SATISFYING SWAPS

for 13 Surprisingly High-Calorie Foods

Instead of flavored instant oatmeal,

try rolled or steel-cut oats.The heartier whole-grain variety will fill you up, you’ll avoid added sugar and you’ll increase your fiber intake. Add flavor by topping with fresh fruit.

Instead of reduced fat peanut butter,

try regular peanut butter.Trading a heart-healthy fat like peanut oil for sugars, sodium and carb fillers is no bargain. Give natural peanut butter a try — it’s nothing but peanuts!

Instead of store-bought trail mix,

try mixing your own.Sidestep extra calories, fat and preservatives. Make 1 serving at a time; portions will be small. Mix ½ cup low-fat or homemade granola, 1 oz. nuts and 1 tbsp. dark chocolate mini-chips for your daily dark chocolate ration.

Instead of a “healthy” frozen dinner,

try making & freezing your own.You’ll control the ingredients, which hopefully means less salt. Use 3 ½-4 oz. protein, ½ cup potato, rice or other starch, and all the veggies you like (make sure they’re non-starchy, so hold the peas and corn).

Instead of peanuts,

try pistachios in the shell.1 oz. each of peanuts and pistachios are similarly high in healthy monounsaturated fat and low in unhealthy saturated fat. But you’ll get about 40-45 pistachios vs. 28 peanuts. And the shelling will slow you down for more mindful snacking.

Instead of cereal or granola bars,

try whole-grain cereal.

Munch it dry on the go, if you like. You’ll get your fiber with

less sugar and fewer fillers.

Instead of multigrain bagels,

try whole-wheat English muffins.Get your bread fix on and get whole grain benefits without going carb-crazy. 1 refined flour bagel = 4 servings of bread!

Instead of fruit-flavored yogurt,

try making your own.

Choose plain nonfat Greek or nonfat regular yogurt to

avoid sugars. Add fresh fruit, and flavor with vanilla or

almond extract.

Instead of regular cheese,

try part skim or 2% milk cheese.Satisfy your cheese cravings

in a healthier way. Choose cheeses made from lower-fat,

rather than whole, milk.

Instead of dried fruit,

try fresh fruit.Fill up on fewer calories

(1 whole apple = ¼ cup of dried fruit). Dried fruit is easy to overeat and can have lots

of added sugar. Banana chips are high in fat, too.

Instead of deep-dish pizza,

try thin-crust veggie pizza.

Enjoy a guilty pleasure that’s lower in calories and fat. In 1 medium slice, you’ll find

290 calories, 15 g fat and 11 g protein for pan-crust pepperoni

pizza vs. 180 calories, 7 g fat and 8 g protein for

veggie lovers’ pizza.

Instead of a candy bar,

try 1 ounce of dark chocolate.

Do more than satisfy your sweet tooth. Choose plain dark

chocolate and cash in on its heart-healthy antioxidants.

LUNCH SWAPS

SNACK SWAPS

DINNER SWAPS

BREAKFAST SWAPS

OUR EXPERT Laura Jeffers, MEd, RD, LD

My favorite swap:

“Instead of chips and dip, I love to change up the spinach dip recipe using fat-free plain Greek yogurt (a great source of protein), steamed spinach and nonfat mayo. I dip tons of veggies in it.”

clevelandclinic.org/HealthHub

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SOURCES:Eating Right: eatright.org/Public/content.aspx?id=6442473735

Processed Foods: eatright.org/Public/content.aspx?id=6442471055Healthy Weight Loss: eatright.org/Public/content.aspx?id=6847