What I Love About Sprouts Farmer's Market

**This post is not sponsored, all opinions are my own.**

Last week, a new grocery store opened up close to home. I'm sure that some of you have a Sprouts Farmer's Market near you, or at least a similar store.

Sprouts is a grocery store that carries natural, fresh, and organic products. They even have their own "store brand" of many products. But you can read more about the company here. This post isn't a review, just me sharing something that makes me happy.

I want to talk about why I love stores like Sprouts! I think they are one piece of the big puzzle to make communities healthier.

First of all, the prices. The prices are comparable to typical grocery stores, but the specials are awesome! Every week there are great products at great prices. Making healthy food affordable and accessible- always a good thing.

Next, the selection. I like choices, but not an overwhelming amount of choices. At Sprouts, there are recognizable brands to chose from, and there's the Sprouts brand. They have their own brand of many products. I might have gotten Sprout's gelato, but in my defense I got twice the gelato for the same price as the name brand AND since it's frozen it'll last me, like, a month. I enjoy gelato in moderation. And I love getting a great price. I had to bring it home. 

While I was shopping I called Jess- there were so many gluten free options and the best part was they were integrated in with like products, no more "gluten free aisle"!

There is also a great variety of bulk items- grains, beans, rice, lots of selection!

Last but not least, I love the prepared foods. They all have ingredient labels that are easy to read. Sprouts uses the same ingredients I would use if I made these dishes in my kitchen. And they don't up the price! There is a great selection of soups, salads, pasta, and entrees. Yum!

Everything I bought was delicious. I'm excited to have this new option when doing my meal planning and grocery shopping. The specials Sprouts runs make it worth adding them as a stop while grocery shopping. I won't be able to purchase everything I need there- some items are still cheaper at the "big box stores" (like AP flour and other basic pantry items); however, the produce section alone would be worth the stop. The meat department and prepared foods make it even better!

I really hope that stores like Sprouts, who are committed to making healthy food affordable, continue to expand their business! 

Forget the fads: 5 Tips for Eating Well

I don't know about you, but the commercials on TV this time of year drive me crazy. All kinds of marketing aimed at people who have good intentions of losing weight, eating right, and exercising in the new year.

While I think the resolutions are good, I'm not a fan of the marketing. All the "before and after" pictures, all the skinny minnie's dancing and flaunting their "newly" toned muscles is good advertising, but it's not reality. The truth is, losing weight is hard. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is hard. Eating healthy is hard. Not easy, not impossible, just hard.

In school, Jess and I learned about nutrition and exercise. We learned about healthy eating, healthy living, and staying active. As Health Promotion students we also learned about human behavior and motivation. It is unfortunate that, nowadays, human behavior and motivation are often used against us. Motivators like new year's resolutions are used to get us to buy products, sign up for memberships, and enroll in fad diet programs. The trouble is, they set most people up for failure.

I realize there are people who thrive at the gym, there are people who enjoy strict diets, and there are people who are able to maintain a healthy weight with less effort than others. These folks aren't the majority- don't believe me? Look around.

It's hard to make it to the gym, it's hard to eat healthy, and it's even harder to stick to a restricted diet.

When we buy in to things like "fad diets" we are buying a fresh start- something new and exciting. This is motivating, and that is why some people can start a diet and lose weight for a couple of weeks. The issue becomes when cravings hit, busy schedules interfere, and your life throws up obstacles to such drastic change.

This is why people fail at fad diets, they aren't real life. They are a change that is, usually, too difficult to maintain.

There is a better option though! When we strip away the gimics, the jargon, and the commercialism of a fad diet, the basic concept is simple: eat less. That's it.

This secret is what all diets are based on. Eat less.

The truth is we need carbs, we need protein, we need sugar. Our bodies need nutrients from each food group. By being mindful of the quantity and variety of foods we are eating, we can take the focus off of dieting and instead pay attention to eating well.

Here are some tips to help you eat healthy this year:

1. Eat a variety of foods {we need a lot of nutrients, a lot of vitamins, and minerals. the best way to get these is through food, not supplements}
2. Eat foods that you cook {learning to cook will likely help you lose more weight than any fad diet, I haven't researched it, but it makes you more mindful and more conscious of what you are eating... this helps you eat better and eat less}
3. Sit down at a table to eat, every meal {families who eat together are healthier. there is research to support this. just google it. even if you drive thru, bring it home, sit down, and enjoy your meal}
4. Take your time {don't rush. it takes 20 minutes for your stomach to tell your brain you are full, so give it a chance to regulate itself}
5. Indulge when you need to {don't binge, but if you want chips- eat a few, if you want a cupcake- split it with your kid. don't deny yourself, it will lead to overeating later}

Our moto in college was "everything in moderation". I still remind myself of this simple truth. It keeps me on track!

