I have one trick to a healthier 2017. There are actually a number of changes I want to make to create a healthier me, but there is one in particular that might surprise you. I also want to share a bit of the motivation behind a healthier new year.
2016 was an entry into a new experience as a mom. All my children were in school for the first time. I thought it meant I would be on top of everything – including working out and healthy meal preparation. Then reality hit me. I still wasn’t achieving super mom – super woman – status. I’m pretty sure it will continue to remain illusive. Time seemed to fill up and slip away at the same time.
You know what?! I’m OK with not attaining the perfect picture I had in my mind of what being a wife, a mom and a woman would look like. I am me. I am made with flaws and imperfections that make me me. Dissatisfaction with self will not consume me. That said, I do want to be a better me – for both me and my family.
I have not been living healthy. The food I put in my body isn’t the best. I love sugar. I don’t gravitate to vegetables. My inactivity is dominating. Sure it is reflected on the scale and the fit of my jeans, which is why I love the leggings trend. However, I’m more concerned with how it is demonstrated in my energy level and how I feel.
As a mom, I want to have the energy to ride bikes with my kids. My daughter is learning basketball, and I want to shoot hoops out by the garage. I want to go skiing with my husband without the doubts in my head that I’ll only be able to make it an hour without wanting to be all done. I yearn to feel strong. The tiredness that seems to be present too often needs to be driven away.
This kind of strength, energy and endurance comes through good fuel and an active lifestyle.
One Trick to a Healthier 2017
One of my tricks to staying healthier in the new year is the freezer section. What?! Yes, you heard me right. The freezer section. I want to my local Kroger store, QFC, to be able to show you more. Their Freezer Fresh Ideas site also can help you with meal preparation ideas, recipes and provide coupons for your local Kroger shopping experience.
The Benefits of Frozen Vegetables
I had remembered hearing once that vegetables from the freezer section can be healthier for you. This season I looked it up to confirm my recollection, and it seems to be true. According to ABC news (other sources I looked at reported the same findings), “Because most frozen fruits and veggies are frozen shortly after they’re harvested, they’re allowed to fully ripen, which means they’re chock full of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, and freezing ‘locks in’ many of their nutrients.” What a helpful piece of information to have under my belt – and now yours too. Getting more vegetables in my diet (and my family’s diet) is a big goal for 2017, and I know the freezer section can help.
I like having a variety of vegetables prepared in a variety of ways. If you are buying from the freezer section, you can get the diversity of produce you want, even when certain items are not in season. It’s also super convenient to grab a bag of broccoli from the freezer rather than inspecting all the stocks in the fresh produce section. They’re often cut and ready to prepare in your favorite ways.
Birds Eye has a variety of vegetable preparations. Recipe ready packets made by Birds Eye have all of your vegetables cut and packaged together for a meal. For example, the tri-color pepper and onion back is great for some healthy fajitas. How convenient is that?! As a busy mom, I appreciate the simplicity of it. Birds Eye also has Steamfresh® packs for the microwave and even sauced and seasoned packs.
The Benefits of Smoothies
Frozen fruits and vegetables are fabulous for making healthy smoothies year round. I often throw frozen carrots, broccoli, kale and cauliflower in my smoothies. A tip to cut the bitterness is to add a fresh lime. My kids love it, and we are all getting the nutrients our bodies crave.
I have one child who wouldn’t touch a vegetable on a plate. However, she willingly puts all of the frozen fruits and veggies in the blender with me and loves drinking them down. As I am aiming to get more healthy calories in my body, smoothies will be a vehicle I use. Birds Eye has the frozen vegetables and fruits needed for these smoothies.
The Benefits of Frozen Prepared Meals
We are busy people. Sometimes I have the time to prepare healthy home cooked meals, and sometimes life doesn’t allow for it. Lunches are a time I especially seek out convenience.
Lean Cuisine meals have been a go-to for me, and they will continue to be so in the new year. They often provide the vegetables that I most likely wouldn’t grab on my own at meal time. It’s a convenient way for me to get the calories I need with the flavors I enjoy. I tend to gravitate to the asian Lean Cuisine meals, but there are a variety of flavor profiles to choose from. Bellisio also has single serving frozen meals called “Eating Well” if you are looking for other ideas when feeding yourself.
If you are seeking out super fast and easy meal for your whole family, the Birds Eye Viola! packs provide skillet meals that are ready in 15 minutes.
One Trick to a Healthier 2017
Did you expect the freezer section to be my one trick to a healthier 2017? I’m craving more energy so I can be a more active mom…wife…woman. Part of those healthy calories that will give me the vitality I desire will be found in the freezer section this year.
What are your tricks to a healthier 2017? I’d love to hear about it.
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Kroger. The opinions and text are all mine.
