How to Keep Produce Fresh

I have been on a long mission to reduce food waste in our household. This is to save time and money, and to avoid adding to the gigantic problem that is wasted food in America. 

Research shows that fresh produce is among the top foods that are tossed. It makes sense, as keeping fruits and vegetables fresh can be a surprisingly tough mandate. How many times has a head of crisp lettuce quickly turned into a wilted pile in the fridge? In efforts to reduce this, I’ve created a system that makes it easier to keep fruits and vegetables fresher, longer. 

Refrigerator Storage 

Before jumping in, a quick word on storage: If you do have produce that is wilted and old, discard it before your farmers’ market or grocery run. This will keep bacteria and other compounds from spoiling your fresh produce faster. (You can read more on that in my guide to keeping a clean fridge.) A great way to save wilted produce is to place it in a pot of water with bones to make bone broth. (You can also store it in the freezer in a broth bag for when you’re ready to make broth.) Give the fruit and vegetable shelves and bins a quick wipe-down with vinegar and water. (I keep a small spray bottle of this solution under the sink.) This is all you need in between deeper refrigerator cleanings. 

Lettuce: Wash lettuce as soon as you get home from the farmer’s market. Unroll several feet of paper towel and place it on the counter. Cut off the base of the lettuce head. Put lettuce leaves in a salad spinner and fill with water so they are completely immersed, taking caution not to overcrowd. Use your hands to vigorously agitate the lettuce. If the water turns brown and gritty, dump it out and repeat the process until the water is clean. Once the lettuce is clean, dump out the water and energetically spin it dry. Place the lettuce on the paper towels in a single layer to air dry. Once dry, roll the lettuce in the paper towels and place the wrapped lettuce in a sealed reusable bag (pushing ALL of the air out before sealing) and store in the fridge. This will double—or even triple—the shelf life of your lettuce. It will also be ready to eat, making salad preparation that much easier. This applies to all lettuces except tender greens like arugula and baby spinach, which have a shorter shelf life and should be eaten within a few days of buying them. 

Carrots: If you put carrots directly in your crisper, they’ll be limp by the end of the week. Instead, cut off carrot tops and discard or save for reuse. (I love to put them in a food processor and add to pesto, chimichurri, tabouli salad, or broths.) Submerge carrots in water in a large, flat, high-sided glass container and store in the fridge. If they are too long, you can cut or break them in half. This will generally keep carrots fresh for longer than a month. Change the water every so often to keep it fresh and clear. This method also works well for parsnips and radishes.

Broccoli: Airflow is important to keep broccoli fresh. Before storing in the fridge, you can slice off the end and store stem down in a jar of water, like a broccoli bouquet, or wrap the stem in a damp paper towel. Don’t wash broccoli until you are ready to eat it.

Asparagus, Celery, and Other Cruciferous Vegetables: These can be stored like broccoli in water. Cut an inch off the bottom first. Celery also lasts if stored in a sealed bag. Cauliflower can be stored in a ventilated bag in the fridge, or loose if you don’t have one. Brussels sprouts and cabbage keep in sealed bags in the fridge, ideally in the crisper. 

Squash: Store zucchini and summer squash loose in the crisper. Large winter squash, like pumpkin and butternut squash, are best stored on a countertop or in a pantry.

Potatoes and Onions: These should be stored outside of the fridge in a cool, dry, dark place. 

Mushrooms: Store in a paper bag in the fridge door. Keep the natural dirt on the surface until right before you cook or eat them.

Herbs: Different herbs require different storage techniques. Leafy herbs like basil should be stored upright in a glass of water, like a bouquet of flowers, at room temperature. Tender herbs like parsley and cilantro can also be stored this way. Be sure to change the water every couple of days. Hardier herbs like rosemary and thyme can be wrapped in a damp paper towel and stored in a bag in the fridge. (For long-term storage, put the bag in the freezer.) You can also make herb-olive oil ice cubes: Portion out washed, de-stemmed and chopped herbs into ice-cube trays, fill the trays with olive oil and freeze. 

