Happy New Year to everyone!

Generally the New Year starts with goals and resolutions for the upcoming year. The most common goals are weight loss and exercise more. We all want to be healthy and feel good, so why not?    I feel I am healthier than I have been in years since changing to Keto/Low Carb eating.  I have more energy, I have reduced my acid pills I take from four to one per day.  And my blood sugar levels are finally in a normal range.  I am happy about my food choices, I am happy feeling confident that I am feeding my family healthy food each day.  Our foods should fuel our bodies, make us better not worse.  Does it take some work and planning?  Of course. Is it worth it?  Of course.

Good meal planning I believe is key to staying on track with any healthy eating routine.
Planning ensures the grocery store bills are not out of control.
Planning ensures those days when you are exhausted
there is something healthy to grab from the freezer.
Planning helps you avoid the purchase of something easy,
yet not as healthy as you may want it to be.

As the new year begins today is my planning day.  The local grocery store ads kick in tomorrow and I will be ready for them.   I live in a small town, so for me it is easy to make a loop from the house to grocery one, then grocery two, then home.  I have to pass by them both, so instead of buying everything from one I go with the sales at each.  Yes, it does take extra time on my part with what to buy here, what to buy there, although I am not spending any extra on gas to travel to both, and even if it is a small savings monetarily, it is a savings.  And, through the year 10 cents here, 10 cents there may not seem like much,  it will always add up.

And now for the planning part.

PORK SIRLOIN ROAST – The last time our local grocery had pork sirloin roast on sale for 99 cents a pound I purchased a package which includes 5-6 roasts.  Yes a bulk buy, yet they can last in the freezer up to six months with proper wrapping. (USDA Guidlenes here)  I am thawing out my last one today, and lucky me they are on sale again (Smith’s Food and Drug) tomorrow for 99 cents a pound.  I generally cook them in the crock pot overnight.  This way the roast is ready in the morning for lunch, or an early dinner and each roast generally gives me five servings.  Typically the protein portion of a meal is the most expensive, although purchasing during a sale like this it works out to under $1.00 a serving.  Proving that eating healthy doesn’t have to be expensive.

CHICKEN – Always on my list of weekly food is chicken. Grilled chicken, skillet chicken, crock pot chicken, chicken salad…  chicken..chicken..chicken.  Yes, it can get boring, although a healthy choice.   Grilled chicken thighs are my favorite, although not always on sale.  My go to is chicken breast from Alison’s Pantry item #5513.  The quality is always good and I can pull out a little for a single meal, or dump the whole four pound package into the crock pot to provide chicken meals for the week.  Our favorite recipe is Lemon Italian Chicken – Recipe HERE

SNACKS – No matter if you are continuing or starting a new eating routine don’t underestimate healthy snacks. If you are struggling through the day, or you thought you could skip a meal and you are stuck two hours away from the planned meal and hungry.  Always, always have a healthy snack on hand to tide you over.  You may bring a snack with you every day for a month, and not need it.  Although that one day you say… I haven’t had a snack for a month I am good.  That is the day you get delayed at a meeting or on a trip.  It is much better having something healthy to fuel your body instead of grabbing something not healthy.
These are some of my go to snacks.
Boiled eggs – healthy protein, and since I eat keto I enjoy adding some healthy fats.  I like to 2 boiled eggs drizzled with avocado oil and salt and pepper. Mash them up in a little mason jar a great on the go snack.
Pickles– Oh, I love pickles.  These are not the best on the go snack, yet always have them in the refrigerator for home time snacks. Sometimes I just crave salty snacks and pickles hit the spot for me.
Cheese & Nuts– when I first started Keto I used to eat a serving of almonds daily.  Now I don’t want them as much, although I always have cheese.  This combination is great for an on the go snack.  a cheese stick, or slice of cheese and some nuts can easily tide you over until your next meal.

HYDRATION – Never forget to bring water with you, and keep it around you.  Sometimes all we need is a few chugs of water and we don’t feel hungry.  We just needed some hydration.  I enjoy water, icy, icy cold water all of the time.  Although I do give myself a treat of a water enhancer, or sparkly water.  My favorite is S. Pellegrino (link here), for me I like it because it seems super bubbly. Hydration isn’t always just water, we need electrolytes also.  My go to drink for healthy electrolytes is ZipFizz (link here).  One, it is bubbly when mixed, and I do like my bubbly water.  All of the varieties I have tried taste good. Secondly they are loaded with vitamins.

Cheers to the New Year!  New Goals!  And Healthy Food Fun!