It might just be me, but I’ve noticed the less prepared and organized I am, the worse we eat. I want to eat better but when caught in a pinch, a bad choice ends up being better than no food at all. But yesterday, I had had enough and decided it was time to change and get back to those healthier habits — the ones that used to be the norm before a sweet baby arrived and added sleep deprivation and chaos into our lives. But that was over 15 months ago, it’s time to pull myself together.
If I want her to grow up making healthy choices I know I need to start leading by example now. I’ve made a pact with myself to be more intentional starting today, well yesterday.
Three ways to be more intentional about eating healthy:
- Start at the grocery store. I’ve found it’s a lot easier to say no at the grocery store than it is when it’s starting at me from the pantry all day long. The best thing to do is make sure you don’t go to the grocery story hungry, you’ll have much better willpower to be able to say no.
- Have healthy back up meals. These need to be easy meals to throw together when time is short and you forgot to make a plan for tonight dinner. Some of our favorite go-to’s in a pinch are: breakfast for dinner, white chicken chili (make ahead and freeze).
- Plan ahead on snacks. If we’re not careful snacking can be the worst culprit of all. So I created a snack basket in my car, in a pinch we no longer have to swing in somewhere random and pick up junk instead we can make a healthier choice and save money while we’re at it!
The snack basket is just as much for us as it is for the kids! And the best part is, it doesn’t have have to be complicated, just a few things so you can make that healthier choice.
What’s in my snack basket?
- Water
- Fruit — this is the only one I don’t usually leave in the car. I just grab a couple on my way out and toss them in the snack basket for the day.
- Dried fruit — because let’s be honest, sometimes I forget to grab
- Sunflower Seeds — perfect for killing time when you have an unexpected delay come up.
- Honey Maid Go Bites — no snack bag is ever completely without some sort of chocolate! {Not a chocolate fan? They also have a vanilla.} Either way Honey Maid’s products are made with whole grains and real honey, without high fructose corn syrup or artificial colors — both of which are huge things we try to watch out for!
After the package is opened I like to throw what’s left in a mason jar to keep it fresh longer. Although, in the spirit of being open and honest {since that is what The Realistic Mama is all about, right?} I will admit that my mason jar of Honey Maid Go Bites has already made it’s way from the car’s Snack Bag into the house — oops! but at least I no longer have to worry about them going stale.
Treat yourself, go grab yourself… *coughs and clears throat* … I mean “the kids” a box!
I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.
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Peggy says
Where did you purchase the pretty basket that you keep the snacks in?
Alida says
Hey Peggy! I just picked it up in the clearance bin at a local store. I love it since it’s the perfect size for the snacks and has handles which makes it easy to transport!