Healthy swaps for diet-friendly comfort foods

June 19, 1:47 PMWichita Weight Loss ExaminerBrandi Koskie

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For anyone who is on a diet, been on a diet, or just trying to eat healthier, there’s nothing harder than bidding farewell to your favorite comfort foods. They’re like good friends- always there when you need them. Unfortunately, unlike a good friend, these unhealthy food friends are sabotaging our waist lines.

Here are a few ways to still indulge without the bulge. Anymore there are so many healthier alternatives to the junk food we've all gotten hooked on that it's really rather easy to swap the bad for something better. As with all things, moderation is still key. But when you feel the need to treat yourself with a familiar favorite, try these swaps on for size:

Pizza

Two slices from a restaurant can have almost an entire day’s worth of calories.

Healthy Swap: Make your own! You can control the ingredients and make healthier choices. Use a homemade whole grain crust, grill shrimp, chicken or turkey sausage, smother with all the veggies you want, add fresh herbs, and use a little fresh mozzarella (a little goes a long way!)

Ice Cream

A pint of some popular frozen favorites can yield nearly 1,000 calories.

Healthy Swap: Turkey Hill Low-Fat brand or Bob Greene-endorsed Skinny Cow brand both offer a lot of flavor and variety for far less calories and fat.

Chips

A handful of classic potato chips has about 150 calories and 10 grams of fat! Sometimes it's hard to silence that demand for a crunchy-salty snack, though.

Healthy Swap: Glenny’s Soy Crisps come in 100 calorie packs, dozens of cravable flavors- plus they offer protein! Also consider a baked tortilla chip with salsa.

Bread

One of the biggest dieter demons out there- two slices of this carb-packed favorite topped with butter can have upward of 260 calories.

Healthy Swap: Try another Bob Greene favorite, Flat Out Wraps. They come in nearly 20 flavors, make great sandwiches and many varieties have between 70 and 100 calories.

Mexican Food

Tacos, nachos and chimichangas pack a lot of flavor and a lot of calories and fat, especially if they came from a restaurant.

Healthy Swap: Have a build your own taco night at home. Use whole grain tortillas or baked corn shells, season ground turkey or chicken, chop lots of fresh avocados, cilantro, onions and peppers and serve with a reduced-fat cheese and fat-free sour cream. Or, try a variety of healthy Mexican recipe swaps.

Burgers

When the grills start blazing this summer, know that your usual bacon cheeseburger isn’t doing you any favors with more than 1,000 calories.

Healthy Swap: Try a turkey burger instead with a whole grain bun and top with a lot of fresh vegetables.

French Fries

Along side a burger, nothing is better, or worse for you. A large fry has an astonishing 600 calories!

Healthy Swap: Trade the russets for sweet potato fries and bake them instead of frying.

Chicken Wings

Fried chicken wings have more than 700 calories!

Healthy Swap: Remove the skin from your wings, season with a dry rub or hot sauce, and bake for a lighter snack.

Pasta

It's just so darn irresistible! But when you learn that a serving of regular macaroni and cheese can pack 800 calories or more, you'll think twice.

Healthy Swap: Use a whole grain pasta like Barilla Plus and melt parmesan cheese over the noodles to cut the calories and save the flavor.

Baked Goods

It’s OK to have your hand caught in the cookie jar if you’re not reaching for those pre-made cookie dough squares with 200 calories and 10 grams of fat!

Healthy Swap: We suggest seeking out recipes from healthy cookbooks that use lighter, more wholesome ingredients, like those from Cook Yourself Thin, Babycakes and Hungry Girl.