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Making better choices at mealtimes not only means you are getting more of the important nutrients your body needs to maintain good health, but you’ll find it much easier to manage your weight, too.

We all know that making simple changes to our diet can make a hugh improvement in overall health and wellbeing, but just where do you begin?

A really simple way to get started is to make some healthy food substitutions here and there.

Here are 5 healthy food swaps to get your started:

1. Breakfast
If you like to start your day with cereal and milk, you need to take a close look at the food label, because many pre-packaged cereals are very high in refined sugar, which will give you an initial energy spurt, but can leave you feeling tired and hungry by mid-morning. This also increases the likelihood that you will overeat later in the day.

So, swap your packaged breakfast cereal for porridge oats, millet, or barley. If you still need to eat packaged cereals from time to time, go for one stating 100% whole grain on the label.

2. Bread
I don’t like to villain-ize any food, but really, white bread is for the birds!

If you must, it’s fine on occasion. But, white bread releases its energy too quickly into the blood stream, and contains less nutrients than whole grain varieties, making it a very poor choice.

A better choice is 100% whole grain bread. These breads contain more of the essential nutrients your body needs, and they will help you to feel fuller for longer.

3. Meat and Fish
Meat is an excellent source of iron and protein, you just need to make sure you are choosing the right kind.

You should try to avoid overly processed meats, such as bacon and sausages most of the time, to keep your waistline trim and your heart healthy.

Better choices include chicken, turkey, and leaner cuts of pork and beef.

Fish is generally lower in fat than meat, it is also high in protein, and oily fish contains healthy omega-3 fats. Fresh, frozen and tinned fish are all fine, but try to go for fish that is canned in water where possible, and avoid fish covered in batter or breadcrumbs.

4. Dairy Products
Milk and dairy products are important for a healthy body. In fact, studies have even suggested they can aid weight loss efforts.

However, some products like yogurt can be high in sugar or artificial sweeteners, and filled with other additives. The low-fat varieties may appear healthier to you, but if you read the label carefully you may find a whole host of unnatural ingredients listed.

At the very least, try to look out for dairy products with only a few ingredients listed, and avoid those containing lots of sugar and artificial sweeteners. My personal favorite is plain yoghurt, with some frozen berries thrown in for extra sweetness.

Also, swap full fat milk for skimmed or semi-skimmed milk, and go for cheeses that are lower in fat, such as Edam, Gouda, low-fat cream cheese, or cottage cheese, as a way to get some calcium in, without too much fat.

5. Spreads
The butter versus margarine debate rages on, with some people suggesting a little butter is probably better for you than consuming a margarine spread, filled with unhealthy trans fats. Others caution against butter at all costs.

Personally, I sit somewhere in the middle. I don’t believe excess in anything is good. So, using butter very occasionally is fine, as is using a little trans free margarine. At other times, go for a little olive oil to make salad dressings, and use rice bran oil when you need oil for cooking.

The idea is to get a good balance of the different fats, so variety is key. You don’t want an excess in saturated fats, but equally you don’t want too much polyunsaturated fats, for example.

Remember, small changes really do add up at the end of the day, week, month and year.

Healthy Food Swap Ideas

Here are a few simple ’stop and swap‘ suggestions for reducing your daily calorie intake:

Breakfast: swap your large bagel, with jam and butter, and tea with milk and two sugars, for homemade oatmeal, with semi-skimmed milk, ground flaxseeds, and some berries. Then finish with an unsweetened green tea.

Mid-morning snack: swap your whole milk latte for a skimmed milk latte, or an Americano, and a handful of dried fruit and nuts.

Lunch: swap your cheese and bacon panini with potato chips, for a jacket potato, topped with cottage cheese and a green salad.

Mid-afternoon snack: rather than snacking on cake or cookies, go for some hummus and vegetable sticks. Or, for something sweet to satisfy cravings, try a granny smith apple along with a low calorie hot chocolate… weird, but tasty!

Dinner: swap your fried chicken wings, with gravy and roasted potatoes, for a chicken casserole with three types of vegetables, and some baked sweet potato wedges.

Evening snack: rather than chocolate biscuits, go for some dried fruits like figs or apricots, or some frozen natural yogurt (low fat).

What healthy food swaps do you recommend?