As you all know, I’m on a weight loss journey. That makes trips to the grocery store a little more interesting. No longer am I shopping for comfort food and my favorite treats. Now, I’m shopping with diet food on my mind. I’m looking for things that are cheap, nutritional, and low-calorie. If you’re on a weight-loss journey and trying to find some healthy alternatives, this is for you. Follow along to learn more about low-calorie food substitutions at the grocery store.
Bread
Bread is something you cannot escape. Most of the food I love comes with a piece of bread on the side or top. While bread tastes wonderful, it’s high in calories when you consider you have to have two slices to make things work. Instead of opting for bread, here are a few substitutions I use for low cost and low calories. For burgers, bbq, and other sandwiches, opt for zucchini. Cut a medium zucchini into thick rounds, sauté, and you have a tasty mini bun to use. Don’t like that idea, sub soft tortilla shells or pita bread for pizza, flatbreads, and wraps.
Pasta
Let’s be honest, noodles are dirt cheap. However, when you consider how many calories you consume eating a bowl of pasta, the cost healthwise can be high. Instead, there are several healthy alternatives I’d like to use. Number one, opt for the zucchini spirals. I suggest spiraling them at home to keep costs way down. One cup of zucchini spirals is only about 0-15 calories. You can also opt for spaghetti squash. It makes a mean Ramen noodle. Other alternatives include butternut squash for lasagna and miracle rice or noodles.
Snacks
I am not a snacker, but since reducing calories, I have been munching more and more. Instead of going for the bad sugary snacks, I’ve switched to a few things you may enjoy. For popcorn, I turned to the 100-calorie regular (Pop secret) and kettle corn (Orville Redenbacher). You get much more in the bag than with SmartPop. I also love cookies. I have turned to Tates vegan cookies and Partake for yummy vegan options. Lastly, who does not love candy? I do, but instead, I opt for sweet, satisfying fruits.
A diet can be hard, but it doesn’t have to be. You can find some of these low-calorie food substitutions on sale right now at Publix and Kroger.
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