Berries: Store unwashed berries in the fridge in a paper towel-lined glass container with a lid. Berries last longer, especially soft ones like raspberries, if they are stored in a single layer so a large/wide, low-sided container is best.

Tomatoes: Store this fruit separately at room temperature. Refrigeration will make tomatoes mealy.

Other Fruits: Ethylene-producing fruits, like apples, avocados, and bananas, should be stored separately from other produce. They cause other produce to ripen and decay faster and will cause potatoes to sprout. 

Once you get into a rhythm of honoring what a specific fruit or vegetable needs, keeping them fresh becomes an easy habit. To ensure you eat through all of your food, keep the newest on the bottom or in the back so the oldest is most accessible. And always aim to keep anything in glass over plastic containers. There inevitably may be some foods that end up needing to be tossed,  but taking this in stride, and making even small reductions in waste, can lead to a huge difference. 

Containers

Avoid plastic and invest in glass whenever possible. Plastic is toxic and leaches into food, and it pollutes our earth and ocean. The National Ocean Service estimates that eight million tons of plastic enter the ocean every year. The glass container will last longer than the lid, so I recommend buying from a brand that sells replacement lids, like Pyrex, Anchorage, or Snapware. Lids will last longer if you wash by hand, or don’t use the dry cycle on the dishwasher. 

It’s recommended to keep eggs at the top where the temperature is most consistent and milk on the bottom in the back of the fridge where it is coldest. If something starts to go bad, remove it immediately so it doesn’t contaminate the rest of your food.

The PrimaFoodie Guide to Conscious Small Brands: Coast to Coast Edition

The journey to clean and conscious eating has its challenges. Regions throughout the US still lack access to fresh ingredients. People are strapped for time, desire, or nutrition information. There is also an abundance of misinformation and greenwashing, as countless manufacturers continue to include harmful ingredients while claiming their products to be “natural.” These issues feed the dark truth behind the global food system.

It is because of these reasons, and many others, that we do what we do at PrimaFoodie.  For too long, barriers to clean food have thwarted progress. We want to call out the bad and call in the good—the farmers, educators, and entrepreneurs who are working to provide the world with accessible, honest, nutritious food. You’ll find those pioneers in this roundup of conscious small brands.

Each of these independently owned companies distributes or produces foods that are wholesome and clean, and they do so transparently and fairly. They provide information about their supply chains and work to make their pricing fair and attainable. They also put people over profits. We believe that fairness and equality are as essential as organic and non-GMO.

This guide will be an evolving project. For this first chapter, we’ve included purveyors and makers that ship nationally (or to most of the US). We’ll continue to add to it as we explore new companies.

Like anything, a real shift starts with small steps. The more people support independent brands, the less momentum the corrupt global food conglomerates will have. This all begins with ideas, which grow into conversations and ultimately a global movement.

A Guide to Small Conscious Brands

Meat and Poultry

8 O'Clock Ranch

John and Kassandra Barton have been sustainably raising their animals on their upstate New York Farm for more than twenty years. They started out with sheep, and eventually included cows, pigs, and chickens. Today, they partner with several other local farmers and ranchers to offer humanely raised, grass-fed beef, chicken, and pork, as well as maple syrup and local CSA boxes.

Peads and Barnett

Fresh air. Open, spacious fields. Zero GMO foods. These tenets are paramount in how the founders behind Peads and Barnett raise their pigs. The humanity shows in their fresh organic pork, many that come in cuts that mirror the European, Japanese, and Chinese styles that are hard to find in the states. While their products are primarily found at several LA-area farmers’ markets and specialty foods shops, they do offer some local delivery. It’s worth sending them an email to inquire if they’ll ship to your area.

Seafood

Greensbury

Greensbury has been working with sustainable and organic farmers, fisheries, and ranches across the US since 2007. They corral products based on their strict vetting parameters, which include meats that are only grass-fed, and hormone- antibiotic, and steroid-free, and wild-caught, sustainable seafood. There’s also a section on the online market that offers bone broths and family bundle options.

