It’s not always easy tweaking our eating habits, especially if the habits are deeply entrenched in our lifestyles. Throwing a few quick snags on the barbecue when guests call in; heading out for dinner when we’ve forgotten to plan a whole week’s worth of meals; or getting used to a sweet hit at the end of dinner each night. It doesn’t take long for unhealthy rituals to form, but it's not impossible to undo these – and, you don’t need to sacrifice flavour - or pleasure - either.
Here are 8 food swap tips to help you eat well.
Cook instead of eating out
It sounds like a no-brainer, but this is a big one for curbing salt, refined sugar and saturated fat intake. Cooking at home is likely to use up all those leftover ingredients in your fridge rather than lead to you binning mouldy veggies (looking for inspiration? Head to our ) which means a happier wallet, too.
Cooking rather than eating out saves on salt and fat intake, not to mention the money. Source: Getty Images
Buy local and seasonal produce
Locally sourced, in season fruit and veg from your grocer or market is often fresher, meaning it’s usually more , too. But more than this, it tastes worlds better. You’re also likely to only buy as much as you need this way, rather than be tricked into buying ready-made bags of things that won't make it through the week.
Growers markets offer more diversity and freshness than supermarket aisles. Source: AAP
Swap juice for fresh fruit
Fruit juice, no matter how little preservative is added, contains very little fibre and virtually none of the nutrients found in the skin of the fresh stuff, like all those lovely natural plant pigments called flavonoids, which have been including cancer prevention and a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease. It might seem like a fast and convenient way to get your fruit hit, but juice is also less filling, meaning that you’ve likely downed a whole lot of fructose before your appetite has been sated.
Opt for fresh whole fruits over juices for a bigger fibre and nutrient hit. Source: Getty Images
Use cinnamon instead of sugar
Stay with us on this one! Often, we’re using sugar as a flavour enhancer – over oats, or in tea and coffee – but a sprinkle of cinnamon might be just the flavour pick-me-up you’re after. Or, it may lead to only needing half the sugar you were adding previously.
Swap sugar for cinnamon for a less energy-dense spice hit. Source: Getty Images
Swap cream for yoghurt
This applies anywhere you’d usually use cream; in fruit pies or tarts (like this ), in Mexican cook-ups, or in curries - or in this. Low-fat coconut milk is also a good substitute.
Afghan braised chicken with yoghurt and turmeric (lawang) is an example of using yoghurt instead of cream to curb saturated fat intake. Source: China Squirrel
Don’t be afraid to doggy bag it
Don’t you just love your generous local café or take-out joint? You know, the one that stuffs your salad box until it’s bursting, makes manwiches or gives you enough noodles for three? Ask for a doggy bag rather than over-indulging, and you’ve got leftovers for lunch the next day. Win-win.
If size gets the better of you, don't be afraid to ask for a doggy bag. Image by Su-Lin / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 (Flickr) Source: Flickr
Swap potatoes for sweet potatoes
We hear you - what’s better than crisp, golden roast potatoes, or buttery, whipped mash? A bowl of the starchy stuff is likely to send your blood sugar soaring, unlike its coloured sibling. Sweet potatoes are low GI (meaning they’ll keep you fuller for longer) and (the orange ones, especially). Try them doused in olive oil and roasted in the oven, mashed (they work a treat on cottage pies), or smashed (boiled and gently pressed). Look out for purple or white Hawaiian varieties for added sweetness and flavour. Get more sweet potato cooking inspiration 
Roasted sweet potatoes and fresh fig r.
Roasted sweet potatoes and fresh fig Source: SBS Food
Swap beef or lamb for kangaroo
The world is cottoning on that too much meat consumption has . If you’re looking for a meat that will have a positive impact on both of these things, look no further than the humble roo. Kangaroos produce far than traditional livestock farming. And , it has a third less energy, 15% of the total fat, more protein, more than double the amount of iron (though half the zinc) and higher levels of Omega-3 fatty acids than grain-fed beef. Eating local always pays off.
Kangaroo burgers with apple and fennel slaw
Kangaroo burgers with apple and fennel slaw Source: Gourmet Game
