Healthy alternatives to junk food

Rackcitycritch
Rackcitycritch Posts: 11 Member
Hey! Just wanted to ask around what everyone does for switching up the typical healthy meal? I usually have some variation of chicken, spinach, and rice. Any ideas on how to liven up the healthy meals?!

Replies

  • queenliz99
    queenliz99 Posts: 15,317 Member
    homemade veggie pizza is good
  • Rackcitycritch
    Rackcitycritch Posts: 11 Member
    edited January 2016
    Great idea! What would you use for crust? I hear ground cauliflower is good, but can be too moist for dough @queenliz99
  • queenliz99
    queenliz99 Posts: 15,317 Member
    I make mine with flour and yeast. There are people that like the cauliflower crust but I just can't. I make my pizza fit in my calorie allotment for the day.
  • Rackcitycritch
    Rackcitycritch Posts: 11 Member
    edited January 2016
    Awesome! If I can diet AND eat pizza, it's a win win! :smiley:@queenliz99
  • maroonmango211
    maroonmango211 Posts: 908 Member
    I use a quinoa crust for my pizza its bizzar and I swear I never thought it would work but for thin crust pizza it works great and i dont have to worry about my ibs acting up so its win win https://deliciousdietitianduo.wordpress.com/2014/09/24/one-ingredient-pizza-crust-gluten-egg-and-grain-free/
    Generally though I stick to just trying to portion control my favorite snacks (healthy or not) and focus on whole foods for meals. Lost of soups, stir frys and one pot meals full of veggies and lean meats. I use this recipe when I'm looking for something sweet (I make a simple no sugar berry sauce on top) and my protein is low http://mycrazylife-lauren.blogspot.ca/2013/03/pinterest-pancakes.html
  • Rackcitycritch
    Rackcitycritch Posts: 11 Member
    @maroonmango211 ohh! Stir fry sounds delicious! And that's a good idea for throwing in some extra veggies in a meal! Thanks for the added links :sunglasses:
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
    I'm not a huge fan of chicken, myself. I tend to go for ground turkey or leaner cuts of ground beef. And a variety of frozen veggies. Whatever's on sale. And whatever fresh fruits & veggies are on sale. I believe I'd go nuts subsisting on chicken & spinach forever.

    I make a lot of chilis, soups, & stews in the winter. Also tacos, stir fry, Buddha bowls.
  • Orphia
    Orphia Posts: 7,097 Member
    I eat what I normally eat, just less of it. Pizza, pasta, salad, chicken, it's all good.

    I do like to eat seafood a lot. That and some veggies and white carbs does me nicely.
  • Tatarataa
    Tatarataa Posts: 178 Member
    You can find many ideas for healthier and/or lower calorie versions of fast food and comfort food on the hungry girl webpage.
  • Tatarataa
    Tatarataa Posts: 178 Member
    I eat whatever i like at the moment but try to practice portion control by listening to my satiety/fulness cues.
  • Ceolna
    Ceolna Posts: 8 Member
    I love spicy mince in baked sweet potato - I prick the sweet potato all over and rub seasoning like Paprika on it and put directly on to oven rack - maybe put a tray under the rack to catch any drips. Usually takes abut 45 mins. For the mince, I make sure I use lean mince under 5% fat, and I normally drain off any fat that comes off when I brown the mince. I then add Garlic (you can use garlic puree) a chopped onion, a grated carrot a tin of chopped tomatoes, a red pepper, and season with paprika and chilli powder to a temp you like. I sometimes add a beef stock cube - just crumbled in no water. I personally use a slow cooker because I like my mince nice and soft, but you can just do it on the hob as you would normally of course. If you like them, you can add kidney beans near the end of cooking - my partner doesn't like them so we leave them out. Then just cut open the potato and layer with the mince. It feels like proper comfort food, and is all made from scratch :)
  • trishp1970
    trishp1970 Posts: 1 Member
    I'm eating wraps with tuna or boiled eggs with green onion and light mayo.. The wrap is lower in cals then bread and fills me up more
  • Queenmunchy
    Queenmunchy Posts: 3,380 Member
    edited January 2016
    I'm lazy so I use a 70-100 calorie pita or tortilla to make a pizza crust, or I used to use flatout light back 10 years.

