Clean Eating

[SuzySunshine]

Does anyone do this? I'm actually thinking about trying this without telling DH and seeing what he says/notices. Emeals.com has a weekly menu plan which is probably where I'd start, getting rid of the kids over processed snacks needs to be near the top of my list as well.

Anyone do this? Have suggestions? Tips?

[Phoebe]

I'm trying but I'm met with much resistance. I like this website www.100daysofrealfood.com

[SuzySunshine]

From your DH and your kids?

I've been looking at this website, http://www.thegraciouspantry.com/

Lent is coming, I'm thinking we at least try it for that and see how it goes...

[GrayMatterWife]

I don't know what cleaning eating is. But if it involves not eating carrot sticks and Cheez-Its that have fallen on the floor in violation of the 5-second Rule, then I am pretty sure my children would starve. "You aren't getting fresh because you dropped or threw your food to the floor! Forget it! But feel free to pick it up on the linoleum and get full!"

[diggitydot]

We're primarily (but not entirely) Paleo peeps, so very little in our house is processed except for whatever the kids take in their lunches (ie, bread, peanut butter, cheese, etc.)

I feel like shit when I eat food with low nutritional value. I don't eat a lot throughout the day and need it to be decent.

[GrayMatterWife]

ETA: Abigail, this is for you! [ATTACH=CONFIG]1660[/ATTACH]

HAHAHAHA!!! That really is my thinking. Is my floor REALLY that much worse than their fingers, which manhandle the food anyway?

[ides]

I'm not entirely sure what clean eating is either. I avoid processed items mostly. Will have to look into it and see.

[poky]

I'm not entirely sure what clean eating is either. I avoid processed items mostly. Will have to look into it and see.

From what I've gathered, it mostly boils down to "Eat things that only have ingredients you would buy to cook with at home". I've been leaning that direction for the most part for a couple years; I started reading ingredients lists when I decided to cut out HFCS and transfats, and just reading ingredients lists kinda edged me toward things that have better ingredients in them anyway. I haven't been super-strict about it, though, and I don't always remember to check ingredients lists, so I know I could do a LOT better.

Lara bars are "clean" (the only potentially questionable ingredient in some varieties is "natural flavors"). Kind bars seem to have more stuff added to them. (soy protein isolate, chicory root fiber, etc.)

[spotty_dog]

The site that SS references is a bit more strict than that. No white flour, no sugar, no alcohol, and eating 5-6 meals a day I think.

I lean more to Michael Pollan's Food Rules. "Eat food, not too much, mostly plants." I do find I feel best if I get plenty of raw foods and decent portions of good meats; less grains and high-sodium stuff and dairy. And, well, less alcohol. But that's hard sometimes when relaxing with hubby and a glass of wine after the kids are in bed is just so *nice*.

[diggitydot]

Paleo/primal is a tad more hardcore. Grains, legumes, most sugars, and dairy are out. Essentially, anything a hunter/gatherer would have consumed is cool beans. If it takes too much cooking/processing to consume, it's a no-go. The fats are weird for me to get used to using. Coconut and olive oils are fine. Corn oils are baaaaaad. Thankfully, coffee and wine are fine. Which is weird because they have to be processed. It's not a perfect system, obvs.

We are not hardcore Paleo/primal peeps. We use some of the info and incorporate it into our diets. We're pretty much low or no processed food peeps already, so it isn't too much of a stretch. We already eat a lot of veg, but the lowered carbs is new. I've discovered that I'm FAR less hungry when I have fewer carbs. I also rarely have any food cravings now.

[ladymoreta]

No white flour, no sugar, no alcohol

Count me out...

[BonBon]

I've discovered that I'm FAR less hungry when I have fewer carbs. I also rarely have any food cravings now.

Isn't it awesome?? I've been incorporating intermittent fasting because I'm honestly not hungry. I wait until the belly grumbles and then I eat.

[SuzySunshine]

I've looked at several sites and haven't decided on one yet, that is just the one that first caught my eye. The other thing I read that I'm thinking of starting with is that if it has more then 5 ingredients its out.

We also won't give up alcohol or coffee, DH would divorce me first!

[samssugarmomma]

Dh and I just switched to paleo eating and I'm slowly transitioning the kids the "real" food. I'm using the 100 days of real food definition which is less than five ingredients.

Cheri - we just made the week 1 meal plan from 100 days of real food and liked everything. I wasn't sure my kids would like the banana pancakes but they loved them!

Once a month mom.com also has some "real food" menus to get ideas from. Or you can use their service and cook your meals once a month and then eat out of the freezer. Or at least get links to blogs that have clean recipes.

[AmeliePoulain]

What would you eat in a day, for instance, on the paleo diet? Is it mostly raw? I try to stick to organics and avoid canned foods and don't use the microwave but I end up buying Oreos and ice cream :/ and croissants, bagels, cheese... ugh. I don't want to lose weight but I could definitely be a lot healthier in my eating habits.