After struggling with my eating habits for a while, I decided that I wanted to commit to a new healthier lifestyle. In order to do so, I had to make a lot of food changes. I decided to put together a little list of healthy alternatives that I swapped in for some of my favorite things.
*Disclaimer: Everyone deserves to enjoy a treat and eat what they please when they want to! What worked for me might not work for you! Make sure that you listen to your body and what works for you since everyone is different :)
1) Cauliflower rice
You can make your own fresh cauliflower rice by throwing a head of cauliflower in the blender or pick a bag up of it in the freezer section at most grocery stores. A great alternative to rice with way less calories to still fulfill your stir fry needs.
2) Protein Ice cream – Halotop, etc.
Everybody loves ice cream but the calories it has are not always friendly. If you want a sweet treat without the guilt, try out Halotop or Aldi has a version of their own too!
3) Premier Protein Shakes
I throw one of these in with my iced coffee in the morning. I don’t always get hungry in the morning for a full breakfast, so this is not only a great coffee creamer alternative, but also a nice way to feel full.
4) Lettuce Wraps
One of my favorite places to get more of a fast food treat is Jimmy Johns. They have unwiches, which are basically a big lettuce wrap that still has your favorite sandwich insides.
5) Cauliflower & Sweet Potato Tots or Broccoli Tots
Aldi and Target have a similar version of these goodies! Aldi has them in a dinosaur nugget form while Target has them in a tater tot form. I like to have these in the freezer for late night snacks with my roommates when they’re making chicken nuggets. They are lower in calories and make me feel like I’m eating something a bit more fast food-y.
6) Deli Style Pickles
Pickles are a great low calorie snack if you’re feeling a little peckish in between meals. I also love to just wrap a pickle spear in a few slices of deli meat for protein.
7) Fruit Strips
Awesome low calorie snack that you can take with you during a busy day or if you have back-to-back classes! They’re also super yummy and come in a variety of flavors.
8) Seaweed
Target has serving size packs of different flavors of seaweed that is a yummy, salty treat without many calories. I highly recommend it!
9) Cauliflower Cheddar Crackers
A tasty, fun, and healthier alternative to your favorite Cheez-It! They have these bad boys at Aldi and they are one of my go to snacks.
10) Dehydrated fruit
Gives you a nice crunch, sweetness, and easy to grab if you’re hungry! Apples and pears are my current favorite that I get from Aldi.
11) Quest Protein Chips
Gives you everything that you want in a chip and is packed with protein! Helps keep you full as a snack and they offer a WIDE variety of flavors.
I hope that my quick list gave you some new meal or snack ideas! Thanks for reading! :)