8 Of My Favorite Healthier Junk Food Alternatives

Who says that healthy eating has to be boring and bland? 

I’m a big believer that eating should be fun, and I look at healthy food as both nourishing and delicious. None of us have to sacrifice our love of food because we want to be fit and healthy from the inside out.

A common mistake that people make when they’re trying to adopt a healthier lifestyle is categorizing foods as “good” and “bad,” and completely cutting out all of the bad. This simply doesn’t work in the long run. In my experience, if you completely deprive yourself, you wind up fixating on it and eventually falling off the healthy eating bandwagon and pigging out. On the contrary, if you allow yourself moderate splurges to satisfy food cravings, you can have the best of both worlds and find balance in your healthy lifestyle.

One way I find balance in my diet is by finding healthier substitutes for junk food cravings. I’ve been compiling a little list of my favorite better-for-you snacks for a bunch of months now, and today I’m highlighting my favorites. Let’s get to it!

Instead of Reese’s peanut butter cups…

Try Perfect Bar Peanut Butter Cups.

Satisfy your chocolate peanut butter cravings and get in some protein too with Perfect Bar’s peanut butter cups. Made with fair-trade chocolate and superfoods like kale, alfalfa, and kelp powders, these babies are legit delicious. Dark chocolate with sea salt is my favorite variety.

Instead of Cheetos…

Try Hippeas Organic Chickpea Puffs.

I love Hippeas vegan white cheddar chickpea snacks when I’m craving something salty and cheesy tasting. Made with chickpea and rice flours, a 1 ounce serving of Hippeas contains 3 grams of fiber and 4 grams of protein.

Instead of strawberry ice cream…

Try Solero Crushed Fruit Bars.

I first became obsessed with these strawberry fruit bars when I was pregnant and craving all things fruity. My love for Solero’s crushed fruit bars has continued long after my baby bump has gone, because they’re packed with chunks of fruit, contain just a few ingredients (nothing funky or hard to pronounce!), and are only 70 calories – making them perfect for a small dessert.

Instead of Swedish Fish…

Try Wholesome Organic DelishFish.

Love noshing on candy at the movies but are trying to rid your diet of artificial colors and corn syrup? Then Wholesome DelishFish candy is for you! They’re sweetened with fair trade organic cane sugar and colored with vegetable extract, making them a healthier junk food.

Instead of any regular store-bought cookies…

Try Partake Cookies.

These healthy allergy-friendly cookies are made with a gluten free blend of cassava, buckwheat, and oat flours. My favorite brand is carrot cake, but the ginger snap and double chocolate chip varieties are awesome too.

Instead of Cheez-It crackers…

Try Earth Balance Vegan Cheddar Squares.

I try to be picky about the dairy that I consume, so usually I try to steer clear of cheese from unknown sources. While Earth Balance Cheddar Squares are still highly processed, they’re a nice dairy free alternative to typical Cheez-It types of crackers. I’ve found myself taking Earth Balance’s cheddar squares on road trips because they’re a good junk free kinda snack to take on-the-go.

Instead of chocolate truffles or chocolate cake…

Try Enjoy Life Chocolate Raspberry Protein Bites.

Enjoy Life is one of my go-to brands for all things chocolate. Recently I discovered their chocolate raspberry protein bites, and I’m hooked! Made with vegan chocolate, sunflower and rice proteins, pumpkin seeds, and dried raspberries, these bites satisfy that rich chocolate craving while packing in fiber and protein. They’re perfect for grabbing on-the-go, and I’ve been keeping them in my office for a little snack when I’m in the midst of a work project but can feel my stomach start to growl.

Instead of Peanut M&Ms…

Try UnReal Dark Chocolate Peanut Gems.

UnReal is a healthier candy company that has been on the scene for awhile, but it wasn’t until a few months ago that I tried their dark chocolate peanut gems. Instead of being made with icky ingredients like artificial food coloring, partially defatted peanuts, milk fat, and corn syrup – all ingredients found in M&M’s – UnReal unjunks its candy products by including less sugar, non GMO sources, and ingredients like organic dark chocolate, organic cane sugar, roasted peanuts, and natural food colorings like red cabbage juice, carrot juice and turmeric extract.

So there you have it, some of my favorite packaged snacks to enjoy when cravings hit!

Tell me… What are your favorite healthier snack or dessert swaps?