Use these tricks to fight food temptations

Temptation abounds when it comes to food.

We say we want to eat better, but succumb to the allure of not-so-nutritious treats. We'll try to make up for the slip with a Diet Coke, or maybe a 3-mile run the next morning. Then we go for the goodies all over again.

Why is it so hard to be healthy?

People really do want help adding nutritious foods into their diet, says David Grotto, a former health food store owner and author of "101 Optimal Life Foods," to be released in December by Random House.

What we aren't nearly so interested in is being told what we can't or shouldn't eat.

A recent consumer food survey found that 61 percent of American adults felt healthfulness played a role in their food-buying decisions. Still, health came in way behind taste (87 percent) and price (74 percent) in importance, according to the International Food Information Council's sixth food and health safety survey.

The same survey of 1,000 adults also found that healthy - or so-called functional - foods still fail to reach the dinner table. Consumers are more aware of the benefits of foods with whole grains, vitamins, antioxidants and probiotics - they just don't always choose to buy them.

That's because people struggle to find ways to fit those foods into their daily diet, says Elizabeth Rahavi, the council's associate wellness director.

So, if taste is so important, why not turn temptation on its head? Trick your family (and yourself!) into eating better by combining healthy alternatives with your favorite foods.

Here are some suggestions offered by nutrition experts, including Grotto; Denise Edwards, medical director of the Healthy Weight Clinic at the University of South Florida; Natalie Johnson, owner of Fit Chick Enterprises in Apollo Beach; and Barbara Roberts of the Hillsborough County Health Department.

Food: Fruits and Veggies

Beneficial boost: Vitamins and minerals help lower risk of stroke and obesity, as well as heart disease and some cancers

Tricks to try:

•Substitute spaghetti squash for your usual pasta, add sauce and serve.

•Add half of a 15-ounce can of pumpkin to a large jar of spaghetti sauce

•Toss the tortilla and use large dark leafy lettuce as a wrap instead.

•Add frozen butternut squash to boxed macaroni and cheese.

•Add green peas, broccoli and/or bell pepper to Hamburger Helper and other packaged meals to decrease sodium and stretch your meal.

•Use an overripe banana, canned pumpkin or apple sauce instead of oil in a cake mix.

Food: Chicken, red meat, beans

Beneficial boost: Lean red meat and chicken are good sources of protein and iron. Beans are a great protein.

Tricks to try:

•To avoid eating too much meat (5 to 6 ounces a day is recommended), use beans for half the meat in a recipe.

•Precook cubes or strips of chicken and beef to add to a quick meal.

•Puree beans and freeze into cubes to add to soups and sauces.

•Buy frozen cheese pizzas and top them at home with low-fat pepperoni, lean ham, pineapple, onions, peppers or broccoli.

Food: Seafood

Beneficial boost: Great source of heart-healthy omega-3 acids, helpful for cognitive development

Tricks to try:

• Add grapes to canned tuna or salmon wraps.

•Drink fortified orange juice and consider dietary supplements or flax seed sprinkled over cereal, oatmeal or yogurt to add omega-3 to your breakfast.

Food: Whole grains and fiber

Beneficial boost: Reduces heart disease risks

Tricks to try:

•Heat up a microwave-ready packet of brown rice.

•Mix a half-serving of your favorite cereal with an equal part of cereal with high fiber (3 grams or more).

Food: Nuts

Beneficial boost: Plant sterols lower bad cholesterol numbers, omega-3 fatty acids are heart smart

Tricks to try:

•Add dried cranberries and nuts, not chocolate chips, to cookie mix

•Buy healthful dried fruits and nuts and let your family make their own trail mix. Add whole-grain cereals such as Cheerios to your options.

Food: Dairy

Beneficial boost: Bone health, digestion

Tricks to try:

•Tempt kids with flavored drinking straws and mini cheese wheels.

•Enhanced probiotic foods such as yogurt or cheeses.

•Make smoothies with yogurt or cottage cheese and fruit.

•Whey, a natural protein, can be added to smoothies or other meals for increased amino acids.