I have been making an effort to eat more “clean” lately. The past few months really. I have been working on eliminating as much processed junk as possible. I wouldn’t say we were the household that ingested the most processed junk. I have been a healthy eater for many years. But you know in today’s world you are so inundated with processed things it can be hard to unconsciously not eat any processed products.

So I have made conscious effort to do so. It is still not perfect. But I am getting there. I know not everything below is necessarily “processed” really but I think that you can control what is in your food better if you make some small adjustments. Like calorie and sodium counts.

Here is what I have been doing successfully:

  • Making my own whole grain bread crumbs
  • Making my own salad dressings. I have made 3 myself. A balsamic one, cilantro-lime vinaigrette, and french dressing.
  • Making my own chicken nuggets. They are amazing and delicious! Even my hubby loves them.
  • Making my own cake batter, instead of just buying the box.
  • Making my own taco, chili, and all other seasonings. Instead of buying those handy little packets. It is so easy to just do it yourself. My spice cabinet is bursting at the seams with all different spices I throw together to make delicious concoctions.
  • I have been using fresh fruits for juices instead of buying a container of it to mix in recipes.
  • Made my own granola. Was supposed to be bars but it ended up breaking and turned into regular granola.
  • I never ever buy frozen or boxed meals! I never even put it in my cart. I have been making a huge effort to cook most nights. We do order pizza from time to time. Sometimes I make my own pizza. But we do love love love pizza in this house and a good pizza from a good restaurant often hits the spot. Hey, ya gotta live a little!
  • Made my own frozen dark chocolate covered bananas.
  • I have been paying a great deal of attention to nutrition labels. I have been doing that for years but I scrutinize it even more now. It is a good thing my little man is patient eating his blueberries at the grocery store! Reduced fat, low fat, etc is not always better for you! Sometimes the sodium and sugar skyrockets. Pay attention to that. Some fat is good for you. Like with everything moderation is key. Read the back, not the front!
  • Buy an all natural whole grain bread. Made at a Chicago bakery. There are just a handful of ingredients in it. I can name and pronounce them all. I know what they are. No preservatives in it!
  • Use all natural peanut butter and jelly.
  • I keep my eyes open for all things that are truly natural and where I can pronounce the ingredients.

I think that is a majority of what I have been doing as of late. There may be more I am forgetting but you get the idea. It is a lifestyle change in many ways. Sometimes it requires a bit more work, but I love to cook and really I feel better knowing where my food comes from. Knowing what is really in it. I am going to continue to find different ways to add to that list.

I think I will continue to blog and I will share recipes and things I find or come up with that have been taste approved. I truly love to share healthy and tasty food options with everyone I know.