Wild Alaskan

There are two huge reasons we love Wild Alaskan: Every piece of fish offered on the site is wild and sustainably caught. And two: The site makes shopping easy and transparent. You can choose from various boxes (some all salmon, some whitefish and salmon) according to price. It’s efficient and clear.

WildLocal

Seafood is Ben Hyman’s passion. After spending twenty years on commercial fishing boats and seeing a lack of respect, sustainability, and transparency in the industry, he launched WildLocal. As the name suggests, Hyman focuses on seafood line-caught in the Pacific waters outside his Ventura, California base. You can shop the weekly fisherman’s catch online and have it expressed delivered on ice. (But if you’re in Southern California, it’s worth catching Ben and his team at one of the local farmers’ markets they attend in and around Santa Monica, Santa Barbara, and LA.)

Baked Goods, Chocolates, and Other Sweets

Sweet Laurel

It’s impossible not to fall for everything Sweet Laurel. Their whole-food baked goods have the ability to render the biggest sugar lover speechless with one bite of their organic, grain- dairy- refined sugar-free treats. Co-founder Laurel Gallucci has a talent for whipping together minimal whole food ingredients to make spongy cakes, gooey cookies, crumbly shortbreads, and decadent pies that rival any conventional confections. She and co-founder, Clair Thomas, have brought these recipes to the mainstream with their Pacific Palisades bakery. But if you’re not in Southern California, they divulge their secrets in their cookbook, and offer an assortment of baking mixes, ingredients, teas, and coffees online.

Hopf Chocolate

Founder Andrea Hopf does everything with intention and meticulous care. Her love for pure, raw, organic foods stems from her upbringing in Germany and fuels her line of high quality, vegan chocolates. Each treat contains the purest raw and organic ingredients—creamy cacao butter, plant nectars, quality spices—that makes for treats that are rich and indulgent. (The recipes are also high in natural minerals and contain no refined sugar.) Andrea has extended her line to now include nut butters, vegan cookie dough (a glorified nut butter treat meant to eat straight out of the jar), hot cocoa, and nut milks.

Grains, Nuts, Seeds, Spices, Beans, and Breads

Vision Sprouts

This husband and wife team produces the creamiest organic nut butters we’ve had. The secret is in how they stone grind the sprouted nuts, using no heat to retain the maximum amount of nutrients. (We love their Sprouted Almond Butter over fresh strawberries for dessert.) They also specialize in organic sprouted beans, seeds, and nuts (all of which they ship nationally), as well as organic microgreens that are available for customers in their Southern California region.

One Degree Organic Foods

One Degree is taking transparency to the next level. On every package there is a scannable QR code that links to literature and videos about the ingredients, farmers, and practices that went into making that specific product. All of their cereals, breads, granola, flours, and seeds are non-GMO and organic, as well as free from glyphosate, colorings, and other additives. You can’t shop their goods directly from their site, but Thrive Market and a handful of other online purveyors offer their goods.

Diaspora Co.

Diaspora founder Sana Javeri Kadri sources spices that “are an expression of the land they’re grown on, and the heirloom seed that they’re grown from,” she says. Kadri works directly with single organic farms that deliver the brightest, most potent spices and pay their workers a fair wage. The result is a product that you can feel good about—and one that is unparalleled. Diaspora’s turmeric is bright and zesty, its chilies are complex and deep, and its peppercorns are fruity and layered.

The Philosopher’s Stone Ground

Another maker of incredible small-batch, stone ground nut butters. Full of enzymes, nutrients, and flavor, these butters are creamy and smooth—and they only contain sprouted organic nuts and a handful of other organic, fair-trade ingredients.

Katinka’s Nourishing Kitchen

Katinka is a nutrition expert and yogi who makes nutritionally dense, grain-free clean baked goods. She uses only vegan, low glycemic, gluten-free, non-GMO whole ingredients in her mixes, which she handcrafts in small batches. Her breads are some of the rare gluten-free options that aren’t laden with vapid starches.

Boundbrook Farm

Located in Vergennes, Vermont, Broundbrook Farm specializes in small-batch ecological organic rice farming. They are one of the few farms in the US that mirrors practices borrowed from Japan, in which they use their beloved ducks to help tend to the rice fields to control the pests and weeds. You can order their white and brown rice to be shipped.  

