Healthy Alternatives

[ellie6388]

I am trying to have my family adapt to a healthier lifestyle, I need some alternatives to these foods, not nessacerially SB just healthier. I have a husband and 2 boys ages 3.5 and 11 months

Nutragrain/Granola Bars
Mac & Cheese
PBJ Sandwhiches
Chicken Nuggets
Gummy Fruit Snacks
Frozen Pizza (this is what hubby eats on nights I am gone)
Icecream
Pretzels/Crackers
Cookies

[Thighs Be Gone]

For your granola bars, check out the Kashi products--nice quality and just as easy as other ones.

Are you doing your PBJ sandwiches on whole wheat?

How about making a pizza rather than buying a pre-packaged one?

Frozen yogurt is as good as ice cream to me.

There are some cookies that are healthier than others--gingersnaps and fig newtons?

ETA: As for the chicken nuggets, I found Pilgrim's Pride variety that are baked. They have 110 calories, 2 grams of fat. They are also all naturual. I buy them at SuperTarget.

[murphmitch]

Kashi Thin Crust frozen pizzas are my go to food on pizza night. Also you could use whole wheat pasta, reduced fat milk and cheeses to make your mac & cheese healthier.

[zenor77]

First of all, I'm not on SB. Since you said they didn't have to be SB approved, I'll jump in.

Nutragrain/Granola Bars~ How about finding the bars that are just fruit and nuts with no added sugar, like Lara bars or Cliff Nectar bars?

Mac & Cheese~ I make macaroni and cheese with high fiber pasta (like Barilla Plus or Rozoni Healthy Choice.) You can use whole wheat pasta too. If you are concerned about the fat content, you could make the white sauce with non-fat milk and use low-fat cheese.

PBJ Sandwhiches~ Use natural peanut butter, fruit only jams, and whole wheat bread.

Chicken Nuggets~ You could make your own with whole wheat panko bread crumbs. Just dip them in a beaten egg, cover in bread crumbs, and bake them.

Gummy Fruit Snacks~ Dried fruit... dried mango, apples, and cranberries all have a nice chewy texture.

Frozen Pizza (this is what hubby eats on nights I am gone)~ How about having him make pizzas on a whole wheat pita? Add on a little tomato paste, shredded cheese, and toppings and pop it in the oven. It's just as fast as frozen, IMO.

Icecream~ I'd make ice cream an occasional treat that you go out for. No need to have ice cream all the time.

Pretzels/Crackers~ Neuman's Own makes a good high protein pretzel and there are other brands that make whole grain pretzels and crackers.

Cookies~ I like to make my own "healthed-up" cookies. I use whole wheat pastry flour instead of all-purpose, I reduce the sugar, and I choose recipes that contain other redeeming ingredients (like oats.) Cookies, IMO, are like ice cream, an occasional treat.

[Barb0522]

Buy whole grain white bread if you can't get your kids to eat whole wheat and use that for sandwhiches. I use jelly with Splenda for my 11 year old but my son is older than your kids so you may prefer to stay away from artificial sweeteners. I do let my son use regular peanut butter since he doesn't care for the texture of the natural but when I make him a sandwhich I use the natural and he never notices.

I only use whole wheat pasta and I use Ragu no sugar added sauce. For macaroni and cheese, I get the whole wheat macaroni (or shells) and use skim milk and cheese. Annie's also makes a whole wheat mac and cheese mix that is probably not totally South Beach approved but is much healthier than the standard if you need a mix.

You might also see if they like fresh fruit as a snack. I know my son does.

[ellie6388]

Thanks! for all the help!

We eat pretty healthy most of the time, they don't eat all these things ALL the time, these are just some of the unhealthy things left our diets.

Oh big one- Pancakes? Any help?

[zeffryn]

These are what I use for replacements - I have a 2 y/o that doesn't mind them at all.

Granola bars - Kashi makes good bars or I'll make my own. DS loves the "Nessa" bars that are in the SB recipe forum. I usually make a batch or two on the weekends and store them in the fridge for easy access.

Mac&cheese - I always keep a box or two of the annies all natural/whole wheat mac&cheese around for days when I don't feel like cooking. Something else my son absolutely loves is a mock alfredo recipe -- 1 part cottage cheese, 1 part parmesan cheese. Throw it in a blender and add milk until desired consistency and then season with salt,pepper and italian seasoning. It sounds gross but is actually pretty tasty and packed with protein. I put it over some whole wheat pasta (he loves bow ties).

PBJ - simple. all natural peanut butter, all natural jam or jelly and ww bread. if they won't eat ww bread, try the ww white bread. The all natural peanut butters and jellys don't taste any different and don't have the HFCS that the other kinds do. Another alternative is cashew butter or almond butter, my son loves either...honestly, I don't even think he realizes the difference.

