We've been transitioning to whole foods at my house for a little over a month now. We chose to transition to whole foods gradually for a couple of reasons:
#1 - I didn't want the food we already had to go to waste.
#2 - I don't know how to cook anything unless is comes in a box.
So over the last month, we have been eating SOME processed foods, just to get rid of things and help ease the learning curve.
This change has been difficult to say the least, but I believe that true change is a process and not something you can do overnight.
Here's some updates on the progress at my house:
- We gave family members and friends some of our processed foods that haven't been opened. Everything else has it's own shelf in our pantry so we know what we need to get rid of. Some things, I just threw away. Hate to waste food like that, but I'm not going to lose sleep over throwing away that last little bit of salad dressing.
- I have a freezer stocked full of homemade zucchini muffins, mini breakfast casseroles, and homemade pancakes for us to grab in the mornings. I also have some homemade apple butter to put on our pancakes so we don't have to use sugary syrups.
- Also in the freezer, we have some frozen meals that I made a double batch of. These are great for busy nights, all I have to do is take some frozen chili out of the freezer and heat it up!
- I have made huge batches of homemade enchilada sauce and cream of chicken soup. We make casseroles and Mexican food a lot so I made giant batches of both of these and froze them in 12 ounce portions.
- For those nights when we have a sweet tooth, I have a batch of homemade cookie dough in the freezer. Turns out that with homemade cookies, we get full after just a couple of cookies and we don't feel the need to gorge ourselves.
- Our pantry is mostly filled with the basic baking ingredients, canned tomatoes (with little or no salt), whole wheat pasta, coffee, tea, beans, and peanut butter.
- We no longer use white sugar or any artificial sweeteners. With our morning coffee or tea, we will have a spoonful of honey or maple syrup instead.
- Free Range Hubby and I are BOTH off of sodas completely! YAY!!!
- I have arranged a trade with friends so that we can diversify our homemade food supplies.
- My mother is giving us a bread machine for us to start making our own bread. I just don't have the time to go to multiple stores for our food so I figure making our own will be the most convenient. I can't wait to try it out!
- I have a few basic recipes that the family likes for us to cook throughout the week. Some of our new favorites include homemade granola, no-bake energy balls (see previous post), refried beans, and fried rice.
We still have some processed foods in our house. Some I'm OK with. Every once in a while, I just want a bowl of sugary cereal. But we've found brands like Cascadian Farms and Mom's Best Naturals that make yummy sugar laden cereals that are made with ingredients we can actually pronounce. And they're delicious! I'm also a fan of Annie's foods for Free Range Bennett. Their snacks still contain many ingredients, but they again are all ones you can pronounce. These products I'm just not ready to part with. But I believe moderation is the key.
I'm still working on ways to incorporate some of our favorite foods into our new whole foods lifestyle. Condiments are a big challenge. I love ketchup. I'm still trying to decide if I want to try a couple of less processed brands or make my own. I have some salad dressings that I can't wait to try once we run out of the processed stuff. And I'm still trying to figure out how to either make my own tortillas or find a store that sells minimally processed ones. We still have pizza every couple of weeks, and I don't see a problem with that. And when we eat out, I try to choose dishes that I know will be less processed.
Again, this is all a process. But I'm thrilled about the progress we've made. I've found a love of cooking that I didn't know existed within me, and I feel better than I've felt in a long time. I can't wait to see what the next month has in store!
Friday, February 3, 2012
Monday, January 30, 2012
Every Vote Counts
In Food, Inc. one of the things they mention is that when you buy something at a store, you're essentially making a vote for what you want stocked in the stores. It makes perfect sense - the store's not going to stock it unless they know you're going to buy it. Going to WalMart or Kroger and buying organic whole food items tells that store "these are the items I'm buying, please stock more!"
Take that one step further:
I sometimes shop at Whole Foods, which I love. I love that they grind their own ground beef. I know when I buy it, I'm not getting a bunch of fillers. I've had food poisoning 3 times in the last 2 years, knowing what my meat goes through before it gets to my table is important. I also like that the employees there are so knowledgeable about what they sell. I can tell the meat man what I want to make, and he'll pick out the best cut of meat for me. Service like that is hard to find nowadays.
