If you want to get healthy you have to start by going through the food you have now and getting rid of foods that don’t fit your healthy lifestyle. Donate them, throw them out, give them to friends, whatever you have to do, just get them out of the house.

Here are ten changes you can make to your pantry (and refrigerator) to help you stick to your healthy eating plans.

1. Stock foods that are as close to nature as you can. The less processing the better. Natural foods are generally healthier for you. For example whole grains, fresh fruits, nuts and seeds. It will take less of these foods to satisfy your hunger. Stay away from processed foods.

2. If it has ingredients in it you can’t read, don’t buy it, your body’s probably never heard of it either.

3. Replace sugar substitutes, and refined sugars with evaporated cane sugar, maple syrup, or honey.

4. Buy organic whenever your budget will allow.

5. Buy as close to the producer as possible. The recent salmonella scares are a good example of why it’s good to know the source of your food. Go check out your local farmers market, ask them if they grew their produce, if not where did it come from?

6. Read those labels before you buy, this ties back to number 2. Read the label on everything you put in your pantry. Then you’ll know how much fat, and how many calories, versus vitamins and fiber you’re putting into your body. Make this an automatic habit when you add something to your cart.

7. Keep your pantry stocked with healthy foods. When my pantry and refrigerator are stocked with healthy choices I’m less likely to go to the grocery on a whim, or order out. When the cupboards are bare, I’ll tend to run out to the grocery, or local fast food place to find something quick to eat.

8. All oils are not created equally. Again check the label and avoid anything with hydrogenated oils, or saturated fats. Stock your pantry with polyunsaturated, and monounsaturated oils such as olive oil, or canola oil. Expeller pressed is best because the oil is produced without harsh chemicals.

9. Avoid foods that contain high fructose corn syrup. Again I say read the label on everything you buy. Corn syrup is a cheap sweetener, but it doesn’t do much for your body. Manufacturers put it in everything from chips, to salad dressing.

10. What’s your best tip for keeping your pantry healthy? I know I didn’t cover everything. I’d love to hear your ideas.

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Here are a few of my favorite healthy eating tips for people on a budget.

1. Clip coupons (watch for double and triple coupon opportunities).
2. Cook from scratch, pre-packaged food is more expensive, and less healthy.
3. Don’t eat out too often, it’s a huge budget drainer.
4. Eat in season fruits and vegetables. They’re cheaper, and they’ll taste better. A tomato tastes way better in July than in January, and it’ll cost you less.
5. Check out the farmer’s markets, especially for in season local produce. You’ll be supporting local small businesses and saving money at the same time.
6. Buy in bulk, if you think you’ll be able to use it all. Don’t buy bulk if you think it will be too much, or go to waste. You may be able to split larger quantities with a friend.
7. Use more whole foods. One of the best pieces of advice I’ve ever received was to shop the outside lanes of the grocery store, and avoid most of the inner aisles. If you look at the layout of the grocery, most of the whole foods are around the outside aisles, and many of the inner aisles contain processed foods.

What tips do you have for eating healthy on a budget? Please feel free to share.

So what does the 80/20 food rule mean? It means that 80% of the time you’ll be choosing healthy foods that are low in fat, high in vitamins, have good low glycemic carbohydrates, and plenty of fiber. These foods include whole grains, most fruits and vegetables, low fat dairy, and lean meats.

The 20 part of the 80/20 rule is the 20% of the time you can eat foods that aren’t quite so healthy for you, just because you enjoy them.

Check out this video for even more details on the 80/20 food rule:

I’m planning to follow the 80/20 rule this year with my whole family. I’ll be back to share some of our recipes and healthy eating tidbits along the way.

You can find the book they talk about in this video: Eat, Shrink & Be Merry! at Amazon

I’ve been reading and studying healthy eating for several years, and I’ll do really great for a while, then I fall off the band wagon and beat myself up about it. For the new year this year I adopted a motto, ” continuous improvement” in all areas of my life.

Small changes can make a big difference and they can definitely add up after a while. The bonus is, it’s easier to stick to small changes in your diet or eating habits than it is to try to stick to a life altering diet and suddenly making the change within a day or two.

So stick with me this year while I work on making healthy changes to my own life, and sharing what I’ve learned with you.

Here’s to a happy and healthy new year!

Image: sxc.hu