Okay, here I go with some real talk. The truth is, I don’t have the best relationship with food. It’s not a disastrous relationship, but it’s also not the best. It’s something I’ve been working on.

I’m quite the bad stress and reward eater. When I’m stressed, which I am a lot because I’m a workaholic, I reach for food. When I feel accomplished (like after finishing writing a blog post), which can also be quite often because I’m a workaholic… I also reach for food.

I saw the worse of my eating habits come to life last year during the pandemic. With my normal routine thrown off and anxiety at an all-time high, I comforted myself with lots of junk food and unhealthy snacking. I quickly gained 10 pounds, going from my normal 110 to 120 pounds. While I understand my absolute weight is still at a healthy level, what wasn’t healthy was how quickly I gained almost 10% of my body weight.

My body felt increasingly off with all the bad foods I was putting into it. I felt heavy and groggy all the time. The day I couldn’t button my jeans came and went, but then I ripped a dress sitting down during an “at-home date night” with the hubby. To say I was upset by what happened would be a huge understatement (I couldn’t even continue “date night” that evening), but if I’m being honest with myself, it was also the wake up call I needed. I knew I needed to do something different; I needed to start taking charge of my diet and my body.

I began actively replacing junk foods with healthy snacks, and it’s been a real game-changer. Since I started snacking smarter, I’ve lost most of the weight I’ve gained in 2020 already. I’ve also been trying to work out regularly and journaling to deal with my anxiety in healthier ways, which helps tremendously with the emotional side of my eating.

Just to be clear, I’m not saying no junk food ever. At least for me, that would be impossible (I love cakes and cookies way too much). It’s about being honest with yourself and finding a balance that works for you and your body.

Looking at myself in the mirror (figuratively and literally), I knew I had to stop snacking on cookies 7 days a week. So now, I let myself enjoy a cookie once a week. It’s what works for me and my body. These days, I feel much more like myself and my body actually feels better too (i.e. less bloated, less tired, better complexion, etc.). It’s been a win-win all around. If you also struggle with emotional eating, or if you’re just looking to feel better in your body, here are junk food replacement ideas that have worked for me. #ilovemybody #healthyliving

1. Replace Candy Bars with Dark Chocolate

If you’re craving something sweet like a candy bar, try snacking on dark chocolate instead. Dark chocolate is loaded with nutrients that can positively affect your health. Made from the seed of the cacao tree, it is one of the best sources of antioxidants on the planet. Studies show that it can actually improve your health and lower the risk of heart disease.

With that said, not all dark chocolate bars are made equal. It is important to look for dark chocolate that’s high in cocoa content (70%+) and low in sugar. For me, I am obsessed with Hu Dark Chocolate Bars. Hu Dark Chocolates are a clean snack, meaning it contains no dairy, no GMOs, no emulsifiers, no soy lecithin, no gluten, no refined sugar, no cane sugar, and no sugar alcohol. I especially love these Salty Dark Chocolate Bars.

I also love that the Hu Chocolate Bars comes in 8 little squares - it really helps me with portion control. Whenever I find myself wanting something sweet, I just nibble on one of these squares. They are super yumm and definitely my favorite healthy thing to snack on.

2. Replace Potato Chips with Homemade Kale Chips

Okay, I know this one is a stretch because nothing can really replace potato chips. I get that. But stick with me for a second.

I’ve realized over time that whenever I’m craving potato chips, what I’m really craving is just something salty. It didn’t have to be Pringles or Hot Cheetos necessarily. It just had to be crunchy and salty.

Some Homemade Kale Chips with sprinkled sea salt satisfied that salty craving by 80%, which is sufficient to help me get through those craving moments. If cranking these things out at home is too much trouble, kale or vegetable chips at the store can also be a good alternative here.

3. Replace Sugary Drinks with Real Coconut Water

I don’t actually crave sugary drinks very often, but understand that many of us do. A coke or a ginger ale can feel very refreshing, with that extra boost of artificial sugar. If you do find yourself reaching for that sugary drink, consider replacing it with real coconut water like the Harmless Harvest Coconut Water. With no extra ingredients, this brand of coconut water is the closest you can come to drinking straight from a coconut.

When I’m really trying to be good but am also craving something sweet, I pour myself half a glass of this coconut water and fill the rest of the glass with water (it’s actually too sweet for me otherwise). It always does the trick for me.

4. Replace Ice Cream with Greek Yogurt Popsicles

Oh, ice cream. Why can’t ice cream be healthy, dammit! Since we don’t live in an alternate reality (unfortunately), and ice cream tends to be packed with high levels of artificial sugar that are bad for you, consider snacking on some Homemade Greek Yogurt Popsicles instead. They are super easy to make and surprisingly not awful (I could be biased since I love Greek yogurt to begin with).

Similar to the Homemade Kale Chips Theory mentioned above, they satisfy about 80% of your craving, which should get you through that junk food moment.

