50 Easy Ways to Eat Healthier

Start with Small Changes

-- By Emily Vale, Staff Writer

Eating healthier may seem like a daunting task, especially when you're not sure how to start. Will you go hungry? Will your meals taste like cardboard? Will you have to give up your favorite foods?

Don't worry. When you make small changes, healthy eating can be easy! See how many of the 50 changes below you can make each day. Each one will help you eat about 100 fewer calories, consume less fat, and choose smarter portions. Just remember, start small and work your way up to a new—and healthier—way of eating.

Beverages

• 1. Split a 20 oz. bottle of regular soda with a friend. 
• 2. Drink 1 cup of diet soda instead of 1 cup of regular soda. 
• 3. Swap a 12-oz. glass of whole milk for skim milk. 
• 4. Choose plain water instead of flavored vitamin water.
• 5. Instead of 1 cup of prepared lemonade, try 1 cup of a sugar free variety. 
• 6. Eat a medium orange instead of drinking 12 oz. of fresh orange juice. 
• 7. Prepare your coffee with 4 oz. of fat-free half and half instead of regular half and half. 
• 8. Enjoy 5 oz. of chocolate milk instead of 5 oz. of a chocolate milkshake. 

Breakfast

• 9. Spread your whole grain waffles with 2 tablespoons of maple syrup instead of 1 tablespoon of margarine or butter.
• 10. Top your whole grain bagel with 1.5 oz of fat-free cream cheese in lieu of regular. 
• 11. Try 1 oz. of maple turkey bacon instead of maple (pork) bacon. 
• 12. Ditch the glazed donut and eat a bagel instead. 
• 13. Eat 3/4 cup oatmeal instead of a 1-1/2 cups of oatmeal. 
• 14. Substitute 3 oz. of turkey sausage for a serving of pork sausage. 
• 15. Grab a small bagel instead of a medium bagel. 

Snacks and Sides

• 16. Dip 1 cup celery into your favorite salsa or hummus instead of 1 oz. of tortilla chips. 
• 17. Eat an entire medium apple instead of a small (5 oz.) candy apple. 
• 18. Snack on 1 oz. of baked potato chips instead of regular chips. 
• 19. Better yet, eat 2 oz. pretzels instead of the same size portion of potato chips. 
• 20. Bake 2 oz of oven fries in lieu of 2 oz. of fast food fries. 
• 21. Forgo a 6-oz portion of potato chips and nosh on 6 oz. of tortilla chips instead. 
• 22. Say no to 1 oz of deep-fried onion rings and instead enjoy 1 oz. of grilled onions with your meal. 
• 23. Try 1.5 oz. of fresh grapes instead of 1.5 oz. of raisins. 
• 24. Enjoy a healthy 8-oz. baked potato instead of 8 oz. of French fries. 
• 25. Choose 3 oz. of mozzarella cheese for your sandwich instead of Swiss cheese. 
• 26. Swap 1 cup of canned pineapple in heavy syrup for crushed pineapple in water. 

Lunch and Dinner

• 27. Cut a 6 oz. steak in half and take the other portion home for another meal. 
• 28. Order a skinless chicken breast instead of chicken with skin. 
• 29. Substitute a fat-free beef hot dog for a regular beef hot dog. 
• 30. Build a sandwich with1.5 oz. of deli turkey breast instead of an equivalent of hard salami. 
• 31. Instead of 6 oz. of crispy fried chicken with skin, eat 6 oz. baked chicken with skin. 
• 32. Choose a slice of thin crust pizza over thick crust pizza. 
• 33. Add vegetable toppings to your pizza order and say no to pepperoni. 
• 34. Forget broccoli cheddar soup. A 7-oz portion of vegetable soup is better. 
• 35. Enjoy 12 oz of steamed rice (choose brown rice when possible) as an alternative to fried rice. 
• 36. Unwrap your 13-inch tortilla wrap and make a sandwich on a 3-oz. whole grain bagel instead. 
• 37. Eat only half of your hamburger or sandwich bun. 

Condiments and Sauces

• 38. Dip your salad in a side of ranch dressing (2 tsp.) instead of pouring 2 Tbsp of dressing on the salad. 
• 39. Skip the 5 oz. of Alfredo sauce and eat a whopping 7 oz. of marinara sauce. 
• 40. Add flavor to vegetables with 3 oz. of hot sauce—not 1 oz of bleu cheese dressing. 
• 41. Top your salad with 1.5 oz. reduced-fat Italian dressing instead of regular.
• 42. Try either cheese or croutons on your salad—not both.
• 43. Instead of 3 oz. of regular sour cream, use a fat-free variety. 
• 44. Use 2 Tbsp reduced-fat light mayonnaise instead of regular mayonnaise.

Sweets and Desserts

• 45. Serve ice cream in a dish instead of a waffle cone. 
• 46. Try a healthier peanut granola bar instead of a peanut candy bar. 
• 47. Finish dinner with 1 cup of low-fat frozen yogurt instead of regular ice cream. 
• 48. Substitute 5 oz. of apple pie, with 5 oz. of baked apple crisp. 
• 49. Instead of 4 oz. of regular chocolate pudding, enjoy a sugar-free portion. 
• 50. Leave that 1/2 cup of strawberry ice cream in the freezer. Enjoy 1/2 cup of fresh strawberries topped with 2 Tbsp of fat-free whipped cream as an alternative. 

Cutting 100 calories here and there is an easy way to form healthier eating habits without feeling deprived or hungry. With just a few of these tricks up your sleeve, you'll be on your way to reaching your goals in no time!

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