5 Simple Ways to Eat More Whole Foods

I read a news story about a celebrity who was out shopping for groceries.

Several people stopped him and were astounded by the amount of green stuff there was in his basket. They told him it was, “a strange sight” and that they had “never seen a basket like his.”

This is the world we live in.

And it’s why have a diabetes crisis, a weight crisis, a heart disease crisis, and a handful of other crises.

In this, our last back to basics post, we’ll focus on whole foods.

More Whole Foods. Less Processed Foods.

My guess is that this is not a new idea to you. Most basics are not.

So in this post I will give you 5 ways you can add more whole foods to your diet.

#1 - Utilize your freezer

Most people picture the produce section when they think of whole foods, and that is a great place to shop. But don’t forget the frozen section.

Frozen fruits and vegetables are typically frozen right after being picked, meaning they retain a lot of their nutrients. You also don’t run the risk of them going bad and going to waste.

Stock up on frozen broccoli, cauliflower, spinach, peppers, blueberries, and all your other favorite frozen whole foods.

#2 - Cook large batches and freeze

I love making A LOT of whatever I am making. If I’m making steel-cut oatmeal I cook as much as I can and freeze the leftovers. If I am cutting up carrots and celery I cut up the whole bag and have it on hand for snacks and salads. I also do this with beans, rice, potatoes, and veggies.

You will find what works for you, but batch cooking is a great strategy for having more whole foods on hand in your home.

#3 - Prep ahead of time

One of the biggest barriers to eating more whole foods is that they take more time. Convenient, packaged snacks are of course more convenient. Unfortunately they are inconvenient for your health.

Eating whole foods takes time in the kitchen. I won’t tell you it doesn’t. But you can cook your food when you do have time. Perhaps on a day off or during the kids’ naps. Prep meals for the next few days all at once so they are ready to go when life gets busy again.

#4 - Use kitchen tools to lighten the load

My wife has to leave when I start cooking. It looks like a tornado tore through our kitchen, as I have pretty much every kitchen appliance working simultaneously.

I’m baking sweet potatoes in one oven and salmon in the other, cooking a large batch of buckwheat in the Instant Pot, making some chili in the slow cooker, creating some mix of beef and vegetables in the skillet we can only call “goulash”, making a family smoothie in the Vitamix, and chopping up veggies on our cutting board...all at the same time.

Find kitchen appliances that can make your life easier.

My favorite two appliances for quick, healthy meals/smoothies are by far the Instant Pot and the Vitamix (or other high quality blender).

#5 - Leave processed foods at the grocery store

When it comes down to it, if you can simply leave the processed foods at the store, I promise they won’t catch an Uber to your pantry. Make your decision ahead of time at the store to buy mainly whole foods.

By doing so you are using a principle of nutrition called crowding out. The idea is that you fill your cart, or your plate, or your mouth with a bunch of healthy, whole foods, and by default the processed foods will be crowded out of your diet.

Bonus Tip - Use a list

I linked to this list that I like (Thank you Sweet As Honey), but there are so many you can find online.

Print the list out and highlight the foods you like and add them to your shopping list.

Perhaps try 1 new whole food each week. Or go all in. You could even play the trade game. Trade one whole food for one processed food each week.

A few weeks ago I did this and have added buckwheat, bok choy, sauerkraut and brussels sprouts to my regular rotation as a result.

Sure there were a few new-to-me foods I tried that didn’t make the cut. Sorry mustard greens and olives. But I enjoyed the process of finding new, healthy, whole foods to eat.

Which one of these ideas resonates with you?

How can you implement it this week?

*One last addition: Everyone wants to sell you their packaged whole-food product. Be suspicious of anything claiming super food benefits for

I’ll leave you with a quote from Deiter Uchtdorf:

“I think most of us intuitively understand how important the fundamentals are. It is just that we sometimes get distracted by so many things that seem more enticing.”

If you want someone to help you develop this habit, encourage you, and help you achieve your health goals, contact me about becoming a coaching client.

If you are new to the blog, I want to encourage you to go back and check out my previous posts, as they serve as the foundation for what we talk about each week.

Here's to the best version of you!