Eating Clean Tips #1

I would definitely say the hardest thing about eating "clean" is that it takes more time. Not more money...more PREPARATION.





Here's some tips to make your life easier:



1. I love barbecueing chicken. When I grill, I cook 8-10 chicken breasts at a time. Use 3 or 4 for our meal that night, and then refridgerate the rest. Then you have meals ready to go for the next few days. Whether you eat a chicken sandwich, or shred it and eat with a salad, or make chicken salad (i have the best recipe). But it's ready. The worst thing is when you wait until last minute to decide what you're having for lunch or dinner and nothing is ready. Thats when the microwave meals or boxed dinners start sounding really good.......but they're not REAL....remember that.



2. Eggs are a great snack. Same thing....the more prepared you are....the better choices you'll make. I boil a dozen eggs at a time, have 2-3 egg whites as a snack, and then refrigerate the rest. These are great to take on the run, and if you really want to be prepared- peel them all after you cook them and then put them in pairs in baggies.

3. When you buy your fruits and veggies....wash and prepare them as soon as you get home. You are so much more likely to eat them if they've been washed and are ready. Seriously think about it....you open the fridge and think...hmmm...what should I have...grapes sound good...oh but I'd have to wash them and get the colander out...and then wash that...and then there's the stems......ahh...nevermind that...I'll take the yogurt (THAT'S LOADED WITH SUGAR).....cause all I'll have to do is open the lid.
When I get my produce, I wash and de-stem grapes, clean and cut carrots & celery into sticks, wash and bag my lettuce and broccoli, wash apples, plums, peppers, tomatoes etc.
The only thing I don't wash is berries, because they will go bad faster. Wash those only just before eating.


Have everything as snack ready as possible, that way you'll have no excuses when you are ready for a snack!



4. FREEZE. We got a ton of green peppers from our garden this year and they freeze really well. Or you can always buy them when they are on sale and freeze them. I clean and cut mine into strips and then lay them single layer on a wax paper lined cookie sheet. Freeze overnight, then put into a ziplock and then put back into freezer. Freezing them all spread out on waxed paper helps so they won't clump together. Then they'll be ready for fajitas year round! (one of our favorite easy meals)



5. Buy chicken, beef, and fish in bulk and then freeze in single or family sized portions.




6. WHEN IN DOUBT, TAKE CHICKEN OUT. I follow that rule if I don't know what Im going to have for dinner by 10 am that morning. I take out a bag of frozen chicken breasts, and let it thaw out while I decide how I'll prepare it. If I still haven't decided by 4:30, I sprinkle it with Montreal Steak Seasoning and grill it. (SUPER EASY-SUPER GOOD). This way I won't panic and make a bad decision when my family is hungry and I'm not prepared!!