Eating Well

I have just recently finished reading the book "It Starts with Food" by Dallas and Melissa Hartwig. They have a website called Whole 9 and are the founders of the Whole30 which, in a very skeleton of a nutshell, promotes eating all whole foods (mostly meaning things with 1 ingredient, ie. beef, squash, coconut milk, almonds, lettuce... you get the idea) and avoiding grains, sugar, dairy, and processed foods. It is very informative and explains the science behind why you should or should not eat those foods. 

While I am not completing a Whole30 at this time (many of my friends are during this month of January) I have begun to incorporate more whole foods and meals. I figured that even though I don't feel ready for the Whole30 at this time, there's no reason to not start eating better immediately. Last week a couple of meals I tried were chicken chowder and pork chops that I put in the crockpot with apples, onions, and some spices. They were both delicious. This week I will be making chicken curry and sweet potato hash. 

As I was doing my grocery shopping today I looked at my cart and thought how different it looks compared to what I purchased regularly a few years ago, and even a year ago.

 For some reason I used to always think fruits and vegetables were so expensive I couldn't afford to get many. Now I've learned the price is worth my (and my family's) health and well-being; I can't afford not to get them. 

Two of my goals in January are to eat less dairy and less sugar. I think eating more whole foods leaves less room to eat the other less healthy foods. My hope is to make lasting change to my family's diet. I want to teach my children to enjoy foods that are good for them. Already after making vegetable soup weekly for the past 3 months they are eating it better! For me, that is a win! 

To life...and 2016 and whole foods!