Healthful Eating

I have a confession to make. This may come as a surprise to you. You may be speechless after hearing what I have to say. You may run to your closet screaming only to hide and sob after reading the next sentence.

I have been relying on packaged food much too heavily the past few months.

GASP!

Okay, I feel better after getting that off my chest. The first step to fixing a problem is admitting that you have a problem in the first place. But is packaged food a problem? I think that it is. I go in spurts where I feed my family very wholesome and natural foods and then fall back into the pre-packaged slump. And I notice a difference in our energy, mood, and overall health by the diet that we consume. Coincidence? I think not.

Our diets, on a whole, have become something similar to a science fiction novel. Do you think that even just 100 years ago people would imagine that we would be drinking bubbly soda sugar from a can or bright orange cheese puffs? That sugar and fat would outweigh our consumption of fruits and vegetables? That most of what we eat doesn't even count as nutrition? It's scary, really, and I think our diets are the main reason we are facing such scary numbers on diabetes, cancer, and other illnesses.

But back to my confession and the fact that I have been straying from healthful eating back to the boxed items. It's so easy just to grab a frozen item and throw it in the oven, or open a can of spaghettio o's and dump it in a bowl for lunch. When the going gets tough in our house we tend to get lazy and look for quick fixes. But our health suffers from it. I notice that I am much more tired lately and much of it has to be due to the excess of unhealthy foods. If I am not supplying my body with nutritious food it is going to crash at some point. The kids seem to be more hyper and moody, probably due to the extra sugar. Soda has become a staple in the house and I notice right after lunch (when I allow myself a can of soda) I get a burst of energy and then come crashing down. I just don't feel my best.

So my goal is to get back on track with our eating. It all comes down to little changes at a time but already after a day of going back to the real stuff (you know, food that is actually food!) I feel better. Normal. I'm curious, now that I am even more aware of our eating habits, to see how our body and attitudes change over the next few days and weeks as we start supplying our bodies with nutrition and not just stuff. I am glad that my children are not too picky and are opening to trying most foods. One thing that I will need to avoid is taking my hubby to the grocery store, he is one of the worst in the family when it comes to junk food and sugary snacks (sorry honey, was that a secret to keep?). But even he knows that we all feel better when our eating is on track. So here is to day two of healthy eating once again!

Do any of you have a favorite healthy recipe or snack that you care to share? I will post recipes, ideas, and hints (as well as updates) in the following weeks. First tip of this journey is that when your toddler is hungry and you give him a bowl of blackberries for a snack make sure he does not sneak away from the table with his bowl and smash all the berries on the living room carpet. Let's just say that it takes a LONG time to clean up a mess like that.

Does anyone care to join me on my journey of healthful eating, or vow to just give up one of your vices this week?