Kandarian Organic Farms

Larry Kandarian is a true steward of soil. A farmer with nearly three decades’ experience, he follows sustainable, organic practices and puts integrity first. This shows in the variety of beans he cultivates on his farm, which we think are the best around. He also produces ancient grains, lentils, seeds, and organic herbs and spices, all of which are available for order online. 

Online Grocers

Imperfect Foods

Imperfect Foods brilliantly offers a solution to major roadblocks in our food system: copious waste and unaffordability. The online marketplace offers a large array of organic fruit, vegetables, meats, poultry, dairy, nuts, and more at about 30 percent below the average grocery story price. The cost savings comes from Imperfect’s model, which sources produce and other foods that are deemed ugly (fruits and vegetables that have been tossed aside because of their dents or imperfections), undervalued, excess inventory, or lacking in demand. You need to still be diligent when shopping here, as not all items are organic and the brands can vary. Imperfect also provides grants to nonprofits that are working to make our food system more inclusive, transparent, and healthy.

Thrive Market

Thrive Market is the result of four founders who were steadfast on offering nutritious, small brand natural products at affordable prices. In 2014, the team launched an e-commerce grocery store that does its due diligence in sourcing products that are organic, non-GMO, and sustainably made. What we love is how easily navigable it is: Items are divided into obvious market sections—food, meat & seafood, apothecary, home, pets, etc.—and also according to dietary and lifestyle needs. The company creates its own line of products, and more recently started offering wine that is free of added sugars, pesticides, GMO yeasts.

Kids and Cooking: Safety Essentials

I love cooking with my daughter. It is a wonderful way to bond, and the experience allows me to teach her important life skills and instill in her a passion for healthy food. 

The kitchen is a place to learn, grow, and build self-esteem. It is also a place filled with possible hazards, considering the sharp knives, hot pans, and other potential harmful tools. That is why  it’s important to alter your cooking habits to keep your children safe from accidents. The following simple guidelines can help to ensure  that  cooking with your children is safe, fun, and rewarding. 

Everything In Its Place

Creating dedicated and separate workstations for you and your children is important. This allows your child the space to work away from sharp objects. Keep the areas clean and organized so you don’t risk knocking something over. Children also feel empowered when they have their own space. I love this toddler tower, or you can use a chair with the chair back against the counter. 

Heat Safety

Heat is one of the most dangerous things for children in the kitchen, and it’s one of the easiest things to safeguard against. Get in the habit of turning pot and pan handles in and away from other burners on your stove so your child can’t accidentally knock them over. Always test handles before grabbing them with an oven mitt or a folded thick towel. When using the oven, never stick your arms inside to remove pans. Always pull the rack out first, then retrieve your dish (unless you have elbow-length oven mitts). Children need to be strong enough to pull out the rack before they can use the oven by themselves; my six-year-old still struggles with this, so she knows to ask for help. If you have a gas oven, open it very slowly after turning on the broil function, as heat can pool and cause flames to erupt when exposed to more air. 

Sharp Matters 

There are several precautions you can take to keep your children safe from  knives. 

Most importantly, keep knives out of reach at all times, even if you are just turning around to grab something. Always set the knife down flat on a cutting board placed at least six inches from the edge of the counter. Even an adult can accidentally knock off a knife if they brush too closely to a counter. Always set a knife down when you’re not using it. Never turn around or gesture while holding a knife. This sets a good example, as kids tend to talk while waving around their utensils. Use two hands to cut, one hand holding the knife and the other holding the food. The hand holding the food should be in a claw position, so fingers don’t end up under the blade. Hands should never rest on the cutting board. 

When washing knives, dry them immediately and put them away. The proper way to hand someone a knife is by the handle with the blade pointing towards you, so they can grab the handle. Keep your knives in top shape by regularly honing them to even out nicks and sharpening them as needed. All knives can be dangerous, but a dull knife even more so because it requires more pressure to cut, which gives you less control over the knife, increasing the chance for it to slip. I am not a melodramatic person, but I do not take unnecessary risks in the kitchen. Making these habits a part of your everyday behavior keeps everyone safe. 

