The #1 Habit to Improve the Quality of Your Food

Here we are, starting the third week of our New Year’s resolutions to lose weight and feel great. How is it going so far?

In our Simple Steps to Health and Wellness Series, we have covered the 8 Most Nourishing Foods, and 10 Worst Industrial Foods. We’ve also talked about NOT trying to do everything perfectly, and, making a few small changes to drastically improve the quality of our food. What’s next? Now we need a plan.

Planning for Success

The #1 habit to improve the quality of your food is… planning, planning, planning. Healthy meals and snacks do not just magically appear, they require a little bit of foresight and effort.

1. Think About Your Next Meal While You Prepare the Current One, Or At Least a Few Hours Ahead of Time – I usually know what my family is eating for breakfast and lunch before I go to bed. On my best days, I even know what’s for dinner the next day. It wasn’t always like this. I know the misery of starting to think about dinner at 4:30pm when everyone is hungry and cranky (including me!).

2. Have Nourishing Food Options Available ALL THE TIME – see below for details.

3. Bring Healthy Snacks (and Lunch) With You When You Leave the House – I leave nuts in my car all time. This is a wholesome, satisfying snack. I do not want to be stranded in my car, hungry, and at the mercy of fast food or convenience stores – yikes! And if I want to be sure that I have a nourishing lunch, I better bring it with me.

Time to Transform Your Kitchen

4. Throw Out the Worst of the Non-Fuel in Your Cupboards, Fridge and Freezer – The good news here is, because non-fuel (zero nutrition food) is manufactured with cheap, low-quality ingredients, it probably didn’t cost too much. Regardless of the price, you deserve nourishing food. Refer to the Worst Industrial Food List for recommendations on what to toss.

5. Fill Your Cupboards, Frig and Freezer with Whole Foods – You know what to do… refer to the List of Nourishing Foods, and let’s go shopping! I am sure you can find some whole foods that you enjoy. Easy fresh veggies – celery, carrots, cucumber, peppers; Healthy Oils – olive oil and Perfect Coconut Oil; Nuts & Seeds – grab a variety of your favorites, and don’t forget nut butters; Have fun in the fresh fruit section, and grab some dried fruit and frozen fruit, too; Natural Sweeteners – honey, maple syrup and evaporated cane juice; Whole Grains – my favorites are brown rice, oatmeal, cornmeal, and spelt (ancient wheat); You will want to find a good local source for eggs, dairy, and meat – check in with your local chapter of the Weston A Price Foundation for resources.

6. Read Your Ingredients Lists – Just because something says “Healthy” on the package, doesn’t make it true. You must learn to be a discerning shopper. If you want the convenience of pre-packaged products, make sure they don’t contain any of the worst ingredient offenders. Unfortunately, you may need to find a new place to shop to avoid industrial food. Try the health food section of your grocery store, your local health food store or co-op, or national brands such as Whole Foods (great quality), or Trader Joes (lower prices). Yes, clean food costs a little more, because it is made with higher quality ingredients. Your body will thank you.

As you take steps to improve the quality of your food, please don’t forget what we talked about in the last article… progress not perfection. We will continue to walk in the direction of health. If we get lost along the way, no problem. We will find our way back to the healthy path. This is a lifelong journey.

Once your cupboards are filled with healthy options, it is so much easier to make wise choices. In future articles I will share some quick and easy whole food recipes.

What is your best healthy eating habit?