10 Easy Swaps to Make Every Meal Healthier

— -- intro:Think you eat well? The truth is, most of us could do a lot better. Some 87% of American adults fall short on the recommended intake of veggies, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and 92% of us are missing the mark on whole grains. But you don't need radical meal makeovers to improve your diet—just some subtle, strategic ingredient switcheroos at every meal. "Small ways to fill in those nutritional gaps can make a huge difference over weeks and months," says Cynthia Sass, RD, author of Slim Down Now.

Try these easy, delicious ideas for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks, plus our favorite carb-smart sides, chain restaurant swaps, and salad bar swaps. You'll pack in more nutrition—and you just might shrink a few sizes, too.

quicklist: 1category: 10 Easy Swaps to Make Every Meal Healthiertitle: Instead of: Nonfat fruit yogurturl:text:

Try: Low-fat or nonfat Greek yogurt topped with fresh berries and unsalted nuts Benefits: Greek yogurt has nearly double the protein of regular yogurt (9 grams vs. 17 grams per 6-ounce serving) for greater staying power; fresh berries add antioxidants and fiber; and nuts provide healthy fats that slow the release of natural sugars into the bloodstream. Plus you'll drop nearly 12 grams of added sugar—and all for the about the same number of calories.

What Can You Make With Greek Yogurt?

quicklist: 2category: 10 Easy Swaps to Make Every Meal Healthiertitle: Instead of: Fried egg on a toasted English muffinurl:text:

Try: Hard-boiled egg and avocado on a sprouted whole-grain English muffin Benefits: Sprouted grains have more protein, fiber, and micronutrients (such as folate, vitamin C, and essential fatty acids), and fewer carbs than plain English muffins. Can't find sprouted? Go for whole grain (just make sure whole wheat or another whole grain is the first ingredient). Adding a quarter of an avocado provides healthy fats so you'll feel more satisfied. Boiling the egg instead of frying it in butter eliminates heart-clogging saturated fats. Boil a bunch at once and keep them in the fridge so you can prep this meal quickly in the a.m.

quicklist: 3category: 10 Easy Swaps to Make Every Meal Healthiertitle: Instead of: Cheddar omelet with two eggsurl:text:Try: Veggie avocado omelet with one egg and three egg whites Benefits: You'll pack in more protein—three egg whites have nearly 10 grams of protein, compared to 6.3 grams for a whole egg—while being cholesterol conscious. An omelet is a great way to sneak veggies into breakfast—try spinach, mushroom, and bell pepper. Plus, you get healthy monounsaturated fat from the avocado (which is also high in potassium and a natural de-bloater). Eliminating the cheese saves 115 calories and 5 grams of saturated fat per ounce.’’

quicklist: 4category: 10 Easy Swaps to Make Every Meal Healthiertitle: Instead of: Store-bought smoothieurl:text:Try: Homemade smoothie with 1 cup fresh fruit, a handful of veggies (kale, spinach, celery), 1 Tbsp. almond butter, and 1 cup almond milk or Greek yogurt Benefits: Making your own smoothie means more veggies and less fruit—so you'll get fewer calories and less sugar, along with plenty of filling fiber. The almond butter provides good fat, which makes you feel satisfied, and which you need in order to absorb many of the antioxidants from the fruits and veggies.

26 Quick, Healthy Juice and Smoothie Recipes

quicklist: 5category: 10 Easy Swaps to Make Every Meal Healthiertitle: Instead of: Pre-packaged sweetened oatmealurl:text:

Try: Homemade oatmeal: Blend together 1/4 cup rolled oats with 1/4 cup unsweetened whey protein powder; add 1/4 cup hot coconut milk (from the dairy aisle); top with a small apple, sliced or chopped, and 1 tsp. cinnamon Benefits: You'll ditch the added sugars of the pre-packaged stuff and, by adding protein powder, actually displace some of the oatmeal, trading quick-burning carbs for slow-burning protein. Coconut milk, besides being delicious, adds good fat (medium-chain triglycerides) that boosts metabolism and good cholesterol; the apple provides vitamin C and over 4 grams of fiber; and cinnamon has many health perks, including that it slows stomach emptying and improves insulin sensitivity.

quicklist: 6category: 10 Easy Swaps to Make Every Meal Healthiertitle: Instead of: Chef's salad with bacon and cheeseurl:text:

Try: Green salad with salmon, tuna, or sardines Benefits: The word "salad" doesn't guarantee nutrition. Swap out the bacon and cheese for fish. It provides the same protein—or more—and adds omega-3 fatty acids, which boost mood, help reduce inflammation in the body, and may help with weight loss (and a 2014 analysis found that we don't get enough omega-3 fatty acids in our diets). Second best choice is grilled chicken, another lean protein that will save fat and calories over bacon and cheese.

quicklist: 7category: 10 Easy Swaps to Make Every Meal Healthiertitle: Instead of: Meat and cheese sandwich on a roll with mayourl:text:Try: Meat or cheese sandwich open-faced on whole grain bread with mustard, lettuce, and tomato Benefits: Eliminate one source of animal protein to halve your saturated fat. Swapping out half the bread—and choosing whole grain over white—cuts out around 15 grams of carbs and doubles fiber, which can help lower blood sugar and cholesterol. Dropping mayo for mustard saves saturated fat. If you add hummus instead, you also get more flavor, protein and fiber; add guacamole instead and you get heart-healthy fats and fiber. Lettuce and tomato add phytonutrients plus extra fiber, so you'll feel fuller longer.

14 Ways to Cut Portions Without Feeling Hungry

quicklist: 8category: 10 Easy Swaps to Make Every Meal Healthiertitle: Instead of: Creamy tomato soupurl:text:

Try: Black bean soup with a dollop of low-fat Greek yogurt Benefits: Ditching the cream base halves the calories, and beans add tons of filling fiber plus antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. "Beans are pulses, and studies show that people who eat them tend to weigh less and have smaller waistlines," Sass says. Switching up the cream for a scoop of Greek yogurt still delivers calcium but without all the saturated fat.

13 Vegetarian Soup Recipes

quicklist: 9category: 10 Easy Swaps to Make Every Meal Healthiertitle: Instead of: Beef burrito on a flour tortilla with sour creamurl:text:

Try: Bean burrito bowl with veggies and salsa Benefits: Ditching the flour tortilla saves up to 350 calories and 58 grams of processed carbs. Pick beans and veggies instead of beef to lose the heart-clogging saturated fat in red meat and score a major boost in both filling fiber and vitamins (beans are one of the highest-fiber foods you can eat). With salsa over sour cream, you get extra nutrients for fewer calories and less fat.

quicklist: 10category: 10 Easy Swaps to Make Every Meal Healthiertitle: Instead of: Sushi with spicy mayourl:text:

Try: Sashimi with wasabi and miso soup Benefits: Sushi is made with white rice, which offers little nutrition for its 29-gram carb, 133-calorie per quarter-cup price tag. Spicy mayo can add 99 calories and a whopping 11 grams of fat per tablespoon. Sashimi is just the fish—with all its lean protein and omega-3 fatty acids. Top it with wasabi, which is anti-inflammatory and certainly clears the sinuses. Pair it with a small bowl of miso soup; studies from Cornell University show that people who begin a meal with broth-based soup get fuller faster and eat less overall.

This article originally appeared on Health.com.