, crackers, etc.. but the crunch of a cucumber satisfies that, and the awesome part is i can get my sour/salty craving out of the way too because cucumber with salt and lime is the BEST!
  • ashlee954
    ashlee954 Posts: 1,112 Member
    spaghetti squash instead of pasta . With some spaghetti sauce on it and a sprinkle of parmesan cheese....mmmmm!!!

    Oooooh yeah that's a good one! LOVE the stuff!!
  • ashlee954
    ashlee954 Posts: 1,112 Member
    Sweet potato instead of fries, vita muffins instead of cookies, frozen grapes instead of anything small and "snacky", and pop chips instead of any other chips. :)
  • tummymummy
    tummymummy Posts: 97
    Without a doubt my low fat hot chocolate to replace the chocca mochas I was consuming far too regularly!!
  • CuteMommy88
    CuteMommy88 Posts: 538 Member
    ground turkey instead of ground beef

    I use it for chili, tacos, basically anywhere you would use ground beef
  • swimmermama
    swimmermama Posts: 526 Member
    Jacki70, I have been meaning to try spaghetti squash! I will definitely do that soon.
  • miznel80
    miznel80 Posts: 46 Member
    Chips and salsa are my greatest weakness. Today, I picked up some rice cakes :) They made me happy, I think I just just missing the crunchy salty goodness. You could even make salsa and toss it on your rice cake. I haven't tried it, but salsa isn't terrible IF you make it yourself :)
  • ashlee954
    ashlee954 Posts: 1,112 Member
    Chips and salsa are my greatest weakness. Today, I picked up some rice cakes :) They made me happy, I think I just just missing the crunchy salty goodness. You could even make salsa and toss it on your rice cake. I haven't tried it, but salsa isn't terrible IF you make it yourself :)

    Store bought salsa is very low cal. :)
  • swimmermama
    swimmermama Posts: 526 Member
    Chips and salsa are my greatest weakness. Today, I picked up some rice cakes :) They made me happy, I think I just just missing the crunchy salty goodness. You could even make salsa and toss it on your rice cake. I haven't tried it, but salsa isn't terrible IF you make it yourself :)

    Store bought salsa is very low cal. :)

    I have found that it can be full of sugar, though. I ADORE salsa but have to watch how much of it I eat.
  • stargzrlily
    stargzrlily Posts: 83 Member
    I picked some of the Smokehouse Blue Diamond almonds up today for the first time. I was craving a salty snack and these were perfect. I know it sounds weird but between the smokiness,saltiness and crunch it reminded me of bbq potato chips!
    I ate 5 of them and was satisfied.
  • stargzrlily
    stargzrlily Posts: 83 Member
    do you have a good recipe for homemade salsa?
  • heathersmilez
    heathersmilez Posts: 2,579 Member
    Werther's Original Candies. They taste like the inside of a score bar which is soooooooo good! So smooth and sweet. 2 of them makes me instantly happy, more so than a 300+ cal chocolate bar and they are only 23 calories each.
  • Kminor67
    Kminor67 Posts: 900 Member
    As far as Nacho chips and salsa, I buy Red Gold brand. It's low in sodium and sugar. I also get the baked chips instead of fried ones. I also love to sub ground turkey for ground beef, and I enjoy sherbet instead of ice cream, and frozen berries or edy's fruit bars instead of popsicles or candy. The one thing I WISH I could find a suitable substitute for is a chocolate bar!
  • heathersmilez
    heathersmilez Posts: 2,579 Member
    Chips and salsa are my greatest weakness. Today, I picked up some rice cakes :) They made me happy, I think I just just missing the crunchy salty goodness. You could even make salsa and toss it on your rice cake. I haven't tried it, but salsa isn't terrible IF you make it yourself :)

    Store bought salsa is very low cal. :)

    I have found that it can be full of sugar, though. I ADORE salsa but have to watch how much of it I eat.

    Tostitos salsa only has 1g sugar per tbsp and since the average person I can’t imagine eats more than 4-6 tbsp per snack 6g is nothing to worry about. I've been having salsa lately with Whole Grain Mini-Wheats, 100 cals per 12 crackers and I am NOT a salt person, it’s just b/c I want some carbs.
  • heathersmilez
    heathersmilez Posts: 2,579 Member
    As far as Nacho chips and salsa, I buy Red Gold brand. It's low in sodium and sugar. I also get the baked chips instead of fried ones. I also love to sub ground turkey for ground beef, and I enjoy sherbet instead of ice cream, and frozen berries or edy's fruit bars instead of popsicles or candy. The one thing I WISH I could find a suitable substitute for is a chocolate bar!

