9 Meals You'll Love That Won't Wreck Your Diet

Great job! Despite the many temptations, you’re adopting healthier eating habits, making time for fitness, and focusing on small changes like drinking enough water and getting sufficient sleep—all of which significantly benefit your health.

However hard you try, cravings for less healthy foods will inevitably arise.

Thankfully, like many aspects of life, good health and responsible eating habits are best practiced in moderation. If you force yourself into an uncomfortable regime without any breaks, you're bound to fail.

Believe it or not, allowing yourself a few "cheat" meals along the way is actually a strategic approach to healthy eating!

For those seeking a balanced path that leads to long-term health, here are nine of our favorite "cheat" meals that will satisfy without derailing your diet:
 

1Pancakes & Bacon

As we all know, breakfast is crucial. Staples such as eggs, fruit, and wheat toast contribute to a healthy start, yet it's surprisingly easy to veer off course with heartier temptations.

Even a traditional choice like pancakes can quickly accumulate calories and carbohydrates, particularly if you're generous with butter and syrup.

Fortunately, a few simple adjustments can alleviate the guilt associated with this important meal. Here's an example comparing two versions of this popular breakfast dish:

Traditional Approach: Two large pancakes and four pieces of pork bacon.

These pancakes alone contain about 373 calories and 60 g of carbohydrates, according to the USDA.¹

Meanwhile, the four pieces of pork bacon add about 328 calories and 1 g of carbohydrates.²

Healthier Approach: Two whole wheat pancakes and four pieces of turkey bacon.

Switching to a 10 grain whole wheat mix reduces your pancake's calorie count to about 300 and carbohydrates to 56 g.

Your turkey bacon, even better, will only tally up about 70 calories and 0 g of carbohydrates!² 

This minor change makes a significant difference. 
 

2Pepperoni Pizza

Pizza is a popular cheat meal. It’s often affordable, easy to order, and perfect for a cozy night in. Plus, it’s irresistibly tasty!

Its unhealthy reputation primarily stems from the crust, but cheese, meat toppings, and certain sauces like Alfredo or ranch also contribute.

Opting for a thinner crust and less cheese can work wonders.

Traditional Approach: Two slices of personal pan pepperoni pizza from Pizza Hut contain 300 calories and 34 g of carbohydrates.³

Healthier Approach: Consider making your pizza with an alternative flour, such as cauliflower.

For instance, the same portion of cauliflower crust pizza would only have about 114 calories and 14 g of carbohydrates.⁴  

3Burger & Fries

Burgers and French fries are an American staple, but they're often not the healthiest meal choice.

The combination of burger and fries alone is concerning, but adding toppings like mayonnaise and bacon, along with various dipping sauces for fries, can significantly increase calorie intake.

For a healthier alternative, swap beef for turkey and regular potato fries for sweet potato fries.

Traditional Approach: One Quarter Pounder burger patty from McDonald’s contains 220 calories, 16 g of fat, and 1g of carbohydrates.⁵

The fries? A medium order from McDonald's includes about 320 calories and 43g of carbohydrates.⁶ 

Healthier Approach: One turkey burger patty has only 296 calories and 0 g of carbohydrates,⁷ while a cup of sweet potato fries contains just 200 calories and about 18.5 g of carbohydrates.⁸
 

4Chicken Nuggets

Chicken nuggets, while not the least healthy cheat meal, lack substantial nutritional value.

Moreover, many popular outlets do not use pure chicken in their nuggets, and the quality of the breading is often questionable. Preparing your own can mitigate these issues.

Traditional Approach: Six chicken nuggets from McDonald’s contain 270 calories, 16 grams of fat, 16 carbohydrates, and 15 grams of protein. However, few people limit themselves to just six nuggets.

Healthier Approach: Six homemade baked chicken nuggets have 188 calories, 4.5 grams of fat, 8 carbohydrates, and 26 grams of protein—thanks to using only real meat!

How to Make It: Visit Skinnytaste for this delicious recipe.
 

5Tacos

Taco Tuesday, anyone? Tacos can be made in many unique, healthy ways, although traditional drive-thru tacos usually don't do you any favors.

Many tacos include toppings like sour cream and cheese, and it's challenging to resist adding sides like chips and nacho cheese. A lighter approach can preserve the flavor without the excessive calories, fat, and carbs.

Traditional Approach: Two hard shell tacos from Taco Bell have 340 calories, 18 grams of fat, 28 grams of carbohydrates, and 16 grams of protein, excluding sour cream.

Healthier Approach: Three lettuce cup tacos contain 198 calories, 2 grams of fat, 15 grams of carbohydrates, and 30 grams of protein.