But I was thinking, Whole Foods already knows their customers like to by whole foods. (Hence the name, dummy) What about the big chains like Kroger and Walmart? A representative from Walmart said on Food, Inc. that they stock what their customers buy. So in essence, buying organic at large chains like Kroger and WalMart may actually make an impact on what their stores carry, therefore increasing the selection and availability of whole organic foods to all the customers that shop at these stores. People who shop at Whole Foods go there for a reason - they care about what they eat. But by encouraging the large chain grocery stores to stock more of these items, we can help make organic whole foods available to a whole new set of people. My family lives in rural Arkansas where the only grocery store for 20 miles is WalMart. If I can buy organic milk at my Walmart 150 miles away, and convince other people to do so, I can help convince the entire company to carry organic milk in other locations - making organic milk available to my family in rural Arkansas. Big chains like WalMart are successful for a reason: they sell what people like to buy. If we tell them we like to buy organic whole foods, they'll sell it.
Let's take this ANOTHER step further:
By purchasing more organic and whole foods at the large chains, the large chains now carry more organic and minimally processed items - therefore increasing the demands on the farmers and manufacturers that supply these stores. So we have beef farmer A that grows cows that are fed with corn and pumped full of antibiotics, and beef farmer B who grows cows that are grown organically. Over time, if people are buying more organic beef from large chains, beef farmer B is going to become incredibly successful. So beef farmer A (if he's smart) will also want to jump on the bandwagon and grow his cows organically. So we now have HUGE changes in the farming industry. Less E Coli, less food poisoning, and the people of the world skip down the streets holding hands and singing "We Are The World." Well, maybe not that. But you get my point. Me buying organic milk at Kroger may actually make a huge impact down the line.
This is not rocket science, it's basic business principles. Supply and demand, people. Demand organic and whole foods from our grocers, and they will supply it.
Take that one step further:
I sometimes shop at Whole Foods, which I love. I love that they grind their own ground beef. I know when I buy it, I'm not getting a bunch of fillers. I've had food poisoning 3 times in the last 2 years, knowing what my meat goes through before it gets to my table is important. I also like that the employees there are so knowledgeable about what they sell. I can tell the meat man what I want to make, and he'll pick out the best cut of meat for me. Service like that is hard to find nowadays.
But I was thinking, Whole Foods already knows their customers like to by whole foods. (Hence the name, dummy) What about the big chains like Kroger and Walmart? A representative from Walmart said on Food, Inc. that they stock what their customers buy. So in essence, buying organic at large chains like Kroger and WalMart may actually make an impact on what their stores carry, therefore increasing the selection and availability of whole organic foods to all the customers that shop at these stores. People who shop at Whole Foods go there for a reason - they care about what they eat. But by encouraging the large chain grocery stores to stock more of these items, we can help make organic whole foods available to a whole new set of people. My family lives in rural Arkansas where the only grocery store for 20 miles is WalMart. If I can buy organic milk at my Walmart 150 miles away, and convince other people to do so, I can help convince the entire company to carry organic milk in other locations - making organic milk available to my family in rural Arkansas. Big chains like WalMart are successful for a reason: they sell what people like to buy. If we tell them we like to buy organic whole foods, they'll sell it.
Let's take this ANOTHER step further:
By purchasing more organic and whole foods at the large chains, the large chains now carry more organic and minimally processed items - therefore increasing the demands on the farmers and manufacturers that supply these stores. So we have beef farmer A that grows cows that are fed with corn and pumped full of antibiotics, and beef farmer B who grows cows that are grown organically. Over time, if people are buying more organic beef from large chains, beef farmer B is going to become incredibly successful. So beef farmer A (if he's smart) will also want to jump on the bandwagon and grow his cows organically. So we now have HUGE changes in the farming industry. Less E Coli, less food poisoning, and the people of the world skip down the streets holding hands and singing "We Are The World." Well, maybe not that. But you get my point. Me buying organic milk at Kroger may actually make a huge impact down the line.
This is not rocket science, it's basic business principles. Supply and demand, people. Demand organic and whole foods from our grocers, and they will supply it.
One Week Down
Well, I've been Diet Coke Free for one week. Here are the changes I notice:
-I sleep better.
-I crave sweets less.
-I have more energy throughout the day. I used to hit a wall about 2pm -- not anymore!
-I like the taste of water more.
-I like iced tea with no sweetener....weird.
-I no longer crave my Diet Cokes.
All positive changes! The first few days were hard. I was like a smoker who was trying to quit - irritable, jittery, and anxious. I'm glad I suffered through those first days because I feel tremendously better!
