Oh, comfort foods—those delicious dishes that can make us feel so happy, but they are not always in line with our personal health and fitness goals. But what makes us crave them in the first place? “People tend to seek high-calorie, high-fat foods during periods of stress. Thirty-eight percent of adults report that they have overeaten or eaten unhealthy foods in the past month because of stress, according to the American Psychological Association. People feeling sad also tend to eat more of less-healthy comfort foods than when they feel happy, according to research out of Cornell University.”[1] However, there are simple ways to make your favorite comfort foods healthy (well, healthier) so that when you want to splurge, you will not fall all the way off the health and fitness wagon.

1.      Substitute a leaner meat. Instead of reaching for ground beef, swap it out for ground elk or bison. “Because bison and elk are grass fed and free range, their nutrient content is higher than ground beef . . . You’re getting more protein and nutrients with fewer calories and less fat.”[2]

2.      Swap out your noodles for veggie noodles. If you are making a pasta dish, ditch the noodles and use a spiralizer to create zucchini or squash noodles.

3.      Replace some of your meat with veggies. If you are a carnivore, you are probably used to having meat as the star of your dishes. Instead, consider swapping out that burger for a portobello mushroom! The meatiness, so to speak, of the mushroom can satisfy the feel of meat without adding all the calories.

4.      Choose a more flavorful cheese. Cheese seems to be at the center of a lot of comfort food dishes, and it is easy to understand why—duh, it’s cheese! Luckily, you do not necessarily have to get rid of cheese when trying to make your comfort food healthier. Instead, pick a more flavorful cheese. “Opting for cheeses that are more flavorful than others means you don't need to use as much to enjoy them. Tangy goat cheese carries more of a punch sprinkled on tacos than more common cotija or even shredded Monterey Jack, so you only need a little to reap its benefits. Same thing goes for a lighter mac and cheese. While cheddar is always great, swapping out some for nuttier, more flavorful Gruyère means you'll need less cheese overall since the flavor impact from this cheese is far more pronounced.”[3]

There you have it, four ideas to help you convert your favorite comfort foods into healthier alternatives! Be sure to talk to a physician before making any changes to your diet and exercise plan, and keep in mind that eating healthier doesn’t have to mean giving up everything you love. Instead, it is about making smarter choices and substitutions so that your food is an asset, not something against which you have to fight. 

[1] Steinhilber, Brianna. “Why Comfort Foods Make Us Feel Better - and How to Make Them Healthier.” NBCNews.com, NBCUniversal News Group, 24 Jan. 2018, www.nbcnews.com/better/health/why-we-crave-comfort-foods-how-make-them-healthier-ncna840016.

[2] Hayashi, Yuki. “10 Ways to Make Comfort Food Healthy.” Best Health Magazine Canada, Best Health Magazine Canada, Nov. 2016, www.besthealthmag.ca/best-eats/healthy-eating/10-ways-to-make-comfort-food-healthy/.

[3]  Prakash, Sheela. “Practical Tips for Making Healthier Comfort Food.” Kitchn, Apartment Therapy, LLC., 23 Oct. 2018, www.thekitchn.com/5-lessons-for-making-healthy-comfort-food-249793.