Fast food is easy to access but it’s among the leading causes of health problems. A typical fast food meal has an enormous amount of fat and calories, causing obesity or worse, death.
In fact, this problem isn’t isolated to adults – it’s also prevalent in schools. To date, junk food in schools is the leading cause of childhood obesity.
Fortunately, you and your kids don’t have to rely solely on junk food. There are some healthy alternatives to junk food.
Not sure which ones to try? Uncertain if any alternative food choice is delicious or as satisfying? Don’t fret, we’ve got a list of healthy food alternatives down below.
1. Sweet Potato Wedges
To begin the list of healthy snack alternatives, let’s start with chips and fries. Toss those out the window and instead go for sweet potato wedges. They have the same texture and are quite the nutritious option.
For some people, sweet potato wedges are better and more delicious than regular French fries.
When it comes to the sustenance it provides, sweet potatoes have high levels of beta-carotene. This can raise vitamin A levels in the blood.
They are also rich in vitamin B6, vitamin C, and vitamin D. Vitamin B6 is the crucial bit here because it helps cut down levels of degenerative illnesses and heart attacks.
2. Frozen Yogurt
Having cravings for sweet yet cold treats like ice cream? There is a healthier alternative that can sate your taste buds: frozen yogurt.
The thing about ice cream is that it contains churned, frozen fat and sugar. In comparison, frozen yogurt has lower amounts of fat and sugar. It even contains probiotics that help the digestive system.
A caveat for this snack is that it also packs a high amount of calories. Frozen yogurt works best when paired with fresh fruits or nuts.
3. Tea
When it comes to beverages, tea works wonders as an alternative to soda. Regular soda, in fact, contains about 37 grams of sugar and 155 calories per serving of 12 ounces. They provide little nutritional value and diet sodas are not even better in this regard.
Avoid soda and replace it with tea. Tea has a wide variety of flavors and brews that you won’t get bored with it. You can also have it unsweetened, sweetened, iced, or hot. This guarantees you can have tea exactly the way you want it.
There are also caffeinated and decaffeinated variants. This makes tea fit with your schedule without affecting sleep.
4. Homemade Smoothies
What would be a great alternative to milkshakes, which contain too much ice cream?
Try some homemade smoothies. You can use fresh fruits as part of the main ingredients for the smoothies. You can also try this recipe for a peanut butter oat smoothie.
You can also have smoothies for breakfast. It provides a light yet filling start for your day.
5. Avocado
In many households, avocado is quite the staple.
Guacamole is perhaps the most famous application for avocado. However, there are other ways you can use avocado as a substitute for unhealthy snacks.
For instance, avocado is a great replacement for mayo in sandwiches. It also works quite well when used in a salad, adding a different twist when it comes to flavor blending.
You can give this guide a look to see where else you can include avocado in your dishes.
6. Chocolate-Dipped Nuts
Ever had those cravings for candy in a regular day but you want to go for a healthy option? Try munching on chocolate-dipped nuts or fruits. The mix of flavors can help meet the craving for candy. After all, candies are best known for the texture and flavor combinations.
To do this, use homemade chocolate or even melted dark chocolate as your dip. Get some nuts or fruits and enjoy the texture and mix of flavors. Of course, this is without the additives that you see in various candies.
7. Dark Chocolate
There is a stark difference between milk chocolate and dark chocolate.
Milk chocolate contains cocoa solids. Unfortunately, it gets diluted due to the additions of milk solids, sugar, and cream. You end up having a sweet treat but it has almost no nutritional value in every bite.
Dark chocolate provides a bolder and deeper flavor. It has more cocoa. The cocoa isn’t, making it a far more nutritional option. To make sure you’re getting enough cocoa, make sure that the variant of chocolate you are taking has at least 65% cacao.
8. Chicken Burger
Burgers tend to be the first thing that comes to mind when it comes to junk food. If you want to go healthy but still enjoy having a tasty meal in a sesame bun, consider going for a chicken burger.
When you look at the standard burger, it has about 350 calories in each serving. That might be too much if you are watching your intake.
But, if you replace the patty with a grilled chicken breast, the calorie count that it provides hangs at 220. A large piece of chicken at 150 grams can provide that much. That said, moderation is still important to consider.
9. Wine
Considering the idea of breaking a cold one after a long day?
Before you take a can or a bottle of beer, consider this fact. Taking in about five pints of lager a week can bring in about 44,200 kilocalories over a year.
When you think about it that is as much as eating about 221 doughnuts. After all, a pint of beer can have as much as 180 calories. Red wine has about 159 calories per glass and it even has antioxidants.
10. Quinoa
White rice is not exactly bad for you. However, it packs a lot of calories and carbs. If you are looking for an alternative to it, consider going for quinoa.
In case you are wondering, quinoa is a seed from a plant called the goosefoot. It’s within the same family as beets and spinach. However, it has grain-like qualities, which can act as a great replacement for white rice.
Quinoa offers about 8 grams of protein per cooked cup (which is about 8 ounces). It’s also high in fiber, containing about five grams of it per cup. Also, it’s a great source of iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorous, and zinc.
11. Almonds in Salads
Do you enjoy having some crunch in your salads? Croutons fit that role but there is a far better alternative. Almonds have both the crunch and the nutritious punch.
Almonds offer 13 vitamins and minerals, including calcium, magnesium, potassium, and vitamin E. It also has fiber and protein as well.
Pick Healthy Alternatives to Junk Food Today!
You don’t need to compromise nutrition for a great meal.
In fact, healthy foods are also capable of bringing in a worthwhile flavor that tickles your taste buds. By trying these healthy alternatives to junk food, you can still enjoy great meals without much risk on your health.
Would you like to find ways on how to eat and live healthily? You can contact us and we can get you started with that journey today.