Wednesday, January 8, 2014

The resolution

New Year's Resolutions used to be something I made every year.  And, like many others, I would forget all about them by mid-February.  Then one year, I can't remember when, I just didn't make one.  And you know what?  It felt really good.  I always had a bit of remorse and guilt when I would "break" them.  The first year I didn't make a resolution I had no guilt and no remorse.  I felt free.  Its been several years since I last made a resolution.  In fact, it rarely crosses my mind to make one.  This year for some reason I have decided to do it.  I'm going to make a resolution--the most common one of all.....eat healthier.  I have a family of 5 so I need to find something that works for everyone from my husband all the way down to a 9 month old.  I haven't spent a lot of time researching different ways to do this, so technically I guess I haven't started yet.  There are so many new and different plans out there, its overwhelming.  I'm a pretty picky eater, as is our 6 year old, so this could be a challenge.  As the main cooker in the house I feel like its my duty to make sure we all get on a good path to health.  We don't eat terribly bad right now, but I know it could be a lot better.  So here are some of the things I'm looking for:
1.  I want to try and eliminate or significantly diminish the amount of processed/boxed/prepared foods we eat.
2.  Eat a lot more produce
3.  Cut back on the amount of chicken we eat.  We eat a lot of this, probably 5-6 times a week.
4.  Find healthy quick snacks the kids will enjoy.
5.  Find quick meals for those crazy nights we are rushing from one place to another. 
6.  Find a way to do all of this without breaking the bank.

What ways do you eat healthy?  Do you have a plan you stick with or just wing it?

2 comments:

  1. One easy trick I use is "perimeter shopping" at the grocery store--Most of the healthy stuff is on the perimeter--produce, meat counter, dairy, frozen, and all of the processed box stuff is in the middle--So I just keep to the edges, and only venture in when I need toilet paper or laundry detergent!

    In the fall, we usually go in with another family and buy a quarter/half a cow from a local farmer. The cost is around 4-500, but it actually works out to about $3 p/lb., meaning you get steaks and roast for hamburger prices. For a few years, we were members of an organic co-op right behind our house, http://www.turtle-farm.com, where each week between May and October we would get a 5-15 lb. box of produce, you should check out their website; again, the upfront costs are kind of expensive, but it works out to be much cheaper than paying as you go at the grocery store, also, I can literally see where my food is coming from! No pesticides or preservatives, or fertilizers, no harm to the environment, it's a pretty good deal!

    Good luck! But remember, healthy eating costs more, it just does, and in order to offset the costs, I've had to give up certain things like mani pedis, and Starbucks and new clothes, but really, with 2-3 small children, who has time for that stuff anyway? :)

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    1. I love this plan. I'm going to try my best to stick to it. I generally do just shop the perimeter but once I go down the cookie/cracker/boxed goods aisle I'm done for! I will definitely check into the co-op. And once we move it will be so close to us!! We haven't done the 1/2 cow thing, but my brother does it all the time. I KNOW that its much cheaper, we just need to bite the bullet and do it. Keep the advice coming Chica!!

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