Whether you’re trying to lose weight or just improve your overall health, eating healthier at home can be one of the simplest ways to load up on the good stuff and avoid processed, junk food. While eating at home makes it easier to be healthy, as opposed to dining out, it can still feel like a challenge at times to eat well.
5 Tips for Eating Healthier at Home
Check out our 5 helpful tips for ways you can promote better eating and a cleaner diet at home without spending tons of money or an incredible amount of effort.
1. Get Rid of Junk Food
This can seem like an obvious tip, but it’s one that is often overlooked by people looking to jump onto a healthier track of eating. If you’re serious about eating healthier at home, then the first step is to remove any junk food in your pantry and fridge.
Whether it’s a bag of potato chips stashed in the back of your pantry, or a tub of rocky road in the freezer, get rid of foods that are all too tempting for you and will cause you to fall off the bandwagon before you’ve even started.
2. Making a Shopping List and Stick to It
Have you ever gone to the grocery store without a shopping list only to come back with just a few of the items you really needed and a lot more of the ones you didn’t? You may have picked up the milk and eggs you needed, but you probably also grabbed a package of cookies, a box of cereal, and some cheesy snack item that caught your eye.
Make a shopping list of some clean ingredients you can cook with or eat throughout the week, and then stick to the list when you’re in the grocery store. Stay focused and don’t veer off into aisles you don’t need to go in to avoid buying junk food items that call out your name.
3. Shop at the Farmer’s Market
While organic food tends to get a bad rap for being pricey, it doesn’t always have to be. A great place to pick up affordable, organic produce is your local farmer’s market.
Stocking up on organic produce is not only healthier than pesticide-covered produce, but it will also teach you about what’s in season and encourage you to include more fruits and veggies in your diet. A good tip is to visit the farmer’s market in the second half of the morning, when stand owners are more likely to give you a bargain (vs. first thing in the morning).
4. Use Your Freezer
You’ve probably heard of the concept of meal prep, and we’re here to tell you that it truly is a life saver. When you’ve come home after a long day of work, you’re less likely to have the energy to cook yourself a healthy meal and instead go for take-out or some boxed dinner.
Cut up veggies, make stocks, or grill chicken ahead of time. Then, when you’re home from work looking for a quick meal, you can just defrost the food and put together an effortless meal.
5. Keep Your Pantry Stocked
While it’s good to shop for your fruits and veggies fresh, certain pantry items like beans, lentils, seeds, grains, and jarred sauces should definitely be stocked and ready to go in your pantry. You’re more likely to eat a wholesome, healthy meal if you can rely on these ingredients to be ready at your disposal.
If you have to make a run to the grocery store, you’re more likely to just ditch the entire meal idea and order food to be delivered. Ease, convenience, and timeliness are always vital factors when it comes to the likelihood of eating healthier.
