It's never too late to do some spring cleaning ... especially what you eat

It’s Never Too Late For Spring Cleaning

True confession here–I’ve been planning this post since March. Does your life have a way of getting away from you? I know mine does. So when I revisited this idea a couple of weeks ago, at first I thought I’d have to totally scrap it. But then I realized, “It’s Never Too Late For Spring Cleaning.” This philosophy is true not only for my basement and my garage but also for my kitchen. No, I’m not thinking about cleaning up the dust bunnies from under my fridge (although I probably should), I’m talking about sprucing up how we eat with some simple changes that start in our pantries and refrigerators.

It'S Never Too Late For Spring Cleaning 1

Now let’s face it, making changes can be hard. In fact, they can be downright overwhelming, especially if you start comparing yourself to others or some unrealistic ideal. But what if we take a different approach to change? I recently read a book entitled Little Changes by Kristi Marsh. In it, she shares her personal journey with change after battling cancer and tackling the messy job of cleaning up the toxic foods, cleansers, and personal care products her life. Here’s an excerpt from her book about her journey with food:

The key is to just start. Take one product or food item, and make a wiser choice…. Celebrate your new peanut butter, the tomatoes you grow, or the omelet you made, instead of focusing on what you still have left to do. View changes as a process and not as a destination, and tasks become adventures. There is no end to his journey. It is a life-long philosophy to embrace….

I think Kristi is totally right–”the key is to just start.” I’ve always had more of a “little changes” philosophy. I started my journey to kick my processed food habit over two years ago, and step by step, I’ve made a ton of progress. While I’m still nowhere near “perfect,” I’m proud of where I am today.

So, in the spirit of “little changes” I thought I’d share with you my Top Ten Little Food Changes for a healthier you. Just remember, when you read through these ideas, they aren’t a checklist. Rather, look for an idea that makes sense to you, and that you’re ready to start incorporating into your life:

  1. Sign up for a CSA: If you’ve been reading my blog for awhile, you know I’m a huge CSA fan. Joining a CSA jumpstarted my move away from processed foods and helped me change the way I think about food. I now plan meals thinking about vegetables first. If you’re interested in learning more, check out LocalHarvest or the Organic Consumer Association to find a farm near you.
  2. Shop at the Farmers Market: You’ll be amazed at all the different kinds of produce that are available at your local farmers market. Make your farmers market trips a weekly ritual, but try to go BEFORE you shop for groceries. That way you can plan your meals around what you find at the farmer’s market vs. the other way around. Need some resources to get started? The USDA has a U.S. farmers directory here, and I recently read a great article on OrganicGardening.com about 6 Farmers’ Market Scams and how to avoid them.
  3. Plant a garden: Now I’ll admit, gardening sounds pretty intimidating, especially for those of us who lack a green thumb. One of the easiest ways to start is with herbs. Many herbs grow like weeds and can tolerate even the worst of gardeners. And if you have a small yard (or no yard at all), don’t let it stop you. Find a community garden or check out one of these smart small-space garden alternatives.
  4. Join a Food Co-op: Want to eat healthier but farmers markets and CSAs don’t fit in your lifestyle? Check out food co-ops. In many ways, they have the look and feel of grocery stores, but instead of focusing on processed foods, co-ops usually concentrate on stocking fresh, locally grown food.
  5. Rethink Meat: If there’s one thing that upsets me the most about our industrialized food system it’s how animals are raised and treated. “Pink slime” increased our awareness about what can go on in factories, but what happens on some farms is equally as abhorrent. If you eat meat, learn more about where your meat comes from and how it was raised. Interested in becoming a more responsible omnivore? Check out my shopping tips in my post “Do You Trust Where Your Meat Comes From?”
  6. Kick the Soda Habit: As I chronicled in my post Confessions of a Former Coke “Addict,” I’ve battled a soda addiction at least a couple times in my life. When you add up the sheer volume of sweeteners, artificial flavors & colors, and preservatives these drinks and their non-carbonated counterparts contain, it’s hard to justify keeping them around. I know these drinks may be tough to give up–they have a very “addictive” quality to them. But if you’re interested, check out my post about how I kicked the habit. It’s been over six months now, and I feel great!
  7. Take a REAL FOOD Pledge: One of my favorite blogs that I recently discovered is 100 Days of Reals Food. Lisa Leake runs the site, and she does a wonderful job of sharing lots of great recipes and stories about how her family has made the move to real food. So if you’re up for it, take Lisa’s 10 Days of Real Food Pledge. You won’t regret it!
  8. Drop Dairy from Hormone-Treated Cows: If you eat dairy products, consider switching to products from cows that are NOT treated with hormones. As my post “Simple is Always Good, Right?” points out, the United States is the only developed nation that allows people to consume milk from cows treated with growth hormones, and there are some real differences between milk from treated and untreated cows.
  9. Rehab Your Snacks: Snacking gets most of us in a lot of trouble. Unfortunately, we usually snack in our weakest moments–when we are tired, hungry, or seeking escape. So to fight this battle, you’ve got to clean out the pantry and refrigerator and get rid of all the processed food snacks. Replacing these empty calories with fresh or dried fruit, cut-up veggies, hummus, and nuts can be a huge “little change” in getting you and your family on a healthier path.
  10. Create a New Weeknight Meal Tradition: Do you have any weeknight meal traditions? Unfortunately, most of the traditions out there aren’t very good for you. Well, Meatless Mondays want to change that. Yes, there is a whole movement out there built around helping you plan simple, healthy, meatless meals. A lot of us have forgotten (or never learned) how to make dinner without meat, and there are actually many delicious options. So, try it out for dinner. If you like it, maybe you’ll go meatless for Monday’s breakfast and lunch too.

