Sunday Smart Eats - Tips for Healthy Eating

Did you know that March is nutrition month? I didn't until a couple of days ago and decided then that I would do something special here in honor of nutrition month. Each Sunday during the month of March I will be talking about something food related. Recipes, facts, tips, etc.

To start it off, I want to introduce you to some of the habits I have picked up that have helped me to eat healthier.

A recent grocery haul.

 1. Meal Planning. This is something I have done on and off for years and find it has so many benefits. The first, and most important recently, is that you end up saving a lot of money. When Matt and I plan out our meals for the week we end up using up all of the fresh fruits and veggies we buy (big yay!!!) which means we end up spending less money. We use up our leftovers and in general, end up buying less food when we do our groceries. This is something that I find tough to keep up when I'm feeling lazy but it's definitely worthwhile.


 2. Easy Snacks. I am a snacker. Well, I am an eater really, but I enjoy my snacks. I find when I get home at night after a long day at work, snacks are my go to craving. Therefore, having healthier options around makes it a lot more forgiving for the waistline. I like to keep a variety of nuts/dried fruits around the house. I've been especially hooked on pistachios as of late. We also keep things handy like clementines, crackers with cheese, popcorn, melons, etc.

3. Weekend Prep. Which brings me to my final tip, prepping your food. One of the things I hate most about cooking meals and eating healthy is the amount of prep work that goes into it. Therefore, I try to do as much of it in advance as possible. Usually, after we get our groceries on the weekend, I'll do as much prep as I can for our snacks/meals. I'll cut up our watermelon or cantaloupe so it's easier to snack on during the week. I'll make a big batch of chili, corn chowder or soup for quick lunches. Sometimes I'll even chop up my veggies ahead of time. That way when I get home from work I just need to cook. I find it makes cooking a healthy meal less of a daunting task if at least some of my prep work is already done.

Have you had any success with one of the above tips? Do you have any good ones of your own? Share with us below in the comments section :)