Nutrition— All About Balance
We all know the importance of “eating right” and yet it can feel overwhelming at times, especially when you hear some conflicting advice or with new diets popping up all of the time. On top of that, choosing healthy foods can be expensive, feel stressful, or just not as much fun as a tasty treat. So, where do you start? How does healthy food fit into your life?
For me, it’s about balance. First of all, let me add a disclaimer: I am not a nutritionist, dietitian, or a doctor. I simply care about what I eat and what my family eats. If something doesn’t resonate with you, no harm, no foul. And of course, if you have specific dietary needs, please follow the advice of your dietary or medical professional!
So balance:
I like the idea of eating your colors. There’s so many vitamins and minerals in colorful fruits and veggies and eating a variety over several days gives you a healthy distribution of them. For me, thinking about eating a variety of different fruits and veggies over several days feels more manageable than trying to get 3-5 (or 2-4?) servings of fruits and veggies every day.
Indulge, but don’t overdo it. I am teaching B.G. that sweets and other less-than-healthy foods are “sometimes food.” I think it’s okay to have them once in a while but they are not an everyday food! I think that denying treats all together—especially if it’s something you really crave—only backfires in the end.
I also try to eat more whole grains than processed grains, eat more locally sourced fruits and veggies than ones that come from far away, and make a lot of food in-house. Yes, sometimes, we do buy a frozen pizza or something similar (because sometimes the most sustainable meal is one that you can take out of the freezer and pop in the oven because it saves your sanity). Here’s a few blog posts that talk about some of those thoughts: Why I Love the Farmer’s Market and Why Buy It When You Can Make It?
March is National Nutrition Month. I hope some of these tips resonate with you! Check back on Monday, March 30, to read about one of my favorite healthy breakfasts—granola!
Thanks for reading!
💜
Laura
