October 24th is National Food Day! National Food Day was first initiated in 2011 by The Center for Science in the Public Interest in hopes of getting people to start making healthier eating choices. Since then, thousands of events have taken place to bring awareness about healthy and affordable eating. Here at Beau-coup, we have it admit it – we love our food. And we love our sweets even more. But lately, we’ve been think of ways for us to be healthier both at the office and at home and today’s national day is just the inspiration we needed to make some healthier choices with our eating habits.So after doing some research, we came across some great infographics about ingredient substitutions on Buzzfeed and decided to share some of our favorites! It’s amazing how much healthier these ingredients are for us and we still don’t look any yummy flavors! Keep scrolling to see the list and don’t forget to share how you’re celebrating healthy eating today with the hashtags #NationalFoodDay and #beaucoupfavors!
(image credit: Buzzfeed)
Use a food processor to grate cauliflower until it resembles the same texture as rice. Add the grated cauliflower and water in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave until hot and tender. Add your favorite spices on top and you have the healthiest and tastiest “rice” around.
(image credit: Buzzfeed)
Sounds crazy right? But black beans are a great substitution for flour in baking! Just make sure your black beans are drained and rinsed first. (You can mash them too if you prefer.) This alternative will save you hundreds of calories and it’s gluten free!
(image credit: Buzzfeed)
Substituting butter with avocado will save you hundreds of calories! (According to a Popsugar article, half a cup of butter is about 813 calories while half a cup of avocado is 184 calories.) The avocado will also provide you with benefits such as healthy fats, protein, vitamin B, fiber, and potassium.
(image credit: Buzzfeed)
Using lettuce instead of a tortilla is also a major calorie saver. Lettuce is sturdy enough to hold your inside foods and gives you that crunch! Lettuce is also a great alternative to bread. Try it with hamburgers and hotdogs!
(image credit: Buzzfeed)
Scoop the seeds of a spaghetti squash and heat in the oven until the flesh is tender. Once you’re done with the oven, use a fork to scoop out the squash in strands. It looks just like spaghetti! This is a great alternative for anyone who wants to cut calories and eat “lighter” tasting noodles.
(image credit: Buzzfeed)
Unlike mayonnaise, avocados contain healthy fats. Avocados are also lower in calories, provide nutrients and vitamin. Mayo does not. Try spreading avocado on your sandwiches instead to get that moisture your looking for but with all the extra benefits!
(image credit: Buzzfeed)
Greek yogurt still provides a tangy flavor but with fewer calories than sour cream. It also contains less fat and provides protein!
(image credit: Buzzfeed)
Using cauliflower instead of dough will save you calories and give you the benefits of less bloating, fiber, vitamin C, folate, amino acid and fewer carbs!
(image credit: Buzzfeed)
All you have to do is blend your banana until it’s at the same consistency as ice cream! You’ll save yourself from lots of sugar and instead gain fiber and potassium. Feel free to add ice and coconut milk if you like for thickness.
Have you tried any of these alternative foods? Do you know of any others that you think should be on the list? Please let us know with a comment!