Knife Rules for Children

Allowing children to use knives in the kitchen is a personal decision based on your own comfort level. I believe that if you can provide proper and close supervision, you can teach your children to use knives safely, so don’t immediately dismiss them as irresponsible or not ready. When given the opportunity, kids can learn to do a lot, especially if you are patient.

I began gradually introducing my daughter to knives and knife safety when she was a toddler. She began cutting with a wavy chopper more independently when she was four and graduated to using a kids’ steak knife around five. More recently, at six, she started practicing with a paring knife. Older children can use knives more safely with less supervision, but you need to give them the tools to succeed. I recommend Montessori knives. Start young children with nylon knives, and from there, you can move to a stainless-steel wavy chopper. I actually skipped nylon knives and started with the wavy chopper. There is another wavy chopper with a handle, but I find it to be a little difficult for small children to use because they lack the motor skills and manual dexterity to grasp it. By the time they can properly use it, they are likely ready to use a paring knife with close supervision. 

Every parent knows their child best, but here are some general guidelines for what kids of all ages can do: Very young children around three can use dull knives to slice soft foods like strawberries and spread nut butter onto toast. Around five they can slice harder foods with crinkle-cut knives, and around six they can use a small paring knife to help prepare ingredients. By eight, most children are ready to use a chef’s knife under close supervision, putting them in the running to become your little sous chef.

No matter how old your children are when you start cooking with them, or how far along they are in their kitchen savviness, all children need the same things: to have emotional and physical readiness, be able to follow instructions, and have an interest in learning. When kids really want to do something, they are more likely to focus and to follow safety directions. Have fun with them in the kitchen. Let them choose a delicious recipe they want to eat, pick a time when you aren’t rushed to cook together, and expect imperfection. It’s okay that the cookies are misshapen and different sizes. Your kids will be so proud of their own creations.

With Love,
PrimaFoodie

Important Life Skills Kids Learn in the Kitchen

Since she was an infant, my daughter, Dagny, has been watching me cook. I would set the Babybjörn on the kitchen counter, giving her a clear view as I chopped and prepped. I’d hand her vegetables and cups to play with. When she was old enough to stand, I would set up her workstation where she’d “help” me wash produce, sort things, and pull off stems. Sure, it made things take a little longer, but all of this was building her confidence. She felt useful.

Kids learn essential life skills in the kitchen. They see firsthand what whole vegetables look, feel, and taste like. They also understand the energy, intention, and love that is needed to properly care for themselves. It is for these lessons, as well as the following, that time spent learning to cook can embolden children, giving them confidence for the rest of their lives.

 1.) It boosts self-sufficiency.

I resolved early on that my daughter will know how to cook for herself. She can choose to eat out or buy packaged foods, but she will know HOW to cook real food when she chooses to do so. When children have the skills to make their own food, it empowers them to be self-reliant. 

So often, we reach for the easiest thing, even when the more nutritious option requires only a few minutes of preparation. But if we are not accustomed to putting in the work, the task can seem much bigger than it is. The practice of preparing healthy foods becomes easier after spending time in the kitchen. Teaching kids these skills allows them to learn to prepare the healthier options. They start to conjure the images, smells, textures, and flavors of the dishes they crave. It takes time, but it steadily sets them up for success. 

2.) It inspires healthy habits and patience. 

Having the wisdom to cook teaches kids to sit with their desires and cravings before binging on processed treats. They learn to consider what goes into the food rather than quickly stifling an emotion with a packaged snack. Sometimes, we are just bored, thirsty, or dealing with uncomfortable feelings and we seek immediate relief. By having to wait and put in the work to make something, it teaches kids to take a pause. Often that’s all it takes to move through an emotion and move on.

This is also linked to empowerment. Babies and small children show their power through eating—or not eating. This stems from our innate human need for control. Inviting children to take part and invest in the process of making healthy dishes often motivates them to eat better. When a child feels that something is their idea, they are more likely to support it all the way through. This significantly reduces resistance at the dining table, something every parent can appreciate. 

