20 Healthy Food Substitutions

You can substitute less-healthy ingredients for healthier ones in your favorite recipes and still satisfy your cravings.

Here are ones that we use on a regular basis.  

1. 1% or Skim Milk instead of 2% or Whole Milk.  There actually isn't a lot wrong with 2% or even whole milk.  It's just if you are trying to lose weight and have a specific caloric or macro nutrient goal, you can get the protein without as many calories from 1% or Skim Milk.
   
2. Whole Grain Bread instead of Wheat or White Bread.  This one you need to be careful about.  Whole grain products are definitely healthier than ones that are more highly processed.  People tend to think if the bread is brown and has the word "wheat" in its label it is healthy.  The first ingredient should be "100% Whole Wheat Flour" or "100% Whole Grain" and not "Wheat Flour" or "Enriched Bleached Flour."
3. Applesauce instead of Oil.  If you're baking treats, reduce the oil by half and add the rest as applesauce.  So if the recipe calls for 1 cup of vegetable oil, just put in 1/2 cup and add a cup of applesauce. You'll normally never even miss the oil.  You can cut back on the sugar as well, since the applesauce is naturally sweet.
4. Brown Rice instead of White Rice.  I admit it took a little while to make the transition to brown rice from white rice, but now I don't even miss the white.  
5. Balsamic Vinegar and Olive Oil instead of Bottled Dressing.  There are actually many ways to make healthier dressings than you purchase in a bottle.  But a quick substitute I like is a few splashes of balsamic vinegar and a drizzle of olive oil.
6. Whole Wheat Flour instead of White Flour.  In baking, substitute white flour for whole wheat flour.  You'll tell me that the whole wheat has a distinctive taste that isn't too good.  Depending on the recipe, you can mix half whole wheat and half white flour and barely notice the difference.
7. Honey or Stevia instead of Sugar.  Honey or Stevia-leaf sweeteners are better for you than white sugar or other artificial sweeteners.  
8. Quick Oats instead of Instant Oatmeal.  Instant oatmeal tends to have a lot of added sugar.  See my recipe for a great breakfast oatmeal.
9. Kashi instead of Standard Cold Cereals.  I'm a fan of Kashi cereals.  On the nutrition label you might think they look about the same, but the ingredients are much healthier in Kashi.  Here's my favorite, I put a half cup of frozen blueberries in a bowl, microwave for a minute, then add half a cup of Kashi and skim milk - it's great.
10. Wheat Thins instead of Chips or other Crackers.  Wheat thins I admit have some processed ingredients, but they are a much healthier choice than potato chips or other kinds of crackers.  Plus they make some awesome flavors now (Zesty Salsa!).
11. Natural Peanut Butter instead of Peanut Butter.  Natural peanut butter should have two ingredients: peanuts and salt.  The peanut oil floats to the top so you have to mix it up before you eat it.  It's honestly just as good as regular peanut butter (I think better) and doesn't have sugars or artificial ingredients. 
12. Mashed Bananas for Fats.  The creamy, thickening-power of mashed (ripe!) banana acts the same as avocado in terms of replacing fat in baking recipes. The consistency is ideal, and the bananas add nutrients like potassium, fiber, and vitamin B6. One cup of mashed banana works perfectly in place of 1 cup or butter or oil. (source: greatist.com)
13. Corn Tortillas instead of Flour Tortillas.  Half the fat, half the calories.  I think better (sweeter) taste.  
    
14. Egg Whites instead of Eggs.  For the first few weeks of my weight loss plan, I was eating scrambled egg whites for breakfast.  That got old really quick.  But now I have two whole eggs and two egg whites.  The whole eggs are fine as far as nutrition, I just need more protein and fewer grams of fat and calories.
15. Ground Turkey instead of Ground Beef.  Ground turkey does have a different taste to it, but I've found if you heavily season it, it can taste almost as good as ground beef.  And it is much more nutritious.  
16. Plain Greek Yogurt instead of Sour Cream.  It has a very similar taste and has much more protein, less fat and fewer calories.  Try it as a condiment where you would add a dollop of sour cream.
17. Dark Chocolate instead of Milk Chocolate.  I made a blog entry to discuss the health benefits of dark chocolate. 
18. Water instead of Soda.  I know this isn't really a substitute, but you should be cutting down on soda and drinking more water anyway. After a while you won't miss it.
19. Unsweetened Applesauce for Sugar.  While one cup of unsweetened applesauce contains only about 100 calories, a cup of sugar can pack in more than 770 calories! This swap is perfect for oatmeal raisin cookies. Pro tip: You can sub sugar for apple sauce in a 1:1 ratio, but for every cup of applesauce you use, reduce the amount of liquid in the recipe by 1/4 cup.  (source:  greatist.com)
20. Sweet Potato Fries for French Fries.  While they don't taste quite the same, if you slice up and bake sweet potatoes into wedges, they can be a great substitute.

These are just a few, you can look here for more ideas.  I didn't realize how many healthier alternatives my family has incorporated into our diet, it's amazing.  You can make small changes that will have big effects on your overall health and happiness.