Healthy Substitutes For Unhealthy Foods

One of the things about living in our modern age is we’ve figured out all kinds of ways to make our meals taste amazing.

No matter how much money you have, or don’t, in the modern era you never have to worry about food tasting bad.

150 years ago, food could taste good…really good, but it wasn’t common - and you had to have money to make that happen. But 150 years ago, we didn’t have hydrogenated oils, high-fructose corn syrup, artificial sweeteners, and incredibly cheap food commodities.

Today, we do.

And that means many of us love foods that don’t love us back.

I could rattle off a long list of unhealthy products that we’ve built our diets upon, but I wanted to talk about some of the ones you’ve got a chance to continue enjoying without worrying that they’re causing damage to your body.

This is a list, though not exhaustive, of foods you probably want to eat all the time but know you shouldn’t, as well as a portion that allows you to rebuild your guilty pleasures in a healthy way.

20 Unhealthy Foods You Can Make Healthy

Before I get into this list, it’s important to note that just because these are healthier versions of “cheat foods,” there’s a chance that you can make these foods unhealthy, too.

Many of these foods are high in sugar or fat, so overdoing it with them can increase your total caloric intake to a point where you’re adding body fat and becoming metabolically unhealthy.

What you’re getting out of this list is eliminating problematic ingredients like seed oils, high-fructose corn syrup, soy, food dyes, and more.

1. Chocolate Chip Cookies

Unhealthy: Made with refined flour and high-fructose corn syrup

Healthy: Gluten-free cookies made with almond or coconut flour and natural sweeteners like honey or maple syrup

Enjoy this recipe for Protein Chocolate Chip Cookies.

2. White Bread

Unhealthy: Made with refined, bleached flour

Healthy: Whole grain or sprouted grain bread with no added sugars or fermented bread like sourdough using organic grains that remove the gluten through fermentation

3. Potato Chips

Unhealthy: Fried in unhealthy oils with excessive salt

Healthy: Baked sweet potato chips cut at home and lightly coated in olive oil or kale chips lightly seasoned with sea salt. Also, brands like Boulder or Kettle Chips that use oils like avocado or olive oil in prep

4. Sugary Breakfast Cereals

Unhealthy: High in refined sugars and low in fiber

Healthy: Whole grain or mixed grain cereals with no added sugars as well as cereals formulated with plant-based proteins for higher protein intake and better insulin response

Enjoy these breakfast recipes with Protein.

5. Soda

Unhealthy: High in sugar and artificial additives

Healthy: Sparkling water flavored with fresh fruit or kombucha or sodas that use stevia as a sweetener

6. Ice Cream

Unhealthy: Made with high-fructose corn syrup and artificial flavors

Healthy: Frozen yogurt or banana "ice" cream made with real fruit. Alternately, ice creams made with natural sugar and coconut milk or grass-fed cream

Enjoy this recipe for protein ice cream.

You also might be interested in the Ninja Creami or similar products which help you make your own healthier ice cream.

7. Pizza

Unhealthy: Made with refined flour and processed meats

Healthy: Whole grain or cauliflower crust with fresh vegetables and lean protein. Alternatively, pizzas with organic grains, nut-cheeses, and organic meats. 

8. Fried Chicken

Unhealthy: Breaded with refined flour and deep-fried

Healthy: Baked or air-fried chicken with whole-grain breadcrumbs or almond flour.

9. Canned Soup

Unhealthy: High sodium and preservatives

Healthy: Homemade soup with fresh vegetables and low-sodium broth (save leftover vegetables and meats in the freezer until you have enough to make soup)

10. French Fries

Unhealthy: Deep-fried in trans-fat-laden oils

Healthy: Baked sweet potato fries or air-fried vegetable sticks.  Fries made in tallow at restaurants are also better than those fried in vegetable oils or seed oils

11. Candy Bars

Unhealthy: Made with high-fructose corn syrup and hydrogenated oils

Healthy: Dark chocolate with nuts or fruit-based bars, as well as protein bars made with stevia and organic ingredients

Enjoy these bar recipes.

12. Butter Popcorn

Unhealthy: Packed with artificial butter flavoring and excessive salt

Healthy: Air-popped popcorn with a sprinkle of nutritional yeast or cinnamon and popcorn made with coconut oil.

13. Refined Pasta

Unhealthy: White pasta lacking nutrients

Healthy: Whole grain, lentil, or chickpea pasta.

14. Instant Ramen Noodles

Unhealthy: High in sodium and MSG

Healthy: Whole grain noodles with homemade broth and fresh vegetables along with organic broth

15. Restaurant Burgers

Unhealthy: Made with processed meat and refined bun

Healthy: Homemade turkey, black bean, or grass-fed beef burger with a whole grain bun or lettuce wrap

16. Margarine

Unhealthy: Contains trans fats

Healthy: Grass-fed butter or avocado oil spread

17. Processed Lunch Meats

Unhealthy: High in sodium and preservatives

Healthy: Freshly roasted turkey or chicken slices, along with lunch meats coming from delis at health-food stores

18. Packaged Granola Bars

Unhealthy: High in sugar and artificial additives

Healthy: Homemade granola bars with oats, nuts, and dried fruits 

Enjoy these bar recipes.

19. Pancakes with Syrup

Unhealthy: Made with refined flour and artificial syrup

Healthy: Banana or oat pancakes with pure maple syrup or fruit toppings, as well as pancakes made with protein pancake powder

Try this Protein Pancake Recipe and Protein Waffle recipe (also in Chocolate). 

20. Mashed Potatoes

Unhealthy: Prepared with heavy cream and butter

Healthy: Mashed cauliflower or sweet potatoes with olive oil and herbs

Try Out One Of Our Favorites

One of the ways to get healthier foods is by substituting in new specialized products like the Naked Nutrition Naked Pancake Protein Mix.

Naked Pancake is a carefully crafted, protein-packed pancake mix. With 22 grams of protein and only 5 grams of sugar per serving, it is the perfect way to up your daily protein intake while having a delicious pancake treat.

There's no need to feel guilty knowing you’re getting a healthy version of a normally unhealthy food.

Grab a jar today if you love pancakes and want a healthier version.

You can also grab more protein recipes from Momsanity at these locations:

Decadent Delights Protein Recipes

Mom Fuel Recipes from the Experts

Mom Fuel Recipes

Rock the Crock Recipes

90 Mom Fuel Protein Powder Recipes