Spring Cleaning Food Swaps

Spring is here, and that can mean that you are ready for spring cleaning. If you are a savvy dieter, you can use your cleaning spree to clean up your diet, too. Get rid of the foods you should not have, and replace them with ones that will encourage weight loss. Here are some of The BariatricPal Store’s ideas for healthy swaps with full flavor.

Spring Salad with Honey Mustard Dressing

A salad with spring greens and fresh veggies sounds perfect, until you add up the calories from a regular recipe. Cut hundreds of calories by swapping low-cal Honey Mustard Dressing for regular dressing, and adding fresh tangerine segments instead of raisins or other dried fruit. For a crunch instead of fatty, starchy croutons or chow mein noodles, add high-fiber Ranch Protein Beans with 7 grams each of protein and fiber.

Pasta Primavera

Something that sounds so fresh and inviting can be so bad for you, unless you make some swaps. Keep as many fresh vegetables as you like, but take a hard look at the rest of your recipe. Use Protein Pasta instead of carb-laden regular spaghetti, and use Protein Cream of Mushroom Soup instead of cream for your base, and you can dig in, guilt-free.

Carrot Cake

A carrot is low in calories and packed with fiber, so where did carrots go so wrong? Glazed carrots and carrots with fatty dips are among the culprits. Carrot cake is another sugary, starchy, fatty food you just do not need. Instead, get your carrots in healthier ways.

• Carrots with Protein Dip
• Carrots in Beef and Vegetable Protein Stew
• Carrots in Carrot Cake Protein Pancakes

Strawberry Shakes

Spring and strawberries go hand in hand, but you do not need the sugar and calories that come from strawberry pie (500 calories), a strawberry smoothie (50 grams of sugar), or strawberry shortcake (100 grams of carbohydrates). Instead, get your strawberry fix from reduced-sugar Protein Strawberry Shakes and Bars.

• Strawberry Shakes and Puddings
• Strawberry Cheesecake Protein Bars
• Strawberry Kiwi Protein Fruit Drinks
• Strawberry Banana Protein Smoothies

Make clean eating your goal this spring as you clean house, and you can see good results on the scale. Happy Spring!