Chicken nuggets - I make my own. I cut the chicken, bread them, freeze them individually on a tray and then throw them in a bag. Whenever I need some, I just take them out of the freezer and put them in the oven to bake.
I bread the "nuggets" in whole grain bread crumbs and wheat germ with whatever spices I want -- DS likes them a little spicy but I've also done them with italian seasoning.

Gummy fruit snacks - They do offer organic ones that don't have the hfcs, but dried fruit or freeze dried fruit are great alternatives. My son really enjoys the freeze dried pineapple, cherries and peas.

frozen pizza - Kashi makes some really great and relatively healthful frozen pizzas.

Ice cream - We have regular, organic ice cream in the house...sure it isn't low calorie and "good" for you...but in moderation (and everything should be in moderation) it isn't bad. Try asking yourself if the kids and the rest of the family do need the ice cream, if they don't...take it out completely, if they don't want to get rid of it, just moderate how much they get. Of course, making your own would give you full control over the ingredients and calories.

Pretzels/Crackers - There are whole grain and organic versions of both available.

Cookies - I make cookies far more than I buy them. When I make them, I know what goes into them. If I make them completely per the recipe (full fat, white flour, etc.), I monitor the amount my son has more than if I modify the recipes. When I modify the recipe, I replace some or all of the fat with other things - yogurt, applesauce, etc., carob chips in place of some or all of the chocolate chips, lower the sugar, whole wheat flour instead of white. It takes some experimentation to figure out what replacements work best.

[Barb0522]

Pancakes are easy. Look in the phase 2 breakfast recipes for pancakes made from whole wheat flour. My son loves them.

[Thighs Be Gone]

Agreed on the whole wheat pancakes...my kids LOVE THEM

[zeffryn]

thirded.

most kids won't even tekk the difference in color but if they do try white whole wheat flour.

[elusivekoolaid]

I think there is an ice cream recipe in the phase 2 headings somewhere.

Also, I've made my own spag sauce for pizza and use wholemeal pittas for the crust and then l/f cheese. DH decided they were excellent and requests them on occasion.

Good luck!

[zenor77]

Originally Posted by ellie6388

Oh big one- Pancakes? Any help?

Sorry again for being in the SB forum, when I'm not a beacher!

I make whole wheat pancakes or waffles almost every weekend. DH loves them and has never complained. I like to use whole wheat pastry flour instead of regular whole wheat. Baked goods come out less dense when you use pastry flour, but you still get all the benefits of whole wheat.

Dh really likes his pancakes/waffles with peanut butter or all fruit jam on them, so syrup isn't a thing for him either.

[ellie6388]

Thank you so much! Let me know if yall think of anything else!

I made some "Nessa" bars this morning- only made them semi-healthy though, I wanted to use up some stuff we had and try out the recipe. I used quick oats (don't shoot me), NSA applesauce, raisins, and low sugar grape jelly. I won't be eating them but I did taste a little bite and there good. I will healthy them up in the future.

We are out of gummies and I will be buying dried fruit- he likes it, I'm just cheap.

Buying Kashi Pizza Tomorrow, I will make the pita or tortilla pizzas when I'm home.

I do make my PBJ's like that so I'm good there.

That's what I had in mind for Mac & Cheese, I will switch to Amy's for an easy night though.

They'll try WW pancake mix as soon as the crappy stuff is gone.

I think for "cookies" I'll stick with Newtons, Animal Crackers, and Graham Crackers- those aren't too bad (for the kids not for me)

Any good recomendations for good crackers/pretzels? Or what to look for?

Ice cream is definitly my hubby's weakness, I haven't bought it in a while though, would it be better to do FF frozen yogurt or SF yogurt/icecream?

[redflatshoe2]

Nutragrain/Granola Bars

Mac & Cheese - I never had this as a kid, it was banned from my house. I had it for the first time in college and I hated it. I went to a fancy restaurant and they served truffle lobster mac&cheese - this I could tolerate once a year. I still hate mac&cheese.

PBJ Sandwhiches - whole wheat bread, natural peanut butter and homemade jam is awesome!
Chicken Nuggets - morning star sells vegetarian alternates to this. It's pretty good.

Gummy Fruit Snacks - I wouldn't even touch that. Give the kids craisins to satisfy the sweet tooth (cranberry raisins).

Frozen Pizza - it is easy to make your own frozen pizza using pre-made whole wheat dough, low fat cheese. My favorite is mixing low fat feta and part skim mozarella, spinach, bell peppers and grilled chicken.

Icecream - skinny cow brand or fat free frozen yogurt

Pretzels/Crackers - only if it comes with soup or fruit

Cookies - carb free, sugar free peanut butter cookies