It can be easier than you think to avoid feeding your family takeout and processed meals — even with a busy schedule. Clean eating for families can be fun and rewarding with this guide to help you build healthy habits at home. From easy recipes to meal prep tips, you’ll question why you didn’t start this journey sooner.
A comprehensive clean-eating food list
What you put into your body affects how you feel, think and act. That’s why it’s important to understand the nutritional value of what you and your family are consuming. This comprehensive list will help you make better food choices.
1. Eat whole, unprocessed foods
The rule of thumb is that the more natural, the better it is. Whole, unprocessed foods include fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, lean meats and milk. To create balanced meals, the U.S. Department of Agriculture recommends making your plate half vegetables and fruits, one-quarter whole grains and one-quarter protein, with a moderate use of healthy plant oils.
Sugary drinks, cookies, crackers, frozen dinners and breakfast cereals are common examples of processed foods. According to UCLA Health, These products should be limited as overconsumption has been linked to heart disease, diabetes and cancer.
2. Reduce your salt and sugar intake
Processed foods are often packed with added sugar, salt and fat — don’t be surprised if that small chocolate bar in the candy aisle contains more than your daily recommended sugar intake. Eating too much salt and sugar can trigger a host of health issues, such as obesity, hypertension and kidney failure. It’s a problem you can avoid by switching to natural foods. To replace candy, try fruits like berries; they’re sweet, full of antioxidants and low in calories.
3. Load up on fiber
This is especially important if you struggle with feeling hungry soon after a meal. Fiber keeps you full longer, so you don’t feel the need to snack on those chips. Good sources of fiber include oatmeal, chia seeds, kale, apples and whole wheat products.
4. Hydrate with water
The Harvard School of Public Health recommends that women drink around 11 8-ounce glasses of water daily and 16 8-ounce glasses for men. This may seem like a lot, but getting enough water is important to help your body function at its best. Water helps regulate body temperature, prevent infections and keep you energized.
Make drinking water fun by adding lemon, mint or cucumbers for that extra flavor. Don’t try to take a shortcut by drinking soda or juice to curb your thirst; these options are often loaded with sugar that does more harm than good.
The next time you put something in your grocery cart, double-check whether it meets this clean-eating food list. Doing so will help you make better food choices that your body will thank you for.
Home-cooked joy
Exploring new recipes can be a fun way to start a clean diet as a family. Crack chicken casserole is a flavorful and family-friendly dish that can be prepared in just a few minutes.
Made with clean ingredients such as chicken, broccoli and cheese, this easy one-pot meal proves that healthy eating can be delicious and efficient. To save even more time, cook two of these casseroles at once and pop one in the freezer to get ahead on family meal prep.
Effortless clean eating for busy families
Meal prep can help you maintain a clean diet during busy schedules. You’ll no longer have to worry about cooking nutritious meals when time is tight. Follow these four tips to make the preparation process less stressful.
- Plan the menu for each week so you’ll know what foods to pick up when you’re grocery shopping. In the planning phase, consider how you can incorporate more whole foods and swap out processed ingredients in recipes.
- Multitask to speed things up. Preheat the oven or wash and cut vegetables while other food is cooking on the stovetop.
- Use airtight storage containers, labeling each with the name of the dish and the date they were made.
- Keep track of what foods work and don’t. As you familiarize yourself with meal prepping, you’ll begin to discover which meals are your favorite. Repeat these recipes so you don’t have to start from scratch each week.
Dough magic
According to Registered Dietitian Christine Mikstas, simple carbohydrates like white bread, pasta and white rice get a bad rep because they are not very nutritious and can cause your blood sugar to spike, which leads to overeating. However, clean eating doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice all your favorite foods. There are plenty of low-carb alternatives that will help you maintain a healthy diet.
Despite its ironic name, fathead dough is low-carb and keto-friendly. Use this dough to bake various dishes like Italian breadsticks, lasagna and
The power of family table conversations
A big part of successfully taking on clean eating as a family is opening conversations about nutrition and strategizing as a team. This can be assigning each individual a day of the week to cook or agreeing on what processed foods to cut from the grocery list.
Having just one family member revert to unhealthy eating habits can lead everyone else to backslide. That’s why you should initiate ongoing family discussions to give people an opportunity to raise concerns or suggest improvements.
Family gardens and the clean eating connection
A home garden can alleviate the cost of healthy eating from the rising grocery prices. With a family garden, you can pick vegetables and fruits such as tomatoes, peppers and strawberries straight from your backyard without having to worry about harmful pesticides.
Gardening encourages your family to be outdoors and soak in the sunlight. It’s also a great form of exercise from squatting, digging and lifting plants and soil. Plus, there’s nothing more rewarding than seeing the fruits of your efforts as you start to see the plants bloom.
Culinary learning: Involving kids in nutrition education
Involving your kids in cooking activities is a great way to spend quality time together and instill healthy eating habits. According to Dietary Guidelines for Americans, more than 90% of children in the U.S. aged 2 to 18 years old do not consume the daily recommended servings of vegetables.
To encourage your kids to eat more veggies, have them help out in the kitchen. You can teach your little chefs how to read nutrition labels, food safety and basic skills like washing produce, measuring ingredients or chopping vegetables, depending on their age. Their involvement also gives your children the confidence to cook and make healthy food choices in the future.
Start your clean eating journey today
Clean eating for families begins with small habits, like adding more whole foods and experimenting with healthy recipes and meal prep. Not only will your family benefit from better health, but you will also gain quality time gardening and cooking together. Delicious nutritional food, memorable bonding experiences and a healthier lifestyle await you and your family.
Zuzana Paar is the creative force behind her websites Low Carb No Carb, and Best Clean Eating. As a content creator, food recipe developer, blogger and photographer, Zuzana brings diverse skills to the table with a dedication to sharing delicious, healthy recipes and helpful tips with the readers.
Disclaimer: These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. The contents of this article are for informational purposes only and do not constitute medical advice. The content presented here is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of a qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or dietary changes. Reliance on any information provided by this article is solely at your own risk.