7 Healthy Junk Food ‘Swaps’

Trying out a new diet? A healthy lifestyle is all about moderation, so kick things off with our healthy junk food ‘swaps’ – healthy alternatives to some of those good junk food snacks to help you achieve a balanced diet, when you feel like it. When it comes to snacking, it’s easy to reach for the nearest chocolate bar. Failing that, a biscuit, cake, brownie or muffin will usually do – but if you’re looking to make your diet a little more balanced, our top seven healthy junk food ‘swaps’ are here to get you through any day. Discover tasty low carb snacks, healthy alternatives to crisps you may never have thought of and some nutritious homemade food swaps you can throw together for the family.

Discover our healthy junk food ‘swaps’ below. Because while basing your diet on nutrition-rich foods is important, you can still fit in a few of your favourite snacks if you fancy it! For example, the calories in an average banana often match up with certain chocolate bars. So as long as you’re living in moderation, you can still eat what you like and live a healthy lifestyle...

The Best Healthy Junk Foods For Home or Work

There’s a fine line between healthy and unhealthy food when it comes to eating in moderation. Don’t deprive yourself of your favourite foods because they go against your diet. But if you’re looking for some healthy alternatives to fill those long gaps in the day, we have a few healthy junk food swaps to keep you going.

1. Apple and Peanut Butter

When it comes to healthy junk food swaps, this one’s a firm favourite. Hear us out. Though not the most obvious combination, apple and peanut butter actually complement each other really well in terms of nutrition and flavour. Plus, it will satisfy your sweet cravings with some more natural, healthy sugar alternatives. Combining the protein from peanuts and the fibre from apples, this is one of those good junk food snacks that are good for you and will keep you satisfied through to lunch.

2. Carrots and Hummus

Hummus is a great dipping snack for carrots, celery and bell peppers. Mix it up by choosing a variety of different flavours (like Peri Peri or caramelised onion) or keep it traditional. The choice is yours! These simple, low carb healthy food swaps can take on the best of them when it comes to flavour. Refreshing, healthy and low in calories, you can nibble on these all day.

3. Fruit Salad

Fruit salads are easy to make and customise, making them the perfect healthy sugar alternatives to bring variety to your diet every day. Berries, citrus fruits, banana, sliced, chopped, peeled – however you want your fruit salad is completely up to you. Combine with a splash of your favourite juice or squash to give a touch of added flavour, or switch it up completely by adding honey or Greek yoghurt. Because at the end of the day, 200 calories of berries can put a lot more on your plate than most good junk food snacks. Check out the fruit salad that SPAR has to offer online to start making your healthy junk food swaps.

4. Crispbread and Cream Cheese

One of the best healthy junk food swaps is something with a crunch, curbing those cravings for your favourite packet of crisps. Crispbreads enter a whole new dimension when you customise them with your favourite toppings. A popular flavour – cream cheese (and smoked salmon if you really want to push the boat out) – offers a light, nutritious, yet flavoursome snack to keep you going through the day. And for even more nutritional value, try crispbreads with oats and seeds.

5. Seed/Nut Mix

Serial snacker? You need some no-prep, healthy food swaps for nibbles to keep you going through the day. One of the most popular healthy alternatives is mixed nuts and seeds. Highly nutritious and easy to pick at, seed and nut mixes are one of the best healthy alternatives to crisps. Not too heavy, nuts and seeds are perfect for giving you something to push you along when you’re not full-blown hungry but just need something with a bit of crunch. Pumpkin and sunflower seeds are great food swaps, while peanuts, almonds and cashews are a great source of protein. But bear in might that there may be lower calorie, healthy alternatives out there that give you more for less – like a big bowl of fruit! This healthy junk food swap is great if you need a little pick-me-up.

6. Beef Jerky

The perfect answer for the carnivorous types who want to get their fix of meat in the day, without having to enter the kitchen - beef jerky. Wholesome, flavoursome, high in protein and low in carbs, beef jerky is a great snack if you’re trying to be healthy. Perfect for snacking on and available in a number of different flavours, its high protein content also helps you to lose weight by not storing fat.

7. Homemade Energy Balls

If you’ve made it this far, you should be ready to try your own healthy junk food swaps. Made with a mix of oats, nuts, seeds, peanut butter, honey, raisins and whatever else you want to add, you can make baked or non-baked energy balls for whatever your taste buds desire. High in protein and great at keeping you full and energised, they’re the best healthy junk food swap if you have prep time spare the night before.

Find the best healthy ideas alternatives to crisps, sweets and other snacks at SPAR

With an idea for every day of the week, there’s no excuse not to try a few healthy alternatives to help you maintain a more balanced diet. From sugar kicks to protein bursts, these healthy swaps will keep you going at any time of day, and come without any of the post-munch guilt. So if you’re on a health kick, but can’t say goodbye to those good junk food snacks – don’t fret! Simply mix in our healthy junk food ‘swaps’ to balance you out.

Stock up on healthy junk food swaps at your local SPAR. Looking for more info? Read our blog on surprising healthy foods to eat today, or for regular foodie, deals and competition updates.