can you healthify junk or fast food?

wondering if anyone had tried healthier versions of unhealthy foods that are actually yummy?
i love junk food and fast food too much.
if i could make it at home and have it be healthier, i think that would be a help to me.

Replies

  • 3laine75
    3laine75 Posts: 3,069 Member
    I have a salad with my Chinese and chippy - does that count? :laugh:
  • BusyRaeNOTBusty
    BusyRaeNOTBusty Posts: 7,166 Member
    To you, what makes the food you like "unhealthy"? Why isn't there room in your diet for it if you otherwise you eat mostly nutrient dense foods?
  • Born_2_Lose
    Born_2_Lose Posts: 59 Member
    Yep. You can always make your favorite "unhealthy/junk food" healthier. Just by making something at home, automatically qualifies it as "healthier". You don't have to deal with the preservatives, additives, and you can control what goes in/on your food. Research is your friend. Research different recipes. For example....I love potato chips- make baked sweet pot chips. I love chocolate...make roasted chickpeas with cocoa or cinnamon. Ice cream….frozen bananas, soy milk, and some spices. Fried chicken….oven “fried chicken”. Burgers….I add black beans and use less burger meat (usually turkey burger). You can modify just about anything. Good Luck!
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    Just search for 'healthy 'whatever you crave' on google.
  • anawhatsme
    anawhatsme Posts: 261 Member
    i know healthier version exist.
    i was just wondering if anyone has ever made one that is actually tasty?
    i have tried healthier versions of some things and blech!
  • BusyRaeNOTBusty
    BusyRaeNOTBusty Posts: 7,166 Member
    What specifically do you want? Burgers are easy to make healthy, flat bread buns for lower calories, lean meat, etc. You can make nachos with a small amount of chips and cheese but lots of chicken, black beans, tomatoes, guacamole, olives, etc. I will eat just plain chicken breasts with buffalo sauce when I'm craving buffalo wings. Turkey hotdogs aren't bad, you could even top them with turkey chilli and use a whole wheat bun. Thin crust pizza with less cheese and lots of veggies, maybe turkey pepperoni.

    Or you can just occasionally squeeze in small servings of the fast food you like.
  • 3laine75
    3laine75 Posts: 3,069 Member
    i know healthier version exist.
    i was just wondering if anyone has ever made one that is actually tasty?
    i have tried healthier versions of some things and blech!

    Really? I make 'healthy' stuff all the time and it tastes gorgeous - I also have fast food all the time, it's also gorgeous (and you don't have to do the dishes).

    Don't know where you're going wrong :/
  • anawhatsme
    anawhatsme Posts: 261 Member
    maybe i'm just not creative enough.

    i love the loaded nachos idea.
    all i ever feel brave enough to have on nachos is cheddar and salsa.
    i really need to open my mind to new foods.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    i know healthier version exist.
    i was just wondering if anyone has ever made one that is actually tasty?
    i have tried healthier versions of some things and blech!

    Skinnytaste.com has a lot of very tasty lower calorie options.
  • WVprankster
    WVprankster Posts: 430 Member
    Cauliflower pizza dough was surprisingly good. I recently experimented with using thick slices of eggplant (grilled) for burger buns and they were surprisingly not disgusting.
  • jenversuslife
    jenversuslife Posts: 57 Member
    I make healthier nachos; sweet potato wedges baked in the oven with cumin, cayenne pepper, paprika and cinnamon topped with shredded chicken breast, quorn or turkey mince in passata and spices. Then I add in homemade guacamole, salsa and some grated cheddar (here I go full fat because I feel like you can use less as it has better flavour).

    I made calzones the other day too: made a basic dough with flour, an egg, salt, water and a little honey to sweeten. I put passata, chicken, red onion, peppers and grated cheese on and folded it over and baked it in the oven and served with a spinach salad.

    My boyfriend is anti-healthy food and LOVES both of these meals.
  • Anxieux
    Anxieux Posts: 275 Member
    I make healthier nachos; sweet potato wedges baked in the oven with cumin, cayenne pepper, paprika and cinnamon topped with shredded chicken breast, quorn or turkey mince in passata and spices. Then I add in homemade guacamole, salsa and some grated cheddar (here I go full fat because I feel like you can use less as it has better flavour).

