What does “Eat Real Food” mean to you?
To me it means going back to the way our great great grandparents used to eat. Choosing food that is preferably local or organic, and in it’s whole, natural form and doesn’t have anything added to it to preserve it or make it a prettier colour so that we want to eat it. Using fresh fruit and vegetables in my meals uses every colour of the rainbow, so why would we need any artificial colours?
Why is eating real food so important?
There’s so many reasons. Packaged, processed, and store bought food that comes in boxes, plastic, cans, and jars have lost so many nutrients and gained so many additives, dyes and artificial flavourings just so that it can survive the transport to the grocery store, on the shelves, and finally in your kitchen.
Slowly we are realizing the effects all of these unnatural foods are having on our bodies. Disease, poor digestion, weight gain, addictions, cravings, and fatigue are symptoms and illnesses that we are all surrounded by and familiar with.
So.. how can we make our food, our fuel?
By making the choice to spend a little more time planning, shopping, and preparing our meals is how we can maintain a healthier lifestyle and diet.
Top tips to guide you through “EATING REAL FOOD”
- Clean out the “Junk”. If it’s not there, you won’t eat it, right?!
- Stock up your kitchen pantry with whole grains, nuts and seeds, healthy oils and fats, dried herbs and spices, beans and legumes.
- Join an organic food delivery service that delivers fresh produce weekly.
- Cook food in batches and freeze some for those days that you have less time to cook.
- Plan for the week what meals you will have and only shop for those meals (follow the list!)
- Spend one afternoon planning, shopping, and preparing your meals for the week. Wash, cut, and store fresh produce so its ready to grab and use for snacks and meals.
Shopping Ideas
Carbs:
Choose whole grains such as brown rice, millet, wild rice, quinoa, barley, oats, etc. Avoid products that list “wheat” or “enriched wheat” and instead choose 100% whole grain or whole wheat (if you are choosing to eat wheat).
Protein:
Choose local, know your source, visit the farm where your meat comes from, include some vegetarian sources often (such as beans, legumes, tempeh, nuts and seeds).
Good Quality Fats:
Choose healthier fats such as olive oil, coconut oil, flax seed oil, avocados, fish oil, sesame oil, ghee, butter, nuts and seeds.
Note: Stick with whole fats in your butter and yogurt because you need the fat to absorb the fat soluble vitamins (avoid skim milk).
Try to avoid:
White and brown sugar, high fructose corn syrup, white flour, artificial colours, sweeteners and additives. Also, try to avoid ingredients you can’t pronounce and anything hydrogenated.
Visit your local farmer’s markets:
You can support local, know that your food hasn’t traveled far to get here, and know what is in your food!
The fewer the ingredients the better:
Try to buy items that have very few ingredients. If it has more than 5 ingredients and you can’t understand what they are, maybe reconsider buying it.
Shop around the perimeter of the store:
There are a few exceptions such as brown rice, whole grain flours, and 3 ingredient crackers, but for the most part you will find more “fresh whole foods” in the perimeter of the store.
Grow your own produce:
When you can, in the summer months grow some of your own produce. Once you discover the taste of a home grown tomato, there’s no going back!
Your Mantra
I hope this has been helpful, keeping those 3 little words (EAT REAL FOOD) in your head before and while you plan, decide, shop, prepare, and eat will keep your choices healthy!
Please feel free to ask questions, offer your own struggles or challenges, and comment on your progress. I look forward to hearing from you! We couldn’t be more excited to hear from you! Also, invite friends and family to read and learn this info and let’s Be Healthy and Feel Fabulous together!
This article was created by Laura Harvey at Fresh Senses. We at The Naked Label love to follow Laura because she’s not only a tell-it-like-it-is Registered Holistic Nutritionist, but she’s also super passionate about healthy cooking and fresh, real food. We are ALL about that! Be sure to check out Laura Harvey’s website for more great health tips, upcoming workshops and recipes: Fresh Senses.
Photographs by Laura Harvey.
