Looking for some simple ways to feel healthier and more energized for the year ahead? We’ve got you covered with these five ingredient swaps our team swears by.

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This post is written in partnership with Walmart. 

To say our entire team is eager to welcome 2021 and all that it brings is an understatement.

While we always look forward to fresh starts, this year we’re welcoming what we’re calling the tiny tweak: low-lift changes we can make to our diets to feel energized and healthy for the year ahead. 

As food writers and recipe developers, it’s easy to get stuck in our ways when it comes to ingredients, but one of the simplest changes you can make is an ingredient swap, and thankfully Walmart+ makes it super simple to get your favorite high-quality ingredients delivered or shipped with ease!

Easy Baked Indian Chicken Tikki Masala Samosa folded into a triangle with Mint Yogurt Dip on a pink plate with one samosa broken open.

Easy Baked Indian Chicken Tikki Masala Samosa folded into a triangle with Mint Yogurt Dip on a pink plate with one samosa broken open.

Greek Yogurt Rules

We’re guessing you’ve heard of using yogurt in sauces or salad dressings instead of mayonnaise or sour cream, but take things up a notch in 2021 by reaching for creamy Greek yogurt instead. It’s not just a good substitute, it can really elevate your recipe into a silky, creamy masterpiece. Take our word for it.

A casserole dish with five of the best stuffed peppers inside. The yellow peppers have the tops sliced off and the stuffing is visible underneath it.

A casserole dish with five of the best stuffed peppers inside. The yellow peppers have the tops sliced off and the stuffing is visible underneath it.

Cutting Down on Red Meat

There are a lot of reasons folks look to cut down on red meat. Whether your reason is health or the environment, our team is vowing to reach for ground turkey or chicken more often this year. Or an alternative ground meat (our Marketing Director, Megan, loves Beyond Meat crumbles) instead.

Depending on your recipe, there’s a good chance your crew won’t even notice and an even better chance you’ll feel more energized because of it.

Vegan Cauliflower Fried Rice -- bowl of low carb fried rice with peas, eggs, and tofu

Vegan Cauliflower Fried Rice -- bowl of low carb fried rice with peas, eggs, and tofu

Cauliflower’s King

How are you feeling about the cauliflower trend? Half of our team were never converts while the other half have passionately welcomed riced cauliflower and cauliflower mashed potatoes into their lives.

Why? It’s an easy way to integrate more veggies into your week, and these days it’s super accessible in most grocery stores (have you seen the frozen packages of cauliflower rice? So easy).

If you’ve got picky eaters who’ll call you out here, mix half cauliflower rice and half regular rice and we have a hunch no one will be the wiser.

Basic Tomato Sauce

Basic Tomato Sauce

Amping up Pasta Sauce

Not strictly a swap as such, but Claudia, our Community Manager, loves to finely shred zucchini and carrots into jarred pasta sauce to boost the nutrition and get more veggies on the plate. She finds when it comes to noodles, her (five!) kids don’t even notice.

Two plates with easy strawberry shortcake set on a table with white linens. Shortcake is piled with sliced strawberries and whipped yogurt topping. A wire basket of strawberries is to the left of the plates.

Two plates with easy strawberry shortcake set on a table with white linens. Shortcake is piled with sliced strawberries and whipped yogurt topping. A wire basket of strawberries is to the left of the plates.

Embrace Alternative Flours

A few of our contributing writers like to swap white whole wheat flour for all-purpose flour in easy baked goods for their families.

Similarly, Rachel, our Editorial Assistant, loves reaching for whole wheat angel hair pasta in place of spaghetti. It’s high in fiber and the texture is more similar to a standard pasta than a whole wheat version of spaghetti noodles.

How to Grocery Shop with Kids Without Losing Your Mind

How to Grocery Shop with Kids Without Losing Your Mind

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