Feb 24, 2012

Better Options

 
Lately I've taken an interest in reading labels - calorie labels on different foods and their serving size at the grocery store! I was at Winn-dixie a week ago wandering around looking at the calorie intake of random items. People must have thought I was crazy, but hey the way I see it is the more labels I read the less I'll have to next time. I was having fun with this though, and I was having fun seeing how there are many, healthier choices for some of my favorite foods! I liked being able to find substitutes for some of my favorite foods with fewer calories. Here's are a few different substitues.

Milk

   Vs.  

I'm not a fan of milk. I never sit down to have a glass of milk, the only time I drink it is when I have cereal and the kind of milk our fridge carries is whole. When I eat cereal it's not for the milk I only like it added to make the cereal soggy. I would probably be able to just use water if the thought didn't totally gross me out. Yesterday while grocery shopping I was trying to get a bunch of healthy things and came across this coconut milk. I thought sense I love coconut that I'll probably like this. But what got me is it being only 80 calories per cup versus 150 per cup. So I bought it for the days I want some cereal.

Chips

   Vs.   

I can't lie, I sometimes like to snack on chips. Mainly when I'm eating a sandwich, I like to put chips inside to give it a crunch! I'm strange. With special K chips you can eat 27 of them for only 110 calories, while with the Lays chips you can only 17 for 160 calories in one serving size. So that means if you want to eat the amount of calories special K chips gives with the Lays you would only eat about 12 (and we all know 12 chips isn't enough). Yesterday was my first time trying the special K chips and they pretty much have the same flavor as Lays! I could totally live with these instead of Lays.

Bread

   Vs.     

Don't get me wrong, I love me some bread. Especially when it's warm from just being baked and I take a bite and feel like I'm sinking my teeth into heaven. But that kind of bread I only eat on occasions. Once in a while. Sandwich bread on the other hand is for sandwiches, for dipping into soup and when I'm eating a sandwich or dipping something into soup I'm not really thinking about the kind of bread. With sandwich thins you're obviously only eating 100 calories per bun while regular sandwich bread, one slice is the usual serving size.

Yogurt

   Vs.    

I love Yoplait and there's many benefits to eating it, there's many great flavors to chose from. But for me, for right now Activia light is the better choice. Only 70 calories per serving and of course the extra benefits!

Burgers

    Vs.   

I bought Boca burgers - the original vegan ones! I liked them. They taste just like real burgers, I could totally be a vegetarian. These babies have 100 calories each in them. Put one between a sandwich thin and you got yourself a hamburger! Before I would eat so many great value burgers as a snack (Walmart brand burgers). I don't remember the calorie intake of them, but I'm pretty sure it wasn't great compared to these! I can't wait to experience new and healthier burger ideas. I'm thinking of adding cucumber slices or something. Or just pickles? Lol.

Chocolate bars

   Vs.   

Take five bars might just be my favorite candy bar - I just love everything chocolate and pretzely! One day I tried a chocolate pretzel special K bar and BAM, I fell in love! basically a take five has 200 calories for the bar while the Special K only has 90.

Have you made any healthier food discoveries to replace your favorite foods?
If so please share - I'd love to hear ((:

6 comments:

Brittany said...

I have started eating the sandwich thins and the Special K chips and I love both of them! I will have to try your other suggestions!

Call Me Snakke said...

I just started a diet over two weeks ago. I feel so much better. No junk food! Great post!

Callmesnakke

Wine Dine Daily said...

Thank you Heather, for the excellent suggestions! We both have to make better choices.
Cheers:)
J & C

Shaylynn... a girl, a story, a blog said...

You always say the sweetest things on my blog. I hope you know that makes you wonderful.

I don't like milk either. Gross. Except chocolate milk, I'm down.

I have been such an emotional eater.. this past week. any words of wisdom?

Anonymous said...

okay this inspires me.

i really need to be like this.

i am so un-healthy right now!

i love this post.
and your blog.

Amanda Nicole said...

I hate milk!! But I love almond and coconut milk!! I've never seen cracker chips though!