We all know the benefits of eating well, but we also know that there are barriers that get in the way of us doing just that. Perhaps it’s those snacking habits you picked up as a kid. Maybe it’s the lure of easy-access fast and convenience foods, or the perceived lack of time to eat well. Whatever the barrier is, do you feel that you want to make change but just don’t know where to begin?
Move beyond the barriers to eating well, and dive into this week’s Ten For Tuesday post: 10 Tips to Change the Way You Think About Mealtime
1. Gather up a good list of recipes.
Chances are that your recipe collection is in a bit of disarray. You’ve ripped recipes from magazines and stuffed them in strange places. You have a pile of cookbooks that have a few dog-eared pages, while others go virtually untouched, unread, and un-cooked.
Take control of your recipes, and build your own collection of easy-to-access favorite recipes. By having them on hand, you’ll find that you’ll be more likely to cook if it is easier to find recipes that you know you, and your family, will love.
For those of you who like to save things online, there are several free online sites that allow you to save your own recipes.
This post from Simple Bites will help you get started.
3 Simple Ways to Store Online Recipes from Simple Bites.
For those a bit more low-tech, create a filing system. Copy recipes from cookbooks, slide them into a plastic sheet protector, and place them in a three ring binder. Divide the recipes into sections that are workable for you – ex., breakfast, lunch and dinner; beef, chicken, vegetarian; desserts, snacks, and meals. When you prepare a recipe, make notation as to how well you all liked the recipe, any changes you made to the recipe, or any problems that occurred during preparation. This will make for easy reference when you make it again.
2. Gain an Understanding of Basic Cooking Techniques.
Anyone who has read Julia Child’s memoir My Life in France will know that it took a bunch of dedication and a lot of trial and error to learn how to properly cook. You may not have the time to head off the Le Cordon Bleu, or experiment endless times with a recipe until you find perfection, but to find success in the kitchen, you will need a basic understanding of cooking techniques.
Learn how to make sauce. Learn how to prepare simple meals with few ingredients. Learn how to bake. Learn how to whip up a meal with the ingredients on hand. Learn how to make a sauce.
Head on over to YouTube and search for some great educational videos. Read cookbooks and experiment. Get in the kitchen with your Mom or friends who know how to cook. Or, take a class at a local cooking school or kitchenware shop.
3. Tap into your Inner Adventurer.
You’ll never get out of the old rut unless you decide to step out of your comfort zone. Go ahead and try one new recipe each week. Try preparing a themed meal from a cuisine you haven’t already tried – Indian, Vegetarian, or Thai, for example. Once you get the adventurer spirit into play, you’ll find that things are so much more enjoyable when you’re in the kitchen.
4. Make Something you Often Buy
So many of us are label readers and are well aware of all those extra unpronounceable ingredients that go into making some of our favorite foods. In an effort to cut back on those undesirable ingredients, take a look at what you find yourself buying frequently and decide to make it yourself. Start simple and move on from there – Instead of buying them, make blueberry muffins, granola bars, bread, pasta sauce, salad dressing, fruit leathers, or waffles. Once you get in the habit of making foods you might otherwise buy, you’ll realize how tasty home-made foods can be — and, you’ll be saving money as well.
5. Plan. Plan. Plan.
The biggest reason you’re not making it happen is because you haven’t taken the time to plan. Planning is an essential step in the process of changing your ways (and the first of the Family Eats Four Pillars). Plan weekly meals. Plan your shopping. Plan when and how you’ll make the meals. And, Plan to eat together as a family at least once a week.
6. Eat Whole Foods
Nature’s best come in whole varieties. Eating food in its natural state, means all those vitamins, minerals and nutrients will be intact. When food is processed, many of the nutrients are removed. With whole foods you get all the nutrients a food has to offer, the way nature intended them to be enjoyed.
Eat an apple. Chomp on Veggies and a homemade bean dip. Cut back on processed foods. Shop for bulk grains.
7. Ask Questions, Pay Attention and Beware of Marketers promoting the next food craze.
Years ago when the No-fat food craze hit the shelves, so many of us jumped on the bandwagon assuming that this was the answer to all our bad eating habits. Then, one day, someone took the time to ask questions. Someone took the time to look at the label. Someone took the time to really investigate how healthy – or rather unhealthy – these no fat foods really were. Don’t get caught up in the next food craze; Take the time to investigate before jumping on board.
8. Have a Bit of Willpower — and Stop to Think.
When we hear the word ‘willpower’ we often think of dieting. But I’m talking about the willpower needed to stop and think before you buy. Stop and think before you eat. Stop and think before opting to head to the drive-thru. If you just stop yourself and ask, “Is there another way I could do this?” you just might realize that there is a better way! (For a bit of inspiration, refer to No. 5).
9. Set Goals – Take Baby Steps
You can’t make the transition from convenience foods to home made foods overnight. Set goals, and take baby steps on your adventure to meet those goals.
10. Find a Balance As with anything in life, a balance is essential. Eat healthy, but also let yourself indulge. Plan for meals on the go, but don’t beat yourself up when you find yourself with only fast-food options from time to time.
