Fit Foodie Fridge - say that 5 times fast!

Maybe you're just starting out taking the steps to a new, healthier, happier, more energetic you... and what you are unsure of, is how to shop and stock your food items at home. Here are some tips to help you...

I am letting you all into my fridge, that's right, my little space of foodie happiness. Welcome...

TIP: Make the healthy choices grabbable! I know butter is supposed to be hanging out around that fruit area somewhere but I'd rather toss in some apples, oranges, peaches, etc. 

Again, strategically place items in your fridge to where those are the first things you see. In this case: Yogurt, carrots, radishes, hummus, fresh baby mozzarella (only 40 calories for one little ball), applesauce. If you dig into the bottom, you'll find colby-jack cheese sticks, other cheeses (so what?!  I like cheese!) fresh veggies and more fruits. (I realize I have a diet soda problem... but I like variety!) 

In to the freezer: It is PACKED with frozen veggies - broccoli, cauliflower, sugar snap peas, brussel sprouts, pepper mix, stir fry mix, peas & carrots, corn and orchard picked raspberries and blueberries. These are all good items to keep on hand.

TIP: Buy your frozen meats in larger packages. When you come home, separate them out into smaller portions (depending on your family size) and label them with how many servings or ounces there are. As you can see, I don't keep a lot of processed foods. But sometimes you want a black bean burger, or a salmon burger, or a Lean Cuisine because you've had a long day and are too tired to cook. 

Now that I let you into my fridge. I will give you a little peek into my snack world. I'm a carb lover, not a carb hater. And like everything else, I believe that in moderation, you can have anything you want. Yes, anything. Sometimes I like to snack on chips, popcorn, pretzels, nuts, cereal, etc. That being said, I know that if I stick my hand into a full bag of chips or whatever the little snack may be, it may be difficult for me to roll the bag back up after a few small bits. So... I make my own 100 calorie packs. I've blogged before about the formula for this here. But since I was letting you into my kitchen I thought I'd give you a visual.

As you can see, lots of variety. Popcorn, pretzels, cereal, veggie chips, nuts, tortilla chips, more cereal! Several good points about 100 calorie packs: 1) making your own is soooo much cheaper! 2) you can take them with you wherever - no refrigeration needed! 3) some are more filling than others - popcorn gives you a larger quantity and the fiber you need to help you feel full. nuts give you protein to help keep hunger at bay. 4) all you need is an inexpensive digital scale - which I would be lost without and is a must have for any fit foodie!

I hope this helps give you all some ideas on how I make my fit foodie lifestyle easier. Please feel free to comment and add your own tips/tricks/ideas!