Healthy Alternatives
By Lynda Smith Hoggan
Breakfast
Consider Replacing: |
With: |
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Bacon |
Soy bacon |
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Sausage |
Soy or turkey sausage |
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Chorizo |
Soy chorizo |
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Eggs |
Egg whites or egg white products |
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Cheese |
Soy cheese or reduced-fat cheese |
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Processed cereals |
Whole-grain cereals |
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White bread |
Whole-wheat bread |
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White tortillas |
Whole-wheat tortillas |
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White bagels |
Whole-wheat bagels |
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Sugar |
Stevia powder |
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Whole milk |
Soy milk, rice milk, or reduced-fat milk |
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Yogurt |
Reduced-fat or soy yogurt |
Orange juice |
Organic juices |
Butter |
Heart-healthy margarine, olive oil, or cooking spray |
Add
- Vegetables such as mushrooms, tomatoes, spinach, onions and green peppers to foods like omelets
- Fruits and nuts, such as bananas, berries, almonds, pistachios and coconut to cereal or pancakes, or together in a fruit salad
Lunch
Consider Replacing: |
With: |
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Lunch meat |
Soy or reduced-fat lunch meat |
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Cheese |
Soy or reduced-fat cheese |
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Mayonnaise |
Mustard, reduced-fat mayonnaise, hummus, or mashed avocado |
Potato or tortilla chips |
Reduced-fat or baked chips or whole wheat crackers |
White bread |
Whole-wheat bread |
White tortillas |
Whole-wheat tortillas |
Whole milk |
Soy milk, rice milk, or reduced-fat milk |
Soda |
Sparkling, flavored or plain water |
Add
- Vegetables such as lettuce, tomatoes, spinach, onions and green peppers to sandwiches
- Serve whole fruits or fruit salad instead of dessert
Dinner
Consider Replacing: |
With: |
Grilled steak |
Grilled chicken or fish |
Hamburgers and hotdogs |
Soy burgers, dogs and corndogs |
Add
- Vegetables such as veggie shish kebab, roasted corn
- Fruits such as fruit salad or fruit in dessert
Scrumptious Snacks
Consider Replacing: |
With: |
Chips and Salsa |
Reduced-fat or baked chips and salsa |
Crackers and Cheese |
Whole-wheat crackers with hummus, soy cheese, or reduced-fat cheese |
'Smores |
Reduced-fat hot chocolate, apple cide with cinnamon sticks, flavored herbal tea |
Add
- Soy nuts, edamame (soy beans steamed in their pods and served warm or cold)
- Nuts and seeds
- Vegetables such as celery stuffed with peanut butter or baby carrots with reduced-fat dip
- Fruit such as apple slices, orange segments, grapes
Author’s bio: Lynda Smith Hoggan is a Professor of Public Health in the Biological Sciences Department at Mount San Antonio College, Walnut, California.