After being surrounded by healthy, mindful women all weekend who loved hearing about all things ‘good food’ related I thought I would share a few tips on bringing healthier eating into your home…

This is not an overnight ‘quick fix’. Such a thing is unrealistic, and doesn’t work for 98% of people, especially busy Mums with enough on their plate, so to speak! What we need to do as the nourishers of our households is take things one step at a time, bring in a few habits which will quickly create change, and continue learning as we go. One point I always like to make is not to take away foods, rather add them in. If you start to add in a whole lot of whole foods, then there won’t be much room for the CRAP (Caffeine, Refined sugar, Additives and Processed foods). Some tips that have helped me in eating and living well are ~

1. Make time each weekend (and hour our two is plenty) to be in the kitchen. Make it a relaxed environment, put on your favourite playlist, light a candle, have a glass of wine, whatever you need to do to really look forward to this time, rather than dreading it. Make sure you have prepared and have all your ingredients ready to go, and get creating. In this time I make 2 lots of bliss balls to freeze (around 20 balls so all of us have our share for the week), a batch of Dahl, coconut yoghurt, any dehydrating of crackers and make a dip or two. This sets me up to have a lot of what I’ll need for making lunch boxes in the fridge ready to go.
2. Make one meal daily chock full of salad/vegetables. I do this for myself and my daughter (hubby also is happy to receive whatever meal I make him!). I also do this if I am feeling like I have been over indulging. It’s the same idea as above – have so much of the ‘good stuff’ that there’s no room for anything else! I also like to make what we call ‘Buddha Bowls’ which is basically a whole heap of raw or lightly steamed veggies, some rice or Quinoa on the side and usually guacamole or another vegetable based dip (beetroot is a good one).
3. Read your labels, forgetting about how many calories/how much fat is in what you are eating, and just look at the ingredients. If there is sugar in it, put it back. If there are any words you don’t understand in it, put it back, same goes for numbers. You don’t need to throw away anything in your cupboard, but when it comes time to buy it again have a look at what you are actually eating. The less ingredients the better. Over weeks/months your pantry will naturally start to clean up, you will become used to buying the new products, and you will feel much healthier.

That’s all.

Eating well does cost a little more, in money and time, and it is a decision you need to make. In the end it’s about taking responsibility for yours and your families health. We only have one body, just one chance at getting it right, so get passionate about what you are fuelling yourself with. If things are getting all too much, then step back and remind yourself what you are trying to do – just eat well. If you completely blow it and have take away, chocolate and beers over the weekend, move on. Tomorrow is a new day, a fresh opportunity to get it right. You have your pre prepared food ready to go, you are having a big salad for breakfast, and your cupboard is slowly getting cleaned up. You are doing damn well.

Alicia xxx