What are your favourite healthy food swaps to cut calories?

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Replies

  • harlequin0318
    harlequin0318 Posts: 415 Member
    im just here for the swap ideas :) . Pasta, which i love to eat, usually kills my calories for the day. Potatoes also, chocolate cravings get me alot - so i eat all of this rarely - but i would love to try the other options
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
    catceol wrote: »
    Okay mine are:

    spaghetti -> zero cals pasta (<40cals)
    chocolate -> low cal hot choc (40cals)
    General sweets that I would munch on ->2-3 marshmallows (<50cals)
    Fajita wraps -> ice berg lettuce (<10cals)

    I would love to know yours! If you have calories sure through them in!
    I don't swap foods out, I eat what I want in moderation.

    I got a slice of pecan pie at Whole Foods yesterday. It was not a big piece, but calorie loaded, so I cut it in half and had two days' deserts.
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    lots of herbs and spices to put in taste

    I make an amazing meat chilli and a veggie version with lentils and kidney beans - I now make the veggie version with neither beans nor lentils and use herbs and spices and aubergine / courgette / cauliflower / carrot to acheive similarly tasty bit bulky food for diddly-squat

    I use egg whites (from a carton) rather than egg

    apple sauce in baked goods rather than oil / butter (or rather than all the oil/butter)

    I eat loads of avocado cos I realised I loved it

    everything else is pretty much the same

    that low cal pasta is grotesque though
  • jenilla1
    jenilla1 Posts: 11,118 Member
    I don't usually really swap anything, I just change the proportions. For example, pasta salad: less pasta, more vegetables. I still get my pasta, but I'm getting a reduced portion of pasta and more veg. Win! (*)

    When baking, I sometimes use half the oil and sub in apple sauce for the other half. A lot of people sub the whole amount, but I like a little fat. You can usually reduce the sugar by a little, too, but that can take some experimenting...
  • hjb85
    hjb85 Posts: 14 Member
    If I make burgers I sub a bread roll for some flatbread - in a C shape to hold it together.
    Been having lots of berries instead of other fruit in my shakes because they are low sugar & cal
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    edited November 2014
    Swap out average wine for very good wine. Spend twice as much per bottle and drink half the amount without compromising the enjoyment.

    When losing weight I really prefer eating smaller amounts of the food I like rather than substituting for "diet foods". Also remember the number of calories doesn't define whether something is healthier.
  • catceol
    catceol Posts: 31 Member
    sijomial wrote: »
    Swap out average wine for very good wine. Spend twice as much per bottle and drink half the amount without compromising the enjoyment.

    When losing weight I really prefer eating smaller amounts of the food I like rather than substituting for "diet foods". Also remember the number of calories doesn't define whether something is healthier.

    How utterly French of you. I <3 it! Yea I am realising the things I really like and saving for them, like this amazing hot choc you can get in dublin and prob sushi. I know sushi isn't mad calories but, its a treat.

    I like your wine idea... I might try it out this evening with some expensive cheese that I will slowly nibble on. Man I wish I was French!
  • catceol
    catceol Posts: 31 Member
    rabbitjb wrote: »
    lots of herbs and spices to put in taste

    I make an amazing meat chilli and a veggie version with lentils and kidney beans - I now make the veggie version with neither beans nor lentils and use herbs and spices and aubergine / courgette / cauliflower / carrot to acheive similarly tasty bit bulky food for diddly-squat

    I use egg whites (from a carton) rather than egg

    apple sauce in baked goods rather than oil / butter (or rather than all the oil/butter)

    I eat loads of avocado cos I realised I loved it

    everything else is pretty much the same

    that low cal pasta is grotesque though

    The key to the low cal pasta is prep. It takes a bit of prep. I wash it thoroughly with cold and boiling water. Then I dry fry it and add a *kitten* tone of basil, oregano and dried garlic. Then I add it to the sauce and cook it with it for 5-10 mins as it absorbs the sauce. This is when I use it for Italian dishes. When I am using it with Asian dishes I do the same with different herbs and I ALWAYS add beansprouts as they really help with the consistency.