    I made calzones the other day too: made a basic dough with flour, an egg, salt, water and a little honey to sweeten. I put passata, chicken, red onion, peppers and grated cheese on and folded it over and baked it in the oven and served with a spinach salad.

    My boyfriend is anti-healthy food and LOVES both of these meals.

    The calzone sounds delicious! But the first one wouldn't be nachos but potato wedges with what you just said :P
  • Make your own curries instead of buying a takeaway. atleast you know what goes in it.My bf makes a mean vindaloo we might evens top buying takeaways alltogether if he can make a mean balti :)
  • Timelordlady85
    Timelordlady85 Posts: 797 Member
    Just search for healthier versions of the foods you like, instead of fried potatoes, roast or bake them. instead of hamburgers from mcdonalds make them at home with whole wheat buns and or eat them without bread all together if your doing low carb. there are so many little changes you can make or add to fast foods to make them slightly to moderately healthier.
  • 47Jacqueline
    47Jacqueline Posts: 6,993 Member
    baked instead of fried potato chips.

    I also have had chips made from egg whites that have a lot of protein and no fat: Ips Chips - I got them at Amazon. Quite good and not that expensive.
  • amusedmonkey
    amusedmonkey Posts: 10,330 Member
    I'm personally anti "healthy junk food" because however you turn it, it's just not the same. Even a burger, with lean meat is just not the same. You need to have a nice fatty meat patty for it to be right. Low fat cheese can be called anything but cheese, and only the fattiest sour cream or mayo will pass my lips. Sweet potatoes are too sweet for a vegetable, so I'll stick to regular, and yes I will deep fry them. Diet soda is the exception because I don't drink soda often and I rarely crave it, so diet soda tastes close enough to pass.

    Don't get me wrong, I do make A LOT of healthy stuff, even healthy stuff that resemble junk food and taste good, but I would never call them a "healthified whatever", because even though they taste good they don't satisfy the cravings for a particular dish.

    Short answer, no you can't healthify junk food. Not if you want a particular something. You can cook plenty of other healthy (read lower calorie) meals that are exceptionally good, though.
  • 1pjah7
    1pjah7 Posts: 24 Member
    I discovered Quaker popped hummus chips - white cheddar & herb. They are delicious, and for 30 grams (16 good sized chips) there are 4 grams of protein and only 130 calories. Satisfies my need for a salty, crunchy snack with a ton more flavor and nutrition than baked potato chips.
  • stephb130181
    stephb130181 Posts: 56 Member
    Yep. You can always make your favorite "unhealthy/junk food" healthier. Just by making something at home, automatically qualifies it as "healthier". I love chocolate...make roasted chickpeas with cocoa or cinnamon.

    I only tried roasted chickpeas yesterday...this sounds amazing....do you literally just mix the cocoa powder with the chickpeas and roast in oven for 30 mins? xx
  • Sure oven fried chicken strips. Melt butter with hot sauce. Dip chicken tenders and let excess drain off. Coat with seasoned panko bread crumbs. Bake. Even my 17 year old son loves this.

    Pizza. Flat bread pizza. Easy and less cals.

    Chinese. Pepper steak with brown rice.

    Hamburgers. Use ground round. Less fat in meat. With whole wheat bun.

    Oven baked french fries.

    Tacos. Shredded chicken tacos.

    Endless possibilities. Just have fun and be open minded.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    Flat bread pizza just isn't pizza.

    But make your own crust, use your own topping, put less cheese.
  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,575 Member
    wondering if anyone had tried healthier versions of unhealthy foods that are actually yummy?
    i love junk food and fast food too much.
    if i could make it at home and have it be healthier, i think that would be a help to me.

    Almost anything you can get at a fast food place can be made healthier, cheaper and fresher at home.

    As for things like Doritos, candy and other such snacks, those are a bit more difficult. Potato chips, candy and cakes are easy enough to make at home, but they are still going to have a high sugar and/or fat content if you want them to taste like you are used to. I just eat less of those.
  • pdank311
    pdank311 Posts: 137 Member
    i'm creative.
    open mind
    new foods.

    You say it all right here.

    This is where it goes from a "diet" to a fun hobby where you can learn a lot and really surprise yourself.

    Sure, google recipes, but don't be afraid to stray, that's where the magic happens.