Are you trying to switch to a more whole-foods diet? I am! There are so many preservatives and chemicals in foods these days, I am slowly making small changes to incorporate real foods into my cooking. I’ve recently taken these easy steps to start eating real food.
That being said, I’m not making any drastic changes. But I am trying to be more intentional about the foods I eat.
I don’t exclusively eat “real” food by the way, and most likely never will. But I think if we make small changes as we can that we can live healthier and feel better about the food we are eating. Here are some easy baby steps I’ve taken to incorporate more whole foods into our life.
1. Switch to Pure Maple Syrup
Did you know that the only maple in most syrups on grocery store shelves is a small amount of “maple flavoring”? This was a really easy switch for me… pure maple syrup tastes SO good. It’s a little more expensive, but if it’s in your budget then it is totally worth it.
Plus, I’m usually able to find pure maple syrup at Aldi.. it’s a lot cheaper there!
2. Use Unbleached Flour
Unbleached flour is processed less than the bleached variety. I’m hoping they start carrying this at Aldi, because that’s where I like to buy flour. I did find whole wheat flour there though. That’s a good choice too, so I stocked up.
3. Buy Real Butter
I have cut out margarine and switched to actual butter. When used in moderation, the fats in butter are good for you. This is also something I buy at Aldi.. it’s less expensive than other places I’ve seen.
4. Know the Clean Fifteen/Dirty Dozen
The “dirty dozen” fruits and vegetables are the ones that are more important to try to find organic. The dirty dozen are the ones that are supposed to have more harmful chemicals on them than the “clean fifteen.”
5. Find Local Farm Fresh Eggs
I love having farm fresh eggs! These are easier to find in warmer months, but when they are available I try to buy them.
Switching out a “normal” product for a much more wholesome product is an easy way to make a quick switch to eating some foods that are better for you. A lot of these simple changes actually taste a lot better too!
What are your best tips for switching to more real foods?
I’ve been doing real maple syrup and butter for a while now, and had to totally get rid of flour, but you have me curious as to what the “dirty dozen” are!
The dirty dozen are the fruits and veggies that end up with the most pesticide and chemical residue on them, and therefore are better to buy organic. Thanks for stopping by! 🙂
Great tips! Thanks for sharing on the weekend re-Treat link party!
Britni @ Play. Party. Pin.
Visiting from your link on Craft-o-maniac – great info!
Love this post! I completely agree with eating “real” food and your tips are spot on (especially love the tip about eating real butter–don’t even get me started on that subject! Haha).
Glad you liked it! Haha – yeah poor butter gets such a bad rep. Thanks for stopping by!
You make it sound so delicious.
Great tips! Thanks for sharing! I’ve been trying to get on a clean eat diet. My sister has a health blog. I’m sharing this with her too.
Thanks so much for stopping by and sharing!
Thanks for this post! I am starting to eat clean and am a total beginner. You made this list easy for a newbie like myself. Thanks so much. I am looking into that dirty dozen now! Also, wanted to say hello as a fellow IBN blogger.
Jacquelyn
of DIY Design Mom
PS Heading over to your facebook page now! 🙂
So glad you found it helpful! These steps are a great place to start, implementing one at at time. Thanks for visiting! 🙂
I try to follow most of these tips too, except for the farm fresh eggs that are hard to find easily. it’s crazy how many chemicals and hidden sugars are in food! Love your advice!
Yes I unfortunately am rarely able to actually find farm fresh eggs around here. Every once in awhile I’m lucky enough to come across some. Glad you liked the advice, thanks so much for stopping by!
I like your perspective on healthy eating. I am a huge fan of eating natural products as much as possible (although realistically not 100%). I make my own granola, bread and some other staples that I used to buy. It really is not hard to make the switch. Awareness is everything. I am pinning this to my “healthy eating” board.
glad to know I am on the right track. I have tackled all except for getting fresh eggs.
Stopping over from sitsgirls link up
That’s awesome! Fresh eggs are hard to find too, so that’s probably the toughest one. Glad you stopped by!
Thanks for sharing these tips 🙂
Thanks for linking up at the Talented Tuesday Link Party last week! I hope you’re going to join us again tomorrow 🙂
Great post! I am also trying to eat more clean and whole foods. It can be expensive when you’re on a budget but definitely worth it!
Yes, it can take some creativity for healthy meals on a budget but it’s definitely possible. Thanks for visiting!
I love this post, it is so simple and underwhelming…which is exactly what it should be! I am a huge fan of #5. I love me some fresh eggs, and my beautiful and entertaining hens who lay them for me. Can’t wait to grow our flock so we can share our eggs with other families who want to follow your advice 😉
My MIL is trying to switch me to pure maple syrup, but I just can’t do it. I love my Hungry Jack butter syrup and so do my kids, but we rarely eat syrup on anything. This is a great list of small changes that can make big impacts!