Thoughts on Healthy Eating: Week 1
Fiberful granola bars! Greek yogurt! Green beans! Fruits! Spinach! Brown rice! Frozen meals! Tortellini!
All for $37.54.
(Yes, those are brownies on the far left...they are for bunco night!)
Things I have learned in our first week of eating better:
- I have the power to change my stubborn attitude about food. I used to tell myself that being a picky eater and having high metabolism means I don't have to eat healthy. I can do this! I will do this! I will love this!
- I already appreciate food and nutrition so much more than I did a few weeks ago.
- We have some unhealthy food items in our cupboards that we need to use up or discard...I already feel guilty eating them.
- Nature Valley Oats & Honey granola bars (I like the taste, but I know they aren't the healthiest thing I could eat as they have 11 ingredients) are a lot less filling than donuts or Mini Muffins. I got some Trader Joe's granola bars for the next week. I also want to try Lara Bars (they have as little as two ingredients) but I am scared of the dates.
- I have always been someone who stops eating when I'm full. I think that's a good start.
- I actually like the taste of some healthy items...I just never cared enough or knew it was so much better to eat them than other things: cereal, string cheese, eggs, oats, whole grain pasta, raisins, granola, fresh fruit, peanut butter, juice, popcorn, green beans, peas, corn, etc.
- I don't like some healthy things, like yogurt (I actually gagged this week when I tried Eric's), potatoes, broccoli, applesauce and cottage cheese.
- It will be hard for me to give up white bread, white rice and the ease of packaged foods.
- I like oats but am afraid of oatmeal for some reason...but I will try it! I think based on all your comments Eric and I are the only two people in the world who don't already eat it.
- It feels better to eat an apple for a snack than a chocolate chip cookie. Not that I promise to always make that choice, but honey crisp apples are so good! I am dreading the day they are not in season anymore.
- It turns out that if we buy more fruits and vegetables and have them on hand, I will eat them.
- I feel a little bad that last year I complained to Duncan Hines for removing their Bakery Style Blueberry Streusel Muffin Mix with Crumb Topping from the shelves (seriously the best muffins ever!) and replacing it with the 100% Whole Grain Blueberry Streusel Muffin Mix, although I was not the only one! I am not against healthy but the new ones taste terrible...and I used to make those muffins almost weekly! Anyone have an awesome blueberry muffin recipe?
- Trader Joe's is out of our way but we're planning to go there more often. And our grocery store's health market section.
- We are willing to increase our food budget to accommodate for our new choices.
- This might be too much information, but many pregnant women deal with constipation. I have not had too many issues, but just in the past week have noticed a huge difference. (OK, yep, that was too far. Sorry.)
- I got lost in the 100 Days of Real Food blog. I have already learned a bunch of awesome stuff!
Questions for You
- What are some healthy sack lunches your family loves?
- How do you know what fruit is in season? Besides knowing what is available at our farmers' market, I think this website will be helpful.
- How/when do you splurge?