5 HEALTHIER ALTERNATIVES TO YOUR FAVORITE UNHEALTHY SNACKS

Eating healthy is a lifestyle. It’s definitely not easy at times, and we’ve all found ourselves tempted by our favorite comfort foods. Whether you have a powerful sweet tooth or you crave salty snacks, there IS a healthy solution to curbing your cravings. We’ve found 5 healthier alternatives to your favorite unhealthy guilty pleasures.5 Healthier Alternatives To Your Favorite Unhealthy Snacks 1 Daily Mom, Magazine For Families


If you love the crunchy sweetness of

Taco Bell’s Cinnamon Twists 

your tastebuds will dance for this healthier alternative:

Stacy’s Cinnamon Sugar Pita Chips

5 Healthier Alternatives To Your Favorite Unhealthy Snacks 2 Daily Mom, Magazine For Families

Taco Bell’s Cinnamon Twists / Stacy’s Cinnamon Sugar Pita Chips

170 / 140  – calories per serving

6 / 5   – grams of fat

210 / 115  – milligrams of sodium

27 / 20  – total carbohydrates

12 / 6  – grams of sugar

1 / 3  – grams of protein

1 / 1  – gram of fiber

These crunchy pita chips will provide you with the perfect amount of cinnamon and sugar that you crave, with fewer calories, fat, sodium and carbs than Taco Bell’s Cinnamon Twists and HALF the sugar per serving!


If you crave the salty goodness of 

Lay’s Classic Potato Chips

this healthier alternative will hit the spot:

Popchips Sea Salt Potato Chips

5 Healthier Alternatives To Your Favorite Unhealthy Snacks 3 Daily Mom, Magazine For Families

Lay’s Classic Potato Chips / Sea Salt Potato Popchips

160 / 120 – calories per serving (1 oz)

10 / 4 – grams of fat

1.5 / 0 – grams of saturated fat

170 / 190 – milligrams of sodium

15 / 19 – total carbohydrates

1 / 0 – grams of sugar

2 / 1 – grams of protein

1 / 1 – gram of fiber

While there’s slightly more sodium and carbohydrates in a single serving of Sea Salt Potato Popchips, the numbers are in their favor when it comes to calories, fat, saturated fat and sugar. And they’re heated in a pressurized chamber, letting them pop upon quick release, instead of deep fried, like regular potato chips. We’re not saying these will taste exactly like the greasy goodness of all that is “the fried potato chip,” but they’ll definitely hit the spot.


If you daydream about the creamy flavor of

McDonald’s McCafe Vanilla Shake

You’ll be just as satisfied with:

Shakeology Vanilla Shake with added Bananas

5 Healthier Alternatives To Your Favorite Unhealthy Snacks 4 Daily Mom, Magazine For Families

McDonald’s McCafe Vanilla Shake / Shakeology Vanilla Shake

530 / 130 – calories per serving (12 oz)

15 / 2 – grams of fat

10 / 0 – grams of saturated fat

1 / 0 – grams of trans fat

60 / 5 – milligrams of cholesterol

160 / 200 – milligrams of sodium

86 / 14 – total carbohydrates

63 / 7 – grams of sugar

11 / 16 – grams of protein

0 / 3 – grams of fiber

The numbers are pretty self explanatory here. Add to that the plethora of vitamins and minerals in a Shakeology Vanilla Shake, and it’s a no brainer which is the healthier option. But the best part is, if you add a medium banana to your shake (just about another 100 calories), it will literally taste like a vanilla milk shake! Tried and true.


If your Netflix binge watching guilty pleasure is

Ben & Jerry’s Chunky Monkey

Your tastebuds will titillate for:

Yonana’s Banana, Chocolate & Walnut Fruit Soft Serve 

5 Healthier Alternatives To Your Favorite Unhealthy Snacks 5 Daily Mom, Magazine For Families

Ben & Jerry’s Chunky Monkey / Yonana’s Banana Soft Serve  (with chocolate chips & walnuts to taste)

300/ 105 – calories per serving (1/2 cup/one medium banana)

18 / 0 – grams of fat

1o / 0 – grams of saturated fat

0 / 0 – grams of trans fat

65 / 0 – milligrams of cholesterol

35 / 1 – milligrams of sodium

30 / 26 – total carbohydrates

28 / 14 – grams of sugar

4 / 1 – grams of protein

1 / 3 – grams of fiber

(The nutritional value above is for one frozen banana in a single serving of Yonanas soft serve. This number will change depending on how many chocolate chips and walnuts you add to your fruit soft serve.)

Yonanas takes frozen fruit and turns it into a thick, creamy soft serve desert with absolutely no added sugar. To make a healthier version of Ben & Jerry’s Chunky Monkey ice cream, all you need is one frozen banana and chocolate chips and walnuts to sprinkle over the top. Amazing. Simple. Healthy.


If you can’t seem to keep your hands out of the cookie jar, and daydream about

Chips Ahoy Chocolate Chip Cookies

You can keep your cravings at bay with:

Froovie Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies

5 Healthier Alternatives To Your Favorite Unhealthy Snacks 6 Daily Mom, Magazine For Families

Chips Ahoy Chocolate Chip Cookies / Froovie GF Chocolate Chip Cookies

160 /110 – calories per serving (3 cookies/1 oz)

8 / 5 – grams of fat

2.5 / 2.5 – grams of saturated fat

0 / 0 – grams of trans fat

0 / 0 – milligrams of cholesterol

110 / 30 – milligrams of sodium

22 / 17 – total carbohydrates

11 / 6 – grams of sugar

1 / 2 – grams of protein

1 / 4 – grams of fiber

With almost half the amount of sugar, less fat and carbs, and more protein and fiber, Froovie’s Gluten Free Cookies will hit the spot in your cookie-loving belly, without sticking around.

If you love these ideas, check out more healthy recipes and tips in FOOD N’ RECIPES!

This post is meant for educational purposes only. It is not intended to replace medical advice from your physician, doctor or health care professional. Please read our terms of use for more information.


Photo credit: Marley Layne’s Closet

DON'T MISS THE TIPS

SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER AND GET THE MOST HELPFUL ARTICLES ONCE A WEEK
+ GIVEAWAYS

We don’t spam! Read our privacy policy for more info.

Danielle
Daniellehttp://www.Witharedbirdonmyshoulder.com
Danielle is a Pittsburgh native who has been warming her “black and gold” blood in sunny Northern California for the past 6 years. On any given day, you can find her arranging ridiculous photo shoots of her one-year-old son Graeme and cat Gizmo, or working on any one of her 27,000 writing projects. She enjoys daydreaming about becoming a famous actress and starting a handful of different businesses with her husband over glasses of wine in the evenings. Someday, she hopes to travel the country in an RV with her family… but she needs to sell that novel first. You can follow her journeys through her blog With A Red Bird On My Shoulder

LATEST

MORE LIKE THIS

TRAVEL

LIFESTYLE

FINDS

FAMILY

PARENTING

HOME

FASHION

GIFT GUIDES