3.) It builds reading comprehension and problem solving.

Oftentimes, I’ll have Dagny look through my cookbooks and pick something out to make. Learning to cook provides an effective way for children to build their reading and math skills. Cookbook material is fun and inspiring. It’s often technical and involves words that aren’t often used in everyday conversation, which helps to broaden children’s vocabulary.

 4.) It increases safety.

Kids learn by watching. I started showing Dagny the importance of taking care around sharp knives (saying “ouch!” as I pointed to the blade), hot stoves, and pan handles (sucking in my breath as I pointed to the flame). Rather than telling kids what not to do, this approach teaches children what they need to do to stay safe. Just like looking both ways before crossing the street, they’ll know to place a knife away from the counter’s edge to avoid accidentally bumping into it and knocking it on the floor (and onto their foot). Ultimately, grown-ups are responsible for their children’s safety. I never take this for granted. I do believe, however, that these moments in the kitchen teach children basic safety skills.

 5.) It encourages smart judgement.

When children know how fresh cilantro smells, and what brussels sprouts on the stalk look like, they will naturally make wiser decisions when it comes to ingredients. They develop a better appreciation for real foods. For instance, if your little one knows the basic ingredients in chicken soup, they’ll be more apt to question why there are twenty-five convoluted ingredients in Campbell’s Chicken Noodle Soup. What is soy protein isolate for? What IS “flavoring?” This is not to say that children still won’t reach for the brownies and cakes. We all do. But they’ll be keen to follow a diet with more whole fruits and vegetables and few processed items.

 6.) It creates memories and honors traditions.

Cooking is how my late mother-on-law showed her son that she loved him. They often light-heartedly argued in the kitchen because of their competitive nature. Regardless, he appreciated those moments. As we chop and measure with children, we bond. We also create memories, as these multi-sensory experiences stay with us. The song playing in the background. The scent of fresh rosemary. The rainbow of colors on the cutting board. All of these tangible things create memories from which children learn and grow.

My hope is that you can create a space with your children, or perhaps your nieces and nephews and the children in your life, for cooking, for being that mentor and creating special memories while helping kids build life skills.

Love,
PrimaFoodie

How to Meal Plan: Meal Planning Basics

Meal planning will save you time and help minimize food waste, but even more than that, it’s the first small step you can take to alter your food journey and change your life for the better. If you’ve been wanting to change your eating habits, to eat real, whole food, to have the greatest health possible and give your body the best chance possible to heal or just feel good, this is where to start!

I’m going to break down the powerful impact that small, consistent daily disciplines can have on your overall physical health and mental wellbeing. But before I launch into the details, I want to take a moment to encourage you - you have what it takes to do this no matter where you are now.

The small disciplines and actionable steps below may seem insignificant on their own, but when you apply them consistently over time and celebrate the “small wins” of making each choice, they’ll compound over time to transform your body and your mind. You can achieve real, wholistic health that makes you feel good, energetic, and free of foggy brain and daily exhaustion. And the empowerment that comes from making these choices transforms every aspect of our lives, contributing to harmony and balance in life.

You can do this, and as you start to make these small changes, you too will feel the missing pieces of your health start to fall into place in the most natural of ways.

DINNER

When I start planning, I like to start with dinners and fill in the rest of the week’s meals around those.

Choose 3-4 dinners for the week. Start with your protein, or entrée, and build sides around it. Sometimes, I build my sides based on the specific plants I want to work into our diet that week.

I recommend starting with just 1 new entrée a week and keep building on that. Trying to cook something different every night while you’re overhauling your diet and learning to cook with new ingredients can quickly cause burnout.

Refine 2-3 sauces/dressings. Start with one recipe a week and then try different versions of the same thing (pesto, green goddess dressing, cilantro lime, barbeque sauce, etc) until you land on the perfect version. I store mine in mason jars and label them with the name and “made on” date. Since the labels change constantly, I prefer these easily removable adhesive rolls. Many dressings will last 7-10 days in the refrigerator.

