What are your favourite healthy food swaps to cut calories?
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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 0 -
I don't swap foods out, I eat what I want in moderation.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 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.
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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 though0 -
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...0 -
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 & cal0 -
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.0 -
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
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!
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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.
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Full Throttle Energy Drinks (220 cal) -> Monster Rehab (25 cal)0
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I don't swap, I want the real thing. I eat in moderation, therefore don't have to go without.0
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squishprincess wrote: »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!0 -
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.0 -
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!0 -
fearlessleader104 wrote: »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!0 -
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 eating0 -
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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.0
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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.0
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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.0 -
chocolate milk --> chocolate almond milk
chocolate milk shake --> chocolate almond milk with fresh fruit and a frozen banana in my ninja blender
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