Clean Up Your Diet with These Healthy Substitutions

Swap Part-Skim Ricotta Cheese for Low-Fat (1%) Cottage Cheese

The benefit: Who can resist cheesy lasagna, a calzone or baked ziti loaded with mozzarella and ricotta cheese? Next time you head to the store to get the ingredients for some of your favorite Italian dishes try skipping the ricotta cheese. Instead, grab a container of cottage cheese. You'll be amazed at how good it is. This substitution will save you calories, fat and cholesterol.

The comparison:

More: 10-Minute Dinner: Quinoa Mac, Greens and Cheese

Swap Packaged, Store-Bought Trail Mix for Homemade Trail Mix

The benefit: Packaged foods give you little control over what you're consuming. Homemade trail mix allows you to pick healthier ingredients. When comparing store-bought trail mix versus homemade, the one you make at home tends to have less calories, less fat and less sugar per serving. The challenge is to know what ingredients to include in your homemade creation. Consider adding unsalted, dry-roasted or raw nuts (e.g., walnuts, peanuts, pecans, almonds) and a mixture of dried fruit (e.g., cranberries, apricots, raisins, cherries, dates, figs). Shoot for a 3:1 ratio of nuts to fruit. Of course, the nutritional profile will vary depending on what nuts and dried fruit you pick, and the ratio used.

The approximate comparison:

You can also try adding a low-fat, low-sugar, high-fiber cereal and dark-chocolate chips. Your homemade trail mix, just like the store bought one, can be a great grab-and-go snack. Once your trail mix is created, measure out 1/4-cup servings and put in individual baggies/containers. This portable snack provides you with healthy fats, fiber, vitamins and minerals that will give you the energy you need when that afternoon snack attack hits.

More: 8 Snacks with Less Than 150 Calories

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