Junk food is primarily food that lacks any nutritional value and may be high in unhealthy fats, sugars, salt, or chemicals. But if you eat these kinds of foods regularly, they can seem kind of addicting, right? So I want to give you some healthy replacements for junk food.
Junk food addiction is also referred to as food addiction. I’m not going to get into that in detail, but I do want to offer some alternatives that you might actually love instead of the junk foods so available out there.
My research tells me that gluten is not healthy so I also go for anything gluten-free I can. And of course, Non-GMO is another prerequisite for my food lists.
Are There Tasty Replacements?
It’s possible to replace those empty calories and high-salt, fatty and sugary foods with healthier alternatives. And they are delicious! If you’re looking to lose weight or improve your labwork numbers, these are some great ways you can do that without sacrificing taste.
We weren’t born with a craving for junk food. We learned to like junk food from a very early age, according to Michael Moss, author of the book: Salt Sugar Fat: How the Food Giants Hooked Us. So we can learn to like healthier foods instead!
In fact, I think some of the alternatives that I will tell you about taste even better than their junk food counterparts.
For many junk foods, there are healthy alternatives, even for sausage. Yes, healthier sausage might cost a little more, but you’ll find the gain in your health will far surpass the extra dollar or two. Some replacements don’t cost more.
Take a look…
Ramen Replacement
Okay, I used to eat a lot of ramen noodles, knowing they were high in salt, some fat, and no nutrients at all. Plus they are made of wheat so have gluten.
Recently, I discovered this rice noodle miso ramen soup:
This is absolutely delicious. You can add a few veggies or cooked meat for a delicious soup. And it’s organic and gluten-free. Vegan also if that is a factor for you.
They have some other flavor options but this is my fave. For a quick, easy lunch, it’s perfect.
French Fries Replacement
Sweet Potato Fries – Air Fryer
Sweet potatoes are loaded with nutrients and even though somewhat sweet, they have a low glycemic index.
I really enjoy sweet potato fries in the air fryer. You simply cut strips of sweet potatoes (or get them pre-cut frozen) and layer them in a single layer in your air fryer. Spray them with a layer of olive oil cooking spray. Turn them over about halfway through. Total cooking time is about 6-14 minutes, depending on how thick they are.
Yum! You can season them with garlic powder, paprika, or cinnamon sugar, depending on the taste you are after. Or simply sprinkle them with a light dusting of sea salt.
New Instant Vortex Clear Cook Air Fryer. See what your cooking up!It’s also in stock at Amazon:
Fried Chicken Wings – Air Fried
The air fryer is the best thing since sliced gluten-free bread for healthy cooking. It cooks quickly with very little fat and chicken wings (or thighs or breasts) come out delicious.
Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees F for 2 minutes.
Pat the wings dry and separate them into drums and flat pieces. Mix in a bowl: garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and salt and pepper. Coat the wings and layer in a single layer in the air fryer so they are not touching. Spray with olive oil cooking spray or rub a small amount of olive oil on each wing.
Cook for 10 minutes at 400 F. Flip wings over. Cook another 8 minutes, and voila!
You can do this same recipe with thighs or chicken breasts. Just add more cooking time. Delicious!
Chips and Crackers Replacements
It really is hard to eat just one. So here are some healthier alternatives which are really delicious and satisfying.
gimMe Organic Seaweed Snacks
The one pictured is Teriyaki flavor but there are many other flavors. Crunchy, filling, and satisfying. Kids love these too! Super low cost so it’s an easy decision.
Simple Mills Almond Flour Crackers – Sundried Tomato & Basil
Gluten-Free, Non-GMO, low carb. And Yum! These come in five flavors, they stay crunchy and are Very satisfying.
NOW Real Foods Roasted Almonds with Sea Salt (Fresh)
Fresh, natural roasted almonds with just the right amount of sea salt. Almonds are a great source of protein, fiber, and healthy fatty acids. Gluten-free. Just taste them.
Cookies and Sweets Replacements
Fruit is always a great replacement for sweets. But what if you crave a cookie? Here are some alternatives that are still healthy but give you that sweet crunch.
The Gluten Free Bar Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Bites
Organic gluten-free bites with dark chocolate and peanut butter. They include their complete protein blend of brown rice and pea proteins.
Bella Lucia Pizzelles Waffle Cookie (Authentic Italian)
These pizzelles have just the right amount of chocolate but none of the gluten. They are delicious! This is a great fix for your cookie craving.
Taza Chocolate Organic Dark Chocolate Bar Raspberry Crunch
Dark chocolate is seriously good for you. Cacao is a great source of antioxidants, raises HDL, can help improve blood flow and lower pressure, and it helps with brain function. So, it’s healthy (in small quantities).
Try these guilt-free candy bars. Stoneground organic chocolate with organic raspberry oil with organic puffed quinoa.
Soda Replacements
There are healthier alternatives to traditional sodas. Here are Lemon Sips and SodaStream.
Smoothies are always a good beverage option. You can see my favorite smoothie recipe here: Berry Apple w/Beet Refreshing Smoothie Recipe
SodaStream
I purchased a SodaStream recently. I love it and kids do too. The cherry cola, root beer, and lemon-lime flavors are bomb! It tastes like soda but actually has less sugar and none of the harmful acids you get with soda. And now I’m getting the Bubly flavors as well with 0 sugar and organic fruit flavors.
I highly recommend SodaStream.
Also See: Soda Stream Terra Model Review
Lemon Sips by Dr. Kellyann
A powdered lemon drink mix you simply add to water. But it isn’t the lemon that helps you, it’s the Sod BTM, an extract derived from cantaloupe that they say is clinically proven to help reduce cellulite and skin dimpling. And it is loaded with antioxidants so it sure would be a great replacement for soda.
Give it a try! You might like the other Dr. Kellyann products as well. Definitely check out her site:
Wrapping Up
I hope you found some good replacements for any junk foods that you crave. I highly recommend using an air fryer to reduce fat and save you time. All of these suggestions are delicious and much healthier to their mainstream counterparts.
I hope you can try them all!
Thank you for reading and visiting today. If you have any questions, comments, or your favorite junk food replacements to share, please leave them in the Comments section below. Thank you!
Really thank you so much for these options. I also like ramen very much. I will try the Rice Ramen you suggested. Thanks again for offering some alternatives to junk food, which I love. These will help satisfy my junk food craving.
I’m intrigued with the air fryer also. I haven’t tried one yet but it looks like a tasty way to fry foods.
Thanks for reading. I’m so glad you stopped by and found some healthier alternatives to junk food.
This is a very interesting article and I found lots of great suggestions. I have put the sweet potato fries on my grocery list so I can make the recipe you have in your article. I love finding recipes for an air fryer because I recently finally broke down and bought an air fryer and I absolutely love it!
That’s awesome, Siobhan. Isn’t the air fryer great? Sweet potato fries are so good. Better than white potato fries, in my opinion. Thank you for visiting and adding to the conversation!