Healthy eating for the whole family - A Step by Step Guide

I've been on a kick recently to cut out as much of the processed foods out of our diet as possible. Well, actually, it's not a kick since I've been doing it for years now. I guess you could call it a mission.

Yes, I'm on a mission to keep my family healthy and to teach my daughters good eating habits. To that end, 90% of what we consume is purchased fresh. I don't buy anything packaged except for crackers, pasta, rice and a few other items. I do not have one aluminum can in my pantry.

Ever since I read about all of the chemicals that seep from the can into our food, I cannot bring myself to eat anything out of a can.  Taking a stand agains aluminum cans was easy since we already had the habit of avoiding canned goods (we just don't like how the food tastes out of a can). But there was one item that we used quite a bit...tomato sauce. Finding plain tomato sauce in a different container was hard to do. So my dear husband had the hare brained idea to make our own tomato sauce. I actually tried to do it, but found it to be too time consuming, not to mention, the mess I made.  I finally found tomato sauce in small cartons. No chemicals and the price was really reasonable compared to the cans.

The more I read about what's in our food, the more I am determined to cut out the processed foods. It's really scary. It's not just about eating chemical, pesticide, and additive free. It's about making sure my family is eating the best, freshest, safest food possible. By making all of our food fresh I can control what goes into it (fat, butter, oil) and how it is prepared (baked vs. fried).
Here are the top ways I have found to promote healthy eating at home and when we go out.

• Planning - I plan weekly menus so we are not tempted to "eat just anything unhealthy" just because everyone's hungry. Menu planning also makes it easier to go food shopping because you are more likely to stay within budget when you stick to a list. By planning ahead, you can make sure you have all of the ingredients you will need for the meals you want to make.

• Shopping - I choose to shop in stores that have more organic and natural food choices. Although I don't buy strictly organic, I do look for certain things like seafood that is wild caught instead of farm raised. You would be shocked at the conditions of most of these "fish farms" and how much bacteria and other stuff is in your seafood. Another thing to remember is that the FDA regulations when it comes to imported seafood are very lax. I've read that only about 5% of imported seafood is actually regulated. Scary!

• Getting the kids involved - Asking for the kids' input in meal planning teaches them to make good choices and it helps them see the value of eating healthy vs. eating junk food.

• Setting Limits - We don't have any type of junk food in our house. The children do not eat chips or drink soda. But as parents we do understand that kids like that kind of stuff. So we allow our kids to eat junk food on weekends. But it is not a free for all, there are still limits and they have to show moderation.

• Finding balance - I think it's important to teach kids to seek balance in all aspects of their lives. It is no different with food. Since we don't eat cookies or other packaged sweets, when the kids crave a "sugary treat", we will bake fresh cookies. The kids get to eat cookies, they help in the kitchen with the baking and I know what they're eating(no chemicals or additives).

• From frozen to fresh vegetables - Did you know that the US government allows a certain amount of bugs, maggots, larvae and other insects in our frozen vegetables? Yes, it's completely acceptable, so it should come as no surprise that with every bite of your frozen broccoli or corn, there are crushed up insects that you are unknowingly consuming. How gross is that? I knew that canned veggies were bad, but I always thought I was safe with the frozen ones. On the upside, it is very easy to prepare fresh veggies. Of course, you can purchase and eat them right away. But vegetables perish quickly so you need other options. See "Storing" below for tips.

Heres the article that changed everything for me    8 Bugs You Don't Know You're Eating

• From processed to homemade - My oldest daughter practices sports and is very active. She's also always hungry and really relies on those power bars or fruit bars for energy throughout her day. So I decided that I would start making my own energy bars! My daughter was willing to try them out which was a great first step. It turned out that she loved them and asks for those little energy bars all the time! Not only am I saving money, but my daughter is eating something fresh, homemade and with no additives. It's a win-win in my book.

• Storing - After I wash all of my leafy greens (lettuce, spinach, collard greens) I dry them with a clean towel and store them separately in sealable containers always with a paper towel. The paper towel absorbs any moisture and the leafy greens stay fresh longer. With other veggies, I'll wash them well, then blanch them quickly in boiling water. Once they're cool enough, I store them in the freezer. When I need them, all I have to do is put the veggies in a bowl with a little bit of water and microwave it for 30 seconds to a minute. They are ready to be consumed!

• Cooking ahead and freezing - This is a good tip for us busy moms juggling a million things at once. Take a couple of hours on a Sunday and prepare your meals for the week, then freeze them. When you are busy and need a quick dinner, pull one of those dishes out of the freezer and you are still providing your family with a healthy homemade option.

• From Canned to fresh - Buy dried beans instead of canned. It's a little more work but it's totally worth it. I wash and soak the beans, then cook them without any seasoning. I freeze them until I'm ready to use. I do this with black beans, red beans even lentils.

• Your local farm - Go to your local farm for fresh eggs, meat, and poultry. This way you can be sure you are buying eggs and poultry from free range chickens and the meat comes from cows that are grain fed without hormones.

Other steps I hope to take:

• Growing my own food
• Raising chickens for eggs
• Making my own bread and pasta

For now, I can feel good about the fact that my kids are learning healthy eating habits and becoming educated about food choices and nutrition. And I can rest assured that I won't find any bugs, animal or human parts in our food. Yuck. How many of those stories have you read? Too many for me!

What about you? Are you a junk food junkie or a healthy eater, or somewhere in between? I would love to hear your thoughts!