I know that going clean/organic/healthy can be completely intimidating and overwhelming. Not to mention it can take a huge hit on your monthly grocery budget. But it is totally doable!
I didn't want to shock my husband all at one time with a $500 grocery bill so the Sunday before I started the challenge I sat down and looked over some great clean eating websites and planned out my menu. I planned breakfast, lunch, snacks and dinner. The first week I went about as basic as possible because I wasn't sure how well I was going to like any of the food. I looked at all of the ingredients I would need for dinners for one week and mainly focused on that. So when I went to the store I only bought what I needed for the week ahead, nothing more. I did not go into my kitchen and throw everything out that was unhealthy or "dirty." To me that would have been impossible to do. I noticed that each week I went to the store, my kitchen was slowly transitioning to clean/healthy foods. I remember opening my fridge one day and talking to my husband saying "It looks like healthy people live here." Then as my shopping continued I start noticing that I hardly ever went down a center aisle in the grocery store. I was shopping from the outer ring only. Little did I know that this is the key to keeping foods healthy, clean and fresh.
So far I have found two great websites for great clean recipes:
The Gracious Pantry and Dashing Dish
Personally, Dashing Dish is my favorite. I have been able to find great recipes on here that are mouthwatering, delicious and picky family approved! There is a membership required for Dashing Dish but it's worth it. Some of the recipes are available without a membership but a lot of the really great ones do require a membership. And to be honest, I just haven't invested enough time on The Gracious Pantry to see what all is available there. I have found some things here and there and it is a great website.
Another fear of mine that I had was cooking 24/7. I don't like to cook... AT ALL! However, I learned that recipes I have found on both of the above websites are quick and easy. Also, you can get your ingredients ready for the week ahead by chopping, bagging and freezing. This takes away a lot of the prep-work involved with cooking any meal. When cooking a clean lasagna or spaghetti, you don't have to make your own sauce. You could but between my family, working full time and trying to enjoy the summer, I don't have time. There are sauces out there that you can buy but you have to look. Look at the ingredients, do your research into bad ingredients and good ingredients and most of all remember that if you can't pronounce it.... DON'T EAT IT!
As I said in my previous post, I will be sharing some great recipes that are approved by my family and trust me, I have a picky bunch. This has been our favorite so far. We love pasta, anything with pasta is great in our opinion so I just had to try this. It is now a staple in our monthly rotation...
Lasagna Roll Ups
And of course always remember that H2O is the way to go! This is all that I have had to drink in over a month. I was addicted to Sprite...GONE! Fruit juice, which I love, GONE! A nightly glass of chocolate milk...GONE! Nothing but water and my Shakeology. Hard? Yes. Worth it? YES YES YES!
I am no pro. I don't know all there is to know about clean eating. I am still a newbie, researching and trying to find my own way through all of this but I hope that a little advice and tips can help anyone wanting to start this journey into a new, healthy you!
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