Kerrygold Moments

When you start a new diet or healthy eating plan, the biggest setback that most people face is letting go of the much-loved favourite unhealthy food types. But burgers and pizza taste so good, right?

The good news is that there are ways to eat healthier, maintain your weight and still do well by your body and the secret to that conundrum is: healthy snack and meal alternatives.

If you are struggling to let go of those beloved foods then start with a step in the right direction by trying some of these healthier snacking options.

How to Snack Healthily

Whether you are preparing work lunches or looking for something to nibble on during the day, the important thing to keep in mind when feeling peckish is to go for a healthier snack option.

But, remember, a healthy diet is all about balance so treat yourself to something that you love once a week – it’s only when you eat unhealthily every day that you risk doing damage to your health.

Let’s take a look at some healthier snack alternatives:

1. Trading in Chocolate

This is a difficult one for many people to let go of – especially those chocoholics. Milk chocolate is high in sugar making it less than ideal for a healthy diet. However, dark chocolate is quite healthy. Dark chocolate contains nutrients like fibre, iron, magnesium and zinc as well as a series of antioxidants.

2. Goodbye Potato Chips

Trading off potato chips is also something that will not come easily for a lot of people. But there is something healthier than regular potatoes: sweet potatoes. Some people have gone as far as saying that sweet potatoes are tastier than regular potato chips! Slice up your cooked sweet potato and throw the slices in the oven: and you have a healthier alternative to potato chips that are also high in vitamins A, B6, C and D.

If you do not like the idea of sweet potato chips then popcorn is also a very healthy alternative to potato chips. Not only is popcorn rich in antioxidants, fibre and low in calories, but you are also able to control the amount of salt put on top of the popcorn if you cook some plain popcorn yourself.

3. A Healthier Burger

If you cannot picture your weekend without some delicious patties on the grill, then simply replace your beef patty with a chicken breast. Chicken is a lot leaner than beef which already guarantees that you will be eating healthier.

But if you cannot see yourself taking chicken over beef, then consider replacing the hamburger buns with some large mushrooms instead. Mushrooms are rich in antioxidants and vitamins making them a great alternative to carb-packed hamburger buns.

4. A Sweet Departure

It’s difficult to not want to go for a handful of sweets or candy, especially during those stressful moments at work, which is why sweets can be substituted for dried fruit. There are dozens of dried fruits in health stores – all you need to do is find the flavour that you prefer.

If you want a super-healthy alternate to sweets or candy, try eating dried goji berries which are packed with nutrients. Nuts are also excellent replacements for sweets or candy: they contain a series of healthy fats and oils which make for a much more nutritious and healthy substitute.

5. Going Bananas for Cake

Cake is difficult to say ‘goodbye’ to but, luckily, there is a healthier option: banana bread. Whole-wheat banana bread is full of fibre and contains potassium, magnesium and zinc. Plus, banana bread is super tasty with some fresh low-fat butter.

6. We all Scream for Ice Cream

The much-loved dairy treat – ice cream. While tasty and smooth, ice cream is essentially churned frozen fat and sugar. Next time you go to the store be sure to grab a tub of frozen yoghurt – not only does it have a lower fat and sugar content, but it also contains probiotics which are excellent for digestive health.

Try and pair it with some fresh fruit or nuts if you want to make a delicious dessert.

7. Milkshake Madness

Milkshakes are the next best thing to ice cream but are equally as unhealthy. When the milkshake craving hits, steer towards making a smoothie. There are hundreds of delicious smoothie recipes to experiment with from various fresh fruits and vegetables to peanut butter and yoghurts – all you need to do is find the one that you love most.

8. Goodbye to Gassy Drinks

Both regular and diet gassy cooldrinks both contain chemicals and dyes that are not good for the body at all – not to mention the high sugar content. If you would still like to experience the satisfaction of a bubbly drink, then crush some fresh fruit or squeeze fresh fruit juice into some sparkling water.

You still get all the bubbles but without the unhealthy additives!

Healthy Eating Tips

If the diet is off to a rocky start, or you are not sure how best to start the diet off, take a look at some of these healthy eating tips and see how you can incorporate them into your lifestyle:

• High Fiber Whole Grains – starchy carbohydrates make up a great majority of the food we eat: pasta, bread, rice and potatoes. By eating whole-wheat pasta, brown rice or unskinned potatoes you are increasing your fibre intake and will feel fuller for longer.
• Maximise Fruit and Veggie Intake – it is important and recommended to eat at least five variations of fruits and veggies every day. These can be fresh, frozen, canned, dried or juiced. Play around with your options and try and include your fruit and veg into your current meal plan, e.g.: cut up strawberries into your muesli.
• More Fish – fish is an excellent source of protein, vitamins and minerals. It is best to eat at least two portions of fish a week including at least one portion of oily fish which are high in omega-3 fats. These fish include salmon, sardines and pilchards while non-oily fish include tuna, hake and haddock.
• Keep Hydrated – it is important to drink at least six to eight glasses of water daily. This fluid intake should include healthier drink options like water, low-fat milk, low-sugar drinks, tea or coffee. Also, keep in mind that your fluid intake needs to increase in hot weather or when exercising.
• Always Eat Breakfast – it is a common misconception that skipping breakfast will help you to lose weight faster. It does the exact opposite. A high-fibre breakfast forms a part of a healthy and balanced diet. Eating in the morning also allows your metabolism to kick in on full force and boost the digestive process.

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How do you keep healthy and replace your favourite go-to snacks? We would love to hear your feedback in on the Kerrygold Facebook, Twitter or Instagram pages.