*Tip - If you make a sauce for a particular recipe, double the sauce and save the extra for the rest of the week. That sauce can transform bland vegetables into a delicious side dish or dipping sauce for your kids’ lunch.

Take into account leftovers. Think ahead about the viability of working the leftovers for a particular meal into your breakfast or lunch for the next day. For example, an egg over easy on top of leftover roasted pumpkin or butternut squash with vegetables is delicious, nutritious, and gives you steady, slow-burning energy until lunchtime.

BREAKFAST

When you’re thinking about how to meal plan for your family, it’s all about finding ways to save time and minimize waste, and finding creative ways to use leftovers throughout the week is one of my favorite ways to do just that! So once I’ve decided what’s for dinner, I plan breakfast for the week based on the leftovers I know I’m going to have.

Making breakfast from leftovers makes our mornings run more smoothly – and it can do the same for you!

No prep work. You don’t have to think about what to make every morning or worry about whether it’s a balanced, healthy meal because you’ve already put the time into planning for it ahead of time.

*Tip - enlist the help of your kids! My daughter loves to be a part of our meal planning. It’s amazing how much more cooperative kids are when they get to be involved! Here’s an example of a list she’s made:

Monday – oatmeal (soaked overnight)

Tuesday – hash (with leftover veggies and bacon, sausage, or a leftover dinner protein)

Wednesday – cereal (there are one or two brands I buy with only 4-8 grams of unrefined sugar that are organic and made with only 5 ingredients – to be eaten in moderation)

Thursday – omelette

Friday – porridge

My daughter knows I have the final stamp of approval, but when she’s been part of the decision-making process, then it’s her list. She can look at it throughout the week and not be surprised or disappointed, which has cut down our morning arguments about what’s for breakfast to almost none.

Mix it up and plan for variety. If she had her way, my daughter would have toast for breakfast every morning! By creating a plan and allowing her to help, I can make sure we aren’t eating the same thing every day. When we eat the same thing every day, our bodies start to develop food sensitivities, and we minimize and narrow down the amount of nutrients we take in.

LUNCH

The last step in my meal planning process is lunch. I used to plan the whole week in detail but, because I’ve been doing this for a while and can throw my daughter’s lunch together with “nothing” now, I don’t plan it out at all.

However, if you’re just getting started, planning out every meal for the week is the best way to go. It’ll be helpful in letting you know what to fill in from the grocery store.

When I shop, I usually hit the farmer’s market and place a small Instacart order on Sunday, and then one more small Instacart order later in the week.

As for my lunches, I often make salad out of the remaining dinner leftovers, so no additional planning is required.

Keep it Simple

This sounds like a lot when you’re first learning how to meal plan, and it may seem overwhelming or time-consuming. It is more work up front, but that time is concentrated – as you go through the rest of your week, you’ll find that you’re saving a lot more time overall.

And, as with anything, the more you meal plan, the better and more efficient you’ll get at it! I used to spend a lot more time planning out detailed weekly menus. Now, I spend about 10 minutes between breakfast and leaving for the farmer’s market on Sunday morning writing our weekly meal plan on a large yellow sticky note.

It doesn’t have to be pretty, and it’s okay to make mistakes! Learning how to meal plan doesn’t have to be complicated or perfect. Stick to the principle of simplicity, remember the power of making small, consistent changes, and you will be amazed at how something as simple as meal planning can start to change everything.

With Love,
PrimaFoodie

Real Food Heals / My Journey to a Clean Eating Lifestyle

Maintaining a healthy, real food lifestyle in the U.S. today is a struggle, not only because of the limited options and societal rituals surrounding food, but also because of the stigma surrounding those who choose this way of life. 

The eye rolls.

The apologies made on your behalf from well-meaning friends and family who simply don’t get it.

I’ve been there. I understand.

I’ve struggled with autoimmune conditions for 28 years and more severe digestive dysfunction for the past 7 years. I’ve suffered through mysterious symptoms, digestive issues, and violent, protracted sneezing fits that made it difficult to breathe. I had unexplained bouts of depression, “foggy brain,” and was constantly fatigued, both mentally and physically. I was embarrassed, trying not to “make a big deal” out of it, but the symptoms crept in even during vacations out of the country, landing me in unfamiliar hospitals for days.

