Eating healthy doesn’t mean dieting or making a huge overhaul of your pantry. Easy food swaps can make a big difference in your lifestyle! Check out some of these simple changes you can make that go a long way.
Food has changed in the last few decades. Things are produced with quantity in mind rather than quality. And if you do want quality, sometimes it feels like you have to pay for it, either in cash or time.
Guess what, there are easy swap you can make that will take little to no extra time or money!
Easy Food Swaps You Can Make!
Making healthy food choices doesn’t have to be complicated, in fact there are easy food swaps you can make that don’t require major lifestyle changes!
Choose Whole Wheat Instead of White
Start seeking out whole wheat products instead of white flour products. You would be surprised how many foods use white flour (typically labelled as “wheat flour”), but there on the shelf next to it is an alternative with whole wheat flour.
Breads, crackers, pastas and cereal are just a few examples!
You also can make the swap in your homemade goods as well. Buy whole wheat flour and use it in place of white wheat flour. There will be slight texture and flavour changes but the more you use it, the less noticeable it becomes!
Notes about substituting whole wheat for white flour: You will need less flour than a recipe calls for as whole wheat flour is dense. Typically you will need 1-2 TBSP less whole wheat flour per cup.
Make (Or Buy) Homemade Granola Bars, Muffins or Cookies
Some of the easiest things to make in large quantities are snack foods. Store-bought granola bars, cookies and muffins are notorious for having additives to make them shelf stable. But they also are easy to make and freeze at home!
Or grab some from Generations Marketplace!
Slice Your Own Cheese
Processed cheese is heavily processed (hence the name!) and if you are trying to make healthy swaps, this is an easy one to make.
Buy regular blocks of cheese, slice them yourself and freeze. Put parchment paper between your slices for easy separation.
Use Pure Maple Syrup or Honey as a Sweetener
If you have a sweet tooth or are looking for an alternative to white sugar, use pure maple syrup or honey! While the sugar content will be the same, you are getting other nutritional benefits from these powerhouse foods.
And to satisfy your curiosity about tapping maple syrup trees, listen to the podcast episode from Heart of the Homestead Family that talks about how to tap and produce maple syrup!
Look for Foods Without Seed Oils
Seed oils are in many foods, it can be hard to avoid them. Start by seeking out products that don't have seed oils on the ingredient list.
Check the labels on breads and crackers especially but also canned soups, broths and pasta sauces! You never know what is added into seemingly innocent foods.
Have a little more time?
If you have a little extra time, why not try making yogurt at home? This is an easy food swap you can make. Sweeten it with garden fresh fruit or honey! Check out the recipe Farmer Heidi uses here!
Start With These Swaps
There are so many swaps you can make in your food choices. These are some basic ones to start with.
Remember that “healthy” doesn’t mean low calorie or low fat. These changes are meant to give your body additional nutrients and avoid questionable additives that are put in foods.
Buying from local markets, bakeries and farms is your best bet for finding healthy foods if you don’t have the time or resources to make food at home. Check out Generations Marketplace for homemade cookies, breads, jams, relishes and other yummy homemade goods!
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