Things I've changed

A friend of mine who is going to take this second challenge with me has asked me to share some brands of foods I use. I’ve found that the ‘off’ brands generally have fewer ingredients in them. Why that is I have no idea. You’d think the opposite would be true, but not necessarily. Read labels! You will learn SO MUCH by looking at labels. I have a completely different outlook when I go grocery shopping now than I did when I started this. The products that I thought were ‘good for me’ have turned out to be some with the most ingredients of all! Keep in mind that if it sounds too good to be true, it probably isn’t true. Stay away from things that say, ‘healthy’ , ‘heart smart’, ‘no sugar’, ‘light’, etc. Those are the things that have a ton of added chemicals, preservatives, and words you can’t even pronounce; let alone know what they are or how they affect your body.

Some of the things I use:

*Butter – not margarine, but butter     

* Pure maple syrup – it’s more expensive but it is extremely sweet so you use very little. It lasts a long time,

*Peanut butter -Smuckers Natural brand

 * I keep lots of beans on hand – dry and canned. Read the labels on canned beans, some have more ingredients than others.

* Whole wheat pasta – Great Value brand has fewer ingredients than the brand names

*Orange juice – Simply Orange brand  - Some Minute Maid brands have 5 ingredients or less

* Post Cereal – lightly frosted shredded wheat

*Triscuits crackers – most crackers have a ton of ingredients

*Brown rice – I use Uncle Ben’s whole grain – not the 5 minute kind. It takes about 25-30 minutes to make but has a much better taste and texture.

*Spaghetti sauce – It is tough to find one with 5 ingredients or less so I make my own.

*Frozen fruits and vegetables                                           

*Eggs – we buy farm fresh eggs

*Snacks/Treats – I make lots of homemade cookies and try to keep some in the freezer

 The more aware you become of what is in the foods you buy the more you will learn about what you do and do not want to feed yourself and your family. It can be a real eye opener!

*thought for the day*

Q: Why are zero scores in tennis called “love”?
A: In France, where tennis first became popular, a big, round zero on scoreboard looked like an egg and was called “l'oeuf,” which is French for egg. When tennis was introduced in the US, Americans pronounced it “love.”