Making the switch to start eating healthier foods isn’t an easy transition to make. Most people want to eat healthier, but dread the prospect of letting go of their favorite dishes. It’s almost like losing a good friend for some people.

It is possible to have both and be happy. You can still enjoy some of those favorite melt-in-your-mouth dishes. All you need to do is to replace some of the more fattening ingredients with healthier alternatives and you have yourself a healthy dish! The dishes will still taste good. Here are some examples of ways you can make your favorite dishes healthier by substituting certain ingredients:

Bacon – A lot of our favorite recipes have bacon in them. You can still use bacon, but try a healthier version of it. Turkey bacon is healthier for you and most people like the taste of it. Another option is to use fake bacon since it has fewer fat grams and calories.

Eggs – Eggs are in numerous recipes – from pancakes to quiches and desserts! Too many eggs isn’t considered healthy for you. An alternative would be to try using egg substitute products or even egg whites instead of the egg in its entirety.

Flour – Try using whole wheat flour instead of the usual bleached white flour. Whole wheat flour is very healthy for you and it can add a little extra something to your favorite dishes. Whole wheat noodles are better for you too if you’re a pasta junkie.

Olive Oil – Olive oil is a healthier option you can use to cook your food than the normal oil and lard we use or that our food is cooked in at a restaurant. Use it as a substitute in your dishes in place of the corn oils. A few less calories add up to increased weight loss!

Chicken – Use chicken in your dishes, but makes sure to take the skin off. This is the unhealthiest part of the chicken. Chicken can be a great protein for you, but only when it’s without the skin.

Cocoa – Using cocoa instead of real chocolate for some dishes will be a healthier choice to make. It also gives you more control of what amount of sugar you want to place within the dish.

Honey – Sometimes honey can be used in place of sugar in your favorite recipes. It still gives you that sweet taste, but it’s better for your body. Of course you can also use artificial sweeteners if you like, but they don’t help you like honey does and some people don’t like the taste of them.

Eat healthier, but don’t give up all of your favorite dishes before you find out if there are healthier alternative ingredients you can use instead of some of the unhealthier ones that you normally put in your recipes.