Treat your body right by swapping common grocery store buys with homemade food.
In the United States, a lot of store-bought foods are highly processed. While it’s not necessarily the end of the world, there are several food items that are easy to make at home, taste even better, and are healthier and oftentimes cheaper! I am someone who has committed to finding recipes that are healthier alternatives to some of my favorite foods.
1. Hummus
Hummus is one of the easiest recipes to make and I have preferred making my own rather than buying it in store. For hummus, you need canned chickpeas, tahini, salt, lemon and garlic. What I like about making it at home is that if you like your hummus with more garlic, you can add more, and that goes for all the other ingredients. I tend to make a mason jar full of it and it will last me one to two weeks.
2. Jam
I absolutely love making my own jam because you really only need two to three ingredients and it’s so much better than buying an overly processed jam at the store. All you need is sugar, your fruit of choice, and some recipes include lemon (although if I don’t have any I’ll omit it.)
3. Tomato Sauce
Once I started making my own tomato sauce, I never bought sauce at the store again. All you need are canned whole tomatoes, garlic, onions, salt and sugar. Things like oregano and basil can be added to taste. I also like to make a large pot of tomato sauce and freeze it for a later date.
4. Vegetable Pastas
This is a tricker recipe, but still manageable if you want to take the time to do it. I’ve made spinach pastas which just include spinach, flour and salt, as well as sweet potato gnocchi which includes flour and sweet potato. This is also a great way to eat your vegetables and impress someone.Who doesn’t think it’s cool when someone makes their own pasta?
5. Soup
One of my favorite things to eat when it’s cold out is soup, but for whatever reason I was intimidated by making soup for a very long time until I found out it’s actually super easy. You can make soup with literally anything. I especially love to make a big pot of soup when I have vegetables that are going bad. Soup also freezes really well, so whenever I am craving a comforting soup, I have several options in my freezer.
Taking time to cook your own food, whether it’s something complicated or something really easy, will make you feel better as you are choosing fresh and non-processed foods. It’s also a great form of self-care. Although it’s a trite expression, your body is truly a temple which carries you throughout every day, so treat it with kindness.