Is the weather driving you crazy over the summer? You’re either melting away from the scorching heat in one area, or suffering through severe storms in other areas.
It’s mid-July in California and we are right smack in the middle of a hot summer. However, right now is the best time to get your health on track before the busy school days start again in the fall. Fresh and seasonal fruits and vegetables are abundant at this time of year, and it’s a great opportunity to get important nutrients in your body. Typically around the months from May-August, the sweetest fruits and the crispiest vegetables are in season, and eating clean is a wonderful way to get your health back in gear.
In the west coast with the sweltering heat it can get difficult to cook a homemade meal. I’m not a fan of grilling outdoors or even cooking over a hot stove when it’s over 85 degrees. I don’t even try to plan meals during the summer because we’re either working, traveling, or getting ready for school. But one thing I try to keep on track is eating healthy. It doesn’t really matter what time of year or the season, because eating healthy helps keep my energy up and running. If I can dedicate just 5 meals in the week to eating healthy, I’m aligned to my personal health goals. It might not be easy to eat clean and healthy when you’re busy, but it’s crucial to maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
So what exactly does clean eating mean? Simply defined, clean eating is eating food that is unprocessed, preservative-free, and made with as few ingredients as possible. While many foods in the markets today are processed, the key is to avoid or limit overly processed foods as much as possible. Below are some steps to eating clean in the summertime and beyond. Keep track of what you eat in the summer so you can continue with a clean and healthy journey through all seasons.
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5 steps to eating clean in the summer:
1- Buy fresh produce – organic and locally grown when possible. Fresh produce is the number one rule to eating clean and simple. Check out EWG’s Dirty Dozen and Clean Fifteen on the most and least toxic produce: https://www.ewg.org/foodnews/dirty-dozen.php
2- Buy whole grains and lean protein. Whole grains are still intact with all of their nutrients ensuring you’ll get all of the health benefits. Lean protein with little to no fat are not as taxing on your body when digesting and processing through your system.
3- Make meals and snacks from scratch at home. When you start with ingredients that you are in control of, you know what you’re putting in your food.
4- Use as few ingredients as possible. The risk of eating out or buying cooked food in stores is because of all the ingredients in there that companies need for flavor and preserving. When you make your own food, use just the basics – lean protein, vegetables, and seasonings that fit your lifestyle.
5- Limit sugar or cut it out entirely. While cutting out sugar entirely might be hard to do, try eating more fruits and using fruit-based sweeteners to sweeten your food.
Teach your children to eat clean and healthy:
1- Take your child to the grocery store with you. Let them start by learning about all the fresh produce that are available. If the stores have samples of the produce, encourage your child to try it out if it’s a fruit or vegetable that they typically don’t eat.
2- Depending on the age, have your child help you prepare the meals at home. Teach them and let them help you cut up from the fresh produce you just bought at the store. When children are involved in making meals from scratch, they feel a connection to the food they eat.
3- Serve up fresh fruits and cut them up in cute shapes if necessary. Mix it up once in awhile by including honey (for children over age 2) or plain yogurt for kids to dip their fruit in. Continue with this style of snacking so kids can learn to grab fresh fruits instead of an overly processed sugary snack.
4- Teach your kids to be mindful of what they eat. Don’t be distracted by the TV, tablet, or phone while you’re eating. Being mindful is an ancient practice to be more aware of what you are eating and how food should taste. It also helps with proper digestion of food.
5- Use simple recipes when it comes to teaching kids to eat clean. The less ingredients used, the more their taste buds can distinguish between processed food and food made with less ingredients.
6- Teach your children to read labels. If your child likes a certain store bought food, let them read the ingredient label as well as the labels on the packaging. If it’s a snack that isn’t all too healthy, let them see how many unpronounceable words there are in the ingredients list. You’d be surprised at their reactions to all the ingredients that they don’t recognize.
How to eat clean and healthy in restaurants:
1- If you can choose the restaurant, then choose one you regularly frequent. This way you already know what’s on the menu and how the restaurant and staff works.
2- If you know the name of the restaurant you’re attending (but you didn’t choose it), look at the menu online so you can get an idea of what’s available.
3- Get to know your server. The servers at restaurants are usually very accommodating. Peruse the menu first and ask the server ahead of time if they allow changes or alterations to the menu items. If they do, then know ahead of time what you’d like to order. If they don’t then just stick with the basics, such as a fresh salad, dressing on the side, and a fruit plate if it’s available. Then if the server brought out your dish accurately, be sure to tip well as they usually have to be specific with the chefs and food preps.
Whether you’re just starting to eat more clean or you’re a seasoned pro, remember to have a plan on how you want to eat clean. Make grocery lists, search online for ideas and tips such as mine, and have self control over what you eat.
Here’s to eating clean in the summer and beyond!
***photos courtesy of EWG, MarthaStewart.com, Pinterest
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Please read the labels and ingredients carefully and follow all manufacturer’s instructions (if any). The products selected for the giveaway were generously donated by the companies/PR to help readers learn more about their products. The winner’s choice in using/consuming these products are entirely up to the winner and will not hold the author and her family liable nor the companies/PR liable. These products are made with non-toxic ingredients but always be safe with what you use and consume.
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