No one likes deprivation.

That’s why deprivation is not a sustainable strategy for changing your diet.

Instead of taking your favorite foods out of your diet and using willpower to fill that void, I invite you to reinvent this process by replacing deprivation with substitution.

When I was on my year-long Paleo-style, gut-healing diet there were many, many things I couldn’t eat.

But there were also so MANY things that I COULD eat! It was the ultimate creative challenge to find satisfying substitutions for the foods I used to enjoy.

So to help you get creative about substituting your favorite foods, I’ve put together this list below to demonstrate how you can replace old favorite with new favorites!

My story: Bread was a tough one for me to give up. It’s tasty, comforting and convenient. So I switched to eating a grain-free bread called Paleo bread, made from coconut flour and eggs.

I bought it online and froze the extra loaves. Does it taste like real bread?

Definitely not, it’s got a chewier texture and is dryer. It is better toasted, and when you toast it a few times it turns into a yummy cracker.

It worked for me. I enjoy my open-faced sandwiches with pesto and lox or almond butter. It is a workable replacement for bread and is also high in protein, healthy fats, acids and minerals. 

Eating can be an adventurous exploration of the agricultural bounty and alternative products available.

Here are a few ideas to get you started.

 

28 Yummy alternatives

Coconut flour or almond flour instead of wheat or grain flour

Paleo bread instead of bread or triple toasted Paleo bread instead of crackers

Grape seed oil Vegenaise  instead of commercial
mayonnaise

Red miso paste instead of store bought marinades (which often contain sugar)

Himalayan salt or Celtic sea salt instead of regular table salt (Himalayan salt is good for you)

Pumpkin seed and cilantro pesto (recipe) instead of pesto made with cheese

Coconut oil, olive oil, duck fat or clarified butter instead of unhealthy oils like canola, soy, peanut, corn, safflower and sunflower.

Coconut cream instead of dairy whipped cream

Carob bark  instead of milk chocolate

Store-bought or DIY kale chips instead of corn chips or potato chips

Unsweetened hemp milk, coconut milk, or almond milk instead of dairy

Kelp noodles, Miracle noodles or spaghetti squash instead of wheat or rice pasta

Sugar-free or DIY pasta sauce instead of sweetened commercial brands

Buffalo Tanka bars or Lara bars instead of high sugar Cliff Bars, Luna Bars, Power Bars, etc…

Cauliflower rice instead of white or brown rice

Apple cider vinegar instead of white or balsamic vinegar

Bragg’s Liquid Aminos instead of regular or gluten-free soy sauce.

Green tea, Yerba Mate, Teeccino (herbal coffee) with Maca for an energy boost instead of coffee

Kombucha (a fermented, probiotic, carbonated tea) instead of alcohol

Blended garlic dressing from garlic, olive oil, salt and lemon juice instead of commercial salad dressing

One part carbonated water and one part coconut water instead of soda

Toasted pumpkin seeds instead of popcorn

Sushi nori or romaine leaves instead of tortilla wraps

Avocado instead of cream cheese

Mashed yucca/sweet potato/cauliflower instead of mashed potatoes

A fruit, veggie, coconut milk or coconut water smoothie instead of a milk shake

Sauerkraut instead of coleslaw

Baked or sauteed fruit (with fresh herbs and coconut cream) instead of a sugary dessert

List your favorite substitutions in the comments below.

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