Cleaning your pantry can be an important step towards achieving optimal health through nutritious foods (food is Medicine). When we stock our pantry with unhealthy foods, it can be difficult to resist temptation and make healthy choices.
By cleaning out your pantry and restocking it with functional medicine-compliant foods, you can create an environment that supports your health goals and makes it easier to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
Your first goal when trying to eat healthier is to start by adding vegetables and fruit to your meals. As you start eating better, start by removing foods that are not good for you. It will remove temptation and help you keep on track. Cleaning your pantry is an important step in eating more nutritious, healthier foods.
Here are some tips for cleaning your pantry and restocking it with more nutritious foods:
- Set aside time to clean your pantry: The first step in cleaning your pantry is setting aside dedicated time to do it. Depending on the size of your pantry, this could take anywhere from 30 minutes to a few hours. Make sure to set aside enough time to thoroughly clean out your pantry and restock it with healthy foods.
- Check food labels: As you clean out your pantry, make sure to check the labels of all the items you have. Look for ingredients that such as refined sugar, artificial sweeteners, hydrogenated oils, and high fructose corn syrup. If an item has any of these ingredients, consider getting rid of it. Remove ultra-processed foods.
- Make piles: As you go through your pantry, make three piles: keep, donate, and discard. Items that are still within their expiration date and comply with functional medicine principles can be kept in your pantry. Non-perishable items that don’t comply with functional medicine principles can be donated to a local food bank. Finally, items that are expired or unusable should be discarded.
- Wipe down your pantry: Once you’ve cleared out your pantry, take the time to wipe down the shelves and surfaces with a damp cloth or paper towel. This will help remove any dust or debris that may have accumulated over time.
- Organize your pantry: As you restock your pantry with functional medicine-compliant foods, try to organize your items in a way that makes sense to you. You may want to group items by category (such as baking ingredients or snacks), or arrange items by frequency of use. By keeping your pantry organized, you’ll be able to quickly and easily find the items you need.
- Restock with Whole foods: Finally, take the time to restock your pantry with healthy, whole foods. This may include items like whole grains, nuts and seeds, lean proteins, healthy fats, and fresh fruits and vegetables. You may also want to consider trying out new recipes that incorporate these ingredients.
By following these steps, you can create a pantry that supports your health and makes it easier to make healthy choices on a daily basis. Cleaning out your pantry can be a simple yet powerful step towards achieving optimal health through whole foods.
