Spring is here and it’s a great time to finally clean out that pantry and refrigerator, then restock. You might even have stuff left-over from the holidays. (You know what I mean – that half a box of stale crackers left from the New Year’s Eve party or the weird sauce that you just had to buy for the Super Bowl cookout.) Here are our top 5 ideas to get rid of the junk and replace it with healthy food that will keep you on the meal plan.
1.) Pull out everything and sort it. Yes, everything. It will give you a chance to really see what you have and what might be lurking to trip you up. It’s a chance to be honest with yourself. You remember the saying, “You can’t change what you don’t acknowledge.” Well, this is your chance. Get honest. No holds barred!
While everything’s out, take the chance to clean down the shelves and line them if you desire. Wash all the bins in the fridge with soapy water and replace. Get a small box of baking soda (the kind made for the fridge) and place it inside to absorb odor. You’ll have a clean space to start over.
2.) Get rid of the junk food, and anything else that you shouldn’t be eating. No more baked beans, canned pie filling, cookies, crackers, or chips. Get rid of overly processed foods like pre-packaged meals, and foods with high levels of sodium like many canned soups. (While you don’t want to be eating these foods, some people would be happy to have them. Make a box of anything that is unopened and not expired to take to the Houston Food Bank (www.houstonfoodbank.org).
3.) Make a plan to restock the basics. Think “clean eating” foods. Here’s what you need to include: convenient sources of lean protein like tuna and protein powder or drinks; complex carbs like brown rice and canned tomatoes; and healthy fats like olive oil and nuts. For great ideas on what to include, check out one of my favorite books on eating healthy, Tosca Reno’s The Eat Clean Diet. In chapter 5 you will find a “clean-eating checklist” that is a great place to get you started. See our blog post for our checklist, a slightly different version of the one in the Reno book. Print it off, make your choices, and get ready for shopping.
4.) Don’t forget the spice cabinet and snacks. That’s right – I said snacks. Let’s discuss that first. Everyone needs snacks – you should be eating 5-6 times per day, and 2-3 of those times would be consider snacks. Plan for it. Make it convenient and something that you can always have to take with you. Here are our favorite choices: Nuts, dried fruits (small amounts), beef or turkey jerky, high quality semi-sweet chocolate (This is for one or two bites at a time, to take care of the chocolate craving. Check out Green and Black’s Organic Chocolate. It’s the best I’ve ever had, and the bar can last for a very long time. http://www.greenandblacks.com/us/ We also like dairy – yogurt or cottage cheese for snacks, as well as nature’s choice – the apple or pear.
Go through all your spices and get rid of everything that has been there since you moved into your kitchen. Spices have a shelf life, and you should make sure that the ones you use are fresh. We love to give spices for a gift for newlyweds or housewarming presents. We shop at Penzey’s Spices (there is a store in the Heights) or you can buy online. Check there out here. http://www.penzeys.com/
5.) Go Shopping. This is last, but definitely not least. Develop strategies in the store. Shop on the outside perimeters of the store where you can find fresh food, and head into those isles only for specific things you have on your list. Stay to your list, and realize that this trip is for creating a new environment in your kitchen that will move you toward your health and fitness goals. Once you have your food items purchased and home, arrange them in your pantry/fridge where they look appealing and easy to access.
Now you have all the tools you need to start making nutritious meals and snacks. Very soon, Carol will be hosting a webinar that will help you make the perfect combinations as you move in the direction of healthy eating. Remember, its one battle at a time. A clean pantry and fridge is a fantastic place to begin.
Tags: diet, Weight Loss
Bridgett Pritcher wrote on June 10, 2010 at 10:34 am
OK cool to see- useful comments are always sweet! Blessings.
Matt Trudo wrote on June 10, 2010 at 5:01 pm
Thanks for the positive comments. We try to blog on all diffenent topics related to health and fitness. We are always looking for more ways that we can help people live a more fit and healthy life.