Healthy Homemade Fast Food Swaps

Eating fast food has it’s time and place as long as it’s done in moderation, but there are also ways to make healthy versions of your favorite fast food items at home. By cooking at home, you can ensure you use fresh ingredients and have full control over the amount of salt used, since a high sodium content is one of the biggest problems with fast food’s nutritional content. Here are some recipes for healthy homemade fast food swaps! 

Dessert

Let’s start with dessert, because we are adults and can do what we want! When the craving hits for a creamy, decadent milkshake, local San Diego chef Katie Farina has two awesome recipes for healthy shakes that taste very indulgent, but are so healthy that there’s no reason you can’t have dessert for breakfast.

Clean Eating Cake Batter Milkshake – Canned coconut milk, banana, dates, and a few other ingredients are blended together to make a shake that tastes like drinkable vanilla cake batter.

Clean Eating Brownie Batter Milkshake – If you prefer chocolate over vanilla, try this shake that uses dates, nut butter, and chocolate protein powder for a shake that tastes like a decadent treat but is packed full of protein!

Burgers 

It’s hard to think of fast food and not think of burgers! Making them at home allows you to select quality cuts of meat, customize (or ditch) the bun, and add healthy condiments. 

Copycat Big Mac: This recipe upgrades the quality of the beef used and ditches the middle bun to create a healthier take on a fast food classic. They claim this is “the best” copycat Big Mac recipe — make it, and judge for yourself!

Vegan Big Mac: Don’t eat beef? No problem, vegans can still enjoy a twist on the Big Mac. Swap veggie patties for beef, make a vegan version of the special sauce, and use vegan cheese and enjoy this tasty burger at home.

Healthy Big Mac Sauce: Top your burger with this low-carb take on the classic condiment. This version swaps an avocado oil-based mayo for traditional ones using vegetable oil, and uses tomato paste and vinegar instead of sugary ketchup. 

Mexican

Those who love to swing through a drive-thru for a fast Mexican fix can recreate the experience at home with these two recipes. 

Healthy Crunchwrap Supreme: Fresh produce helps elevate this version of the crunchwrap over the original, plus it’s totally customizable to use with what you happen to have in your fridge. While the shape of a crunchwrap may look complicated, watch the video to see how easy it actually is to make yourself! 

Healthy Mexican Pizza: This vegetarian copycat can easily be made vegan by skipping the cheese or using a vegan alternative. This recipe has less calories than the original fast food version, plus contains fiber and healthy fat!

Chicken & Vegan “Cauliflower Chicken”

Poultry lovers can make these recipes at home to satisfy their fast food cravings. 

Homemade Chicken Nuggets This easy recipe uses oats, spices and panko bread crumbs in the coating for a tasty crunch. If you are into meal prepping, you can make a large batch of these to freeze and grab when you need to make a quick and healthy dinner. 

Baked Orange Cauliflower: Cauliflower replaces chicken here for a healthy take on classic orange chicken. The panko crumbs and delicious sauce are so satisfying, the family won’t mind eating their vegetables!

Categories:
Healthy Lifestyles
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