Greek yogurt companies add an extra step to their production process to drain out excess water, lactose, and minerals from regular yogurt. What’s left is a creamier, richer yogurt with less sugar and more protein. Greek yogurt is a great source of protein, calcium, iodine, and potassium. More importantly, it provides healthy bacteria for the digestive tract (probiotics) which can be beneficial for your entire body.

My favorite Greek yogurt brand is Siggis. True to Icelandic tradition from the founder’s family, siggi’s products do not contain any artificial preservatives, thickeners, sweeteners, flavors, or colors, and are made with milk from family farms in Update New York and Wisconsin. They are committed to making yogurt products with simple ingredients and as little sugar as possible (40% less sugar and more protein than the leading Greek yogurt brands). I looove this yogurt and eat it almost every day. I can’t recommend it enough.

5. Replace Cereal with Steel Cut Oats

If you are a sucker for some good old sugary cereal, consider replacing it with some healthy Steel Cut Oats in your pantry. Again, I’m not even gonna lie, steel cut oats are certainly a stretch from Fruity Pebbles. Again, it’s about that 80%! If you can get through 80% of your craving, then you’re safe.

If plain steel oats are too boring (and let’s just be honest, it totally is), jazz it up with a dash of cinnamon, some natural honey, unsweetened almond butter, and lower-sugar fruits like blueberries (fruits like bananas are actually high in sugar). That should definitely get you through the 80% hurdle!

Healthy Eating Hack: One of the best and most obvious ways to avoid snacking on junk food is to simply not have them physically in your home, ever. Rather, stock up your pantry with healthy snacks. This way, in your moments of #healthyliving weakness, you literally won’t be able to get your hands on them. This tip also naturally forces you to reach for the healthy snacks to fill that belly instead.

6. Replace Candy with Nuts

If you are reaching for any sort of candy or sweets throughout your day, try reaching for some nuts instead. This has probably been the most effective junk food replacement for me.

Another thing I’ve realized about my snacking habits is my rudimentary desire to simply chew on something. And munching on nuts is really quite satisfying with their hard textures.

Moreover, nuts are in fact high in protein, so I’m not only getting a chewing fix, but I am also getting a hunger fix. This is because protein, of the 3 macronutrients, including carbs and fats, makes you feel the most full with the least amount of food. This is why snacking on fruits, which are mostly carbs, might not last you as long vs. snacking on protein-based snacks like nuts.

Here are some of my favorite healthy nuts to snack on and their nutrition information, from lowest to highest calorie per ounce. I buy them raw and sliced so they are easy to eat with anything (not trying to crack a tooth on an almond!):

Pistachios: This is the lowest calorie nut on the list. A single serving delivers a healthy dose of potassium, a nutrient most people often don't get enough of, as well as eye-healthy compounds lutein and zeaxanthin, the latter of which gives pistachios their green hue. Nutrition information per ounce: 85 calories; 7g fat; 3g protein; 4g carbohydrate; 2g fiber
Almonds: Almonds offer the most fiber of any nut listed here, with one serving delivering 14% of your recommended daily fiber goal. Relatively low in calories, almonds have more calcium than any other nut, making them a great food for overall health. Plus, they are rich in fiber and vitamin E, an antioxidant that helps fight dangerous inflammation and possibly health conditions such as lung cancer and age-related cognitive decline. Nutrition information per ounce: 162 calories; 14g fat; 6g protein; 6g carbohydrate; 4g fiber
Cashews: Cashews have less fiber and protein than almonds and peanuts, but are a good source of magnesium, which plays a significant role in heart health, bone health, and energy levels. Nutrition information per ounce: 165 calories; 14g fat; 5g protein; 9g carbohydrate; 1g fiber
Walnuts: Walnuts are a super plant source of omega-3 fatty acids, which are essential in our diet and help to reduce the risk of heart disease. Though they’re a little higher in calories and fat than other nuts, the fat they contain are healthy fats that the body needs. Nutrition information per ounce: 189 calories; 19g fat; 5g protein; 4g carbohydrate; 2g fiber

7. Replace Cookies with Low-Sugar Fruits

Asian people love fruits. Like, we really love fruits. Do you know what Chinese restaurants in Asia typically serve you as the final course? Oranges. Just plain, peeled, juicy oranges. A meal is not complete without the fruit course. This is not a joke.

What I had to learn about fruits is that not all fruits are great for you. Look, if the choice is between a banana and a cookie, choose the banana. With that said, bananas are in fact high in natural sugar, and it sucks because it’s my favorite fruit (for the convenience because I’m a lazy lazy person)!

If you also love fruits and want to incorporate them into your day-to-day as regular snacks, choose your fruits wisely and consider low-sugar fruits. Some of the lowest sugar fruits include strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, and watermelon. I promise you everything will change if you stop buying or making cookies at home, and stock your fridge with these fresh fruits instead.

7 Healthy Snacks to Replace Junk Food