  • galenofedgewood
    galenofedgewood Posts: 146 Member
    Full Throttle Energy Drinks (220 cal) -> Monster Rehab (25 cal)
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,151 Member
    I don't swap, I want the real thing. I eat in moderation, therefore don't have to go without.
  • jstrun
    jstrun Posts: 70 Member
    hot chocolate --> special dark cocoa w/ splenda for a cup of yummy cocoa for less than 20 cals
    mashed potatoes --> mashed steamed cauliflower w/ basil & garlic and lots of pepper. maybe with a butter substitute or nondairy milk if i'm feeling like it

    Low fat or non fat cream cheese is great to add into mashed cauliflower...it helps make it creamy without the calories of butter or cream. I usually use the low fat herb and garlic cream cheese...delicious!
  • Jruzer
    Jruzer Posts: 3,501 Member
    Not really a swap, but I've found that I prefer corn tortillas to flour tortillas.

    I drink fewer high-gravity brews in favor of more sessionable ones. Still higher gravity than industrial lagers though.
  • wkwebby
    wkwebby Posts: 807 Member
    Turkey burgers instead of hamburger is another swap.
    Lemon juice with parmesan, salt and peper (other spices as well) for lower cal dressing. Otherwise, I do what the others do. I am thrilled to have seen some of the cauliflower substitutes!
  • tulips_and_tea
    tulips_and_tea Posts: 5,741 Member
    Popcorn at the movies
    > ice cubes (I ask the concession stand for 2 cups of just ice) and crunch away

    Oh, my! I'm glad this works for you, but I'd strangle someone if I was sitting next to them through an entire movie crunching ice!
  • squishprincess
    squishprincess Posts: 371 Member
    Liftng4Lis wrote: »
    I don't swap, I want the real thing. I eat in moderation, therefore don't have to go without.

    this works also but i love stuffing my face and i want all the bang for buck i can get if i can eat twice as much for lower cal switches then i'm all for it, lol. moderation works sometimes for me but i love eating
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    jenilla1 wrote: »
    I don't usually really swap anything, I just change the proportions. For example, pasta salad: less pasta, more vegetables. I still get my pasta, but I'm getting a reduced portion of pasta and more veg. Win!

    Yes, this is more what I usually do than a straight-up swap.
  • annehutson2
    annehutson2 Posts: 29
    edited November 2014
    I found Simply 7 Hummus or Quinoa Chips that help my Snack Craving, and Cacao Nibs with Chia Seeds and a Tablespoon of Honey helps my Sweet Tooth Cravings, Spaghetti Squash with fresh chopped vegetables and Italian Sauce or even Enchilada Sauce really takes care of the Carbs Cravings...I just try to find foods that add to my health and most of the time it cuts the calories because it isn't processed foods. I don't like Store bought Salad Dressings any more when I can add a bit of Feta Cheese or a Splash of Apple Cider Vinegar or even Make my own lower calorie healthier version salad dressing. I use all kinds of spices for home made vegetable soups and the favorite this month is pumpkin spice. Spices add another layer and keep me happy. I already do a lot of spicy food like Curry and Turmeric and Cayenne but I also enjoy Cinnamon and Cloves and Seasonings like Sage and Thyme and Rosemary...That way I don't get bored. Look at what ever it is that you know is unhealthy and put it in a search engine and you will certainly find many healthier options for sure.
  • I don't swap many foods, I eat what I was eating before, just less of it. Or less of that type of thing. I switched mince from frozen to fresh and from normal to extra lean, that's the biggest change really. I switch chocolate bars and crisps for lower calorie options, if that counts? I don't eat certain foods so often - cheese and pizza are the biggest ones.
  • CarrieCans
    CarrieCans Posts: 381 Member
    Just today i discovered that i don't mind replacing the mayo in my egg salad with sour cream. I am going to try it with tuna next. I've never really cared for mayo so this was a nice trade up for me. Some other time i might try greek yogurt but i'm afraid it might be too tangy.

    Ages ago i swapped oil in cakes for homemade unsweetened applesauce. This year i canned 2 bushels of apples and make about 60 pints of applesauce plus 6 quarts for $40. That saves me calories and cash.
  • bloodlett
    bloodlett Posts: 33 Member
    chocolate milk --> chocolate almond milk
    chocolate milk shake --> chocolate almond milk with fresh fruit and a frozen banana in my ninja blender B)
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