Sharing 10 Ways of Making Your Favorite Foods Healthier

Twittermoms is on a roll this week.  Now they have teamed up with Weight Watchers Smart Ones asking bloggers to share 10 ways you can make your favorite foods healthier.  I have been working on doing just that, so the timing was perfect.  I hope my tips are helpful!

1. When your sweet tooth is acting up, grab some fruit.  Fresh, frozen and dehydrated fruits are very yummy.  I love the dehydrated apples, bananas and peaches because you get such an intensified flavor from them.  Eating frozen fruit, like grapes, will also curb the craving for something crunchy.
2. Cut back on the sodium content of your foods by trying fresh herbs or Mrs. Dash.  You can also buy sea salt which is healthier for you too.  Watch out for the hidden sodium in soft drinks and processed foods.  You'd flip out if you read every label!
3. When you're thirsty, grab water instead of a soft drink. I flavor my water with slices of lemon, lime, or orange for a hint of flavor.  Crystal Light drink mixes are sugar free and offer lots of flavors.  Brew your own tea and sweeten with a little honey or even with a sugar substitute like Splenda.
4. Use your grill to cook meats.  We grill year round, because even when it is cold, you can slide on a coat to go check on the meats.   For some reason, everything tastes better when it has been cooked on your grill.  Corn on the cob is delicious that way, and you can also try cooking fish on your grill too.
5. Instead of buying premade food, make it yourself.  Many thousands of recipes can be found on the Internet by simply "googling" what you are looking for.  I have found hundreds of low fat and calorie meals that are very simple to prepare. 
6. Use fresh vegetables whenever possible.  So many canned veggies have hidden sodium and other preservatives.  When you use fresh, not only does it taste better, but you are cutting out all the extra additives you didn't want in the first place. 
7. Instead of frying your food, try baking it instead.  We make homemade french fries in the oven quite often by lightly tossing the potatoes in a little olive oil, sprinkling lightly with sea salt and baking them!  Once they are done, you can always place them under the broiler for a minute to crisp them up.
8. Do NOT cut off your favorite indulgences.  The key to eating the high calorie goodies you crave is to eat them in moderation.  If you cut them out all together, you are much more likely to pig out and over do things when you actually give in.  Craving a candy bar, grab yourself a miniature version and eat it slowly.
9. Don't let the condiments cost you in fat and calorie count.  If you season your food, you do not need a lot of added sauces, or condiments.  When you do eat them, purchase the low fat or fat free versions, and do not heap it on!  Just because they are low fat does not necessarily mean low calorie.
10. Give Weight Watchers a try.  You can try out recipes in their cookbooks or try out their frozen food.  They carry some of the best tasting desserts you can imagine, and their entrees are perfect for a quick lunch at home or at work.  They are much lower in fat,calorie and sodium than going out to eat a fast food meal.

Thanks for reading over my post!  I hope you were able to use some of the tips.  If you have any tips for me, please leave me a comment!  Have A Blessed Day!

                        ~~~~~~~~~~Shelly~~~~~~~~~~

I wrote this blog post while participating in the TwitterMoms and WeightWatchers SmartOnes blogging program, making me eligible to get a $50 gift card. For more information on how you can participate, Click Here.