What's your most practical tip for eating well? We'd love to hear it!

Reinvent Your Leftovers

I thought once school started and we all got settled into our routine again that life would slow down. I'm always waiting for my calendar to be clear of appointments, weddings, photography sessions, birthday parties, etc. but that never seems to happen!

At the beginning of the school year, I quickly realized that I was not a super mom. No way I was making a fresh and new meal every day of the week- wasn't going to happen. I've never been a leftovers kind of girl either, so that didn't help my problem much. Well, until I realized that I could make 1 or 2 "reinvented" meals from the fresh meal I prepared! I've been doing this now for about a month and it has been awesome! So many of my meals can be reinvented and I plan my meals around this very concept. Not to mention, this way of cooking has been totally awesome for our bank account. :)

Take a peek at how I reinvent some of my favorite meals- maybe it will inspire you to do the same!

Chili reinvented into:
Chili Baked Potatoes
Chili Pasta

Roasted Chicken reinvented into:
Chicken Wild Rice Soup
Chicken Noodle Soup
Chicken Fajita Quesadillas
Sandwiches
Salads
Lettuce Wraps
Chicken & Broccoli Pizza

Turkey Meatballs reinvented into:
Meatball Sandwiches
Spaghetti & Meatballs
Lasagna (crumble meatballs for this)
Calzones
BBQ Meatballs

Ground Taco Meat reinvented into:
Burritos
Taco Salad
Tostadas
Enchiladas
Quesadillas
Taco Pizza
Mexican Sloppy Joes

Salsa Chicken reinvented into:
Nachos
Chicken Tortilla Soup (Pioneer Woman's recipe is the best!)
Enchiladas
Quesadillas
Mexican Stuffed Peppers

BBQ Pulled Pork reinvented into:
Quesadillas
BBQ Pizza`
BBQ Pork Wrap w/ Ranch Dressing

Grilled Chicken Breast reinvented into:
Enchiladas
Chicken Pesto Pasta
Chicken Salad
Grilled Chicken Salad
Cobb Salad
BBQ Chicken Sandwiches
Chicken Caesar Wrap
Stir Fry

Chicken Tortilla Soup reinvented (drain liquid) into:
Tacos
Nachos

Crock Pot Roast Beef reinvented into: 
Beef Stroganoff
Philly Cheesesteak (sandwiches, pizza, or stuffed peppers)
Tacos
Beef Stew

A few key things to remember:

• If you won't be using your leftovers the next day, be sure to freeze them. Use a freezer bag or a Food Saver to store leftovers.
• When purchasing your meats, be sure to take into account the reinvented meals you've planned and buy the larger package! 
• If you have a larger family, you may have to double recipes (like chicken tortilla soup) in order ot have leftovers. 

Do you reinvent leftovers? What are your "go to" meals? 

Tip for Tuesday: Freezer Cooking Staples

What comes to mind when you think about freezer cooking? Casseroles and crock pot meals, right?

My view of freezer cooking is a little different, as I don't take an entire afternoon or even a whole day to make up a bunch of meals to freeze. I freeze things as I go and a lot of the things I freeze are just components of dishes, rather than the dish itself.


Here are a few of my favorite freezer cooking staples:

Ground Beef/Turkey: Use to make a quick batch of sloppy joes, taco meat, burritos, quesadillas, chili, or spaghetti.

Chicken Breast: Throw this in soup, quesadillas, pasta, enchiladas, pizza, salad, or sandwiches. I shred a few and also leave a few whole.

Muffins: I freeze these and send them to school as part of Little Dude's breakfast. I usually pair it with a smoothie or some fresh fruit. Check out this muffin recipe- it's a great one!

Mixed Veggies: Most, if not all, veggies freeze very well. Most of my dishes consist of a mix of onion, peppers, and garlic so I always have this mix on hand. I leave the garlic out, though, as I like to use it fresh. For our favorite soups, I keep a mix of carrots, broccoli, and onion on hand.

Stay tuned for more great freezer cooking tips this week! If you need to catch up on yesterday's post, you can see it here!

What are your favorite freezer cooking staples?

Turkey Black Bean Chili Pasta

There's nothing I love more on a brisk fall or winter evening than to cook up a big batch of turkey black bean chili.

I've been making this chili for a few years now and it's definitely become a staple in our house- so much so that when the snow starts to fly, it's usually on our menu weekly! :)

There is usually a bunch leftover because I tend to make a double batch so we can have quick and easy dinner another night- like when I have absolutely no motivation or desire to cook because Little Dude was up at 4 a.m.!

