I’ve always loved sugar. But I’d rather not.

I’ve tried quitting sugar cold turkey, and it’s extremely difficult.

When I walk past the pastries in the grocery store, I need to have an alternative to block my ears to their siren call. It’s a lot easier to just say ‘no’ to doughnuts when I know I’ll be buying an alternative, healthier sugary food.

So now I opt for a healthier way without stressing that it’s not the absolute healthiest way. Moderation in all things!

Here’s my top 7 most effective ways to satisfy the craving without eating whole a bag of candy… and a large chocolate bar.

French toast

I just make my French toast with 3 organic eggs and 1 cup of milk. I sprinkle some cinnamon on each slice as it fries in the pan, and that’s all the ingredients!

When I’m done, I sprinkle powdered sugar over each slice as well right before I eat it. Powdered sugar has much less sugar per tablespoon than either regular sugar or maple syrup, but all the sweetness. Plus you get some protein from the eggs and the milk with each slice. Add a little fruit on the side like blueberries or strawberries for some extra sweet but low sugar goodness.

Cereal with unsweetened milk, or eaten dry

A lot of cereal has high sugar content. Don’t get those. Get something with, say, 9 grams of sugar per serving. Use either regular milk or some unsweetened coconut or nut milk. This can be hard to find. Most almond milk in the store is sweetened. But if your milk is unsweetened, you can eat more of the cereal and more likely satisfy your craving with less sugar.

Almonds and chocolate chips

Here’s my basic philosophy for these things. Get something healthy, and put it and the unhealthy sugar together. I try to get chocolate chips with a higher cocoa content, maybe 70%, and usually pair them with unsalted, roasted almonds. I eat the maximum number of almonds per chocolate chip that still allows me to taste the chocolate. It makes me feel full way faster than chocolate would, and I get some protein in the bargain. It’s a trade I’m willing to make, considering what my brain really wants to eat is a large, double chocolate muffin.

Banana egg pancakes

Sounds weird but it’s actually delicious: It tastes like banana bread but it’s way more healthy and only takes 20 minutes!

Ingredients:

• Two eggs
• A banana
• Cinnamon
• Powdered sugar

Make sure the banana is ripe. Mash it up and mix it with the two eggs. Pour the mixture into an 8- or 9-inch pan and cook on low or medium heat until the edges have firmed up while the center remains a little raw. Turn off the heat and let it sit for 10 minutes. This allows the banana time to cook and brings out more of its natural sweetness.

Then turn the heat back on at medium, flip the pancake, and cook for 3 more minutes. Put it on a plate and sprinkle cinnamon and powdered sugar on it.

I started making this less than a year ago, but now this is one of my favorite breakfast foods. It’s quick, fulfills my sugar craving with minimal sugar consumption, and the protein of the eggs ensures more even blood sugar throughout the day so I don’t crash at 2pm when I need to be working.

An orange or grapefruit.

Surprisingly, this satisfies my cravings for a short time. It’s also very low calorie. If you keep oranges on hand instead of candy, chocolate or doughnuts, you may be able to train your brain to accept this more natural, healthier substitute.

A cup of fruit juice – orange juice, cider, etc

This is not my go-to solution, since juice is usually way more sugar heavy than the fruit it comes from. For example, a grapefruit has 8 grams of sugar in the whole fruit. 1 cup of grapefruit juice, on the other hand, has 22 grams of sugar.

I recommend you either water it down, or drink it more slowly to give your brain time to understand that you’re giving it the sugar it craves. Savor it.

Candy

Alright, it’s too late! You bought the candy! Now what?

Portion the candy into servings. If, say, Swedish Fish are your particular poison, maybe get a pill organizer and put 5 in each box as a way of both monitoring and controlling your sugar intake. Life is a process. You don’t have to be perfect to start out with. Any progress is a win.