3 Steps to Make Your Comfort Food Favorites Healthier

by Nate Widom

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This article has been reviewed by Jeannie Versagli, RD, LDN. Jeannie is a Registered Dietitian with the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, a national professional organization, and is licensed in nutrition with the State of Delaware.

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As the 3rd place winner in the HAC Lifestyle Challenge, I sought to balance a healthy lifestyle without giving up delicious foods. I focused on exercising 350 minutes a week and modifying my favorite meals for better nutrition. I didn’t sacrifice my favorites like burgers, cheesesteaks, and pizza, but only made them healthier. These tweaks kept me happy, motivated, and sane during the challenge. Here’s how I did it, and how you can too.

The Process is Simple

1. Remove the Bad
   Take your meal and remove anything unhealthy. This usually includes fattening and sugary sauces, processed meats and cheeses, etc. If something is fried, grill or marinate it instead. Swap in whole grain where you can!
2. Add the Good
   Add your favorite veggies and fruit to the meal. For more flavor, you can add hot sauce, tzatziki sauce, yogurt-based dressings, salsa, mustard, pesto, etc.
3. Balance it Out
   Eat a smaller portion of the food for the best results. To make up for the difference, add healthy sides! They could be your favorite fruits, veggies, nuts, yogurts, etc.

The data below features nutritional information from MyFitnessPal. Please note that these modifications are made to my taste preferences – you can modify your foods how you want using the same process outlined above!

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YES, You can enjoy a burger.

• Original Burger
  8 oz. BBQ bacon cheeseburger & fries¹
  • Nutrition: Calories 910; Total Fat 54g; Saturated Fat 18g; Sodium 1288mg; Fiber 5g; Protein 39g
• Modified Burger
  5 oz. burger on whole grain with veggie toppings & fries²
  Take off unhealthy toppings, and use a smaller patty on a whole grain bun. This example even keeps the fries!
  • Nutrition: Calories 565; Total Fat 29g; Saturated Fat 7g; Sodium 617mg; Fiber 7g; Protein 21g
• A Balanced Burger
  A modified burger combo featuring a smaller patty, fresh vegetable toppings, and a whole grain bun paired with a side salad in lieu of fries³ is fantastic! Compared to the original BBQ bacon cheeseburger and fries, this new meal:
  • Saves 450 calories
  • Has about half the sodium
  • Has about half the total fat
  • Adds an extra one gram of fiber
  • Nutrition: Calories 460; Total Fat 23g; Saturated Fat 7g; Sodium 548mg; Fiber 6g; Protein 21g

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YES, You can eat a cheesesteak.

• Original 10-inch cheesesteak⁴
  • Nutrition: Calories 640; Total Fat 32g;Saturated Fat 10g; Sodium 1298mg; Fiber 1g; Protein 59g
• Modified Cheesesteak
  10-inch chicken cheesesteak on whole grain with veggies⁵
  I’ll substitute the steak for chicken and used a less fattening cheese in a smaller amount (I chose provolone). Put it on a whole grain roll and add plenty of veggies!
  • Nutrition: Calories 555; Total Fat 16g; Saturated Fat 6g; Sodium 1005mg; Fiber 6g; Protein 47g
• A Balanced Cheesesteak
  For the most balance, the modified cheesesteak can be cut in half. You’ll now have a 5-inch chicken cheesesteak loaded with veggies on whole grain. To enhance its nutritional value, I add broccoli and a clementine on the side. Compared to the original 10-inch cheesesteak, this new meal:
  • Saves 290 calories
  • Has less than half the sodium
  • Has about 1/4 the total fat
  • Adds an extra six grams of fiber
  • Nutrition: Calories 350; Total Fat 8g; Saturated Fat 3g; Sodium 534mg; Fiber 7g; Protein 27g

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Yes, you can have pizza.

*Data is based off 3 slices of a 14-inch pizza

• Original Pizza
  Pepperoni pizza (3 slices)⁶
  • Nutrition: Calories 960; Total Fat 48g; Saturated Fat 24g; Sodium 1320mg; Fiber 6g; Protein 57g
• Modified Pizza
  Margherita pizza with whole grain crust (3 slices)⁷
  Taking off the processed and fatty pepperoni and using whole grain dough with veggies makes a big difference!
  • Nutrition: Calories 615; Total Fat 18g; Saturated Fat 6g; Sodium 1317mg; Fiber 12g; Protein 24g
• A Balanced Pizza
  2 slices of a whole grain margherita pizza with sides of broccoli rabe and non-fat Greek yogurt is fantastic! Compared to 3 slices of the original pepperoni pizza, this new meal:
  • Saves 455 calories
  • Has six times less saturated fat
  • Has 1/4 the total fat
  • Adds an extra four grams of fiber
  • Nutrition: Calories 505; Total Fat 12g; Saturated Fat 4g; Sodium 946mg; Fiber 10g; Protein 33g

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1. Original burger ingredients: 8oz. beef patty with cheddar cheese, 2 slices of bacon, BBQ sauce, onion strings, lettuce, tomato, a white bun with 1.5 cups of French fries and ketchup
2. Modified burger ingredients: 5oz. beef patty with lettuce, onion, tomato, sautéed peppers, & sautéed mushrooms on a whole grain bun. Served with 1.5 cups of French fries and ketchup
3. Salad ingredients: a cup of spring mix, 2 cherry tomatoes, a few croutons, shredded cheddar, Italian vinaigrette.
4. Original cheesesteak ingredients: 5 oz. sirloin, 2 slices of American cheese, and a half tablespoon of fried mushrooms and onions on a 10-inch white roll.
5. Modified cheesesteak ingredients: 5 oz. of grilled chicken, 1.5 slices of reduced fat provolone, half a tablespoon of sautéed mushrooms and onions, a chopped jalapeno pepper, and 1 cup of romaine lettuce on a 10-inch whole grain roll.
6. Original pizza ingredients: 16 oz. of pizza dough, half a cup of sauce, a tablespoon of olive oil, 12 oz. of shredded mozzarella, and 20 slices of pepperoni.
7. Modified pizza ingredients: 16 oz. whole grain pizza dough, half a cup of sauce, a tablespoon of olive oil, 15 slices of fresh mozzarella, a cup of spinach, and a cup of arugula.