Healthy Swaps for Those Unhealthy Foods You Love @bar_built

This post was created in partnership with Built Bar. I was not financially compensated for this post but did receive a sample for review purposes. As always, all opinions are entirely my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that support me!

Obesity comes with a host of diseases that are usually fatal. These include diabetes and heart diseases. Maintaining a healthy weight is, therefore, key to having a quality life. However, there are things such as stress and lack of self-control, which prevent people from keeping healthy during lockdown, for example. The good news is that you don’t have to starve yourself to maintain or lose weight. Instead, consider healthy alternatives to food that you love.  

People often fuss about their weight and wonder how many calories they should eat to lose weight? Well, this is an important question, and you can easily get the answer by calculating your calories per day with the help of an online calorie calculator.

Calorie calculators are easy to find with a quick Google search and can also be downloaded from the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store. These apps will not only tell you the number of calories you should eat in a day but will also tell you how many you should burn to stay healthy.

Here is a list of some important swaps that you can make to avoid junk food and eat healthier.

Swapping White Pasta for Wheat Should Be on Your Healthy Food Alternatives List

White pasta is basically stripped of all the good nutrition that you want like fiber, vitamins, and protein. Essentially it’s just a carb that almost acts like pure sugar.

Wheat pasta, on the other hand, is a great source of fiber and protein!

Healthy Alternatives to Everyday Foods (Use Cauliflower Instead of Rice)

Now I know you’ve heard about the very popular and trending keto diet. This diet is all about low carbs and high proteins and fats.

Traditional white and brown rice is a grain and thus high in carbs. Instead of indulging in rice, people on this diet have been swapping it for cauliflower granules (i.e. rice).

Just use a grater or food processor to blitz the cauliflower into small rice-sized pieces and sautee/steam. It couldn’t be easier, and it tastes delicious!

Use Fruits Instead of Juices

Some people think that drinking fruit juice is the same thing as eating fruits, and these people would be wrong. Fresh juices are healthier than bottled fruit juices, but still not as healthy as eating fresh fruit.

Often the skin and pulps of fruits contain fiber and nutrients that get left behind during the juicing process. So you are better off, just grabbing an apple and eating it than wasting your energy juicing it.

Use Coffee Instead of Other Energy Drinks

A lot of people use caffeine as a pick-me-up in the mornings. This has made energy drinks all the more popular.

Whether you feel like coffee is a good choice or not, the fact is it’s an all-natural beverage whereas energy drinks are not. Energy drinks have a lot of ‘extras’ that just aren’t that healthy for you (like loads of sugar). This means they can pack on the calories whereas black coffee has zero.

Plus coffee typically has almost more caffeine it in so it’s more of a boost!

Use Low-Fat Dairy

Dairy, in general, is good for you. It gives you much-needed protein and Vitamin D.

However, swapping full-fat milk products for their low-fat version can save you some calories. These are more calorie friendly and heart-healthy so you can’t go wrong!

Use Water Instead of Soda

Water is the best thirst quencher. So, instead of reaching for soda, consider drinking water. If you’ve been addicted to soda and find it difficult to drink plain water, try adding fruit to water and make the transition easier.

Use Dark Chocolate

Who doesn’t love chocolates? Chocolate is healthy except for the high sugar content you find in those bars.

If you can’t give up chocolates, reach for the healthy ones – dark chocolate.

Healthy Swaps for Junk Food (Use Fruit for Candy or Other Sweets)

If you find yourself looking for something sweet, snack on fruit instead. Fruit contains natural sugars that can satisfy your craving.

Consider frozen grapes or watermelon for a healthier treat. 

Use Baked Fries Instead of Fried

If you can’t help but eat fries, make healthier ones by baking potatoes in coconut oil. This way, you enjoy the goodness of coconut oil, which will give your fries that crunch you want. 

Choose Healthier Snacks

I don’t know about your kids but my thirteen-year-old son isn’t the healthiest snacker. He often asks for chips or some horrific gummy snack.

As a mom, I want what’s best for him especially when it comes to his health.

That’s why I’ve opted to keep Built Bar on hand as a substitute for junk foods.

Let’s face it—most protein bars, unfortunately, taste like cardboard. Despite this people still, chomp and swallow these awful tasting things.

Thankfully, now there is Built Bar!

Built Bar is a protein bar that’s high protein, low carb, and made with simple ingredients.

The kicker is that these protein bars actually TASTE GOOD!

• Peanut Butter
• Coconut Almond
• Peanut Butter Brownie
• Banana Nut Bread
• Toffee Almond
• Coconut
• Banana
• Mint Brownie
• Black Cherry
• Salted Caramel Chocolate
• Double Chocolate Mousse
• Orange
• Vanilla
• Raspberry
• S’mores (limited release)
• Oatmeal Cookie with Walnuts (limited release)
• Cashew Caramel with Coconut (limited release)

Don’t all of these sound amazing?

Currently, my son can’t get enough of the Coconut Chocolate Creme. Yum!

It’s covered with dark chocolate that goes down silky smooth. If it had almonds it in you’d almost think it’s an Almond Joy with a much smoother texture.

Perfect for a snack or dessert. Try Built Bar today!!

Use Code homejobsbymom to get 10% off

Can you name any other healthy food alternatives for weight loss?

Home Jobs By Mom

Krystle Cook – the creator of Home Jobs by MOM – put her psychology degree on a shelf and dived into a pile of diapers and dishes instead. She is a wife and mother to two rambunctious boys, sweating it out in her Texas hometown. She loves cooking, DIY home projects, and family fun activities.