Help! Newly wed who is clueless on 'eating clean'..
I am basically clueless. I feel overwhelmed at the grocery store because I am new to cooking and now I am trying to think of ways to shop healthier for Hubby and I and its. not. computing. hah... Like our version of cooking would be hamburger helper, or a lean cuisine you stick in the microwave. I just need simple practicles that will get me started in the right direction. Maybe grocery list examples, or a website that has recipes that arent super complicated or expensive. Another big concern is budget/money. When you go all out and buy everything organic, the grocery bill can get really high.. so I want to learn how to cook healthy, but be smart about it for a reasonable price! I am willing to take a day like sunday and prepare meals before hand for the week and put my crock pot to use! I just dont know what to cook! Somebody please show me the light!! I'm tired of feeling frustrated.. I didnt know there was a whole new world out there when it comes to eating right!
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Replies
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Start off with some staples in your house :
oatmeal
eggs
yogurt
chicken ( boneless/skinless breasts or thighs)
haddock or tilapia
sweet potatoes
apples
brocolli
beans
salad
whole wheat bread
tuna
Truvia
olive oil0 -
Jamie Oliver's "Food Revolution" book. Worth every penny. Find it at the library if funds are tight. There also may be a lot of great info on his food revolution website.
The cookbook is set out in a way that makes the recipes NOT intimidating. They are tasty, do-able, and healthy. It's a great starting point.
skinnytaste.com has some fantastic recipes as well.
Basically - if you remove from your diet anything that comes in a box, you are going a long way to improving your health.0 -
If you like spicy and easy.
1 package of boneless skinless chicken breasts (usually 3-4 breasts)
1 package of mix ranch dressing
1 medium bottle of Franks Cayenne pepper sauce.
1 - 2 tbs of butter
Toss it all in the crockpot for about 6-8 hours (low heat) depending on your crockpot
Uses:
We ate breasts as a whole with salad as a side.
Sliced the breasts and wrapped them in lettuce like a taco.
Shredded it and used it like taco meat and used tortilla shells
Put it on hamburger buns with pickles like a BBQ Sandwich.
Simple and easy.....i think it's called Buffalo Ranch Chicken.0 -
Breakfast: oatmeal or eggs
snack: yogurt or apple with peanut butter
Lunch: tuna sandwich on wheat and grapes
Snack: protein shake or some hummus & carrot sticks
Supper: baked chicken or fish, sweet potato and a vegetable.
Buy frozen or fresh veggies and fruits... never canned.... too much sodium.
Almonds are another great snack item too0 -
I don't buy organic...refuse to pay the prices... you can get brown rice, apples, vegetables (yes frozen ones are fine) lean protein, any type of fruit that you like that is natural (not out of a can or jar)... nuts, seeds and things like that.. you just want to stay away from processed foods as much as possible...0
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also:
http://www.100daysofrealfood.com/
is a pretty good site...they talk about eating on a budget as well.0 -
Check out skinnytaste.com. I use her recipes ALL OF THE TIME! I also use skinnyms.com. We have been eating mostly clean for a while now and I have to cook for a 3 year old as well so it has to be somewhat kid-friendly. These sites are wonderful resources. I don't buy everything organic. I try to buy what's in season and I stick to the perimeter of the store for most of our food. I use my crockpot at least once a week. Good luck!0
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I am basically clueless. I feel overwhelmed at the grocery store because I am new to cooking and now I am trying to think of ways to shop healthier for Hubby and I and its. not. computing. hah... Like our version of cooking would be hamburger helper, or a lean cuisine you stick in the microwave. I just need simple practicles that will get me started in the right direction. Maybe grocery list examples, or a website that has recipes that arent super complicated or expensive. Another big concern is budget/money. When you go all out and buy everything organic, the grocery bill can get really high.. so I want to learn how to cook healthy, but be smart about it for a reasonable price! I am willing to take a day like sunday and prepare meals before hand for the week and put my crock pot to use! I just dont know what to cook! Somebody please show me the light!! I'm tired of feeling frustrated.. I didnt know there was a whole new world out there when it comes to eating right!
I used to be 100% organic fanatic but I'm glad I lightened up. Now I mostly stick with organic meat and dairy because I feel you get the biggest benefit from avoiding the hormones, steroids, and antibiotics they put in the animals. I've had a lot of thyroid, adrenal fatigue, and other hormone issues so I feel this helps those issues.
As much as I hate it I can't afford all organic right now either so I only buy organic produce if it's available and reasonably priced.
Just find recipes that you like and fix foods at home and you will find they will be healthy enough. Even just simple meals with grilled or baked meats, fish, poultry (with various spices). Salad. Fruit salad. Rice, potatoes, grits, various grains, legumes, or a really good loaf of fresh sourdough or whole grain bread. YUM. I love food. I prepare all my own and it's nothing fancy.0 -
check out skinnytaste.com, she makes delicious and easy meals.