My favorite Diet Coke Alternatives:
Coffee with 1tbsp maple syrup, 1tsp cocoa, and a splash of whole milk
Hot tea with honey
Iced tea, plain
Ice water
Naked fruit smoothies (which I drink sparingly because they are 130 calories per serving!)
-I sleep better.
-I crave sweets less.
-I have more energy throughout the day. I used to hit a wall about 2pm -- not anymore!
-I like the taste of water more.
-I like iced tea with no sweetener....weird.
-I no longer crave my Diet Cokes.
All positive changes! The first few days were hard. I was like a smoker who was trying to quit - irritable, jittery, and anxious. I'm glad I suffered through those first days because I feel tremendously better!
My favorite Diet Coke Alternatives:
Coffee with 1tbsp maple syrup, 1tsp cocoa, and a splash of whole milk
Hot tea with honey
Iced tea, plain
Ice water
Naked fruit smoothies (which I drink sparingly because they are 130 calories per serving!)
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
One Is Too Many...One Hundred Is Never Enough
I've come to the realization that I have a problem......
Hello, my name is Amanda, and I'm addicted to Diet Coke.
I mentioned in blog #1 that I was just not ready to take the leap to quit my Diet Coke habit. Well the time has come.
I previously talked about listing what times of day or what meal you rely on processed foods the most and I decided breakfast was that time for my family. So we premade a bunch of home made breakfasts that we just throw in the freezer and heat up as needed. And that has worked out beautifully.
Now on to step 2. Unfortunately, for me, that means giving up my Diet Coke. I've built myself up to drinking 4 cans a day. Sometimes more, sometimes less. But still, that's on average 180mg of caffeine a day. Not to mention all the other crap that's in it. So my next "small" change to make a big impact is cutting out my beloved Diet Cokes. We've had a beautiful relationship, but it's time I move on.
So Saturday and Sunday I just had one to kind of wean me off, and today I'm down to none. I can't say I'm trilled about it just yet. But I know in a week's time I'll feel tons better.
I'm still having some caffeine. I drink coffee in the morning. On a side note, I've switched my coffee sweetener from Sweet N' Low to honey. This is one change I'm thrilled about. It just takes a tiny amount to do the trick and it's delicious!
There's something weird about Diet Cokes though. The people who drink them seem addicted. I know I was/am. I started having anxiety with just the thought of cutting back. I don't like letting something have that sort of control over me.
It's always been my goal to live a life of moderation. But with me and Diet Coke, there is no such thing as moderation. Like my title says, "One is too many, one hundred is never enough."
It's going to be a rough week.....sigh.
Hello, my name is Amanda, and I'm addicted to Diet Coke.
I mentioned in blog #1 that I was just not ready to take the leap to quit my Diet Coke habit. Well the time has come.
I previously talked about listing what times of day or what meal you rely on processed foods the most and I decided breakfast was that time for my family. So we premade a bunch of home made breakfasts that we just throw in the freezer and heat up as needed. And that has worked out beautifully.
Now on to step 2. Unfortunately, for me, that means giving up my Diet Coke. I've built myself up to drinking 4 cans a day. Sometimes more, sometimes less. But still, that's on average 180mg of caffeine a day. Not to mention all the other crap that's in it. So my next "small" change to make a big impact is cutting out my beloved Diet Cokes. We've had a beautiful relationship, but it's time I move on.
So Saturday and Sunday I just had one to kind of wean me off, and today I'm down to none. I can't say I'm trilled about it just yet. But I know in a week's time I'll feel tons better.
I'm still having some caffeine. I drink coffee in the morning. On a side note, I've switched my coffee sweetener from Sweet N' Low to honey. This is one change I'm thrilled about. It just takes a tiny amount to do the trick and it's delicious!
There's something weird about Diet Cokes though. The people who drink them seem addicted. I know I was/am. I started having anxiety with just the thought of cutting back. I don't like letting something have that sort of control over me.
It's always been my goal to live a life of moderation. But with me and Diet Coke, there is no such thing as moderation. Like my title says, "One is too many, one hundred is never enough."
It's going to be a rough week.....sigh.
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Frustrated
I am not one of those mothers that claim to be able to do it all. Nor do I want to be one of those mothers. I love having a life outside of the house. I love that Free Range Hubby helps a lot. I LOVE that I get to be a little selfish every once in a while! With that said, I'm feeling a little discouraged the last few days. It may be that I've been sick, but we'll get to that in a bit.
