Some of mine-
Non-fat plain greek yogurt substituted for sour cream (Mexican food and onion dip)
Quest brand chips for Doritos
Glass noodles in Asian noodle dishes
Cottage cheese for ricotta in lasagna
Spaghetti squash > regular pasta
Cauliflower rice > regular rice
Nutritional yeast blended with cashews and red pepper + seasoning > regular cheese sauce
Ground mushrooms and walnuts > ground beef (You can even blend the two if you eat meat! My partner from Kansas even liked it which is pretty impressive coming from the home of BBQ
Lettuce wraps and portobello “buns” > bread
Yogurt > sour cream
Soda water > tonic ( or any other high calorie mixers)
Drinking broth when my mouth is lonely but I’m not necessarily hungry ( my go to is some miso paste mixed with green onions, and thinly sliced mushrooms )
Kale chips > regular chips. ( throw some of that nutritional yeast on the kale for the nutrients and mild cheesy nutty flavor without the calories)
Edited-to remove an oat milk suggestion. I was informed it’s not considered a low calorie beverage!
- Walden Farms blueberry/caramel/pancake syrup
- Egg Life egg white tortillas (25cal, 5gp each)
- Mission carb control wraps
- FiberOne bread and English muffins (90-110cal/serving)
- Egg Mates (thicker than liquid egg whites)
- G. Hughe’s Sugar Free BBQ sauce
- Reduced sugar dried cranberries (100cal/ 1/3C)
- Fat free sliced cheese
On and on XD
Low-fat cheese
Leaner deli meats (chicken, turkey, black forest ham) vs fatty meats
Chickpea pasta (if not lower calorie, MUCH higher in protein and fibre, which will help reduce overall calories of the meal)
Gatorade zero and diet soda vs sugary drinks
Small tortillas (100 cal) vs large tortillas (200 cal)
Stevia and artifically sweetened coffee syrups, vs sugar and cream
Making salad combinations that I enjoy without dressing, OR use low-calorie viniagrette
Low fat mayo
647 Bread for Regular Bread - I literally can taste no difference - thick slices at 40 calories a slice.
Blended Cottage Cheese for almost any creamy sauce or dip - I’ve done a few recipes where I have added various spices or seasonings and its always come out great. (If you hate greek yogurt like me, try this).
Polaner Sugar Free Preserves - any flavor, they all make me happy
Quaker Ranch Mini Rice Cakes - I LOVE these things over regular chips
I use dairy spread as a healthy substitute for sour cream in sauces or on burritos.
We have this recommendation thing from the nutrition center in The Netherlands, it’s called “De Schijf van Vijf” (I think in English it’s called the “eat well plate”).
There is an app that allows you to scan a product’s barcode with your mobile phone to check if it belongs in this “Schijf van Vijf” or not.
Long story short, this specific dairy spread I use is allowed in a healthy eating pattern, so I use it a healthy substitute for sauce or sour cream.
85% dark chocolate for regular chocolate
Nuts (unsalted or seasoned) and prunes for grapes, crackers, and cheese.
Le Croix for soda (I never really drank soda in the first place though)
My motto- you can never go too dark (for chocolate)
I use plain yogurt as a base for my own ranch dip. Throw in a heap of garden picked dill, pepper, garlic, parsley, onion, and salt to taste. If I miss the tang, I put in a tiny scoop of mayo, and it’s still significantly healthier than ranch.
I also use fruits (especially mango salsa), juicy chicken, and a splash of vinegar to flavor my dinner salads.