Condiments are a great first place to start swapping out healthier options. Most of the time condiments are loaded with not-so-great ingredients, high in sugar, or full of preservatives. I found some easy healthy alternatives to my favorite everyday condiments that I use.
Choose healthier cooking oils
Hydrogenated processed oils are so unhealthy and are found in so many different food products. Instead of cooking or baking with canola, vegetable, margarine, shortening, safflower oil, hydrogenated, and other oils. Use more natural high-quality cold-pressed oils. These oils have more nutrients and give you more polyunsaturated, and monosaturated fats. Which is so good for our hearts.
- My top picks:Avocado oil, Extra virgin olive oil, unsalted butter, and sometimes coconut oil (coconut oil is high in saturated fats… the not so good fat, so use it sparingly)
Swap mayo for avocado mayo or hummus
Processed mayo ingredients contain water, canola oil, modified corn & potato starch, liquid whole egg, sugar, salt, vinegar, concentrated lemon juice, sorbic acid, spices, natural color, natural flavors, calcium disodium EDTA. Avocado mayo doesn’t contain highly processed oils, modified corn or potato starch, or sugars.
- My top pick: Primal Kitchen Mayo Avocado Oil (Ingredients are: Avocado oil, organic eggs, organic egg yolks, organic vinegar, sea salt, organic rosemary extract) and Hope Foods Hummus
Make homemade healthy jams instead of buying store jams
Most store-bought jams and traditional jam recipes have lots of sugar and other processed ingredients. An easy swap is to start making this simple healthy jam recipe, you’ll never want store-bought jam again.
- Try this healthy homemade jam recipe. You only need fruit, lemon juice, and chia seeds.
Use natural sweeteners rather than ultra-refined sugars
I love finding ways to make things healthier, so you’ll notice in my recipes that I’ll use natural sugars like 100% pure maple syrup, unsweetened applesauce, or honey. Natural sugars have so many great nutritional benefits. They are lower on the glycemic index and don’t spike your blood sugar as much as refined sugar does.
- My top picks: Pure maple syrup (the only ingredient should be pure maple syrup, nothing else), unsweetened applesauce, and honey.
Instead of table salt, use real salt
Real salt has lots of good minerals that table salt doesn’t have. Look for sea salt, pink salt, Himalayan salt, or real salt. I love purchasing this salt.
- My top picks: Redmond Real Salt Ancient Fine Sea Salt, and Sherpa Himalayan Pink Salt
Make salad dressing from scratch
Store-bought dressings have tons of processed ingredients, sodium, and added refined sugars. Making salad dressing is so rewarding and easy.
- Here are 8 healthy salad dressings you can make from Wholefully blog.
Choose better Ketchup brands or make your own
Most store-bought ketchup brands are loaded with high fructose syrup, salt, and sugar. There are better alternatives to what ketchups you buy that don’t have unhealthy ingredients. Another great option is making ketchup. Here’s a healthyhomemade ketchup recipe from Healthy Delicious Blog.
- My top picks: Trader Joe’s Organic Ketchup, Annie’s Natural Organic Ketchup, Sir Kensington’s Classic Ketchup, and 365 Organic Tomato Ketchup
Next for healthy food swaps is pantry staple items. These staple items are food products that we eat often that can easily be swapped for healthier better options.
Swap white rice for brown rice or wild rice
Brown rice and wild rice have lots nutrients and protein than white rice. It’s an easy switch that will be lots more beneficial for your body.
- My top picks: Lundberg Family Farms Brown Rice
Use wheat flour instead of white flour
Wheat flour is the absolute best for you. It’s way more nutritious than white flour and keeps you full longer since it has a higher level of fiber. Most white flour is bleached and stripped of all the nutritious grain parts like the bran and germ which has a good source of fiber, protein, and a variety of vitamins. I still use white flour occasionally but I also buy the unbleached organic white flour.
- My top picks: Bob’s Red Mill, King Arthur Baking Company
Swap your pasta with wheat pasta & chickpea pasta
A simple switch is to buy whole wheat pasta instead of white pasta. You’ll hardly be able to tell the difference and it’s way better for you. Another yummy fun pasta to try is chickpea pasta. Chickpea pasta is great if you are gluten intolerant or wanting more protein in your diet. Plus chickpea pasta has 12g of protein of 2/3 cup which is 5 more grams than whole wheat pasta.
- My top picks: Lensi 100% Chickpea Pasta, Bionaturae Organic Whole Wheat Pasta
Swap alfredo sauce to homemade alfredo sauce
Making alfredo sauce is simple and tastes way better. Most store-bought alfredo sauces have lots of processed ingredients. If you want to make a healthier swap make this healthy Greek Yogurt Alfredo Sauce instead. You’ll get fresher and better ingredients, plus more protein from the Greek yogurt.
Make Nut Butter
Store-bought nut butter is packed with unhealthy processed ingredients. Making nut butter is so simple and way better for you. The only ingredients you need are 1 cup of your choice of nuts and a dash of salt. You’ll never want to buy nut butter again.
- Follow this Almond Butter Recipe and use any nut in place of the almonds.
Pick better bread options
Buy whole-wheat bread so you get all the nutritious benefits. When you are looking at bread make sure that the first ingredient is 100% whole wheat or whole-grain flour. Lots of bread brands are labeled “whole wheat” so it looks like the bread is healthy, but instead, the first ingredient is refined flour rather than whole wheat flour. Also, check the rest of the ingredients to make sure there aren’t sneaking unhealthy ingredients like added sugars or unhealthy oils. Sourdough is also a great bread choice. I haven’t found a brand that checks all the healthy boxes yet. So for now homemade sourdough bread is best.
Swap cereal for oatmeal or granola
Cereal is loaded with sugars and preservatives and doesn’t add good nutrition to your diet. It’s true there are added vitamins & minerals in cereal, but overall there’s way too much sugar to make cereal good for you. Swapping out and eating oatmeal or granola with your choice of milk (cow or nut) is a way better option for you.
- My top picks: Plain Granola Recipe, Bob’s Red Mill Oats or this natural wholesome granola