An easy way to reinvent this chili is to turn it into a pasta. Oh my gosh you guys, this really is just so simple. All you have to do is reheat the chili, boil some noodles, and wallah! Dinner!

Turkey Black Bean Chili Pasta

Ingredients
Leftovers from 1 batch of Turkey Black Bean Chili (or a fresh batch!)
1/2 box of whole wheat pasta or gluten-free pasta (more or less depending on how many people you're feeding)
Shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Diced red onion
Plain greek yogurt

Directions
Boil water and cook noodles. While water is boiling for noodles, re-heat pasta.
Drain noodles and return to stovetop.
Scoop noodles into individual bowls and top with chili.
Add toppings and enjoy!

What's your favorite fall recipe?

Friday Favorite: Laptop Lunches Bento-Ware

*This post is not sponsored by Laptop Lunches. I just really love their lunch box!

I'm so excited to share with you one of my favorite things regarding school lunches- the Laptop Lunch Box! I ordered this last year hoping it would last through little dude's preschool years... and maybe even beyond. I'm pretty sure it will last us a few more years- it's sturdy and easy to clean, which keeps it in great condition!

I love this expandable pocket on the side. 

It's perfect for a thermos, juice box, or other beverage container.

The handle is easy for little hands to grasp. 

The "Bento Boxes" that go inside are awesome! They have a ton of different size and color options. They're dishwasher safe, too, which is always a plus in my book. 

You can configure them is so many different ways too- I love options! 

On the right-hand side there's a space for silverware and a napkin. 

It's handy and the perfect size. 

The front zipper compartment is great, too. 

I use it to send along snacks, since Little Dude gets a morning snack at school. 

It can also be used to hold lunch money or anything that doesn't fit inside the box. 

Oh, and act like that dirty spot doesn't exist. Oops.! 

The lunch box is a little pricier than those you can find at Target or Walmart, but I guarantee you'll get more time out of this one and it's worth the investment! 

Do you have a favorite lunch box? We'd love to hear about it! 

Healthilicious Lunch Box Ideas

My kiddos have been in school for a week now, and although I only have to pack lunch for one of them, I'm already stressing out about making sure he gets a good variety of foods in his lunch box every day.

Luckily, there have been lunch box posts all over Pinterest this past month which has given me some inspiration... but because of my love for lists, a list of lunch options works best for me. If you're a lover of lists and stuck in a lunch box rut, this post is for you!

I try to choose a food from 3-4 of these categories every day. I usually do a PB & J once a week, but like to mix it up on the other days. Try hummus w/ whole wheat crackers in place of a sandwich or send a greek yogurt along to double as dairy and protein! Sometimes I even send "breakfast" for lunch- whole wheat waffle strips, greek yogurt, and a fruit is a quick lunch to put together and it's nutritious!

Have a picky eater? See how Lynns packs for her kiddos!

What are your favorite healthy lunch box fillers?

Tip for Tuesday: Take Lunch for a Whole Week

Yesterday, I mentioned that I am not  "pre-packer" when it comes to lunches. This goes for my lunch too. I only work part-time, so I don't get a long lunch. I found myself running to a fast food place a lot even though I was trying to pack a lunch everyday. Most days I either forgot or just didn't have the time in the morning. Obviously, I needed to do something different.

I started adding things to my grocery list that I could bring to work so I had my lunch for a whole week. There is a common fridge down the hall from my office so I can keep things cold. Here's what I typically bring:

Variations:

Fruit (strawberries, grapes, apples)

Peanut Butter

Pita Chips

Pretzels

I take the whole box, the whole carton and a whole bag of carrots (prepped) so that I can portion them out when I'm hungry- not when I'm racing out the door.

What I Pack My Kids For Lunch

My Little Man is a picky eater. Super picky. He gets it from me so I can't complain. Little Miss is a pretty good eater, she likes most things that I give her. She gets that from her dad, thank goodness.

I usually make all of our meals myself so I can accommodate my kids' likes and dislikes. I'm not a short-order cook, but I try to make sure my kids get balance and variety in their meals.

Lunch is the only meal we don't eat together. Little Man takes his lunch to school and Little Miss takes hers to Mother's Day Out.

My main goal with their lunches is to pack things they will eat- hungry kids don't pay attention well in school. Secondarily, I try to have at least 3 out of the 5 food groups packed for them. This is harder than you think because of my son's picky-ness and because I can't send nuts in my daughter's lunch.

Here's what our typical lunches look like:

For my picky eater

I always have a "snack" item just in case he doesn't feel like eating his sandwich, or in case he's extra hungry!

