When the kids get home from school, when you are going on a long road trip, when you are hosting a movie night; all of these scenarios are associated with eating junk food. Popcorn, candy, chips, and other quick snacks are often the source of significant weight gain.
This year, go through your pantry and look at the junk food that fills your shelves. You might be surprised at how much many high calorie snacks are invading your home.
Luckily, there are plenty of alternative snack foods you can rely on to satisfy your kids, spouse, and self. Don’t settle for unhealthy foods out of convenience, look to these alternatives and provide each member of your family with a healthy snack they will love and crave.
One of the most addicting snack foods is chips. These wonderfully crunchy snacks are filled with chemical preservatives that make it easy to continue eating well past the point of fulfillment. The unfortunate association with tortilla chips is that they are all unhealthy. However, there are plenty of alternative chips out there that cut the ingredient list of popular brands in half, making them a much healthier option.
When looking for healthy alternatives, make sure you read the ingredients. You will find that there are a lot of great options out there that offer you more nutrients without sacrificing taste or quality. You might not be interested in eating organic or eating clean, but small changes can make a big difference. Ditch the chemical infused chips and opt for healthier tortilla chips made with higher quality oils.
The more junk food you eat, the more you want. So after you finish an entire family sized bag of chips, wondering where they went and how you could still be hungry, you move on to chocolate. Because, after all, when you eat something salty, you need something sweet for a perfect balance on your taste buds.
Chocolate has earned a pretty bad reputation—from dentists and nutritionists everywhere. However, not all chocolate is bad for you. Most chocolate candies are made with milk chocolate and a myriad of other syrups and ingredients. This leads to rotting teeth, way too much sugar, and plenty of preservatives.
Replace the milk chocolate candy with dark chocolate, or, dare I say, organic dark chocolate. The benefit of this alternative is less sugar, less emulsifiers, and less preservatives.
Again, as you shop for alternatives, make sure you read the ingredients. Not all dark chocolate avoids preservatives. Candy is still candy, but you can find healthier choices. Use alternatives to wean your family off of junk food altogether.
As you begin to make changes in your diet, you will see incredible differences in your energy level, activity, and even cravings. You crave what you consume, so start consuming healthier foods. The best snacks are fresh fruits and vegetables, protein, and whole-grains. Crackers, nuts, and fresh strawberries are all great options.
