Clean eating can mean something different for everyone, but it usually means committing to natural and organic ingredients and steering clear of overly processed foods. I own a fair share of processed foods because they’re quick, convenient, and cheap. However, I’m slowly learning that the old saying, you are what you eat is in fact true and I need to start reading labels more carefully.
Last week doing a LOT of research on my own, I threw out 8 items in an effort to eat ‘cleaner’. Most of these items contained enriched flour, too much sugar, HFCS, or were overly processed.
The Items I Threw Out
1. Margarine
Reason Why: Hydrogenated Oil
Replacing It With: Unsalted Butter (in moderation)
Up until this point, I was using unsalted butter for baking and cooking and then margarine to spread on toast, waffles, and pancakes. I think I was holding onto the margarine because it was easier to spread and because I didn’t have a butter dish. With that said, I now eat toast with almond butter (instead of peanut butter) and I actually enjoy that a lot more. Who knew?
2. Maple Syrup
Reason Why: Contains HFCS
Replacing It With: Organic 100% Maple Syrup
The first ingredient in my ALDI maple syrup was high fructose corn syrup so I immediately threw it out. Last year I did a sweep for products containing HFCS, like Hershey’s chocolate syrup (I use Nesquik instead) and apparently I missed this bottle of maple syrup when doing that sweep. I’m not going to lie, buying organic maple syrup was a tough thing for me to do. I don’t use it often so spending $12 on a bottle seemed pretty outrageous but it will last me awhile and end up being well-worth the money.
3. Mac & Cheese
Reason Why: Too many processed ingredients.
Replacing It With: Annie’s Shells & Cheese
I have never been a huge fan of Kraft so I’m totally okay with letting this go. I’ve always been a big fan of mac & cheese made with white cheese though (Panera mac & cheese, anyone?) so I was excited to see that Annie’s makes an organic Shells & White Cheddar as well as Alfredo Shells & Cheddar. I have already tried both flavors and they’re delicious! I won’t make it a habit of eating these, but it’s nice to know that I have a healthier option for those times when I crave mac & cheese.
4. Vegetable Oil
Reason Why: Contains GMO’s
Replacing It With: Applesauce
I only use vegetable oil when I bake cupcakes, muffins, and cakes so I have no problem getting rid of it. In most baking recipes, you can replace any oil with unsweetened applesauce so I’ll be experimenting with that. I’ve also heard that mashed bananas are a good alternative so I might give that a try. (Speaking of oils…I’ll be using organic coconut oil, organic peanut oil, and EVOO for cooking)
5. Agave
Reason Why: Contains more fructose than HFCS.
Replacing It With: Organic Honey
I bought a small bottle of agave last year to make PB2 chocolate cookie bites and I haven’t used it since. I wasn’t a huge fan of the taste. It may have something to do with the fact that I hate tequila and tequila is made from agave. Therefore, I associate the two as being the same.
6. Frozen Blueberry Waffles
Reason Why: Contains Enriched Flour
Replacing It With: Kodiak Cakes Power Cakes pancake & waffle mix
I’ve loved frozen blueberry waffles for as long as I can remember. In high school, I used to toast two waffles and slab peanut butter in between and make a waffle-wich for breakfast. YUM! I still love eating them with peanut butter on top so I’ll be swapping my Eggo’s out for a healthier alternative that doesn’t contain enriched flour and instead is packed with whey protein.
7. Coffee Creamer
Reason Why: Too much sugar and fat.
Replacing It With: Unsweetened Almond Milk
I absolutely LOVE the Coldstone Sweet Cream coffee creamer so this was a hard one to do! However, I’ve been using almond milk for the past few days and I don’t totally hate it. It will take some time to grow on me, but it’s not the end of the world.
8. Salad Dressings
Reason Why: Too many calories and fat.
Replacing It With: Homemade Dressings
I don’t eat salads often so this isn’t a big deal, but I do think it’s important. The bottled dressings contain a lot of calories and fat that you can avoid by making dressings at home. When we were in Napa Valley, I picked up some olive oils & vinegars from Round Pond Estate and am using those to make homemade dressings. The combinations are endless and very simple to whip up!