Another would be weight watchers cook books, they even have 5 ingredient meals.
When shopping, buy local or farmers markets if you can, pick up the rest at a grocery store. Eating healthy that is NOT organic is much better than hamburger helper
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Something that works for me is buying lots of vegetables to have in the fridge. I wouldn't get too wrapped up in organic if you are budget-minded....fresh vegetables are healthy, organic or not. With cooler weather ahead, you can roast lots of vegetables in the oven very simply with just salt, pepper, and olive oil. Bolstering up with these, you can get away with smaller portions of meat to go along with. If you're cooking for two, again - keep it simple! A simple quick sear on boneless pork chops, then finished in the oven is really easy - and again, all you need for that is salt, pepper, and olive oil. Grilling boneless chicken breasts is alsy very easy and healthy. I know this wasn't a wealth of information, but maybe enough to cover 2 nights worth of weeknight dinners!0
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If you're just starting, a tip would be to grocery shop week by week, it's different if you are used to shopping for canned/boxed goods because you tend to wait longer in between trips. I buy fresh as much as possible and make endless combinations of salads, wraps sandwiches, veggie burgers etc. Good stuff, but will go bad within the week if you don't use it, so I buy only enough to last a week, and buy more the next week. Cookbooks help, I'm sure a quick, cheap and easy cookbook exists somewhere.
I currently use recipes from the Flat Belly Diet book, there are tons of good options for each meal, and its good stuff (that I would never think of). To keep it cheap I go through and pick recipes with similar ingredients (2 or 3 recipes for each meal) and make only those for the week, then switch it up the next week. Best way to do it and it saves money.0 -
Don't go grocery shopping when you are hungry! Make a list of items you need. My husband and I always have two large tupperware containers full of sliced celery and carrots in water for quick, easy and healthy snacks. We have a big freezer in the basement so when meat goes on sale, we buy a lot and freeze it in portions. I hope these help 0
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My go-to website for healthy, approachable recipes is skinnytaste.com. Recipes are easy to follow, ingredients are healthy and many of the recipes are pretty frugal. Her focus is more on whole foods than strictly "clean eating" but the two philosophies are very compatible.0
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If you like spicy and easy.
1 package of boneless skinless chicken breasts (usually 3-4 breasts)
1 package of mix ranch dressing
1 medium bottle of Franks Cayenne pepper sauce.
1 - 2 tbs of butter
Toss it all in the crockpot for about 6-8 hours (low heat) depending on your crockpot
Uses:
We ate breasts as a whole with salad as a side.
Sliced the breasts and wrapped them in lettuce like a taco.
Shredded it and used it like taco meat and used tortilla shells
Put it on hamburger buns with pickles like a BBQ Sandwich.
Simple and easy.....i think it's called Buffalo Ranch Chicken.
OHHH this sounds sooooo good!!!!!! Thanks for posting!!0 -
BUMP0
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This thread is great! Thanks for all the great ideas (for those of us spying.... LOL).0
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When you're new to cooking the most important thing IMO is learning to stock your pantry. First you want to get some spices- garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper, rosemary, oregano, basil, thyme, cinnamon, cumin, etc. Watch for buy-one-get-one free sales on those kinds of things. They are expensive but once you are well stocked you won't have to buy very often.
Second thing is to stock up on essentials you can easily add to meals like canned/dry and frozen goods. Get some frozen veggies packs, some cans of tomatoes and tomato paste, a few varieties of beans (pinto, black, kidney, etc.), tuna, brown rice, whole grain pasta, etc. There are many meals you can make with no fresh ingredients. In a pinch I'll whip together some pasta, a few cans of tuna and frozen veggies for a complete dinner. Again watch for the sales. You don't want to have to wait and buy this stuff when you really need it. When I shop I always walk all the isles and look for any really great sales on stuff that doesn't go bad so I can stock up. I try not to buy anything unless it's on sale and this has worked for me pretty well with smart planning.
Third thing is fresh stuff, and you will probably do this weekly. Get all the local ads before you go and figure out which store has the best deals on produce and meat for the week. I just look for the cheapest meat that week, let's say chicken thighs for example, and google recipes with that meat. It has forced me to expand my cooking skills as well and my tastes. I have discovered a lot of new foods I actually love. Pick a few veggies and fruits for the week, but only buy what you need. People tend to throw a lot of money away in spoiled produce. Buy what's in season because that will be the cheapest.0 -
Here's a link to an awesome blog that should get you on the right track. It's all about small adjustments, not changing everything all at once. "Small moves, Elle. Small moves."
http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2010/10/04/the-beginners-guide-to-the-paleo-diet/0 -
hi! congrats on the wedding...i would suggest reading "The Primal Blueprint" and going the www.marksdailyapple.com...helped me a lot!0
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It is better to eat non-organic fruits and vegetables than not have them at all. If you are looking to do some but not all organic, you're probably best off focusing on meat and dairy (because of the hormones) and trying to buy fruits and veggies that don't absorb a huge amount of pesticides.
