Healthier Eating at Home

Healthier Eating, Part 1

Let's face it - Americans are fat, and the rest of the world is joining us in our obesity. We have a propensity to over-eat, under-exercise, and demand that which is not good for us, under the guise that it will all make us "feel better". Eventually, it all catches up with us. Heart disease, diabetes, and other health conditions related to over-eating are all on the rise. That extra helping may have felt good at the time, but it can't compensate for having to inject yourself with insulin several times a day. Heart attacks don't feel very pleasant either.

It's time to change our diets and our lifestyles. If you want to feel good, you need to start by eat well. This series covers a variety of situations where you must eat, including home, work, and social settings.

Healthier Eating at Home

Most of us eat at least two meals a day at home. Most of us also consume several snacks and dessert there as well. Here are several tips for eating healthier meals at home.

#1 - Plan your meals in advance, and use this plan to develop your shopping list.

Sit down before you go grocery shopping and plan out what you will eat for each meal over the next week (or for however long you shop for - it's far cheaper to shop every two weeks or even monthly because you can buy in bulk). Plan for healthy meals and snacks, and use that to build a shopping list. Refuse to buy anything that is not part of your plan. Refuse to stop at the store for a quick snack when you're out running errands. Instead, bring a bottle of water and a light snack with you. Never shop hungry!

#2 - Check the fats and carbs at the door.

When shopping for meats, buy leaner cuts. While you might choose chicken with the skin on at the store (it's cheaper), skin it yourself when you get home. Be sure to include at least two fish meals per week. You might also try a meatless dish once a week. Bean dishes, like chili or baked beans, and homemade pizza lend themselves well to a meatless meal. As you're shopping, watch out for processed foods with lots of added fat. Even "healthy" meals can end up very unhealthy when processed in a factory. Whenever possible, make your own at home. It's cheaper and better for you!