Retailers make it so easy to buy junk food. They put right near the check out counter where you have to see it as you wait in line. Just turn on the TV and you’ll see manufacturers touting the flavor and fun of junk food. Everyone knows junk food is bad for your health, but unless you have junk food substitutes readily available, you’ll fall for their gimmicks every time. What are delicious alternatives to these foods that are easy to carry and easy to make? That’s the key to fighting the habit of being a junk food junky, having a plan that’s easy to follow.

The quickest and easiest is to go with whole food.

Grab an apple or a tangerine for a snack. That’s super easy and fills your need for sweets. (If you’re a sugar addict, don’t expect that craving to go away immediately, but choosing fresh fruit will help soothe that beast.) Try a handful of nuts. Veggies with a Greek yogurt and herb dip are also good snacks that are easy. You can also make a great hummus dip that’s healthy, too.

Try some homemade chips for a change.

Do you want a superfood chip? Try beet chips for more nutrients and fewer calories. Thinly sliced beets tossed with a light coat of olive oil, rosemary, pepper and sea salt, then baked at 375 degrees for 15-20 minutes in an oven or air fryer is a great snack. You can mix garlic, olive oil, rosemary and sea salt together and brush it on sweet potato chips before baking at 400 degrees for ten minutes for another type of chip. There are loads of baked vegetable alternatives for potato chips that are healthier, but remember, they too must be eaten in moderation.

Homemade cold sweet treats.

Have you ever tried banana mash ice cream? It’s delicious and really creamy. It’s also simple to make. Just cut a sweet ripe banana into small round slices, freeze them in a plastic bag overnight and put those in the blender the next day. Pulse until you have an ice creamy looking substance and eat it immediately or keep it for later in a tight freezer container. You can add other ingredients like cinnamon, cocoa or peanut butter for different flavors. You can also freeze a half a banana on a Popsicle stick and dip it in dark chocolate for a treat.

• Fruit mixed with yogurt or apple juice and then frozen in Popsicle molds are also a good summer treat that increases nutrition with no added sugar.
• What you drink is also a snack if it’s laden with sugar. Replace that soft drink with water or for a real treat, infused water. My favorite infused water is orange and lime.
• Get creative when it comes to snacks. Another summer favorite of mine is frozen grapes. Just wash them thoroughly, dry and freeze on a tray then transfer them to a freezer bag for a ready to eat snack everyone will love.
• A go-to snack that’s delicious any time of the year is plain Greek yogurt with berries. I love blueberries or dark cherries in mine. I buy the frozen cherries to save time pitting and then mush them up in the yogurt until it’s a beautiful pink color.

For more information, contact Evolution Lifestyle Fitness