13 Healthy Swaps to Satisfy Cravings

The following article was written by Heinen’s Chief Dietitian, Melanie Jatsek RD, LD.

Beneath every New Year’s resolution is a good intention. Maybe you really want to clean up your diet, or perhaps your health has been turned upside down, or maybe you simply aren’t feeling as good as you used to.

Good intentions inevitably fall short when we make the mistake of vowing to abstain from our favorite comfort foods, setting up a multitude of rules and restrictions that not even the most disciplined person could follow.

I’m not suggesting you indulge in cheesy, chocolatey, fizzy and salty treats with wild abandon, because that’s not the way to better health. But when you approach these comfort foods with a “forbidden” mindset, that’s immediate grounds for food preoccupation and eventual failure. Why? Because we always want what we’re told we can’t have. This is especially true for food.

The good news is you don’t have to give up your favorite foods because I’ve crafted a list of 13 Fx-approved comfort food swaps to satisfy your cravings. Now you can literally have your cookies and eat them too!

Craving Cookies?
Eat Siete Mexican Wedding Cookies, Catalina Crunch Sandwich Cookies, or make your own No Bake Collagen Cookie Dough Bars.

Siete Mexican Chocolate Cookies and Catalina Crunch Vanilla Crème Sandwich Cookies have everything a cookie should have, minus the sugar. While the average packaged cookie can have upwards of 15 grams of added sugar per serving, Siete and Catalina Crunch have under 7 grams and taste even better because they are made with better ingredients.

Craving Pizza?
Eat Amy’s Kitchen Cheese Pizza Snacks or a homemade Sprouted English Muffin Pizza.

Amy’s Kitchen Cheese Pizza Snacks make it easy to keep portions in check. With six pieces per serving, these bite-size snacks are filled with homemade pizza sauce, mozzarella cheese, organic onions and spices without artificial ingredients or preservatives.

Craving Chips and Salsa?
Eat Siete Maiz Corn Tortilla Chips + Heinen’s Salsa.

Made with good-for-you avocado oil, Siete Maiz Corn Tortilla Chips are the perfect vehicle for Heinen’s no added sugar organic jarred salsa.

Craving French Fries?
Eat Dominex Eggplant Fries or homemade Chickpea Dusted Carrot Fries.

Craving a Sandwich?
Eat Dave’s Killer Good Seed Thin Slice Organic Bread spread with Hummus Goodness, Two Brothers Organic Oven-Roasted Turkey Breast and Vigeo Gardens Microgreens.

There’s nothing like a sandwich built with wholesome whole grain bread, authentic chickpea, tahini and olive oil hummus, organic, preservative-free turkey and nutrient-packed microgreens.

Craving Ice Cream?
Eat Vanilla Sky Dream Pops.

A creamy dairy-free frozen dessert wrapped in a crunchy dark chocolate coating, Dream Pops taste like your childhood favorites, but without the extra sugar and junk.

Craving Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup?
Eat Grilled cheese made from Dave’s Killer Good Seed Thin Slice Organic Bread + Heinen’s A2 Organic Grass-Fed Raw Cheese + Kerrygold Grass-Fed Butter alongside Amy’s Kitchen Organic Low Sodium Chunky Tomato Bisque Soup.

Transform traditional grilled cheese into a toasted sandwich with more fiber and omega-3 fats by using whole grain bread, Heinen’s new line of Organic A2 Grass-Fed Raw Cheese and Kerrygold Grass-Fed Butter. Serve with a bowl of Amy’s Kitchen Organic Low Sodium Chunky Tomato Bisque. A classic comfort meal made over!

Craving Chocolate?
Eat a Hu Chocolate Bar or Evolved Simply White Chocolate Bar (dairy-free).

These are my go-to bars whenever I have a chocolate craving. No fillers, emulsifiers, artificial sweeteners or refined sugar – just creamy, chocolatey, USDA organic goodness. Trust me, a square or two is all you’ll need to get your fix without the guilt!

Craving Cheese and Crackers?
Eat Finn Crisp Original Sourdough Rye Thins + Nuts for Cheese.

Finn Crisp Original Sourdough Rye Thins aren’t your traditional refined, high glycemic cracker. This 100% whole grain, low sodium, four-ingredient cracker is packed with 3 grams of fiber per serving, making it ideal for better blood sugar control. Smear it with rich and creamy cashew-based Nuts for Cheese for a plant-based treat that tastes like the real thing.

Craving Tacos?
Whip up a batch of Dr. Todd’s Quinoa Tacos with a scoop of plant-based Raw Walnut Taco “Meat”, then stuff the filling inside of Siete Grain-Free Taco Shells. Dinner is served!

Craving Mac and Cheese?
Eat Banza Chickpea Elbow Pasta + Primal Kitchen Spicy Queso.

Due to its main ingredient of chickpeas, Banza pasta offers two things not found in traditional pasta: 11 grams of protein and 5 grams of fiber per serving. To the cooked pasta, stir in your desired amount of Primal Kitchen Spicy Queso, a dairy-free cheese made from pureed pumpkin seed butter. Primal Kitchen Spicy Queso also makes a tasty base for nachos.

Craving Soda?
Drink Olipop Classic Root Beer or Vintage Cola.

A new kind of soda—one that’s actually good for you—Olipop combines prebiotics, plant fiber and botanical extracts to support your digestive system. Each can has 9 grams of fiber, 2-5 grams of sugar and 45 calories or less. Did I mention it’s super fizzy and delicious?

Craving Hot Chocolate?
Drink 1 scoop of Ancient Nutrition Chocolate Bone Broth Protein + 6-8 ounces of Elmhurst Walnut Milk.

Bone Broth Protein is a nourishing, concentrated bone broth that is 3x as potent protein-wise as homemade broth. It supports gut and joint health plus a healthy response to inflammation. Whisk a scoop into a cup of heated walnut milk for a soothing and nutritious hot cocoa substitute. For a real treat, top with a tablespoon of So Delicious CocoWhip Coconut Whipped Topping.

Key Takeaway

As you ring in the New Year, exchange your deprivation-driven attitude for an abundance mindset. Focus on the plethora of nutritious and delicious foods you get to enjoy (rather than those you are avoiding), including these better-for-you comfort foods. And when you are tempted to return to your old habits, chew on this: Your body is your residence. Would you rather live in a garbage dump or the Taj Mahal?