I mix up the applesauce with strawberries or grapes at least once a week.

The bread for the PB&J is homemade. Here's the recipe link.

Counting the peanut butter, he's got 3 food groups.

No Nuts

Little Miss is 2 so she doesn't need as much to eat, but still needs the variety.

I break up the turkey and cheese so it is better finger food for her. I will mix up the lunch meat and occasionally use ham. If we had chicken the night before, I will switch turkey for a few bites of the leftovers.

I love the GoGo Squeeze applesauces. Here's how Jess makes her own applesauce pouches (super easy!). I will also trade out the applesauce for strawberries or grapes if I have some in the fridge.

The goldfish and rasins are in case she is still hungry. The goldfish are her "grain" to help fill her up and keep her full until snack time.

4 food groups here!

When it comes to prepping lunches, I wish I could say that I was super prepared and make the kids lunches the night before. But I don't. Everything here is quick. That's important for me in the morning.

I also wish I could say that I have so many cute, fun lunches pinned so that I can make super cute things every week. But I can't. I send my kids with foods that I know they will eat. I have a few variations so they won't get bored, but filling up their tummies with semi-healthy food is my main goal.

Packing lunches may be a chore, but I feel better knowing my kids are happy and well fed.

Do you pack your kiddos lunch? Tell us their favorite lunch item!

My Gluten-Free Favorite Finds + A Sweet Potato Snack

Although I try really hard to always feed my family real food, sometimes I need a little help from some pre-packaged convenience foods. This is mostly true when it comes to my son's gluten-free foods- I just don't have the time to make all of his favorite snacks, and because of his food sensitivities (texture, smell, etc.) and his need for things to always be familiar and the same, it's just better for all of us if I buy some of his foods pre-packaged.

Here are a few of my go-to gluten-free products:

Udi's Gluten-Free Whole Grain Bread: I love this stuff and use it for obvious things like sandwiches and toast. I also use it for french toast and as breadcrumbs for chicken and fish.

Applegate Gluten-Free Chicken Tenders: My favorite thing about these are that they're all-natural in addition to being gluten-free.

Bisquick Gluten-Free: This makes my life so much easier. Perfect for whipping up a batch of pancakes or biscuits in a pinch!

Applegate Natural Honey Ham: Oh my word- this stuff is so good! We use it on sandwiches and in egg scrambles.

Nabisco Gluten-Free Rice Thins: These are the perfect replacement for traditional wheat thins. We just love 'em with peanut butter, cheese, or plain! (these just rolled out, so I couldn't find a product page)

Of course, our absolute favorite gluten-free foods are fruits and veggies, because you just can't go wrong with them! Here's one of my little dude's favorite snacks- cinnamon sweet potato stars!

Cinnamon Sweet Potato Stars
recipe adapted from Family Fun Magazine

Ingredients
1 large sweet potato
2 tsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp. ground cinnamon (add more to taste)

Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Peel sweet potato and cut into 1/2 inch slices. You can estimate your thickness- that's what I did. Hopefully the measurement police don't find me, because I'm pretty sure I'm the world's worst when it comes to measuring things by just looking. But I digress...

Use a cookie cutter to punch out star shapes and then put the stars in a ziploc bag with olive oil. Shake the bag until all pieces are coated.

Put the stars on a cookie sheet and sprinkle cinnamon on top to taste. Bake for about 25 minutes, flipping them halfway through baking. Keep an eye on them- they are done when they're soft and lightly browned.

Once cooled, serve with a yummy yogurt dip! Just take 1/4 cup of plain greek yogurt, and add pure maple syrup to taste (start with 1 teaspoon). My kids loved this dip for the sweet potatoes as well as fruit. Enjoy!


*This is not a sponsored post

10 Ways to use over-ripe bananas + A Yummy Muffin Recipe

We eat a lot of bananas in our house. All four of us love them, but most of the time we just don't eat them fast enough and I'm left with a bunch of over ripe bananas on the kitchen counter. I don't like to throw out food, and brown-spotted bananas are no exception!

Here are a few ways to use up those bananas when they've gotten past their prime:

1. Banana Bread
2. Chocolate covered bananas
3. Banana Sauce (super yummy over fresh fruit!)
4. Whole Wheat Banana Pancakes
5. Banana Ice Cream (recipe)
6. Freeze to use in smoothies
7. Banana Oatmeal Muffins (my kids love this recipe!)
8. Frozen Peanut Butter Banana Sammies
9. Bake Chocolate Coconut Cookies (recipe)
10. Cinnamon Grilled Bananas (recipe)

One of my favorite recipes that includes bananas are my chocolate chip banana muffins.