How to Make It: Brown one pound of ground turkey. Add water and taco seasoning, cooking for about 5 minutes. Spoon some taco meat into lettuce cups and add your favorite toppings. I used the taco seasoning recipe from Foodie Fun and topped it with tomato, onion, and avocado. For a healthier sour cream alternative, use Greek yogurt.
 

6Spaghetti & Meatballs

Spaghetti and meatballs is a classic Italian dish, but traditionally, it comes with high calories and carbohydrates.

Opting for a healthier version like vegetable pasta and turkey meatballs can significantly reduce these concerning figures, allowing you to enjoy your meal without regret.

Traditional Approach: A serving of spaghetti and meatballs from Olive Garden contains 900 calories, 38.5 grams of fat, and 95 grams of carbohydrates.

Healthier Approach: A serving of zucchini noodle pasta with turkey meatballs has 440 calories, 15 grams of fat, and 42 grams of carbohydrates. Cutting everything in half (or more) makes a huge difference, and you won't have to compromise on flavor.

How to Make It: Visit Daily Burn for directions.
 

7Macaroni & Cheese

Whether dining out or preparing a box of Kraft at home, macaroni and cheese typically involves a substantial amount of milk, butter, and artificial ingredients. This often results in a high-calorie, high-fat meal.

A solution? Be mindful of the dairy you're adding, and consider a baked version that's richer in flavor and healthier.

Traditional Approach: A small serving of macaroni and cheese from Noodles & Company packs 520 calories, 23 grams of fat, and 59 grams of carbohydrates.

Healthier Approach: One serving of baked macaroni and cheese contains 297 calories, 9.7 grams of fat, and 34.5 grams of carbohydrates. Plus, this recipe is baked with extra flavor, offering more for less.

How to Make It: Visit Skinnytaste for this light and cheesy recipe.
 

8Fried Rice & Egg Rolls

Chinese buffets and takeout can be challenging for those aiming to eat healthily, primarily due to large portion sizes.

Fried rice and egg rolls are common choices, both at buffets and when ordering takeout. We recommend a vegetable-based approach for the rice using cauliflower, and swapping deep-fried egg rolls for non-fried spring rolls.

Traditional Approach: Fried rice from PF Chang’s yields 960 calories, 22 grams of fat, 162 carbohydrates, and 22 grams of sugar. Two chicken egg rolls add another 320 calories, 52 grams of carbohydrates, and 18 grams of sugar—totaling 40 grams of sugar if consumed together!

Healthier Approach: One serving of cauliflower fried rice has 108 calories, 3 grams of fat, 14 carbohydrates, and 1 gram of sugar. Two chicken spring rolls pack 200 calories, 25 grams of carbohydrates, and 5 grams of sugar.

How to Make It: Visit Skinnytaste for the cauliflower rice recipe. For the spring rolls, prepare your preferred vegetables and other ingredients like herbs or noodles. Cook chicken in a skillet with a bit of soy sauce or aminos for flavor. One at a time, dip rice paper in a pan or deep plate of water for 5-10 seconds before removing and setting on another plate or cutting board. Place preferred amounts of chicken, vegetables, and other ingredients on the end closest to you. Begin rolling, folding each side about halfway before completing the roll. Visit My Skinny Sweet Tooth for a delicious peanut dipping sauce recipe.
 

9Milkshake

Last but not least, dessert! There are many healthy versions of desserts available online, but as an ice cream enthusiast who frequented Dairy Queen often in the summer, I needed a healthier alternative for my favorite milkshake.

I now rely on Halo Top ice cream for the base, which comes in various flavors to suit your shake and sundae preferences.

Traditional Approach: A small peanut butter milkshake from Dairy Queen contains 650 calories, 34 grams of fat, 73 carbohydrates, and an astonishing 58 grams of sugar.

Healthier Approach: A peanut butter cup with banana milkshake has 220 calories, 8 grams of fat, 36 carbohydrates, and 16 grams of sugar.

How to Make It: Add 1 cup of Peanut Butter Cup Halo Top ice cream, ½ cup of unsweetened almond milk, and ½ banana to a blender and blend until smooth. Top with cinnamon for extra flavor, or add unsweetened cocoa powder for a chocolate boost.

The best cheat meal is one that satisfies enough to replace the "real thing."

After all, eating healthily is a journey that requires dedication and lifestyle adjustments.

Always serving our customers,

Your friends at BubbForest

Sources

1. Pancake Nutrition Facts. VeryWellFitness. Read source

2. Turkey Bacon. Carb Manager. Read source

3. Pizza Hut Nutritional Information. See source

4. Is Cauliflower Crust Healthy? HealthLine. Read source

5. McDonald's Nutritional Information. See source

6. McDonald's Nutritional Information. See source

7. Carbs in Turkey Patties. Carb Manager. See source

8. Carbs in Sweet Potatoes. Carb Manager. See source