31 Days to a More Vibrant, Healthy Family | Pantry Challenge

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Have you made any health goals for the New Year?

If you haven’t yet click over to the first day of our challenge here, and share your goals.

Since I promised to share some of mine for the year, here they are:

This is for both mental and physical sanity. 

• Have a designated day each month for batch cooking
• Put together weekly meal plans

Physical

• Join the running club with a friend OR, start playing volleyball again.
• Make enough extra income to get a monthly massage.

Spiritual

• Get up earlier and spend some time with the Lord each morning.  (So far so good on this one 2 for 2)

When making goals there are endless goals to make, but I want mine to be attainable.  These are the top goals that I want to happen this year, when it comes to my health and the health of my family.  I know that if I am feeling healthy, then my family will also be more healthy.

Challenge #2 Revamp Your Pantry

The most important way to have a healthy family is to have a healthy diet.  I’m not talking about that silly low-fat fad that has made us all sick.  I’m talking about a regular sustainable diet, something that will last.  For some people this is tossing gluten and for others it is properly preparing grains, nuts and seeds.

It is also definitely getting rid of anything that causes a food allergy.  You can easily find out of you have any food allergies by this simple test here.

Sometimes, changes in the pantry can be overwhelming for people.  I give my clients who need it personal consulting to tailor their pantry something that fits their needs and helps make them healthier.

But, here on the basics:

Replace any vegetable oil or canola oil with Coconut Oil, and unrefined nut, avocado and seed oils.  Sustainable palm oil is another good choice.   Other good fats to keep on hand are animal fats such as lard, butter, Ghee and bacon grease.   These oils are the best to use.  If you are purchasing any cold pressed oils such as olive oil always, always buy it in a tin or an opaque bottle. Since these oils are photosensitive this will help keep them from rancidity.

Rancid oils produce free radicals in the body which makes it susceptible to disease. I believe that using healthy, saturated oils is one of the first steps to good health since our culture is full of rancid oils in nearly everything that we eat.  Healthy fat in the body will help keep us from an array of health problems.

Toss your processed foods.  (Sometimes this part is the most difficult for many people.) If it comes in a box, toss it.  I even make my own spice mixes since most contain de-caking agents.  It is also to look for organic or bulk spices such as those at Rose Mountain Herbs or in the bulk section at your local health food store.  Regular grocery store spices are irradiated.  Are their processed foods you love that you don’t know if you can toss?  Leave a list below and we can help your brainstorm some homemade recipes or find an alternative.  

Pasta’s are also considered processed, so you could use a gadget such as this spiral slicer to make your own fantastic veggie noodles in minutes!

Meat.  It is so important to purchase at least hormone-free meat, which you can look for at your local supermarket.  I feel as though it is very important to buy from farmer’s that you know their farming practices, if you can.   Typically store-bought meats come from animals that are fed GMO feed in crowded conditions, unless marked as pastured.  They have to give them so many antibiotics to keep them free of disease.  This disease finds its way into each one of their cells which also finds its way into you.  In order to save money, many people will purchase in bulk from a farmer and freeze it in a chest freezer.  If you are purchasing fish, look for wild caught fish instead of farm raised which are also often raised from GMO feed not native to their environment.  Canned tuna and salmon should be purchased in BPA-free cans. 

Produce.  It is difficult for everyone to buy organic .  To save money on produce find a local farm with a CSA in the summer  or at the farmer’s market.  You can also save money and get freshly grown produce this way that is even more superior nutritionally to the “organic” produce you will find at the supermarket.  If you can’t purchase organics at least avoid the dirty dozen.   You can then limit your exposure to harmful chemicals.  I also like to buy produce from small local grocers and ask where their produce is from.  They often get it from smaller local farms which also will limit your exposure to pesticides.  

If you haven’t read the Introduction to this challenge yet, make sure you don’t miss it. 

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