They are perfect for breakfast, a snack on-the-go, or as a sweet treat in your kids lunch box.

These definitely fall in the "20%" category of our 80/20 real food rule, but like I've said in the past- it's ok to treat yourself sometimes! :)

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins
adapted from original recipe by Baked Perfection

Ingredients
1 C. unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 C. whole-wheat flour
1 tsp. aluminum-free baking powder (this is easy to find at your local grocer!)
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
3 ripe bananas, mashed
1/4 c. white sugar
1/2 c. brown sugar
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 egg
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 1/2 C. dark chocolate chips
1 tbsp. whole-wheat flour
1 tbsp. turbinado sugar 

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease or line muffin cups. 

In a large bowl (I use my KitchenAid), mix together all-purpose flour and whole-wheat flour until well combined. Add in baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. In another bowl, beat together bananas, sugars, vanilla, egg, and melted butter. Stir the banana mixture into the flour mixture until combined. Be careful not to over-mix. 

In a small bowl, mix together chocolate chips and 1 tbsp. flour- this keeps the chocolate chips well dispersed in your muffin. Stir the chocolate chips into the batter. 

Fill muffin cups evenly and sprinkle the tops of each muffin with turbinado sugar. If you don't have turbinado sugar (I rarely do), you can just use granulated sugar or no sugar at all. 

Bake for 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. For mini muffins (great for school lunch or a quick sweet treat), start checking at 8 minutes. 

How I Stay Organized: My Life Planner

Welcome to Erin Condren Week here at CLMM! Jess and I are slightly obsessed with EC's fun, colorful designs and ingenious planning/life organization products. Nothing about this week is sponsored, it is completely our own opinions and nothing you see was given to us. We just really love this stuff and want to take a whole week to share the wonderfulness with you all!

About a year ago, Jess and I were talking and she was describing to me her Life Planner. I was all "wow that sounds awesome" and she was all "yes, it's fantastic, you have to have one."

I took her advice and in September 2012 I began using my Life Planner to, well, plan my life. It keeps my days organized and helps to keep me on task!

You can check out all the product features here. Today I am just going to share with you all how I use my Life Planner!

First of all, I have one "rule" for my life planner- no ink shall touch it's pages. That's right, I go old school here and ONLY use pencil. Apparently, as much as I try to plan my life there are always things that change and I can't stand having to cross out and write in. :-)

 One of the features I use on a regular basis are the stickers that come with the Life Planner. There are some that are pre-made (dr. apt, mani/pedi, etc.) and then there are blank ones. I love the stickers because they make important things stand out. Sometimes you need things to jump off the page and get your attention, like swim lessons, or that dentist appointment you made 6 months ago that is suddenly only days away. 

 The things I write in my planner:

Blog posts- I write in my ideas for the week and then I put a big "S" over them when they are scheduled, I also write in Jess' posts when she schedules them. This helps me with social media because I can see what I need to Tweet about for the week.

Weird work hours- I use Outlook to keep me organized at work so I don't include work appointments in my planner, however, if my work hours change I write it in to remind me and so I won't forget to tell our sitters.

Appointments and Events- obviously, I keep track of the whole family's appointments as well as special things we have to do, like birthday parties, swim lessons, play dates, etc.

Meal Plan- you can see here how I use my planner to do my monthly meal plan, every week I write in the meals we are having at the bottom of each day.

Goals- any projects I want to finish that week or important things I need to get done go in this handy little side section.

To Do- There is a weekly "to do" list space, but I usually write in what I need to accomplish each day in the actual day, not the "to do list". In the pic above, I have written in on Wednesday that I need to photograph and write a blog post. Sometimes I will make a to do list of errands I need to run or people I need to call. I love lists... 

I love the perpetual calendar in the front of the planner. This is another tool that I use weekly. I always check to see if I have a birthday or anniversary coming up. I can also see how many cards I am going to need each month and then I can add those to my grocery store list. 

Are you a quote person? I am! I love the quotes throughout the planner- just a nice extra :-) Another "extra" feature I love are the notes pages in the back of the planner. I use them for things like planning parties or weekend getaways so that all my notes stay in one place.

When you get something in the mail that looks like this, you know it's going to be good. I have just ordered my new Life Planner and I am so excited about the extra features this edition will have. I love anything that helps to keep my life on track, this life planner delivers!

The EC team sums it up nicely, "Enjoy!"

Bake Outside the Box: Breakfast Favorites

Breakfast food is my favorite food to make. Oddly enough, I prefer to have breakfast for dinner rather than in the morning. I think this has something to do with me not being a morning person- I need to wake up to enjoy my food.

