10 Tricks to Help You Eat Right

It is pretty much impossible to call yourself health-minded without considering what you put in your mouth.  Eating right is certainly not the only segment of pursuing a healthy lifestyle, but it does play a substantial role. But wait, do you hear what I hear? The cries and stomping of the feet?

"Oh, but it is so much work!"
"Isn't it easier to go through the drive thru?"
"But, it takes so much thought and preparation."
"The effort and intention is exhausting."
"It is too expensive!"
"It might taste bad!"

Yes, there are elements of truth in some of those claims.  But, anything worthwhile pretty much does take effort.  And, frankly, you're worth it  And so are your children. I bet you can see the value in feeling better, looking better, having more energy and giving you and your family more time and more money in your pocket. After all, in the long run it is less expensive to eat right and pursue the best health because you won't be making time-consuming and expensive visits to the doctor.

It makes logical sense to me and if it does to you, too, I offer a few easy tips to help you keep those healthy eating habits a part of your daily life.

How to Make Eating Healthy Easier 

Read this list below and see if any could work for you:

Begin at the beginning.  Your start to the day can really set the intention for the day. Starting off right can usually mean ending right.  Start off badly, and all bets are off.  "Ah, I'll start tomorrow," you tell yourself after the plate of doughnuts. "What's one more day?"  But, those first choices of the day can begin with your first meal. Make it an easy one if you like with a healthy smoothie listed here or another choice here. The point is eat healthy first meal.


Also, start each meal with the healthiest of your choices. Eat that salad first, those vegetables first or at least a lot of them. That way, you fill up on the good stuff first and want less of the not as good.

Brown bag it.  Packing you own healthy lunch is a great way to save money as well as pack in some nutrients. I have some other reasons why packing a lunch is important here and great lunch gear here and lots of other ideas here on that subject as well.

Make it nutrient dense.  Pack in some super nutritious foods in your dishes to make the most of the meal.  Smoothies, sauces, soups, herbs and spices all provide opportunities to make your meals healthier. Check out these superfoods to give you an idea of how you could incorporate this trick.

Put pencil to paper.  Or notes on cell phone or whatever way is easiest for you to record what you are eating. Sometimes doing this just for a week or two helps you see what you are doing right and where you fall to temptation and where you need to improve.

Cook every other day.  Don't like to cook a lot? That's okay. When I have a busy week ahead, I cook some healthy dishes with enough for two days and just cook every other day.  Round out the second day with a simple salad or other raw vegetables.

Make plans.  If you take the time one day a week and plan out at least your main meals and make a grocery list accordingly, you will save an enormous amount of time and money. No over buying when you have your meals planned. No wandering about your pantry or pondering about what to make for dinner. You got it all planned.  Dinner comes together so much faster and so much healthier.  Plan some easy stuff and maybe one new dish to try a week.

Make it pretty.   If your food looks appetizing, it makes the whole dining experience an occasion!  Even a sprinkling of fresh herbs or spices can do wonders and they contain so many healthy properties too!

Don't go near a grocery store with hunger pangs.  Always grocery-shop on a full stomach with a written list. I don't know about you, but stopping by the store when I am hungry, everything looks good, even the not so good.

Hold on! Schedule a cheat.  If you know you won't be giving up your favorite no-nos forever, it makes it easier to abide by your guidelines if you allow yourself a cheat day or meal where you get to indulge in a few bites of your favorite rich desert or Mama's special sauce. Yes, eat what you want for that cheat, but stop when you feel full and don't overdo.  And, don't blow it so much that you just undid everything you strived for all week! But, enjoy those yummy bites and no guilt!

Get inspired.  Allow others to spark your creative eating pursuits. Follow some great healthy eating blogs like this one to get vegetarian cooking ideas. And I am currently really enjoying working my way around this cookbook to get some healthy meal ideas. And, you may want to check out these fast and healthy dishes to make. A few minutes poking around to see what others are doing can be so much fun and keep you motivated to join the movement!


So, what did I leave off? I am sure you have plenty of tips to add. I would love to hear them. Please do in the comments!





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