Phase It Out...PaleoPlus New Year Tip #1

One of the best things I did right before I announced to my entire family that we were "Going Paleo" on May 1st was to STOP buying non-Paleo foods when I went to the store. 

I am the most frugal (feel free to insert cheap here) woman I know.  I am all about a bargain!  And I am pretty obsessive about not wasting anything.  If I paid for it - we were going to eat it and not throw it out.  So, the day I decided I was switching to a diet of real, whole, unprocessed foods to optimize my health and not sabotage it - I stopped buying most of the staples of my weekly grocery shopping.  Bread, snack cakes, peanut butter (filled with sugar), rice, cheese, barbecue sauce, ketchup, jarred pasta sauces, pasta, macaroni and cheese, ice cream, butter and frozen pizzas.

On one hand - it was really freeing to know I had to eat what was in my cupboards and pantry and freezer - talk about a celebration of frugality!  On the other hand - it was tough (if you have kids...be prepared to hear them grumble)!  Gluten and dairy was included in virtually every meal and snack in our home.  Sandwiches, cheesy omelets and frozen pizzas were the go-to busy night meals.  I clearly was going to have to re-learn how to feed my family.

BUT - it also forced me to look at and learn about and prepare more vegetables and lean proteins and egg dishes.  I bought whatever fresh produce was on sale or affordable because it was in season.  I shopped the sale circulars for great deals on protein and I made the drive to Trader Joe's.  When it comes to certain specialty and organic items - Trader Joe's takes the sting out of buying healthier food.  They are committed to keeping prices low and in an effort to remain frugal - it was my first stop.

I have since learned how to shop online and at a variety of other stores to find the things my family loves the most...but that story is for another day!

Today's tip is PHASE IT OUT!  If you want to see how your health and overall well-being can change by switching to a PaleoPlus lifestyle - STOP buying the things that don't qualify as Paleo for the last 10 days of 2015. 

Get what you need for your big holiday meal if you must...by next year, you will know how to make all your favorite dishes with healthy, natural substitutions!  But other than feast staples...PHASE IT OUT!  

Start shopping the perimeter of your grocery.  Learn to read labels (the fewer ingredients and syllables in those ingredients - the better!) and accept the fact that change is always difficult.  But trust me - this kind of change is worth it!

Tomorrow - I'll share some resources to help you do your research on the Paleo Lifestyle.