Swap This for That: A Healthier Take on Summer Staples
Hi there!
I’m really excited to kick off a new series that, in a way, many of you have been asking for! I often get messages from people looking for healthier alternatives to the everyday ingredients they use, so I thought—why not start sharing some simple, seasonal swaps?
From time to time, I’ll be sending out ideas for common, not-so-healthy foods that can be easily replaced with better-for-you options. These small changes might seem minor, but they can have a big impact on your diet, mood, and overall well-being.
If you’re thinking about making big changes to your eating habits—or if you want to start eating healthier but aren’t sure where to begin—I’d love to help! Just send me a photo of your next grocery haul, and I’ll use it as a starting point to help you build a healthier shopping list, without sacrificing flavor or spending more.
Right now, I’m offering this service for free to the first 10 people who get in touch. You can reach out by leaving a comment or replying to this post via email.
For this first series, I included some common ingredients we tend to eat more during the summer for BBQ season, picnics, backyard dinners, potluck-style dinners, etc. Let me know what staples you would like me to include for the next series!
1. Store-Bought Salad Dressings
Summer is the perfect time to create colorful and fresh salads, but sometimes, we tend to use too many store-bought salad dressings because of how convenient and tasty they are. I agree, some salad dressings can be absolutely addictive, but that is mainly because of the high-sugar content and other additives.
Healthier Substitutes:
An easy homemade vinaigrette made with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, mustard, and herbs.
A lemony salad dressing made with preserved lemons.
For something creamier, try making a cashew salad dressing.
2. Ice Cream
Who doesn’t crave a nice ice cream during a hot summer day? I would never say no to a proper Italian gelato, those made with love that taste absolutely amazing, but here I’m talking about all those highly processed ice creams that you can buy in supermarkets.
Having two kids myself, believe me when I say, I get asked a lot for ice cream, nearly daily, so I need to have some healthier alternatives so we can always have something satisfying in the freezer that will cool them down while keeping them happy!
Healthier Substitutes:
Homemade Popsicles. If you’re not familiar with homemade popsicles, first of all, get a nice silicone popsicle mold. I guarantee it’s one of the best investments for the summer. Then, you can try as many different combinations as you like. Some of our favorites at home are watermelon + lemon juice + mint, coconut milk + mango, coconut yogurt + strawberries + banana, or banana + peanut butter + plant-based milk. If you have kids, they will love to get involved in the making process, which makes for a fun summer activity too!
Nice cream. Use those ripened bananas to make delicious nice creams with different combinations. Here you can get some inspiration to get started.
3. White Pasta
Maybe it happens to you too, for us, a simple meal to bring out to a beach day, picnic, or any summer outing is a pasta salad. We normally add different veggies and ingredients that need eating, and some homemade pesto. Now, you can make a very nice pasta salad using different types of pasta, the least recommended being highly refined white pasta. If you want to get wheat pasta, try to always find a good-quality Italian brand, as they are made with durum wheat semolina. You can tell good from bad pasta because of its color and texture. Good quality pasta is normally pale yellow and has a slightly rough texture.
Other Healthier Substitutes:
Whole wheat pasta
Chickpea pasta or red lentil pasta
Zucchini noodles (zoodles). Another great investment I made was a spiralizer to make noodles from zucchini, but I also use it for carrots and cucumbers for salads.
You can also make your summer salads with quinoa or brown rice.
Flavored Store-Bought Hummus
Hummus, the number one summer dip that you will normally find at every single event, picnic, or outdoor meal. I stopped buying store-bought hummus mostly because of the long list of ingredients. I knew how to cook hummus myself, but obviously it was way more convenient to just get it from the supermarket.
You can make vibrant hummus with only a couple of ingredients, and by making your hummus at home, you can make sure of the amount of salt and oil you add, as well as the type of oil you’re using.
Healthier Substitute:
Homemade hummus using canned chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice, garlic, and olive oil. Check out some of our recipes: Roasted Pepper Hummus and Beetroot Hummus.
Homemade bean dip. This is my number two dip recipe: half a jar of white beans, lemon juice, smoked paprika, and olive oil. All blended until you have a creamy and smooth consistency.
Soda or Sugary Lemonade
Loads of summer gatherings include soda drinks or sugary lemonades, which can be easily substituted by healthier and more hydrating alternatives.
Healthier Substitute:
Infused water with fresh lemons and mint. I love the combination of fresh lemons, some fresh mint leaves, and ice cubes. So so refreshing!
Sparkling water with lemon wedges. Cool sparkling water can be very refreshing and totally satisfying. I’m enjoying it a lot lately when we go out, maybe it’s a pregnancy craving, but you should give it a go too.
Fresh homemade fruit juices. Get some coconut water and make tropical fruit juices such as pineapple fruit juice or this lovely mango fruit juice.
I hope you find this useful and look forward to the next series. Let me know some summer staples you would like me to include for the next one!
One last thing!
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Talk soon,
Laura.