Spring break is right around the corner, and I know we would all love to look our best for our adventures during this time. Additionally, we all want to feel our best so nothing can slow us down. On top of working out or hitting the gym, it’s important to make sure your diet lines up with your goals. One hard health habit to break is snacking or eating fast food because it’s easy. Luckily, I compiled a list of healthier snack alternatives for when your cravings hit and need to be satisfied.
Kale Chips Instead of Potato Chips
I, like most people, am a sucker for potato chips. I love salty foods and chips are my go-to guilty pleasure food. Although I will always love them, I know they aren’t healthy for me. If you’re like me and you still crave that chip taste, swap the potato chips for kale chips. Whether you make them at home or buy them pre-made from the store, kale chips are a great alternative. Kale is a wonderful source of vitamins A & C, potassium, and calcium. You will still get that chip taste you crave without all the guilt!
Greek Yogurt Instead of Ice Cream
Ice cream is always a great cold snack, but it’s not the healthiest option. Ice cream is filled with a lot of sugar and can be very fattening. Instead of reaching for a cold tub of ice cream, try Greek yogurt instead. Greek yogurt usually has similar flavors to ice cream (if you don’t like the plain taste of unflavored Greek yogurt), and you can also add the same toppings you put on ice cream such as fruit or nuts. It’s a great alternative for your ice cream cravings, and you’ll get a great deal of calcium and protein from it, too.
Dark Chocolate and Almonds Instead of a Candy Bar
Chocolate candy bars are definitely a fan favorite, but like ice cream, they are filled with loads of sugar and aren’t the best for your health. If you can’t beat that chocolate snack craving, try swapping out your favorite candy bar for dark chocolate and almonds. Dark chocolate (in moderation) has actually been proven to lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of heart disease, making it a better choice than simple milk chocolate. Additionally, almonds are super heart-healthy and have been proven to reduce appetite. The pairing of dark chocolate and almonds is a great alternative for your classic candy bar and really crushes that craving for something sweet while also benefiting your health.
Actual Fruit Instead of Fruit Flavored Snacks
This one might be pretty obvious, but any type of fruit itself is much healthier than any artificially fruit-flavored snack. If you crave that fruit flavor, just swap out your artificial snack favorites for the real fruit version. Just eating one piece of fruit can crush that sweet, fruit craving while being simple.
Being healthy and making smarter food choices doesn’t have to be complicated. I hope you implement these healthy snack swaps into your everyday life and look into finding other healthy snack alternatives to keep you on track to achieving your goals.