Any fitness or diet plan should involve an overhaul of your eating habits and exercise schedule to help make your goals a reality, but for some people it can be a real shock to the system. Replacing chocolate with apples and crisps with rye bread can be a little deflating, and sometimes can even result in the health regime being given up altogether.
However, it doesn’t have to be all doom and gloom! Carry on reading to find out about some sweet and savoury treats that not only help to break up the day and fill the gap between meals, but they’re also lower in fat and sugar and pretty good for you at the same time.
Frozen yoghurt
If you’re a big fan of ice cream, eating healthily doesn’t have to mean giving up frozen treats. Frozen yoghurt made with natural or greek yoghurt is a low-fat alternative to ice cream despite tasting very similar. You can easily make your own by blending natural or low-fat greek yoghurt with your favourite fruit, and simply freezing!
Sushi
While you wouldn’t necessarily associate sushi with your typical cupboard snack, there’s no denying it’s tasty. In addition, it’s low in fat and can be high in protein when combined with fish such as oily salmon, which can also boost your intake of healthy fish oil like omega-3. Just try to avoid adding too much soy sauce to your sushi which is very high in salt.
Peanut butter
Whilst peanut butter is not necessarily low in fat, the natural varieties you can buy are packed full of healthy fats and protein which make for a filling snack! There are lots of brands available without many of the added sugars and other kinds of fats that can often be present in store-bought versions. It goes perfectly with apples, bananas, celery and wholegrain toast to fill you up without a fat or sugar spike.
Popcorn
Popcorn may usually be associated with the less healthy sweet and salty varieties at the cinema, but it can make a great snack during the working day. Despite being relatively light, the amount of chewing involved makes your body think you’re consuming more than you actually are, and as an added bonus most popcorn is low in calories as long as you avoid the buttery, sweet and salty varieties. Better still, you can make your own popcorn at home – all you need is some popping corn and a pan with a tight fitted lid!
Fruit and veg
Although bananas and broccoli may instantly spring to mind, there is an almost endless range of fruit and vegetables that can satisfy your hunger craving while also tantalising your tastebuds. Rather than apples, give dragon fruit a try. Sick of tomato soup? Then why not try butternut squash? Satsumas not setting your world on fire? Blood orange can quench your thirst and appetite at the same time. Carrot sticks and celery can also be a good snack if you just fancy something to mindlessly munch on!
Crisp replacements
Unfortunately we all know that crisps are not the healthiest item we could be snacking on, however you could make your own vegetable crisps as a healthier alternative. There’s a variety of veg you could try, but some tasty options are kale, sweet potato, beetroot, courgette and parsnip – simply spread the kale and finely sliced veg on some baking parchment, sprinkle on a little olive oil and roast until nice and crispy!
Gluten-free goodies
It’s a misconception that the food found on the wheat and gluten-free aisle is lacking in flavour. On the contrary, it can be bursting with flavour and doesn’t contain much of what makes flour-based food, such as cakes, so bad for us. The best option is to peruse the aisle yourself, but you can expect to find cookies, muffins, buns and other baked goods that not only taste the same as their gluten-filled brothers and sisters, but are far better for you.
The key to eating healthily without depriving yourself of your favourite things is not to think about what to cut out of your diet, but how to adapt your eating regimen and find alternatives that don’t compromise on taste. You may find that your healthy eating goals become that much more achievable!
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