Healthier Swaps – Our “Better” Food Choices (Part 2)

Here’s our “better” list! If you saw my last post “Choosing Better (Part 1)”, you read about my health journey and what led us to choosing not best, but better options for our family!

I know there are even “better” options out there than the ones I have listed. I’ll fully admit that! And maybe the “better” option is to not eat the item at all. But we aren’t looking for perfection, just looking for OUR “better”.

One of the BIGGEST factors for us as a family, when making these changes, was cost. There is no hiding it, healthier choices cost more (most of the time). This is something I will never understand, but it is what it is and it is what we have chosen. Again, everything is a choice. But, when eating healthier, I find you get fuller faster, so with some of these items, I don’t need mounds of it to feel full. In fact, I find ourselves eating LESS in some ways, so are we really spending more? Maybe not. For instance, the Nature’s Bakery bars have two fig bars in them. Often I will only eat one at a time. Maybe it’s all in my head, but healthier foods fill you faster.

It has taken me several months and now years, to discover “better” options, but I also feel there are more options out there than there used to be. I think companies and stores are starting to see where the money is – people want healthier.

So take this list for what it’s worth. It’s not exhaustive and it may not be what you eat. These are just healthier swaps that we have found for our family that we use personally, and keep stocked in our cupboards!

As you can see, we love our snacks…

SNACKS:

• Potato Chips – Boulder Canyon Avocado Oil Chips (also available at Costco)
• Popcorn – Lesser Evil’s Himalayan Gold Popcorn (also available at Costco)
• Fruit Grain Bar – Nature’s Bakery Fig Bars (also available at Sam’s and Costco)
• Meat Sticks – Paleo Valley Snack Sticks – (watch for sales, WAY better than Chomps!)
• Fruit Bar – Pure Organic Fruit Bars (available at Meijer, Costco, Sam’s)
• Fruit Roll Ups – Bear Fruit Rolls (also available at Costco)
• Fruit Snacks – Simply Nature Organic Fruit Flavored Snacks (Aldi)
• Dried Fruit Snack – Yoggies – (Walmart, Sam’s, Costco)
• Heavenly Hunks – HOMEMADE (Tipps in the Kitchen) (also at Costco, but expensive)
• Applesauce – Unsweetened Applesauce Pouches (Costco, Sam’s, other grocery stores)
• Fruit and Veggie Pouch – (many grocery stores including Costco)
• Unreal Chocolate (available at various stores)
• IQ Bars (Target, Amazon, Costco)

DAIRY:

• Greek Yogurt – Great Value Greek Yogurt
• Yogurt – Oikos Pro Yogurt (any grocery store)
• Whole Milk
• Cheese – full fat, also shred our own if possible to prevent anti-caking agent

SAUCES:

• Ranch Dressing – HOMEMADE (Natasha’s Kitchen Homemade Ranch Dressing – I add 1/4 c. more buttermilk to make it runnier)
• Chick-Fil-A Sauce – HOMEMADE (CJ Eats Recipes)
• Ketchup – Simply Nature Organic Ketchup (Aldi)
• Barbecue Sauce – Japanese Barbecue Sauce
• Maple Syrup – anything organic
• Honey – pure raw, unfiltered honey (have you tried Manuka Honey?)

MISCELLANEOUS

• Lunchmeat – Never Any (Aldi)
• Pop – Poppi (also available at many grocery stores, best deals at Sam’s, Costco)
• Pickles – Grillo’s Pickles (Target, Meijer, Sam’s, Costco)
• Bread – Dave’s Killer Bread (available at various stores)
• Peanut Butter – any natural or organic brand (Sam’s, Costco, Aldi)
• Mac n’ Cheese – Annie’s (any grocery store)
• Oil – Extra Virgin Olive Oil or Avocado Oil (any grocery store)
• Flour – Organic all-purpose (any grocery store or Costco)
• Sugar – Organic Cane Sugar
• Baking Powder – Aluminum Free

Side Note: I LOVE Aldi because their prices are often stellar and all of their Aldi-brand foods have no artificial dyes! If you are ever looking to do a charcuterie board, go to Aldi. Their cheese, cracker, and meat selections are unlike any other for a good price!

NOW I WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!

What are your favorite “better” food choices?