At some point last week, Matt read an article about how a family solved their little boy’s health issues by following a whole foods diet. And then he read an article (or maybe it was the day before that) about foods that are allowed here in the United States that are banned in other countries.
We both were stuck by the articles. We don’t eat a ton of junk but we aren’t that careful about it either. There is definitely room for improvement.
That is when I decided to change up our diet a little bit.
We won’t be going 100% whole foods for a few reasons. Our budget won’t allow it, we don’t like brown rice and whole wheat pasta, and we aren’t restricting what we can eat when going out to eat, parties, etc. What I am mainly focusing on for us is cutting out a lot of dyes, preservatives, and added sugar.
Do you have any idea how horrible packaged bread is? Tons of preservatives and even coloring. I’m going back to making our own bread and most bread products. Same with yogurt. So many preservatives and colors not to mention the amount of sugar.
Matt will still be drinking Gatorade at work. It is the easiest option for his physically demanding, outdoors job. But instead of buying powdered iced tea mix, I’ll be learning how to make good iced tea from tea bags and honey or maple syrup, not white sugar.
We are switching to a more natural peanut butter as well as we eat a lot of peanut butter in this house. I will also be using maple syrup or honey when I can for sweetening in baked goods. Basically, we are switching our staples other than rice and pasta.
Going to a whole foods diet is not the same as going organic. Many people who go the whole foods route also go the organic route. While I’m not against organic fruits, veggies, and meat, it isn’t in our budget at this time.
Whole foods also does not mean we are going vegetarian. We are meat eaters for sure. However, there will be more fresh fruits and vegetables in the house.
What does that mean for our friends and family? Absolutely nothing. Sure, if you eat here, things will be a little different, though not much. If you are inviting us over, we will eat what you serve us. Our decision to have a healthier diet is for what I make for us, not for what other people make for us.
I may get grief for saying this, but I don’t think it is necessary to eat only whole foods 100% of the time. I happen to really enjoy double triple stuffed Oreos and will still be having them on occasion. And what is childhood without a glass of Kool-Aid once in awhile (it will be rare here though)?
So there is my plan for a modified whole foods diet. Over time, we will probably do closer to a real whole foods diet but this is how we are starting.
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