    I like flavor profiles. Add hot sauce and blue cheese and you have buffalo. Powdered pb + sugar/sweetener of choice + soy sauce/tamari/coconut aminos and you have peanut sauce. Ricotta and marinara, maybe turkey sausage or turkey pepperoni and you have lasagna, ketchup lean meat bacon and cheese and you have bacon cheeseburgers. BBQ sauce, enchilada sauce, jerk sauce, etc. Possibilities are endless.

    So with these flavors I'll make a tortilla/pita/flatbread pizza, frittata, baked meatballs, stuffed spaghetti squash, stuffed peppers, zucchini boats, eggplant boats, vegetable noodles, wraps, and so on. I just take flavors I like and apply them to pretty much anything.
  • ElJefeChief
    ElJefeChief Posts: 650 Member
    I just eat pizza. I do tend towards thin crust (less calories than thicker crusts) but otherwise, I like pizza with lots of meat, extra cheese, etc. As long as I make the effort to log it and keep it in my calorie goals for the day, I don't stress about whether it's "healthy" or not.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    beef, lean cuts of pork, fish and shellfish, potatoes, sweet potatoes, quinoa, grits, lentils, legumes, oats, whole grain breads, sour dough breads, a wide variety of fruits and vegetables prepared in a variety of ways, soups, stews, casseroles, and sauces, eggs, etc...and then treat yourself once in awhile to some pizza or fish 'n chips or nachos or whatever floats your boat.

    there's more to good nutrition, not to mention sanity, than chicken breast, rice, and spinach.
  • house101292
    house101292 Posts: 464 Member
    I want alternatives that are like a potato chip or a candy bar. The snacks that I crave. What do all of you eat that satisfies those cravings?
  • bellaa_x0
    bellaa_x0 Posts: 1,062 Member
    I want alternatives that are like a potato chip or a candy bar. The snacks that I crave. What do all of you eat that satisfies those cravings?

    i eat the chips or the candy bar as long as it fits in my daily allotment.
  • cross2bear
    cross2bear Posts: 1,106 Member
    I want alternatives that are like a potato chip or a candy bar. The snacks that I crave. What do all of you eat that satisfies those cravings?

    I have found that Kelloggs has a Special K cracker (found in my supermarket in the cracker aisle) that has only 80 calories for about 17 chips. I love salt and vinegar flavour! Now, 17 chips may not sound like a lot but it can be the difference between going ape *kitten* on a real bag of chips or not. They are "pressed" like Pringles, not like Lays.
  • dawnaja
    dawnaja Posts: 5 Member
    I want alternatives that are like a potato chip or a candy bar. The snacks that I crave. What do all of you eat that satisfies those cravings?

    I've used a handful of peanuts with a couple dark chocolate chips - limited though. My biggest craving is salty snacks so I go for lighter versions - like puffed chips or popcorn with a little parm cheese or lemon pepper (sounds weird, but it's good).
  • salembambi
    salembambi Posts: 5,585 Member
    baked potatoes,vegan mac & cheeze , chickpea salad sandwiches,rice & beans,pita pizzas or english muffin pizzas,pita from pita pit

    as far as snacks that arent too junky dates with peanut butter, dried mango & pineapple, pop chips (low calorie and goooood) air popped popcorn with nutritional yeast,cliff bars,black bean brownies
  • KrazyAsianNic
    KrazyAsianNic Posts: 1,227 Member
    I love stir fry over cauliflower rice. I don't eat rice or pasta, so I tend to make plain meatballs or chicken or fish, and then dip or reheat with Bolthouse Yogurt dressings.
  • pinggolfer96
    pinggolfer96 Posts: 2,248 Member
    I like to do stuffed portobello pizzas. The portobellos give a nice meaty texture and you still get that pizza flavor(: