At uni we know it can be difficult to stick to a balanced diet but a healthier lifestyle can be achieved by making a few small changes to your daily food choices. Your usual not-so-healthy food can be swapped for delicious, nutritious alternatives that are cheap and easy changes to make. Cut back on the unnecessary calories with my 8 healthy food swaps:

1. Swap mayonnaise for smashed avo

Instead of having a healthy meal and adding heaps of mayo on the side, add some smashed avocado instead. Avocado will replace saturated fats with healthy fats and add goodness to your meals. Try adding it to a salad or sandwich and taking it with you for lunch in between classes. ‌  

2. Add protein

If you can't resist your favourite treats like pizza, pancakes and pies why not try mixing them up with a high protein version? This way you're getting all the protein to support your hard work in the gym with the same yummy taste. We tried out some of the awesome Muscle Food protein pizzas and some sweet treats too! ‌ ‌ These awesome syrups from Muscle Food definitely curb those sweet cravings without having to coat yourself in sugar! Add to pancakes, porridge, yoghurt, anything that you think needs a little added naughtiness to make it tasty. ‌

3. Swap sugary snacks for fruit and veg

When it gets to 3pm, we can’t help but need an afternoon pick me up, you know the drill. Instead of sugary snacks, swap them for carrot sticks and hummus or fresh fruit. These will give you that much needed boost of energy to get you through the rest of the day. Alternatively, snack on a handful of nuts and seeds.

4. Swap shop bought smoothies for homemade

Buying smoothies and juices from Boost or Woolworths can mean huge amounts of added sugar that you don’t need. Wake up five minutes earlier each morning and put a heap of fruit and veggies in a blender and you have your own! Making them yourself is far healthier as you know exactly what’s going in it. ‌  

5. Swap White Grains For Whole Grains

Swapping white grains for whole grains is probably the easiest healthy food swap you can make with minimal effort. Simply swap your usual white bread for rye bread and white rice for brown rice. White grains are stripped of it’s nutrients so adding whole grains to your diet has amazing nutritional benefits that will help make you look and feel better.

6. Swap ice cream for frozen yoghurt

If you’ve got a sweet tooth, reduce your fat and sugar intake by choosing frozen yoghurt or sugar free fruit sorbet instead of traditional ice cream. For extra goodness, top it with fresh or frozen fruit. You could even go one step further and try making your own protein ice cream with your favorite protein powder and Greek yoghurt!

7. Swap chocolate treats for cacao

Cacao satisfies those sweet cravings and has much better nutritional benefits than your regular chocolate bars. We all love em’, but if you’re looking for a healthier alternative, head to your local health store to pick up some cacao nibs or cacao powder and add it to baking or as a small snack. ‌  

8. Swap semi-skimmed milk for almond milk

Almond milk is high in good fats and the vitamins and nutrients in Almond milk help to build muscles and make your skin glow. It’s also high in protein and tastes delicious! What’s not to love?!