I KEEP slipping up by dinner time HELP!!!

fairestthings

My issue was portion control AND convenience. I love healthy food, the idea of "clean" food and organic foods... but sometimes being a mom, it's just easier to call in a pizza and eat the whole damn thing myself.

That said...

Prioritizing yourself is a must. Your grocery day needs to be just that -- ALL about food. The day before (or days before the trip) make out a meal plan of HEALTHY meals and snacks. Know your weaknesses -- salty? sweet? savory? Asian? Mexican? Conveniet? Plan for the weaknesses. If you like sweet, do NOT deprive yourself. This is how we screw up and binge or just give up. Instead of (just an example) buying a Hershey's bar, buy the 75% (minimum) dark cocoa bars or squares. They can come in a variety of flavors and are usually around 50 calories per square. Yes, you may want the whole container, but know you will only have one. Salty? Capers are great and are not full of salt! Add them to salads, tacos, anything that you can mix with. Pasta salads too. Need a crunch? Rice cakes, rice chips, soy chips, pita chips... just start with healthier options. They may still be higher in calorie than a rice chip, but get veggie chips if you have to. Or go in the natural section where there are really good whole grain chips. Start slow and work your way to healtheir options.

If you crave certain ethnic dishes, make one yourself once a week if you have to. Make large enough batch that you can have leftovers. Look at EACH ingredient in a dish and see if there isn't a healthier option. Need taco shells? Opt to wrap things in a romaine leaf instead. Or, switch to pita and slowly work to romaine leaves.

Remember the rule that -- whatever is white, is not right. White rice, white bread, etc. Don't eat it.

Once you grocery shop, wash and rinse every produce item. Know your meals. Will that meal need chopped carrots? Wash and chop them now! Want berries to snack on through the week? Wash them and stash them in 8 oz containers now. Portion control before you're even hungry. That way, throughout the week, you have already told yourself what you can and cannot have that day. You can have your snacks, but in the proper portions and proper healthy options.

Ziploc bowls (xsmall, small, medium, large) are really awesome to help portion control throughout the week.

Also, this helps with convenience so you're not chopping, washing, preparing, rinsing every day or multiple times a day. If you don't want to make eggs every day, begin to boil eggs for hard-boiled eggs while you're doing the food prep after grocery shopping.