Check out the EWG's list of the dirty dozen and the clean 15. If you're gonna eat spinach or kale, the differential in going organic is well worth the approximately 50cents a pound, but buying organic bananas or avocados makes next to no diffference.
http://www.ewg.org/foodnews/summary/0 -
http://emeals.com/
You can check out this website and see if it is anything that interests you. They give you weekly meal plans and a shopping list for the grocery store of your choice. They do have an option to do a clean eating plan, meals for 2, or a family plan. I've been using it and I like having a plan for dinner each night.0 -
For dinner tonight I had skinless chicken breasts. In a bowl I mixed 2 large tablespoons of parmesan cheese, 1 teaspoon of arrowroot, 1 teaspoon of garlic powder and a large teaspoon of garam masala, then seasoned with freshly milled sea salt and pepper. Coat the chicken in the mixture, then I fried it in avocado oil. I made a dip with Greek yogurt and cucumber (I eat primal so added some single cream as well). The coating gets really crispy as you cook it, and is delicious. Really quick and easy. Serve with a salad, or veg, I had veg, the rest of my family had spicy fries.0
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Bump to look at later!0
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I actually find dinner to be the easiest because I can throw meat and veggies in the crockpot or make turkey burgers and sweet potatoes fries in a hurry.
My challenge is usually lunches. I precook lots of chicken for quick lunches. I grill/broil chicken breasts with different salt-free seasonings for quick sandwiches or salads. I also make a chicken that shreds for tacos or lettuce wraps. If I'm in a hurry, I just use a jar of salsa with a bag of frozen boneless skinless chicken breasts. If I have more time, I'll do homemade pico de gallo, fresh chicken breasts and a little bit of water. About 8 hours in the crock pot on low and it is so tender it falls apart.
For snacks, I have low-fat cheese, yogurt, nuts (almonds or pistachios are my favs), easy to carry fruit (like apples or pears), or peanut butter on rice cakes.
I pre cut lots of veggies. Broccoli, green peppers and onions are essential for me. I have some containers or ziplocs for snacking (like slices of pepper) and I have some precut for cooking (like diced onions). Makes prepping anything super easy. If I know I'm going to make a certain recipe (like a lentil soup), I'll pre cut all of the veggies and mark them. Then, my cooking-challenged husband can throw them all in a pot if he gets home first.
All of my Sunday prep takes me less than 2 hours and it is totally worth it.
Good luck!0 -
Figure out what you're going to need before you go to the grocery store. Look up some recipes for the week and stick to them. When I buy fruits and vegetables, I tend to go overboard without thinking about what I'm gonna use them for, and I end up wasting a lot of food or eating it in ways I don't really like to, just to get it out of the fridge before it goes bad.0
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I noticed someone already mentioned the Flat Belly Diet book, which is a very good book, but I would also suggest checking out The Eat-Clean Diet website ---> http://www.eatcleandiet.com/
They have several different types of books that talk about the subject of Eating Clean. I am currently reading The Eat-Clean Diet book for Men and getting a lot of good information that covers different types of eating for your body in regards to over weight, diseases, fitness, etc. Check them out.0 -
Wow thanks so much you guys. This is very helpful! I have MUCH to learn haha....0
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Make a plan. Sit yourself down with a blank calendar and your list. First ask yourself (or your husband) what you WANT to eat this week. Then fill in your calendar keeping in mind any days you'll be out, or will have leftovers. I use a couple of basic cookbooks like Betty Crocker's Cookbook, and The Best of Bridge cookbooks. They have simple recipes that use everyday ingredients. Nothing irks me more than a delicious sounding recipe that call for fennel and capers. Seriously, who keeps that stuff in their pantry??? Not me!
Here's a sample of what we are eathing this week:(me, husband, 7,6,4, and 2 year old)
Monday: Chicken quesadillas (chicken from last night's roast chicken, flour tortillas, ground cumin, and mexican cheese blend) with sour cream and salsa
Tuesday: Roasted red pepper and sausage soup. This is a new recipe I found online that I'm trying for the first time.
Wednesday: Tourtiere (Quebec meat pie)
Thursday: Pork chops on the BBQ, with rice, and a salad.
Friday: Homemade pizza (pepperoni, bacon, ham, cheese)
Other staples are spaghetti, tacos (El Paso kit), meatball stroganoff, chili.
If you're looking to eat 'clean', then you probably wouldn't eat any of the above, but it doesn't have to be ''clean' to be healthy does it???
So, the moral of the story: get yourself a basic cookbook and follow the instructions. You really can't go wrong with MEAT, Starch, Vegetable either!
Good luck!0 -
Google it. Seroiusly. There are millions of resources on the web for healthy eating.0
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