How to Eat Fewer French Fries
Plan on giving in., Go for a baked potato instead., Enjoy homemade baked french fries., Limit restaurant meals and fast food., Try other alternatives to fries.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Plan on giving in.
You want may to get rid of your french fry habit or try to only eat a small serving, but sometimes you're going to give into your cravings.
Plan for minor slip-ups and times where you overindulge.
It's not realistic to aim to never eat french fries again or think you'll never overeat them either.
Be honest and realistic with your goals and how they'll fit into your lifestyle.
Indulge in your favorite fried food in moderation.
If you end up going overboard, that's OK.
Forgive yourself, move on with your day and make healthy, nutritious choices for the remainder of the day. -
Step 2: Go for a baked potato instead.
There are a lot of qualities about french fries that make them crave-able comfort food.
They're higher in fat, high in carbohydrates, salty and crunchy.These are the typical and familiar comfort food traits.
If you find yourself craving those golden fries, try having a baked potato instead.
Make one at home for yourself or order one if you're out to dinner.
Baked potatoes, like fries, contain a high amount of carbs which may help satisfy your craving.
Be aware that a "loaded baked potato" can end up having just as many calories or more than french fries.
Skip the high fat toppings like sour cream, cheese or crumbled bacon.
A little butter, salt and pepper is acceptable. , Many health professionals also recommend trying to make your favorite comfort foods or favorite restaurant meals at home.
You can better control how they're cooked and their overall nutrition content.
Try making homemade baked french fries at home.
There are a variety of techniques that get potatoes super crispy and crunchy
- similar to a restaurant style french fry.
Baking potatoes reduces the total amount of fat.
In addition, you can skip the salt (or reduce the amount) and leave off high sodium seasoning blends.
When you're making homemade fries, leave the skin on the potato.
The skin contains a lot of fiber and minerals that are essential to your diet.To make homemade fries crispy, try the following cooking techniques: cut your fries into a thin, smaller fry instead of a wedge shape and coat lightly in one tablespoon (about 15 ml) of olive oil.
Bake at 425 °F (218 °C) for 30-40 minutes.Keep in mind that frozen, pre-cut fries are usually pre-fried before freezing, so they will still be higher in fat than home-made fries. , If your main source of french fries is when you're eating out at restaurants or stopping by for fast food, limit these outings.
Limit yourself to a certain amount of meals away from home where you'll most likely order french fries.
This may help cut down on the number of opportunities you have to order them.
Try packing your lunch, cooking more dinners at home and having healthy snacks on hand so that eating out is not as much of a temptation. , Most restaurants will offer a variety of healthier alternatives, such as salads, steamed vegetables, or broth-based soup.
You may be able to get a substitution for little or no charge.
If you’re dining at home, you can get even more creative with substitutions.
Try nuts, whole grain crackers, fresh fruit, or sliced vegetables such as carrot or celery sticks. -
Step 3: Enjoy homemade baked french fries.
-
Step 4: Limit restaurant meals and fast food.
-
Step 5: Try other alternatives to fries.
Detailed Guide
You want may to get rid of your french fry habit or try to only eat a small serving, but sometimes you're going to give into your cravings.
Plan for minor slip-ups and times where you overindulge.
It's not realistic to aim to never eat french fries again or think you'll never overeat them either.
Be honest and realistic with your goals and how they'll fit into your lifestyle.
Indulge in your favorite fried food in moderation.
If you end up going overboard, that's OK.
Forgive yourself, move on with your day and make healthy, nutritious choices for the remainder of the day.
There are a lot of qualities about french fries that make them crave-able comfort food.
They're higher in fat, high in carbohydrates, salty and crunchy.These are the typical and familiar comfort food traits.
If you find yourself craving those golden fries, try having a baked potato instead.
Make one at home for yourself or order one if you're out to dinner.
Baked potatoes, like fries, contain a high amount of carbs which may help satisfy your craving.
Be aware that a "loaded baked potato" can end up having just as many calories or more than french fries.
Skip the high fat toppings like sour cream, cheese or crumbled bacon.
A little butter, salt and pepper is acceptable. , Many health professionals also recommend trying to make your favorite comfort foods or favorite restaurant meals at home.
You can better control how they're cooked and their overall nutrition content.
Try making homemade baked french fries at home.
There are a variety of techniques that get potatoes super crispy and crunchy
- similar to a restaurant style french fry.
Baking potatoes reduces the total amount of fat.
In addition, you can skip the salt (or reduce the amount) and leave off high sodium seasoning blends.
When you're making homemade fries, leave the skin on the potato.
The skin contains a lot of fiber and minerals that are essential to your diet.To make homemade fries crispy, try the following cooking techniques: cut your fries into a thin, smaller fry instead of a wedge shape and coat lightly in one tablespoon (about 15 ml) of olive oil.
Bake at 425 °F (218 °C) for 30-40 minutes.Keep in mind that frozen, pre-cut fries are usually pre-fried before freezing, so they will still be higher in fat than home-made fries. , If your main source of french fries is when you're eating out at restaurants or stopping by for fast food, limit these outings.
Limit yourself to a certain amount of meals away from home where you'll most likely order french fries.
This may help cut down on the number of opportunities you have to order them.
Try packing your lunch, cooking more dinners at home and having healthy snacks on hand so that eating out is not as much of a temptation. , Most restaurants will offer a variety of healthier alternatives, such as salads, steamed vegetables, or broth-based soup.
You may be able to get a substitution for little or no charge.
If you’re dining at home, you can get even more creative with substitutions.
Try nuts, whole grain crackers, fresh fruit, or sliced vegetables such as carrot or celery sticks.
About the Author
Karen Jimenez
Creates helpful guides on creative arts to inspire and educate readers.
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