Steps to eating healthy – Day 1

After writing my splurges on healthy eating on a budget and getting healthy eating into the mix of family life, I realized that this is more complex than just a one or two article shot.  Soooooo, I decided to start a 5 day guide to how to start this healthy eating thing.  Trust me.  You’ll thank me in the long run!!

So many people just don’t know where to start.  “How can I feed my family on our budget, but still eat healthy?”  I hear ya.  I understand.  It can be tough, but I’m here to tell you – it’s totally possible.  We’re living proof.

Meet us (HI!) – we have 3 people in our household (sometimes 5, but soon to be a permanent 4 if all goes well – whole other story!).  2 Adults, 1 Five year old, and 1 Fifteen Year old.  And, every other weekend – a 12 year old girl. Mostly boys.  Yeah.  Boys.   I work full time and am starting a business and I blog.  So I have like… 3 jobs.  PLUS time with my family.  I’m busy. The Hubby works full time and lots of overtime plus does things around the house.  He’s busy.  And yet, we find time. If WE can do it, so can you. I promise!

So let’s get to it.

The first step we took?  We reduced, if not almost totally eliminated, eating out. Eating out, even at “healthy” restaurants, they may not fry their food in trans fats, but it’s still not good for you.  They may put your food on the grill, but I promise that the BBQ sauce you’re using or ketchup you put on your food is NOT free of hydrogenated oils or high fructose corn syrup, much less sugars.  Restaurants are businesses before anything else.  They’re in the business to make money which means getting ingredients as cheaply as possible.  Cheap doesn’t always mean healthy. Just because it’s low in fat doesn’t mean it’s perfect for you.

Not to mention – eating out really eats up a lot of your money!  When we stopped eating out so much, we noticed a few things.

1.       We weren’t as hungry during the day because we weren’t full of processed foods.  This is also coupled with our reduction in sugars, processed grains, etc.  But it was noticeable.

2.       Our bank account looked a little bit better! 

3.       We found that eating at home was not as time consuming as we (I) thought.  You think that the task of cooking and cleaning up afterwards has to be stressful and daunting?  Nope!  20-30 minute meals and clean up as you go – bam. EASY!

4.       We found that having family time together (even with extended “out of the house” family) was possible at home.  We don’t have to meet at a restaurant – come over to our house! 

The best thing was the budget.  Wow.  It really saved us money by not stopping at McDonald’s, Arby’s, the Mexican Restaurant down the street, the Chinese place around the corner – convenience was NOT the best choice for us. Not only was it unhealthy, but it was expensive.

Add up those $3 value meals over the course of a month. Feeding a family of 3 (or 4 or 5) can quickly add up to $20 per visit to the drive thru.  Times that by 3 – 4 days a week and you’re talking $60 – $100 a WEEK on junk food.  When you can take that money, roll it into groceries for an ENTIRE week, and have money left over.  Woah.

Stay tuned for tomorrow’s step!

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