So what do you think of making “little changes” in what you eat? What are some of the food changes you’ve made that have improved your life? Please feel free to share your ideas in the comment section below. And if you’re interested in learning more about Kristi Marsh’s journey and her book Little Changes, you can visit her website at www.choosewiser.com.

As always, if you’ve enjoyed this post, please share it by pasting a link on your Facebook wall, liking it, or emailing it to a friend. And for more inside scoop on the world of food, please subscribe to my blog.

It'S Never Too Late To Do Some Spring Cleaning ... Especially What You Eat

12 Responses

  1. Great post! Glad you didn’t scrap it. I’ve shared it all over the place.

    I’m vegan and try to avoid most processed food, but the snack rehab hit close to home. The difficulty is that two people live in my household, and the other one likes to keep junky snacks around the house (he’s pretty good to live with in every other way, so I don’t make a big issue of it).

    Thanks for the post. Maybe I can get my other half to read and see what he’s doing to me! 🙂

  2. Great post! My husband and I found a CSA – in fact, Kristi’s book inspired me to look for it to begin with. They introduced us to a local supplier of pastured meats. And I realized today, driving past one of my old favorite lunch spots from days long ago, that I have not darkened the door of a fast food establishment for at least three months! That one wasn’t even a conscious decision, their products just don’t sound good to me anymore.

    1. Great story, Chandra. That’s exactly how it happens. One simple change can lead you on a cascading path of changes and before you know it, you’re in a totally new place.

      Congrats on your journey, and thanks for visiting my blog.

      Bruce

  3. Wonderful advice. One of the best things I’ve done is switching meat out with Field Roast sausages (www.fieldroast.com). They’re certified by the Vegetarian Society and are wonderful in recipes that call for meat, or just grilled on an open barbecue. I have yet to be disappointed by anything Field Roast makes (their Hazelnut Cranberry Roast is quite amazing and great for vegetarian holiday celebrations).

  4. Great post! After some recent health issues, I decided to begin cutting processed foods. A friend referred me to the ‘100 days’ site and I was a bit overwhelmed at first. I finally decided to take one dinner at a time from my meal plan and make as many things as I could from scratch with whole ingredients. We have a lot of fun making our own pizzas completely from scratch and after doing it for a couple of months, it’s really not that much trouble. Cooking with whole foods has kind of become a new hobby once I let go of the “everything all at once” mentality.

    1. Tammy:

      Thanks for your comment and for visiting my blog. I think you’ve got a great attitude. Making changes in how you eat can seem overwhelming at first. But, over time, you learn the skills and it becomes easier and easier.

      Congratulations on your progress! I look forward to seeing you come back and posting more comments.

      Thanks,
      Bruce

  5. I couldn’t agree more with you about the effectiveness of choosing one change to make – so much easier to build on one simple change or swap, feel the benefit (or count it in your wallet) and find the motivation to add to that change. So much more effective for long term success.

  6. Hi Bruce,
    Back in February, I posted a comment about my husband kicking his Coke habit. I am pleased to say he has never gone back to it, even though I still have a small can occasionally (as in once or twice a month), but he is never tempted. This post about a spring clean reminds me of when I quit eating Tim
    Tams (an Australian chocolate bar). I had some blood tests, and my doctor said my cholesterol was ‘borderline’. We went through my food routine, and all was good until I said I had a Tim Tam with my cup of tea after dinner. She said “Just one Tim Tam?” and I admitted it was probably two. She said “Gina that is 14 Tim Tams a week – way too much!” So I stopped buying them. At the same time I stopped buying snack foods, and we started nibbling nuts instead. My cholesterol reading is now healthy, and I’ve lost about a stone in weight! Not that I was overweight, but who would have thought eliminating choc. biscuits/cookies would make such a difference?

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Sign Up Now and Get 20% Off Your First Dog Treat Purchase!

We hate SPAM and take your privacy seriously.To learn more please read our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.

Bruce Bradley Ultimate Clean Eating Guide

Yes, You can Eat Healthier!
Download Your FREE
Ultimate Clean Eating Guide Now!

We hate SPAM and take your privacy seriously.To learn more please read our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.

 No scare tactics. No crazy diet advice. Just a simple, sensible approach to eating REAL food!

Bruce Bradley logo no background

Here's Some Help Planning Your Weekly Meals and Special Occasions

We hate SPAM and take your privacy seriously.To learn more please read our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.

 No scare tactics. No crazy diet advice. Just a simple, sensible approach to eating REAL food!

Bruce Bradley logo no background
Bruce Bradley LOGO

No scare tactics. No crazy diet advice. Just a simple, sensible approach to eating REAL food!

Bruce Bradley Ultimate Clean Eating Guide

Yes, You can Eat Healthier!
Download Your FREE
Ultimate Clean Eating Guide Now!

We hate SPAM and take your privacy seriously.To learn more please read our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.

Get My FREE Ultimate Cleaning Eating Guide NOW!

Bruce Bradley Ultimate Clean Eating Guide

End the confusion! Learn what’s really in your food and how to take simple steps toward eating healthier!

Share via
Copy link