10 Healthy Food Swaps for Clean Eating

Fifteen years ago, my health was in a downward spiral. After years of worsening symptoms, I was finally correctly diagnosed and began my 2-year trek back to health (you can read that story here).  A major part of my healing process involved changing my eating habits.

And, at first, it was overwhelming. 

Perhaps you’re there. For whatever reason, you want to eat cleaner. But as you examine your everyday food choices, it seems that everything must go. If you’re feeling frustrated and want to ease into this new way of eating, I have a suggestion. Start with a healthy food swap.

Identify the food or food group that is your biggest concern and swap it for something better. Let’s consider a  few of my favorites. 

10 Easy Food Swaps

1. Ready to break your soda habit?. Try Olipops. Sweetened with Stevia, they won’t spike your blood sugar, and they have many of the soda pop flavors you’re familiar with. My favorite is lemon ginger. Other brands have similar products. Always check the sugar level. An average soda has a whopping 39 grams of sugar (approximately 10 tsp, of sugar!), while OLIPOPS have between 2 to 5 grams per can.
2. Perhaps drug store candy bars are your temptation. Swap them out for a clean treat like dark chocolate. Look for 70%+ dark chocolate. Aldi carries a 70% version, and my favorite, an 85% dark chocolate. The 85% has 5 servings in each bar, and each serving has just 3 grams of sugar. One segment makes a yummy treat, especially when dipped in natural almond butter with no added sugar or fillers. Tip: Look for stores that offer grind-your-own butters like Whole Foods,  Fresh Market, and Fresh Thyme. There are many other brands of dark chocolate on the market, too. Just check the serving size and grams of sugar in each serving. Look for organic dark chocolate for an even healthier version. 
3. Refined vegetable oils like canola, cottonseed, corn, soy, safflower, sunflower, grapeseed, and rice bran. Swap out these “hateful 8” for organic extra virgin olive oil or unrefined avocado oil in your condiments and cooking. Start reading labels of prepackaged foods. Almost all of them contain refined vegetable oils. As you can, replace some pre-packaged foods with healthier ones or homemade versions that don’t contain refined vegetable oils. 
4. Ice Cream. Instead of a bowl of ice cream, I’ll have a few tablespoons of low or no-added-sugar yogurt (look for plain or vanilla). I like Alexandre Family Farms (they have a vanilla) and Trimona A2A2 yogurt. I top it with a sprinkle of Cacao nibs, some grain-free granola (I like Elizabeth’s), and a few fresh berries. It’s so good!
5. Crunchy snacks. Instead of chips, try a handful of raw nuts like almonds, walnuts, pecans, and macadamia nuts. You can also roast your own and lightly salt them or add other spices like cinnamon. Another option is Mary’s Gone Crackers. I especially like these with a bit of cheese or Babas’s Hummus dip. Trader Joe’s carries salted pumpkin seeds that are crunchy and lightly salted. 
6. Chicken Nuggets. Kids (and adults) love chicken nuggets. Instead of buying the frozen ones filled with an arm-long list of ingredients you can’t pronounce, try this food swap for kids: make your own nuggets with a recipe from Nutritional Weight and Wellness. They even have a gluten-free version. 
7. Coffee creamer. Skip the hydrogenated coffee creamers and swap them for collagen creamers for your drinks. Try Primal Kitchen Collagen Fuel Vanilla Coconut and reap the benefits of collagen. I love it in my morning smoothie.
8. Breakfast cereal. Skip blood sugar-spiking breakfast cereals and opt for a healthy smoothie with protein/collagen. Kelly Leveque’s Fab 4 Smoothies are a great way to start the day.
9. French Fries. I love French fries, but I’ve found a food swap I love just as much: homemade fries in the air fryer. Trust me–they’re amazing. Buy a bag of the multi-colored potatoes. If they’re small, slice them in thin circles. If they’re large potatoes, slice them in thin 1/4 inch strips like fries. Put the sliced potatoes in a bowl. Mix 1 tbsp of olive oil and 1 tsp of dried dill (or more) and salt to taste. Pour over the potatoes and stir to coat evenly. Follow directions on your air fryer for the fresh (not frozen) fries. They are so good. These make a special treat for occasional eating.
10. Gluten. If gluten is a problem for you, as it is for me, realize this is not a simple swap. It requires more of a diet overhaul. It’s much easier now, though, than when I started 17 years ago. Stores carry many gluten-free options. *Caveat* Check the sugar levels. Many gluten-free foods are high in sugar. One way to overcome this is to purchase a high-quality all-purpose gluten-free flour blend (I recommend Trim Healthy Mama or Bob’s Red Mill) and bake your own treats. Start by finding a few good recipes (check out the Well-Planned Kitchen) that you like, and then continue to expand your cooking and baking repertoire from there. 

What Will You Try?

Let me know if you try any of the healthy food swaps here, or if you need to brainstorm ideas about a food you would like to replace with something healthier. I’ve tried many recipes over the years, and I just may have an idea to help. Happy swapping!

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