words by Molly Jennings

When I was a little girl, I had no idea what healthy eating was (nor did I really care)! So clueless was I, that I remember going through a stage of having chocolate for breakfast!! Yes, really. You’ll be glad to hear that those days are over. But even as a devoted health and fitness junkie, I still sometimes miss the naughty, childhood foods I used to have. Here’s where the Hip & Healthy part comes in! Even though I miss them, I know that they’re simply not going to nourish or benefit my body in any way. So it’s time to give your childhood faves an upgrade! We have explored the health food shops to dig up some healthy alternatives that will not only satisfy your inner child, but make you feel good too!

Peanut Butter – The Upgrade – Almond Butter
The most famous childhood food, Peanut Butter! This memorable sandwich filler might not be as sweet as you think. Most supermarket brands a packed full or sugar and other nasty preservatives. Almond butter is high in protein, just two tablespoons contains 4 grams of protein, plus it is high in omega-3 fatty acids, which protect your heart. Be warned, once discovered you’ll eat it by the spoonful, just like you did your peanut butter.

Jaffa Cakes – The Upgrade – Cocoa Orange Nakd Bars
Hands up those who used to peel off the orange, jelly centre and then eat the spongy bit? I miss those days. Never-the-less, this chocolatey treat needs a serious upgrade. The Cocao Orange Nakd bar is a great alternative as it doesn’t contain any gluten, dairy or sugar and is 100% raw! This mouth-watering bar is perfect for on-the-go and will leave you feeling satisfied without any sugar crashes.

Ice Cream – The Upgrade – Coyo Ice Cream
You don’t have to say goodbye to this summery treat! Trade it in for Coyo Ice Cream. This is an upgrade you won’t even notice. Having made coconut yogurt for a few years now, Coyo decided to make the leap in to the un-known. A healthy ice cream. And boy have they succeeded! This “heaven in a tub” is hand-crafted from the flesh of a creamy coconut, that results in the most divine vegan and sugar-free ice cream, with all the beauty and health benefits of coconut (think great skin, boosted metabolism and lower levels of bad cholesterol).

Nutella – The Upgrade – Hazelnut Butter
Essentially, Nutella is made from hazelnuts, so why not skip the sugar (and that milky chocolate) and go straight for some pure hazelnut butter? Plus, hazelnuts have loads of health benefits. They are high in maganese, an essential mineral for the growth and strength of bones and high in fibre which assures regular movement of the digestive tract.

Mini Cheddars – Inspiral “Cheesy” Kale Chips
Mini Cheddars… the stuff lunch boxes are made of. Salty, cheesy, crunchy but void of anything nutritionally beneficial. Enter the “Cheesy” Kale Chip, a combination of kale and nutritional yeast which is packed with Vitamin B12 (great for veggies), is high in protein and high in fibre. And they taste delicious… Just sayin.

Dairy Milk Chocolate Bar – Raw Chocolate Om Bar
Chocolate bars, there really is nothing better… or is there? How about a chocolate bar with no sugar, no milk and raw, so that you benefit from all the chocolatey goodness? And what if I told you that all this existed in six scrumptious rectangles that make up the Om Bar – described as chocolate enlightenment by those who make it and chocolate engorging by those who eat it.