Have you ever thought about all the choices that you make in a day, a week or a month?
We make choices every day based on the food we want to eat, the clothes we want to wear and the places we want to shop. We get to choose what we want. We all love having choices but often times don’t realize how much our choices are making an impact on ourselves and our families.
What did you eat today? Did you choose processed foods because they are quick and easy (I get it, I promise) or did you choose wholesome good foods cooked from scratch? The choice can be simple, but it is never easy. We know the difference between healthy food that nourishes our bodies and the junk food that just gets us through to the next meal or afternoon slump at our desks. Do you know what was in your lunch, your beverage, or your snack? When was the last time you looked at the back of a package of something you were going to purchase? Interestingly enough, I started looking at labels very carefully when our daughter was diagnosed with a severe dairy allergy. I started looking for the obvious, dairy. What I didn’t understand at first is that it is hidden under all different kinds of names. Wow, that was an eye opener!
The other thing I noticed as I was inspecting labels was some products had 8-10 ingredients listed and the same product but in a different brand had 4-5 ingredients. Why all the extra ingredients was my first question? Of course, the answer was quick. The more fillers they add, the cheaper it is to make. Basically, it isn’t even real food at that point, or have any nutritional value! As if that wasn’t bad enough, I learned that those “other” ingredients were really just a preservative to give food extra shelf life. Well, holy cow, I don’t have any desire for my loaf of bread to sit in my cabinet for 2 weeks and never even grow one speck of mold on it. Seriously, that is not food, that is just down right nasty. So, what the heck do we do? I know, it can be very overwhelming and difficult at times. We try to live by an 80/20 rule in our house. (Note, I said try!) I am a mom of 4, a wife and have a busy business, I don’t win all of the battles in this house. But I do the best I can for my family and to educate them on what to choose also.
We look at labels and pick the products with the least amount of ingredients in it. We try to stick with dye free products and try to cook from scratch as often as we can. The key point is education and moderation. If you don’t know what the product is and it is listed on products in your pantry, google it. Is it a cancer causing ingredient? (I promise they are out there and in a lot of our foods!) Is it a hormone disruptor? Or is it known to make us addicted to that particular product? Yes, they put all kinds of toxic and unnecessary ingredients in our food and most people don’t even know it! But remember, you have a choice!
Here are a few tips for the next time you are at the grocery store or preparing your grocery list:
- Check out the ingredients list on products you already have in your home and decide if you feel that product has any nutritional value, if not then limit the amount of times you purchase and consume this food.
- Walk around the perimeter of the grocery store. The perimeter is where they have the meat, fresh produce and dairy, these are usually the healthier options for all of us.
- DON’T go to the store hungry. Eat a little something on the way to the store, or shop after you have had a meal. You will be less impulsive and make healthier choices!