Anyway, in an effort to feed my family healthy, breakfast foods are things I bake on a regular basis. I try to make one breakfast item per week (usually on Sunday) and then freeze extras so we can eat them throughout the week. If we have to eat cereal or pop-tarts one or two days- I'm ok with that. We are shooting for the majority of our breakfasts to be homemade and we are able to do that most of the time.

Jess mentioned that she plans her breakfast item weekly. I usually just see what sounds good on Sunday morning :) However you make baking from scratch work for you- go with it!

I have posted my tip for freezing pancakes, this little Mommy Machine Secret works for all of these recipes!

One thing I love about these recipes is that they allow for variety. If I have blueberries- I throw some in. Bananas go great with the oatmeal pancakes. I've even been known to put a few chocolate chips in between 2 pancakes when I heat them up in the microwave in the morning. You can change little things to make all of these recipes work for you!

The last tip I have for baking breakfast outside the box is to add whole wheat flour. You can usually substitute 25% of the all-purpose flour for whole wheat and not notice much difference in taste and texture. The fiber that this easy switch adds is totally worth it!

Here are the links to my favorite breakfast recipes, I have also created a Pinterest board called Baking Outside the Box where I have added all of the recipes I share in this series!

Pancakes *can easily be doubled and extras frozen
Oatmeal Pancakes
Waffles *can easily be doubled and extras frozen
Blueberry Muffins
Biscuits (these are great with strawberry preserves!)
Coffee Cake *cut into squares after cooling completely and freeze unused portions for later
Banana Bread

I hope you enjoy these recipes. What is your favorite thing to bake for breakfast?

The first post in the BOTB series can be found here.

Cut the Junk: 1 Week of Meals

Remember the time you read a really awesome "Cut the Junk" series, got inspired, and then didn't know where to start? Yes? Me too.

I know what it's like to be completely overwhelmed while trying to make a lifestyle change. The first time I walked into the natural foods section of our local grocery store to buy gluten-free food for Speedy, I was so overwhelmed I wanted to give up... and I had barely even started. Giving up wasn't an option, and 2 years later I can talk anyone's ear off about gluten-free foods. 

Any lifestyle change is going to be tough. There's a learning curve, and mistakes will be made whether they are intentional or not. You'll want to give up some days because, let's face it, it's easier not to worry about how your food is grown, where it comes from, and how it's produced. Food is just too complicated these days; it's not simple like when my great-grandparents grew most of their own food on their little farm property in Iowa. 

Since I know how overwhelming all of this can be (and I'm still overwhelmed every time I take another "baby step"), I want to help you get off on the right foot. I've put together a one week "real food" meal plan which includes breakfast, lunch, dinner, and a snack prep list.

Clean Lean Mommy Machine: A Week of Real Food Meals

Clean Lean Mommy Machine: A Week of Real Food Snacks

Well, folks, this marks the end of the "Cut the Junk" series. I hope you were inspired and encouraged throughout the last couple of months, and will start to make some positive changes towards real food! I'll still be writing about my own real food journey, sharing tips, and answering questions I've received from our awesome readers in future posts. If you ever have questions, you can leave them here, shout them out on Twitter, or ask on Facebook. There's no such thing as a stupid question, and chances are someone else is wondering about it as well. ;)

Need to catch up on the series? I've got ya covered...

Week 5: Snack Swap

Week 4: Dinner Makeover

Week 3: Lunch Swap

Week 2: Breakfast Makeover 

Week 1: Food Makeover

Meal Planning Week-by-Week

Meal planning. It seems like there are million and one ways to do it. I've tried to plan by month, by paycheck (2 weeks at at a time), and by flying by the seat of my pants. I don't recommend the latter.

I've found that I need to have a plan, but trying to plan too much at once puts my brain into overload. I plan for 3 meals: a weekly breakfast item, school lunches, and dinner. I do this every Thursday morning for the following week.

The first thing I do is dig out my big list of meal ideas, which keeps my planning time to a minimum. I don't have to think too much about what meals we've had in the past that we love, or which meals I haven't cooked in awhile. Do you see a pattern here? I don't want to put a lot of energy into this, so I make it as easy as possible.

Next, I look through my idea list and write each dinner (including "eating out" days) on my Erin Condren weekly schedule pad.  The weekly schedule goes right on the refrigerator, so everyone can see the week's events and no one asks me "What's for dinner?" every. single. night.  I also write it in my Erin Condren life planner so it's easily accessible if I head to the grocery store on a whim. I'm basically obsessed with all things Erin Condren. Is that obvious?