#1: What's the point of making all this food from scratch if Free Range Bennett doesn't even eat it!?!?!? We had like an hour long tantrum last night because he didn't want to eat what I made - all ingredients I know he likes. But after an hour of him crying, he gave in and ate! I did compromise and left the sauce off the pasta, but I consider it a victory!!!! Just wish it wasn't so much effort. I'm hoping he'll get used to it over time, but it would be so easy just to go back to the junk food.
#2: I feel like I go to the grocery store every day! Maybe I just need to plan better, but how can you stock up in fresh fruits and veggies? They go bad! It may be partly my fault. I feel nervous buying 2 bunches of bananas, because I'm afraid they'll go bad. Never mind the fact that Free Range Bennett eats like 2 a day. We usually go through a bunch in 2 days. So I'm going to the store every other day for bananas, not to mention all the other stuff. These stay at home moms obviously don't have boys. My child can go through an entire container of blueberries in one sitting. I just need to get over my fear of buying too much.
#3: All this homemade food is supposed to make you feel better and what do I get? Strep throat. Exept I'm not entirely convinced it was strep. Five days later and I still feel a little puny.
This switch to more whole foods is stressful, but I know in my heart it's worth it. I really do enjoy learning to cook and feel like my skills in the kitchen have increased tremendously. It's so overwhelming getting started, but I just keep telling myself it will get easier.
#1: What's the point of making all this food from scratch if Free Range Bennett doesn't even eat it!?!?!? We had like an hour long tantrum last night because he didn't want to eat what I made - all ingredients I know he likes. But after an hour of him crying, he gave in and ate! I did compromise and left the sauce off the pasta, but I consider it a victory!!!! Just wish it wasn't so much effort. I'm hoping he'll get used to it over time, but it would be so easy just to go back to the junk food.
#2: I feel like I go to the grocery store every day! Maybe I just need to plan better, but how can you stock up in fresh fruits and veggies? They go bad! It may be partly my fault. I feel nervous buying 2 bunches of bananas, because I'm afraid they'll go bad. Never mind the fact that Free Range Bennett eats like 2 a day. We usually go through a bunch in 2 days. So I'm going to the store every other day for bananas, not to mention all the other stuff. These stay at home moms obviously don't have boys. My child can go through an entire container of blueberries in one sitting. I just need to get over my fear of buying too much.
#3: All this homemade food is supposed to make you feel better and what do I get? Strep throat. Exept I'm not entirely convinced it was strep. Five days later and I still feel a little puny.
This switch to more whole foods is stressful, but I know in my heart it's worth it. I really do enjoy learning to cook and feel like my skills in the kitchen have increased tremendously. It's so overwhelming getting started, but I just keep telling myself it will get easier.
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Breakfast Blitz!
Last night Free Range Hubby and I made nearly a month's worth of breakfast foods to put in the freezer. We started at 7:40 right after Free Range Bennett went to bed. Including the cleanup, bagging, labeling, and storing, we finished at 9:45. I think we even lunches for the following day during that time.
So after 2ish hours we had plain pancakes (whole wheat), berry pancakes (made with frozen berries bought from the store), cinnamon-vanilla pancakes, french toast sticks, and breakfast burritos. I'm excited about having all of these homemade breakfasts to enjoy throughout the month!
Like I said before, breakfast is the meal that we rely on most heavily for processed foods. Most of the other blogs I read talk about doing lots of lunches and dinners, but I haven't found many people who premake breakfast foods. If you can't do the whole once-a-month freezer cooking thing, I suggest doing what we have done. Just pick out what time of day you're most likely to resort to the processed stuff and prepare a couple of things ahead of time. One of the things I've learned through all of this is the transition to whole foods is not an overnight process, true change comes when you do it little by little. Baby steps!
So after 2ish hours we had plain pancakes (whole wheat), berry pancakes (made with frozen berries bought from the store), cinnamon-vanilla pancakes, french toast sticks, and breakfast burritos. I'm excited about having all of these homemade breakfasts to enjoy throughout the month!
Like I said before, breakfast is the meal that we rely on most heavily for processed foods. Most of the other blogs I read talk about doing lots of lunches and dinners, but I haven't found many people who premake breakfast foods. If you can't do the whole once-a-month freezer cooking thing, I suggest doing what we have done. Just pick out what time of day you're most likely to resort to the processed stuff and prepare a couple of things ahead of time. One of the things I've learned through all of this is the transition to whole foods is not an overnight process, true change comes when you do it little by little. Baby steps!
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