Staple Foods To Have In A Clean Eating House

To make clean eating easier, only keep healthy food choices in your house. Get rid of all the unhealthy foods that could tempt you, such as soft drinks, sugar, desserts, white bread, sugary breakfast cereals, candies and processed foods. Each week, stock up on a few staple foods for each of the main food groups to have all the ingredients you need on hand to prepare clean and healthy meals.

Vegetables

Stock up your fridge with an abundance of vegetables. Prioritize nonstarchy vegetables because they contain less calories and carbs compared to starchy vegetables like corn and potatoes. Nonstarchy vegetables such as leafy greens, onions, tomatoes, mushrooms and broccoli can be your staple vegetables, but experiment with a few new vegetables, such as bok choy, kale or squash, every week for extra variety.

Fruits

Avoid fruits that are canned and packed in syrup as well as dried fruits and fruit juices. Your staple fruits to eat clean should be fresh or frozen fruits that do not contain added sugar. For example, you can add a diced pear to your quinoa porridge at breakfast, treat yourself to a small bowl of plain yogurt mixed with fresh or frozen berries at lunch or snack on a plum in the afternoon. Keep plenty of fruits at your house to satisfy your sweet cravings healthily.

Protein

Combine each of your meals with a source of protein to help you feel fuller and prevent unhealthy cravings between meals. Avoid protein options that are processed, cured, marinated, breaded or sauced. Choose fresh, canned or frozen, unseasoned proteins, such as chicken, turkey, salmon, tuna, shrimp, pork, beef, eggs or cheese. Cook them yourself using healthy fats and season with your favorite herbs and spices, such as sea salt, freshly ground pepper, curry powder, basil, pesto sauce, thyme, turmeric, cumin and tamari sauce.

Fats

Keep healthy fat options in your cupboards and fridge to complete your meals. Healthy fats can help keep your heart healthy and will make your clean diet more satisfying and enjoyable. Staple fats include olive oil, avocado, raw or roasted nuts and natural nut butter. Keep two types of olive oil in your house. Use extra-virgin olive oil to drizzle on your salads or vegetables, but switch to regular olive oil if you need a cooking oil. Avocado and nuts contain the same healthy monounsaturated fats found in olive oil. Add avocado chunks and walnuts to your salad or spread celery sticks with almond butter for a clean snack.