Then, I figure out what breakfast item I'm going to make for the week and write that in on Sunday. I'll usually make something like egg casserole bites, fruity oatmeal bake, or whole wheat muffins on Sunday for breakfast, and then freeze whatever is left. We always have a quick and healthy breakfast ready to go for us on busy weekday mornings.

Lastly, I plan Speedy's school lunch. I honestly just write it on a piece of notebook paper and tape it to the inside of a cupboard. Nothing fancy, but it gets the job done. I write out everything he should have in his lunchbox for each day, that way the hubs knows exactly what should go in the lunchbox if he ends up doing it some random morning. On a side note, he really appreciates this because he tends to get frustrated with packing lunches. :)

Sometimes I will make my grocery list right after I finish planning, but most of the time I make the list on Friday. Shopping happens on Saturday or Sunday- depending on our schedule for the weekend.

Do you have any meal planning tips? If so, we would love you to share them! 

*As a side note, this post is not sponsored at all by Erin Condren. I'm really just this obsessed with her stuff and I use it for everything! 

Cut the Junk: Snack Swap

So, we've talked about "real food" breakfasts, lunches, and dinners. Next up: snacks! I really think snacks are, by far, the easiest to switch over to "real food". So, if you're overwhelmed with your switch to real food, start with snacks. It's simple, I promise.

1. Carrots or celery + natural peanut butter
2. Carrots or celery + ranch dip
3. Frozen peas (my kiddos love these!)
4. Sweet potato cubes
5. Frozen grapes or blueberries (yummy dipped in yogurt, too!)
6. Greek Yogurt dipped frozen banana bites
7. Chobani Champions Tubes (stick them in the freezer for a yummy "popsicle-like" treat!)
8. Smoothies (freeze in popsicle molds in the summer!)
9. Fresh fruit + banana sauce
10. Apples + cheddar cheese
11. Apple + greek yogurt or peanut butter
12. Triscuits* + cheddar cheese cubes
13. Whole wheat toast + natural peanut butter or cream cheese & jam
14. Popcorn
15. Whole wheat blueberry muffins
16. Banana bread (use whole wheat flour and substitute applesauce for oil)
17. Almonds dusted with cinnamon sugar**
18. String cheese wrapped with a slice of ham
19. Frozen banana peanut butter sandwiches** (smashed banana and peanut butter between 2 graham squares)
20. Hard boiled eggs

**My 80/20 rule is in effect here.

*Triscuits are one of the few "processed" foods I'll buy. With just 3 ingredients and no junk, you can't go wrong!

Now you might be asking yourself: How do I make this easy? Pre-packaged snacks are super easy to grab or to hand over to your kiddo. Here's what I do: 

I'm not much for prepping for my meals on a weekly basis, but I do take the time to prep snacks. I do this for 2 reasons:

1. It saves me time from cutting up fruits and veggies multiple times a day.

2. Most importantly, when we have healthy and "real food" snacks prepped and ready to go we tend to choose them over other not-so-healthy options.

{red grapes, carrot sticks, strawberries, and cheddar cheese cubes}

I set aside about an hour every weekend to prep snacks, and sometimes it doesn't even take that long! It really depends on what I've picked up at the grocery store and if I'm prepping banana sauce or other dips. 

Stay tuned on Facebook- I post my weekly snack prep menu over there every week to keep you inspired! 

Catch up on our "Cut the Junk" series:

Week 4: Dinner Makeover

Week 3: Lunch Swap

Week 2: Breakfast Makeover 

Week 1: Food Makeover

Linking up with Real Food Wednesday at Kelly the Kitchen Kop

Tip for Tuesday: Meal Planning Idea List

Making dinners every night can get exhausting and a lot of us end up in a "food rut"- eating the same dinners over and over again.

When I meal plan for the week I always reference my idea list. It jogs my memory of dishes we really love, but haven't had in a while.

My list isn't fancy. It's handwritten and kept in my kitchen so it's easily accessible to me.

Keep a list (typed or handwritten) of main dishes and sides, and add to it when you find a new recipe you love (I do this when I find a great recipe from Pinterest!). Makes meal planning much quicker and adds variety to your dinners throughout the week!

We would love you to share your favorite tip with us. We might just try it out and feature you and your idea on Tip for Tuesday! 

Groceries 2 Weeks at a Time

When I say that I grocery shop 2 weeks at a time, what I mean is that I TRY to shop two weeks at a time... Most of the time I make 2 big shopping trips each month and somewhere in between, I usually make 2-3 "quick trips" to get things I need fresh- veggies and fruit, or things I have forgotten- goldfish crackers, coffee, etc.

