Why do we love what we know is NOT good for our health?
We know chips are bad, but why are we so tempted to dig into the bag? Why can’t we stop eating them? Why do we go to the gas station and walk out with a HUGE soda?
Why do we get motivated to shop when we see very cheap (inexpensive) meat? Do you ever wonder where your cheap meat came from? Does it ever occur to you why it’s so low in price?
Many of our favorite Supermarket snacks are made of the perfect amounts of sugar, and fats, and soybean oil (even corn syrup) to make us crave more… but if you are one of MANY that are looking to make better choices for your family in 2016, then you will want to take the following tips to help you make better choices.
Before we start though, we do want to warn you: you probably won’t be able to get things for close to free. 😉
Eating better is a lifestyle change – you must WANT to improve. You must KNOW WHY you need to improve. You must be willing to pay more for better food. It requires discipline and effort – not just one day, but every day.
1. Make the Vow to Switch to ONE Organic Item each Week
Yes, it WILL cost more. But your health is worth it – and the health of your kids is too.
Since many of us are on a budget, it’s hard to make a complete switch. So try for ONE item at a time – if that means writing down ALL those things your family eats the most, then that’s how it’ll work for you.
For us, those items were Bread, Milk, Eggs, Meat, and Produce.
Shop at Costco – you’ll be able to score many of these items for just pennies more per ounce. Work on transitioning your finances to allow that extra wiggle room – in the meantime, stop buying the packaged processed items to allow yourself that money to be re-routed to a better place.
2. Bypass those Items with 5 or more Ingredients
Be a Label Reader. In fact, be a CRAZY label reader – who cares what others say. You are making strides to be healthier – are they? Probably not. So do it anyways. If there are more than a handful of ingredients, you can guarantee that it is NOT something that needs to go in your cart.
Avoid those impulse buys – many of which are empty of calories and nutritional value anyways.
3. Learn How to Cook Yourself
Stop relying on packaged items for convenience – if you are in LOVE with Refrigerated Biscuits, ditch them to the curb and find a recipe that will allow you to make your own biscuits for a fraction of the cost… better ingredients and one less trip to the store. They really are much cheaper to make yourself.
They taste just as good if not better if you do them on your own and there are plenty of recipes out there that you can use that are just as efficient as driving to the store to buy a can.
4. Break your Routine
Instead of being pre-accustomed to stopping by the fast food joint, or for a $5 pizza on the way home, make a habit of joining a CSA. You’ll have a huge bag of produce to inspire you to look for new ways to cook.
Believe it or not, that bag can stretch an entire week for a large family – but you have to be disciplined not to stop and get pizza, and disciplined enough to break out the cooking utensils.
And your gut will thank you the next morning!
Keep healthy foods stocked in your fridge- your kids are more likely to eat them IF you keep them within reach.
5. Note your Weakness
Chocolate is MY weakness; and as much as I LOVE it, I just cannot possibly keep it in the house. Kids don’t need it either, so we just don’t buy it.
If you know that you have a sweet tooth, OR you have an addiction to soda (even diet), avoid buying it altogether. Try not to keep it in the house. It’s easier to avoid those items when they aren’t in easy reach.
6. Self Research
Most people are clueless as to what is in their food, and where it comes from. As long as it’s cheap, easy and convenient it’s in their cabinet.
Perhaps many don’t realize the power OF the food they eat. In any case, one of the BEST ways to KNOW what you are eating is to learn… be aware.
Be open to accepting that most of your food is highly modified.
Be willing to make a shift.
It all starts with recognizing, after that it takes your willingness to get better. It’s also just as important to know why those items are so overly promoted in grocery ads, and why we see them plastered all over billboards, commercials and in print magazines – companies desire profits. And profits rise up over ALL other areas.
Thankfully there are many documentaries you can watch ~ do you have Netflix? If you do, then you are a set. Put the kids to bed, and sit with your spouse to watch some of these great titles:
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