8 Easy Refined Sugar Free Pantry Swaps
When I became a Mother I started thinking more about my diet and how it would affect my developing baby. I used to not have a second thought about eating things like yogurt, cereal in the morning, and even using Jam on toast! But when I started looking into diet and nutrition I realised there were a lot of things that we relied heavily on which contained copious amounts of refined sugar! Did I really want to give this much sugar to my baby, or to my body on a daily basis?
I knew what my goal was....to reduce the amount of refined sugar we were eating...but going about doing that seemed like such an insurmountable task once I started label reading and finding hidden sugar in many things. No more peanut butter!? What about my Grandma's chocolate comfort cookie recipe?!
Now I have reached a place where I no longer stress about it. Most of the time we eat refined sugar free as a family, aside from the odd occasion. And, yes, I can still enjoy Grandma's chocolate cookies refined sugar free.
I hope this list of 8 Easy Refined Sugar Free Pantry Swaps can help you to feel like going refined sugar free isn't so difficult after all. I have compiled a few easy pantry swaps, so all you have to do next time you shop is buy the item without refined sugar! Easy peasy lemon squeezy!
8 Easy Refined Sugar Free Pantry Swaps
1 - Cereal
Swap- Refined Sugar Free Granola and Porridge Oats
Swap out for Refined Sugar Free Granola. This can be made homemade (recipe here!) or purchased at your local Lidl quite cheaply.
A bag of organic porridge oats is another great option. There are many different ways to prepare porridge if traditional porridge isn't to your liking, from oat bars to overnight oats and breakfast oatmeal cookies! (Say what!?)
2 - Jam
Swap- Dalfour Jam, Naturally Sweetened Preserves, and Chia Seed Jam
Swap for Dalfour Jam, sweetened with fruit juices. Or try making your own, click here for a great naturally sweetened preserves recipe book. Homemade chia seed Jam is another great, easy option.
3- Sugar for baking/sweetening
Swap- Honey, Maple Syrup, and Coconut Sugar
You want a way to sweeten your coffee? Go for honey, maple syrup, or coconut sugar.
What about sugar in baking? It depends on the recipe but there are plenty of refined sugar free baking recipes out there which use honey or maple syrup.
I also find that coconut sugar usually can be a great swap out for regular caster sugar/brown sugar when baking. It gives a more caramel like taste, so its ideal to swap with brown sugar, but I have had success swapping it for white in recipes.
Do keep in mind it will turn a white cake slightly brown when substituting with coconut sugar.
4- Cereal Bars
Swap- Homemade Flapjacks and Baby Bars
Homemade flap jacks are very simple to make, there are plenty of refined sugar free recipes out there, fruit can even be added to make them sweeter. Try making our Easy Refined Sugar Free Apple Flap Jacks here.
If you just don't have the time, or would like to have the pre-packaged option for convenience, most super markets sell bars sweetened with just fruit juice in the baby section.
5-Sweeties
Swap-Dried Fruit and Homemade Gummies
The options for dried fruit are endless. Favourites in our house are: raisons, dates, cherries, apricots, blueberries, and papaya. Some interesting options I would like to try are dried watermelon and goji berries.
Homemade gummies made with grass fed, organic beef gelatine are a wonderful sweets replacement. Plus they have that nutritious boost of gelatine to heal the gut!
6-Yogurts
Swap- Plain Yogurt with Honey, Flavoured Kefir, and Baby Yogurts
We like to buy organic yogurt in a big tub and have it on hand to eat sweetened with honey, you could even add some fruit or use Greek yogurt instead.
As a treat I like to buy different flavoured kefirs for my family. Some found in the supermarket do contain sugar but I have found a few that contain only fruit juice as a sweetener. Do check the labels!
For my children, for ease on occasion, I will buy the flavoured baby yogurt pouches that are only sweetened with fruit juice. Yeo valley do them in mini cups too, great for toddlers!
7-Soda
Swap- Kombucha or Sparkling Water
There are so many different flavours and brands of canned kombucha now a days which are refined sugar free! They can be found at Holland and Barret and other Health food stores. Kombucha can be made homemade too.
I really love sparkling water, it is cheap and so versatile. It can be flavoured with fruit, I like a slice of lemon and some raspberries. There are even brands of sparkling water that are canned and flavoured without sweetener, like Dash. Those are great options too!
8-Peanut Butter
Swap- 100% Peanuts, Peanut Butter
Last, but certainly not least (where are all my peanut butter lovers out there?!), Peanut Butter! I buy my peanut butter in a big tub containing only 100 % peanuts. This can easily be found at most supermarkets.
Now I am craving peanut butter....haha!
Friends, I truly hope this has helped you to feel more confident in your ability to cut out refined sugar from your house!
The next time you pop to the shops, don't forget your list! :) I would love to hear any suggestions or additions to this list in the comments. Did this list help you?
