by Bailey LeRoux
Between soccer games, volleyball games, defensive driving, school and a full-time job, it’s a safe bet you don’t have a whole lot of time to plan and shop for the perfectly balanced, gluten-free, all-natural, low-carb, Paleo, todays-latest-trend diet. Not to mention getting the kids (or your spouse) to join in.
So, ditch the high-expectation, high-stress plan, and think baby steps. A great first step toward healthier eating is adding one vegetable to your regular meals. If Thursday is pasta night, consider adding steamed or roasted broccoli (no cheese) to the meal you are already serving. If you eat out most evenings, try to add one night a week of eating at home so you can control your food preparation and add some veggies. If snacking is your weakness, consider trying kale chips for movie night instead of popcorn this week. Start out slow and stay steady!
Once you’ve made a habit of including extra vegetables in your family’s meal plan, it’s time to take the next step: substitute. Try substituting processed or empty-calorie ingredients in the recipes you already make with healthier ones. Coconut oil is a great, tasteless and easy substitute for butter or oil. No complicated measurement to remember: 1 cup coconut oil = 1 cup butter. Done.
For a more detailed list of healthy substitutes, check out this blog post by Better Homes and Gardens.
Or maybe even this one.
Lastly, invest a few minutes of time each week to meal plan. Knowing what you are eating before you eat it is the single most effective way to change your eating habits. Schedule a grocery store trip at least once a week to keep fresh ingredients available. When your meal plan for the week is ready, make a list of ingredients you need and stick to it!
This month, embark on the adventure of healthy eating – one step at a time!
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