I'd like everyone to list some tasty but healthier alternatives to calorie-laden items, for the purpose of people like myself who are on a reduced fat/sugar diet but still adore the taste of all the naughty treats. Don't worry if you don't know the exact fat/sugar/calorie content, but if you do, it would be great if you could include it.

I'll get the ball rolling.

I recommend the reduced fat sausages from Tesco. They have something like 1.3g fat per sausage and taste really nice.

Also recommended are all the various supermarket own brand no added sugar fizzy drinks. My favourites are Sainsburys Orange and Mango (which tastes like Fanta Fruit Twist), and Asda tropical (I think it's pineapple and grapefruit flavoured, and is as nice if not better than Lilt). An added bonus is that they are dirt cheap - less than 50p for two litres.

Asda Good For You or Tesco Light Choices garlic and herb soft cheese. This stuff is very tasty, tastes really creamy and is as nice as the full fat stuff. Sometimes I use it instead of butter/marge on sandwiches. It's just like Philadelphia but much cheaper at around 60p a tub.

Walkers Square crisps - These are yummy, and there is 4.2g fat per 25g bag, whereas other standard bags of crisps have 8 or 9g fat. These can often be found on special offer, e.g. buy one get one free.

Got any good ones to add?

Coke Zero tastes just like normal Coke but without the sugar. Ooh and the Be Good To Yourself coleslaw from Sainsbury's is really good and with a lot less fat than normal coleslaw.

Hellmans extra light mayonaise. I swear I can't taste the difference between that and normal mayo.

If you like crisps, buy multibags instead of individual bags. If you are like me you will need to excercise some will power so you don't eat all the bags in one go, but as multibag packs are generally smaller than individual packs you get your fix but save a few calories.

Walkers Baked Crisps

Hartley's Low Sugar Jelly

I never eat anything with the word "reduced" in the name. If it's really unhealthy, I just eat a little less of it.

The worst offenders are skimmed milk and so-called low fat spreads. They're foul. Why not just eat a little less and still enjoy the full flavour?

No, no it does not, it tastes vile.

I use half fat creme fraiche a lot, Lurpak Lighter is nice tho it is only 1/3 less fat.

True, there are some horrible tasting 'diet' food items, but there are some good, tasty, substitutes too. This is the purpose of the thread! Personally I have very little willpower and I can't have fatty/sugary stuff in the house or else I get fat. I have to rely on lower fat/sugar foods and excercise to stay trim.

Skimmed milk is fine, I hated it at first but now I am used to it. If I have semi-skimmed now, it tastes like single cream or something, and if I were to have full-fat, it'd probably taste like soft cheese! Euggh!

You are joking, aren't you?

The One milk is skimmed but tastes like semi skimmed

Reduced fat items can be deceptive.
Walkers Baked Crisps (for example) have more calories than a packet of Quavers.

Only 10 more calories. But yes Quavers and Skips can be added to the list. Personally I find a packet of Baked more satisfying and they taste better imo.

ETA: And still a lot less calories and fat than a "normal" bag of crisps.

You can still have whole milk if you're on a low fat diet. It's only 4% fat and is much better for you than semi-skimmed. I've lost 10 pounds in a month while still enjoying whole milk and proper butter.

Morrisons do some lovely low fat yoghurts in dessert flavours. They're really yummy and actually taste like desserts. There's lemon meringue, strawberry cheescake plus a couple more I can't remember. 100 cals per pot and about 1g of fat. 75p for 4. You can't go wrong.

rofl I saw 'healthy eating' and thought great! then I see such things mentioned as sausages, fizzy drinks, crisps and mayonnaise. Nothing healthy about them at all! Let's trey mentioning some veggies and fruit instead shall we?

Sorry miss.

I did think the thread title was a bit misleading too though, I admit.

However, for some of us who have had bad eating habits, it's good to share tips on replacements which may not be considered "healthy" as such, but are a healthier alternative to what we may have had before.

healthier alternatives I can live with Ms Twist It was the Healthy eaters bit that misled me. Having said that, a healthier alternative to nibble on are those lovely tiny cherry tomatoes, sweet, juicy and pop-in-the-mouth

Great idea for a thread...its nice to have "low damage" treats whilst on a diet...or in my case a "maintenance" diet.

How about Wiseman Dairy One % milk, tastes better than skimmed.

Jaffa cakes - a low calorie sweet treat ( Maltesers aren't too terrible either in moderation ).

M&S Reduced fat soured cream

Michelob Ultra low carb beer.

Robinsons orange squash - no added sugar

Anyone know if and where you can get "Egg Beaters" or equivalent in the UK...a low fat egg substitute ?

I know, I was just coming in here to share my fantastic new obsession for a healthier snack than biscuits with your tea.
Dried dates from Holland and Barrett.
They are delicious. And really sweet and chewy, so one or two is enough with your tea, instead of the five or six biccies I'd usually have.

Jaffa cakes are good for you? ACE Jaffa here i come.

Tesco healthy eating weetabix has more calories than the value weetabix - which also tastes better

Have you tried medjool dates? I don't very often treat myself as they can be quite expensive, but they are worth paying a little more for - so healthy and yet they seem so naughty - kind of like eating toffee! *drool* And even I couldn't eat more than three in one sitting...
Last edited by Snowfairy : 08-04-2008 at 00:28

44 calories per cake / biscuit ( lets not start that debate again ! ), 1g of fat of which 0.5g is saturated....not bad at all ...2 jaffas for a mid morning snack

Fizzy drinks can be healthy too if you make your own out of natural ingredients and spring water. Blitzed up strawberries,mangoes or peaches work well. For a great summer drink use frozen mango or mango sorbet with some elderflower pressé or cordial (dilute).

Home made soups are also good and very quick to make with either water or stock and then blitzed in the blender or food processor.

I made a good curry last night out of spinach,onions,chick peas,lentils,tumeric and cumin.

I like Greek yoghurt with banana and honey for my breakfast, but if I've had a bit of a blow out over the weekend and I want to make up for it, I use the Total 2% fat Greek yoghurt instead of the standard. Ok, it doesn't taste exactly the same, but for substantially less fat and calories, it's passable once you've got the banana and drizzle of honey added in. I wouldn't go as far as the 0% fat stuff (except for cooking with) as that just tastes a bit too weird 'raw'

I haven't; but now as I am officially a date fiend, I most certainly will!
Thanks for the tip.