While grocery shopping lately, I picked up a can of soup I frequently ate as a kid. I could feel my mouth starting to salivate just looking at the well crafted marketing until I realized, "gah! it's just the flavor enhancers in here that my taste buds are seeking!" I turned the can over and was mortified by the ingredients listed on the back. Five or so years ago, I would have had no idea how to decode the cryptic ingredients listed on many packaged foods, but now cracking the ingredient code has become a second language to me:

Each of these ingredients put up red flags in my mind. My general and not-very-scientific rule is: if I can't pronounce it or don't know what it is, I need to research it before it's going in my mouth. Needless to say, I put that can back on the shelf and quickly walked away. Now, I'm definitely not slamming all packaged foods. They serve many purposes and you'll definitely find some in my pantry; however, I've come to inspect the foods we place in our pantry and fridge through the lens of the information below. Live informed, not in fear, of the foods you eat!

This is our final segment in our series on how to eat healthy on a budget. Check out Part 1 and Part 2 for more healthy eating tips!

Now that we have defined “Healthy” foods in last week's post, what should our plate look like for meals and snacks?

At Living Wellness we follow the recommendations of Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride, and researcher Westin A Price. They considered the government’s MyPlate model and took it a step further to create a plate that takes one’s whole body and nutritional needs into account. To nourish all the cells and systems of your body, you need macronutrients (protein, carbs, and fat), micronutrients (vitamins and minerals), water, and healthy bacteria to maintain proper gut balance. The sample plates below are guidelines on how to properly nourish the body.

Cracking the Code: Reading Food Labels

Eating Healthy On a Budget: Part 3

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