Simple Swap: Noodles for Zoodles

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Craving noodles, but want a healthier alternative? Photo by Lisa Fotios from Pexels

Looking for a healthy food swap for noodles?

One of my favorite pasta swaps is switching them out for some zoodles.

If you’ve ever perused my Instagram feed or stories, then you’ve definitely seen my love for Zoodles. From ones I make at home, to those I swap in at restaurants, to packaged ones at the grocery store. I love zucchini noodles because they’re such an easy, quick way to get your veggies in while also satisfying comfort food like pasta.

What’s a Zoodle?

A zoodle is a “zucchini noodle” which is simply a zucchini that is spiralized.

Zoodles at Home

You can do it yourself at home, like we do with this nifty handheld gadget. Simply cut-off the end of a zuchinni (organic preferred), insert it into one side, and twist. You’ll get long spaghetti-esque noodles like you see in my pic (thanks to my hubby for being my hand model).

You can make zoodles (aka zucchini noodles) at home with a manual spiralizer like this one.
You can make zoodles at home using a handy spiralizer like this one. Photo credit @danielleatcheson

To cook your zoodles, add them into a pan with just a little water to steam them a little. For how long is a personal preference, but I usually steam mine for about 5 minutes. I like to toss them in a pesto sauce (like my uber-healthy dandelion greens and pumpkin seed pesto) or a marinara sauce. My go-to store-bought sauce is this one from Primal Kitchen. You can also add in some other veggies for a Zoodles primavera. Use them just like you would any other pasta noodle.

Zoodles at Restaurants

Image of two pasta meals where the noodls have been swapped out for zoodles, aka zucchini noodles, as a healthier option.
Swap noodles for zoodles, aka zucchini noodles, like we did at Noodles & Co. Photo Credit: @danielleatcheson

There are also restaurants and fast-casual places that are getting hip to the zoodles and offering them up as healthy food swaps. This is the pesto cavatappi dish from Noodles & Co with the cavatappi noodle swapped out for zuchinni. It costs about 75 cents more to switch to the zoodle, but for 75 cents you’re getting nutritents that your body and cells need, and not any of the processed foods that we recommend you avoid.

Picture of a purchase receipt showing that swapping in the healthier option of zucchini noodles costs only 75 cents
Swapping noodles for zoodles like we did at Noodles & Co. won’t break the bank. Photo credit: @danielleatcheson

“Pre-made” Zoodles

You can also buy already spiralized zuchinni in the grocery store – some will have them in the produce section like pictured here from Whole Foods or you can find them in your frozen food vegetable aisle. It will cost you a bit more to get them “pre-spiralized” but for the convenience, it’s well-worth it.

Prepackaged zucchini noodle options in the produce aisle
Prepackaged zucchini noodle options Photo credit @danielleatcheson

Have you tried Zoodles – why or why not? Tell me in the comments below.

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Danielle Atcheson, NBC-HWC, CHN, LMC, CGP

Danielle Atcheson, NBC-HWC, CHN, LMC, CGP

Danielle Atcheson is on a mission to inspire healthier living using the power of micro-habits.

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Danielle started One Degree Health to share her Micro-Habit Mindset and wellness formula with other busy professionals through engaging workshops, online coaching & nutrition programs, and private coaching.

Founder & Chief Wellness Officer, One Degree Health; Functional Nutritionist, Lifestyle Medicine Specialist, Board-Certified Health & Wellness Coach, Certified Gluten-Free Practitioner, Plant-Based Nutrition certified from Cornell University.

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DISCLAIMER: The contents of this blog and website are informational only, and should not be used for diagnosing or treating a health problem or disease, nor as a substitute for professional medical care. As with all health & wellness information, always consult your professional healthcare providers before taking any medical action.

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