    Have you tried 3 Musketeers? It's fluffy and yummy tastes kind of like Mars but w/o the caramel and has 35% less fat than regular chocolate bars I believe. I remember it was only 5 WW points years ago.
  • ✿KẙMb529✿
    ✿KẙMb529✿ Posts: 152
    Werther's Original Candies. They taste like the inside of a score bar which is soooooooo good! So smooth and sweet. 2 of them makes me instantly happy, more so than a 300+ cal chocolate bar and they are only 23 calories each.

    MMMMmm! I love those and its been so long since I've had any. Gotta get me some!!
  • ashlee954
    ashlee954 Posts: 1,112 Member
    Chips and salsa are my greatest weakness. Today, I picked up some rice cakes :) They made me happy, I think I just just missing the crunchy salty goodness. You could even make salsa and toss it on your rice cake. I haven't tried it, but salsa isn't terrible IF you make it yourself :)

    Store bought salsa is very low cal. :)

    I have found that it can be full of sugar, though. I ADORE salsa but have to watch how much of it I eat.

    Gotcha. I don't track my sugars so I didn't realize that.
  • swimmermama
    swimmermama Posts: 526 Member
    Oh, and chocolate! I love chocolate bars and used to treat myself to one once or twice a week. Now I find that a couple of pieces of dark chocolate completely satisfies my craving. I have a banana and small bit of dark chocolate for dessert almost every night. The tastes go together really well and I feel full and happy afterwards.
  • scagneti
    scagneti Posts: 707 Member
    Laughing Cow cheese. I put one wedge on instead of cheese AND mayo on my chicken breast sandwhich and it's so creamy & good. It also lowers the amount of salad dressing I need on a salad.
  • sdgirl22
    sdgirl22 Posts: 225 Member
    Cool idea for a thread :)

    -homemade jalapeno poppers with bean and cheese mixture, baked, with a cornmeal crust, instead of my Jack in the Box fix. Saves lots of drunked binge calories :P
    -ice tea instead of diet soda
    -greek yogurt instead sour cream

    for everyone who's mentioning salty/crunchy snakcs, i just tried smart foods white cheddar popcorn for the first time...sooooo good! two cups is only 130 calories :D
  • samdempsey38
    samdempsey38 Posts: 33
    mango slices and grapes for the commute :drinker:
  • wolfchild59
    wolfchild59 Posts: 2,608 Member
    Wow Cow instead of froyo
    Acrtic Zero instead of ice cream
    VitaTops instead of cupcakes/muffins
    Ground Turkey or Morningstar crumbles instead of ground beef
    Special K Cracker Chips or Humbles Baked Hummus Chips instead of chips
    100% egg white instead of whole eggs
    Pb2 (or Better'N Peanut Butter) instead of Jif
    Trader Joe's Roasted Plantain Chips instead of ...well..any unhealthy snack

    I'm sure I have others, but that's what I can think of off the top of my head. I also eat a lot of fruit, but that didn't replace anything since I always ate it, same with veggies.
  • spuzo
    spuzo Posts: 50
    Since finding out I cant eat starches or starchy veggies finding "insteads" has become an obsession..

    *I second the homemade jalapeno poppers....I make my own - no breading and no frying.
    *Parmesan cheese or coconut to coat chicken tenders intead of bread crumbs.
    *Spaghetti squash instead of real pasta [someone else mentioned this too] topped with meat sauce and parmesan cheese.
    *Using cauliflower or turnips instead of potatoes to top shepherd's pie or as a mashed substitute.
    *Snacking on whole foods [veggies, cheese, eggs, etc...]instead of processed junk food from the vending machines at work.
  • yalisa0424
    yalisa0424 Posts: 173 Member
    vanilla creme brulee or apple cinammon rice cakes instead of potato chips
    skinny cow ice cream instead of any other ice cream
    2 % milk and cheese instead of regular
    whoe wheat bread, muffins, waffles instead of white
    greek yogurt instead of regular
    kraft may with olive oil instead of regular mayonnaise
    ground turkeyinstead of ground beef
    whole wheat pasta instead of white
    baked breaded foods instead of fried
    olive oil and balsamic vinegar instead of salad dressing
    kashi go lean instant oatmeal insted of quaker instant (saves on sugar)
    lots of healthy options to swap out!!
  • LJCDuke11
    LJCDuke11 Posts: 103 Member
    I knew some of these but I'm printing this thread out and taking it to the store with me!

    MORE! MORE!! =) haha
This discussion has been closed.

Categories