Ready to make some healthy changes to your diet? You don’t have to get radical; even small changes can make a big difference. Here are ten healthy food swaps to cut fat and calories while boosting nutrition – without sacrificing any of the flavor you love.
1. Use ground chicken in place of ground beef.
For some reason, most people opt for ground turkey when swapping for ground beef. But it tends to dry out quickly and lack flavor. Instead, try ground chicken. A standard 4-ounce serving has just as much protein as ground beef, and less fat and fewer calories than ground turkey. It’s a winner all around and perfect in burgers, tacos, casseroles, or any other place you’d typically use ground beef!
2. Cut calories with cauliflower.
Don’t worry, we’re not asking you to jump on the cauliflower pizza train if you don’t want to. But you can easily cut calories and boost nutrition by adding some cauliflower puree in place of cream or milk to your favorite potato chowder or cream soups. You can also grate cauliflower and add it to fried rice or rice-based casseroles. If you’re just starting to make changes, don’t completely eliminate the foods you love. Instead, just try to replace 25% of the original ingredient with cauliflower. You probably won’t even notice!
3. Try zucchini noodles.
Just like the cauliflower, start with partial swaps instead of complete substitutions. Use a vegetable spiralizer to make zucchini noodles and eat them along with your regular pasta. Saute your zucchini noodles for 1-2 minutes so they retain a good bite, and then toss them with your spaghetti. In a regular portion you’ll eat fewer calories and carbs and increase your vegetable intake – with practically no effort.
4. Opt for goat cheese.
Yes, you can still have cheese! Just choose goat cheese instead. It is lower in fat and calories than regular cheese, and contains no trans fats. Plus, it tends to be easier to digest than other dairy products.
5. Snack on fruits.
If you’re not ready to make big changes to your regular meals, just pay more attention to what you eat between them. Resolve to only eat fruits for snacks instead of other calorie-dense choices.
6. Use Greek yogurt instead of sour cream.
Greek yogurt is thick, tangy, and creamy and can be used to top your chili or burrito, or even to make a creamy salad dressing or dip. (Note: You may have to add more salt to your dish if you use Greek yogurt instead of sour cream.)
7. Have an open-faced sandwich.
Most breads are around 100 calories per slice. By having your sandwich open-faced you easily shave off calories while still enjoying bread. You can even have your favorite grilled cheese – just broil it in the oven instead of cooking it stove-top!
8. Opt for chicken sausage.
Using a high-quality chicken sausage gives you all of the delicious savory flavor with significant calorie savings. Plus, using chicken sausage instead of traditional pork cuts the amount of fat you’re consuming by up to 80%.
9. Add heat instead of cheese.
Cheese is delicious, but it’s also calorie-dense. If you bump up the flavor in your favorite dishes, you can reduce the cheese (or even eliminate it). Add spicy salsa or hot sauce to your burritos, omelets, and casseroles to make them delicious and less calorie laden.
10. Choose a vinaigrette salad dressing.
It’s so confusing to know whether an oil-based or cream-based dressing is best, but we’re here to tell you – olive oil wins. With heart-healthy fats and loads of flavor, vinaigrettes are the way to go if you’re looking to make healthy food swaps.
If you’re ready to make healthy swaps in your diet, Isernio’s is ready to help. With ground chicken made from lean, whole-muscle meats and chicken sausage with no fillers, no gluten, and no added sugars, you can cut fat and calories without sacrificing flavor. Most of our products are compatible with a variety of eating plans including low fat, low carb, the ketogenic diet, a Paleo lifestyle, and Whole 30.
Plus, you can usually whip up a meal with Isernio’s in a fraction of the time it would take to order take-out – which will also save you loads of fat and calories.
Try our chicken sausage today! Available in a variety of flavors, including:
- Italian
- Hot Italian
- Chicken Spinach & Feta
- Chicken Breakfast
- Chicken Apple
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