Clean Eating For Families

Many parents are avid label readers but just as many are not. Have you ever taken a peek at what you are feeding to your families?

I recently picked up a package of fresh salmon only to see that dye had been added to the fish to make it pinker. Some might buy this and think they are making a natural choice when they aren’t completely.

Take potato chips. Most commercial brands contain preservatives and all sorts of unnecessary ingredients. I purchased a bag of natural chips and the label had only three ingredients: potatoes, oil and salt. That’s more like it.

The term “eating clean” or “clean eating” is bantered about a lot these days on blogs, food TV shows and more. There are cookbooks written about it, a magazine dedicated to it and an entire movement to promote it, but what exactly IS it?

In a nutshell, clean eating is consuming whole foods in their most natural state with nothing artificial added. This means no processed or packaged food. The food must be of highest quality and is never fried. Clean eating doesn’t include anything you can’t find in nature basically.

Clean eating proponents say that human beings were meant to live off of the land, on foods like vegetables, fruits and lean meats in their most natural state. It makes sense to me.

I recently read a book about clean eating and how it changed some people’s lives for the better by reducing weight and illness. 

We have never been big eaters of prepared foods but many families rely on convenience foods. I challenge parents to keep a watchful eye on what is in certain products. When shopping, make every effort to find foods that have the fewest number of ingredients in them. If an ingredient list is longer than your arm how can that be good for you?

Growing a garden in your yard or even containers can help with this process. You can easily grow tomatoes, cucumbers, herbs and more in a very small area at minimal cost. This is an easy way to add some fresh produce to your family’s diet and kids love being involved in growing their own food.

Whole Foods is a popular “clean eating” store but many complain of the expense. Whole Foods has regular sales on certain items, which allow you to stock up.

We are huge fans of Trader Joe's. Almost everything Trader Joe's sells has no preservatives or artificial additives and the cost is often comparable to a regular supermarket on many items and some are even cheaper.

Make a clean eating challenge for your family. Choose some meals and try to stick to only what is “clean” and natural. It’s easier than you think and kids will love that you can make it into a game. They can be educated on what foods are in their most natural state and those that aren’t. Have them read labels and decide if it’s “clean eating” or not.

Some small steps toward eating clean can be fun and healthy.