When I was eventually diagnosed with SIBO, small intestinal bacterial overgrowth, I was relieved. I finally had an answer, a place to start, something on which to work.

That’s when my perspective on food shifted, and I started using it as a tool to heal.

My Food Journey

My relationship with food has been complicated. I’ve been on and off the rollercoaster to a healthy lifestyle since I was 16, trying my best with limited resources and limited knowledge. 

But food was a source of control in my life, a tool to numb feelings. Once I had control over my food choices, I entered into a high fat, high refined sugar diet, and while my body started to protest with early signs of psoriasis, rhinitis, and autoimmune disorders, I ignored them. 

I didn’t know what my body was trying to tell me. 

As the years went on, I found myself in and out of hospitals and doctor’s offices, searching for answers to my mysterious symptoms, the pain, and the never-ending fatigue. 

My journey to healing through food really began in earnest for me at the end of 2013 with the birth of my daughter. What should’ve been a happy transition into motherhood became a traumatic time of my life. 

My daughter had extreme digestive issues that left her screaming in pain within minutes of eating. For 7 months, I had to exclusively pump, a grueling experience without the bonding effects of breastfeeding. 

I felt heartbroken and helpless. She was already on the maximum dosage of prescription drugs for GERD, and it wasn’t working. I was desperate for anything that would help.

And then, one day, crying in a doctor’s office, the tides shifted. The pediatric endocrinologist looked at me and suggested – as an afterthought, really – that I try eliminating dairy and gluten from my diet. 

So I started making gradual changes to my diet, including the elimination of refined sugars. 

And day by day, week by week, my daughter began to heal.

Health and Wellness in Daily Life

Figuring out the problem was only one part of the puzzle. Figuring out how to fit this new clean eating diet into everyday life was another story.

Being a mom with a newborn is isolating already in itself. Trying to connect with other women after Mommy & Me classes when there are limited restaurant options for a dairy- and gluten-free diet was too much. I wanted to bond, but I constantly felt like the odd one out. 

Even my husband, as much as he wanted to support me, didn’t know how. Family and friends didn’t understand. I felt belittled, written off, dismissed. 

I was trying to navigate a healthy lifestyle for myself and my daughter on my own in a world of birthday parties, family get-togethers, and other social events that revolve around sweets and junk food. We could all agree there should be healthy choices available, but nothing ever changed. No one took the initiative. 

The day I figured out how to own this healthy lifestyle choice, to stop apologizing for it and let others deal with their own feelings about it, things finally got easier. We all have to decide what we’re willing to live with and what we can live without. When I started down this path to a real food lifestyle, when I felt the difference of healthy eating, I realized how bad I had felt for so long. I realized this was an easy choice.

The Secret to a Clean Eating Diet

So what’s the secret to a life of health and wellness, a life of clean eating? Planning. It’s all about how to shop and how to stock your pantry and refrigerator. It’s about planning ahead for banquets, catered events, traveling and eating in hotels or restaurants. It’s about planning ahead for social gatherings with friends and family or school parties and events. 

Making small, incremental changes in the right direction day in and day out adds up. And despite how it sounds, it’s still possible to make room for spontaneity within the framework of those small changes, choices, and trade-offs. I love being spontaneous as much as the next person! As long as you’re consistent over time, moments of spontaneity won’t get in the way of your long-term success. 

I am a real food warrior. I want to help you become your best self through healthy lifestyle choices. I want to show you how I feed and heal my family with a real food lifestyle because learning what to do is the easy part – it’s the execution that’s most challenging. 

In order to have the greatest health possible, the highest quality of life, we have to take control of what we eat and shift the tide of food awareness. We need to change our perspective of what it means to live a healthy lifestyle from one of deprivation to one of replacement and wholeness. 

I believe we can heal our bodies through food. 

I struggled through my journey alone, but you don’t have to. Stick with me – I’ve got your back.

With Love,
PrimaFoodie