Healthy Food Swaps

Food	Swap	Alternative
Jam	SWAP FOR	Mashed banana on toast or stirred into low-fat yoghurt
Sugar on cereal	SWAP FOR	Fresh, canned, dried, or frozen berries
Crisps and dip	SWAP FOR	Carrot, cucumber or celery sticks with hummus
Vegetable curry	SWAP FOR	Spicy stir-fried vegetables cooked with a small amount of oil, instead of ghee-based vegetable curries
Chips	SWAP FOR	Home made oven-baked potato, sweet potato, or celeriac wedges
Butter	SWAP FOR	Low-fat spread or any made with mono-unsaturated fat. You can also use reduced fat cream cheese instead of butter in sandwiches
Cheese	SWAP FOR	Reduced-fat version of your favourite cheese. Try using cottage cheese on baked potatoes and in sandwiches, there are lots of flavours available
Fried eggs	SWAP FOR	Scrambled, boiled, poached egg or Egg Bhurji the Indian version of scrambled eggs
Split-pot yoghurt/Rassomalai	SWAP FOR	Fat-free Greek or natural yoghurt with a handful of fresh or dried fruit
Full fat milk	SWAP FOR	Semi-skimmed or skimmed milk. Semi skimmed is only suitable for children 2 years and skimmed for children 5 years
White pitta bread	SWAP FOR	Wholemeal pittas – a great swap that will help you feel fuller for longer. Try as a pizza base – just add your favourite toppings and grill
White bread	SWAP FOR	Wholemeal bread – tastes great and will help you feel fuller for longer
Biscuits & cake bars	SWAP FOR	Malt loaf
Streaky bacon	SWAP FOR	Grilled back bacon with the fat trimmed off
Burgers, kebabs, sausages	SWAP FOR	Lean meats like chicken and turkey
Battered fish	SWAP FOR	Fish fillet coated in homemade breadcrumbs or crushed cream-crackers!
Sausages	SWAP FOR	Vegetarian sausages, grilled or oven-baked (check they are reduced fat and low salt)
Ghee and butter	SWAP FOR	Sunflower, rapeseed or olive oil
Sugary cereals	SWAP FOR	Weetabix, natural muesli, shredded wheat or porridge, sweeten with berries or dried fruit
White flour	SWAP FOR	Wholewheat flour is just as good for cooking. Try making dry roasted Methi Paratha instead of Aloo Paratha
Naan and Paratha	SWAP FOR	Oats Cheela - you could also add dry fried vegetables
Rice	SWAP FOR	Mung beans. You can also use mung beans in Khichdi to bulk out casseroles and soups
Minced beef	SWAP FOR	Tinned beans, pulses and lentils. Use in curries and soups or to replace half the mince in chilli or bolognaise
Crisps	SWAP FOR	Popcorn – make your own or buy plain. Sprinkle with cinnamon, paprika, chilli powder, pepper
Roasted peanuts	SWAP FOR	A small handful of unsalted almonds, cashews, Brazil's, walnuts, peanuts and pistachios (be aware of nut allergies)
Sweets/Gulab jamun/Halva	SWAP FOR	Sugar free jelly
Biscuits	SWAP FOR	Crispbreads, oat cakes, rice cakes – spread with a little pure peanut, cashew or almond butter and top with fruit (be aware of nut allergies)