When I started with the organic movement, food was the first thing that changed in our house. To be honest, I hadn’t really thought about all of the other toxins that could be in our home, but I knew that all of the processed foods in our pantry definitely weren’t good for us.
It actually started after my husband and I got engaged. I went into a health-kick, as many women do before their weddings, and I started learning more and more about the food I was putting into my body. I wanted to lose the little bit of flab around my middle and be in the best shape of my life for the big day. The more I learned about “healthy” food, however, the more I became interested in what was actually IN it rather than just counting the calories.
The biggest way that I avoid toxins in our food is by avoiding the center of the grocery store.
Most grocery stores I’ve been to have practically the same layout. Fresh fruits and veggies are on one side, fresh meats are in the back, and then dairy is on the other side. The center of the store is usually full of boxed, canned, wrapped, and otherwise prepackaged foods.
I try to make everything fresh, or as fresh as a mama of two can, and when I do buy from the center aisles, I buy things that are certified organic in order to avoid the harsh chemicals and preservatives that are in many prepackaged foods.
I even make my own seasonings, like this yummy taco seasoning, which I make in bulk because we live in Texas and have tacos or some southwest-flavored something at least once a week! Making a seasoning like this one only takes 5 minutes (or less!), and it tastes better than anything store-bought in my opinion. It tastes real!
I like being able to physically see everything (or nearly everything) that goes into my food.
P.S. I also avoid frozen veggies when I can, or I buy them when they’re in season and freeze them myself. Why? Because they’re usually packaged in plastic.
I also avoid aluminum cans as much as possible because they are usually lined with BPA. Those that aren’t will say “BPA Free” on the can.
All this being said, I’m a mom of two. We’ve had our fair share of frozen sweet potato fries and pizzas. I also love making smoothies in the morning, and it’s so much yummier when the fruit is frozen!
I do what I can to eat healthily and make everything fresh, but sometimes we all just have to make life a little bit easier. And that’s ok!
