 A Healthy Lifestyle:
A Beginner's Guide
Make healthy choices.
At the grocery store, read labels carefully. Pay attention to serving size and preservatives. Here are a few brands that I like because I recognize all of the ingredients and the product tastes good:
- Amy’s Organic Frozen Burritos.
- Salsa Lisa. This is made locally and tastes great.
- Seasons of Change pasta sauce. It costs more than Prego or Classico, but its worth it…and it’s natural.
- V8 Fusion. Three servings of fruit loaded into one container. If this tastes too sweet for you, cut it with water or drink it on the rocks.
- Bear Naked granola. I love this but its pricey. I’ve been experimenting with my own recipe, see below.
- Sesmark Savory Thins. This is a thin cracker with a nice crunch and all natural ingredients
Prepare foods healthfully. Boil, steam or roast instead of frying. Use water when sautéing to reduce the use of oil. Fry in a non-stick pan. These tricks help you use less fat and they create a better product. Purée baby food. Whip up your own sauces or salad dressings. Make substitutions. Applesauce can be used in place of oil. Honey can replace sugar.
Here are a few more ideas (you can find the recipes here):
- Make your own granola. Add oats, almonds, craisins, raisins, pecans, coconut to canola oil and honey. Bake slowly in the oven. Use less time and more honey for a chewy texture. I’m still working on the perfect combination.
- Fresh fruit salad. This fruit salad will last for a couple days in the fridge and kids love it! Add more fruit to the mix when it runs low. Bananas are better when added closer to serving time.
- I have a friend who avoids preservatives in microwave popcorn by using a Whirley*Pop popcorn popper. www.popcornpopper.com If you add 1 tablespoon of sugar it becomes kettle corn.
- Roast vegetables. It’s so easy and is a great way to add a flavorful side dish. Just preheat the oven to 450º. Coat the pan with olive oil, add minced garlic or onion, salt and pepper to taste. Roast chopped zucchini, potatoes, peppers and carrots. In the summer, add garden fresh rosemary.
- Start your day with a smoothie. Here’s our recipe for banana-blueberry: 1 banana, 1 c. frozen blueberries, and 1 cup nonfat plain yogurt. Blend on high speed until smooth. Makes 2 servings.
- Make your own vinaigrette. Whisk 1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard and 3 Tablespoons of fresh lemon juice. Add ¼ cup olive oil in a steady stream until emulsified. Season with coarse salt and ground pepper.
- Make your own fresh salsa. Technically, I guess this is Pico de gallo, because it isn’t cooked. It is great to serve on the side with chicken or Mexican dishes. Or just eat with chips.
Additional Resources:
There are several non-profit and government agencies that offer very helpful information. Here are a few sites that I found helpful:
www.mealsmatter.com (Dairy Council of California)
www.aicr.org (American Institute for Cancer Research)
www.5aday.org (Better Health Foundation)
www.eatright.org (American Dietetic Association)
www.healthierus.gov/dietaryguidelines (Department of Health and Human Services)
www.MyPyramid.gov (United States Department of Agriculture)
Back: Healthy Lifestyle Choices
KAREN HENKE is a professional organizer and the owner of Come2Order. With a collection of 17 years work experience in design, space planning and organization, she now helps others come to order. |