I use my monthly meal plan & Pinterest board to help me with my list. I only plan dinners, so I also have to add things we eat for breakfast, lunch and snacks.

I make sure I add quantities to my items so that I buy enough but not too much. For example, if we are having french fries and mashed potatoes in the same 2 week time frame, I would write "potatoes 6" on my list.

I always check the pantry, fridge, and freezer to make sure I don't already have something on hand.  I also inventory "the basics" while I am checking for ingredients- I add baking and cooking supplies to the list as needed.  Keeping these spaces organized is a must! I don't have to worry about things getting overlooked, as long as my pantry is kept in order.

There are certain things that I always make sure I have- Ragu, pasta, taco seasoning, taco shells. I can always have dinner ready in 20 minutes or less if I have these things in my pantry :) They are often on my monthly meal plan, but even if they aren't, I make sure I have these ingredients for those nights that don't go as planned.

Most of the time I don't have to rely on backups like spaghetti and tacos. I try not to have too many "extra" items, this is where my meal planning comes in handy. I find that as long as I stick to my menu while making my list, and stick to my list while shopping we have very little waste and our budget stays in check.

I make my list on my phone. I have an app for that.  I love this for many reasons, but mainly because my phone is always handy so I can add random things like toilet paper or Clorox wipes as needed and because I don't have to worry about forgetting or losing my list!

I buy in bulk when possible- but I don't shop at a wholesale store. WalMart is where I get my groceries. They don't have everything I want all the time, but I usually find everything I need.  I do love the individually wrapped, hormone free chicken that I can buy a bunch of, freeze, and only thaw what I will need.

The only thing I do not get at the grocery store is our ground beef. We buy that straight from a ranch close to home. If we ever run out, I use store bought ground beef very sparingly. During Farmer's Market season I try to buy our produce there.

As I am in the store, I walk every aisle. I start in the back of the store and work my way to the front, checking my list as I go. I delete items from my list on my phone as I put them in my cart.

It's not a perfect science, I wish I could say that my list is categorized and in order, but it's not. I even have to back track on occasion. O well. When I get home, I know that, for the most part, I won't have to shop again for 2 weeks! That's a great feeling.

There you have it. That's my grocery shopping system! 

Monthly Meal Planning Mommy Machine Style

There are a million different ways to plan meals for your family. I have found, through trial and error, a way that works for me.

I have tried the "make a list of things I run out of and go to the store and plan meals while I'm there" method. I would buy things I didn't need, forget things I did need, and we usually ended up going out to eat because I was too lazy tired to go back to the store. This was not the method for us.

I got my stuff together enough to make a weekly meal plan. This worked for us for a while. I went grocery shopping every Saturday, I made a list, I had a plan. Eventually, I started straying from my list. I fell victim to the "Mommy, I want"s. Even when the kids weren't with me, I would still over shop and I was starting to spend a good 25% more every week. Lesson learned: I'm a weak shopper and I should be in the grocery store as little as possible.

Now, I plan our meals for a whole month. I grocery shop every 2 weeks. I leave myself room for error- I still forget things, I change my mind, sometimes I am still too tired to cook and we switch our "eat out" nights. But we spend less because I shop less. This is the method that works for us, so I want to share my process with you.

Around the first of every month (give or take a couple of days), I sit down with my Erin Condren Life Planner. Yes, that's right, Life Planner. I love it! I use the "month view" to plan out our month of meals. First, I write in the days I know we will have other plans (holidays, family events, etc). Then, I start with writing in what I want to eat.

I use Pinterest by creating a new Monthly Meals board each month. I re-pin meals from my Recipes board and write them into my planner.  I also have meals that I make every month like "brinner" (breakfast for dinner) and tacos (yum).

I try to find things that I know I can make enough to have leftovers, I use an arrow to designate this in my planner. I plan 2-3 days to eat out per month.

Once all of the meals are planned, I add the meals to each day of the week in the "weekly planner" section. I also make myself a note for when I will need to set stuff out of the freezer. I freeze all of our ground beef and chicken, so I want to make sure I am prepared!

I mentioned above that I still change my mind. When we end up having something that I didn't plan, I make a note of that by crossing out my plan and writing in what we had instead. This helps me to make sure I don't plan to make something that we just had, or if I changed my mind because KC didn't want some crazy new recipe, I won't repeat that either ;)

This method has worked for us, there is still a lot of flexibility but it saves us time and money- always a good thing! Stay tuned for a second post about my grocery shopping strategy next month!

Tell us, what is your method of meal planning & grocery shopping? Weekly, monthly, whenever you feel like it?