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smoothies

Refrigerator Overhaul: How to reduce food waste and slim your waist

February 12, 2017 by Vanessa Leave a Comment

Sometimes we have to admit that things have gotten away from us.

This week I had one of those moments when I opened the refrigerator only to find teetering takeout boxes and a lack of vegetables. I know you’ve experienced this moments at least once too.

So, how do we cut down on our refrigerator waste while trying to slim our waist? If you’re like me, sometimes you buy healthy food but don’t prep it for the week and end up tossing it later. Perhaps you don’t even know what’s in your refrigerator right now.

Reducing food waste and restocking it with healthy food starts with a total refrigerator overhaul. Follow these six steps:

  1. Toss food. You work hard for your money, which everyone can respect. But the food you buy just sits in the refrigerator and doesn’t get eaten. That’s a waste of your money. Example: Look at all those condiments! How many times a year are you going to actually use three kinds of horseradish? If it is expired or not something you’ll ever use, admit it and pitch it.
  2. Clean it. Remove all items from the refrigerator from every bin and door compartment. Use a warm sudsy sponge to remove grime. For those difficult to remove stains or bits, I spray diluted Simple Green and they scrub away with little effort.
  3. Check your thermostat settings for your refrigerator spaces. Make sure they are set to temperature for the items they house.
  4. Return items to the refrigerator by category and face them (labels towards the front.) Have a hankering for pickles? Store them on the door near the ketchup and mustard. Like items should be placed with like items. Place taller items towards the back.
  5. Visit the produce section of your local organic grocery store. Recently, I bolted to our city’s new Sprouts Farmers Market and came home with bags filled to the brim with berries to leafy greens. As you know from earlier an earlier post, I’m quite the hunter when it comes to tracking down low-cost produce and clearance grocery finds.
  6. Clean and store your prepped veggies in transparent containers with secure lids. Lettuce should be washed and completely dried before storing it in new Ziplock bags. The only way you’re going to actually make time for smoothies before work is if you clean and dice all your newly purchased fruit!
Open bags and packaging, rinse with water, and allow them to completely dry before placing vegetables in new see-through containers. Place grab and go items at eye-level.

Admitting that you’ve fell off the “healthy diet” wagon isn’t easy but the shame doesn’t last long if you own it. If you admit that you live a rushed lifestyle and that the only way for you to eat healthy on a regular basis is to have grab and go produce or meal prepped food, then make sure your refrigerator (and pantry) contain those items. Taking a couple hours each weekend to prep your refrigerator for the week, will pay off.

I’ve included two produce driven recipes that are easy to pack for lunch or prep for breakfast. Try this fruit-filled spinach salad or one of five smoothie recipes!

If I can do it, you can too. Walk over to your refrigerator, open the door, and be honest. You got this!

Let me know your tips for overhauling the lazy eater’s syndrome and getting healthy in comments section below. I’d love to hear from you.

*While Sprouts Farmers Market did recently like this Instagram photo, they are not an affiliate.

Filed Under: DIY Tagged With: breakfast, clean, condiments, diet, dirty, DIY, fruit, healthy, how to, lunch, market, mustard, prep, produce, refrigerator, salad, smoothies, spinach, Sprouts, takeout, waist, waste

5 Healthy Summer Smoothies

June 13, 2016 by Vanessa Leave a Comment

 

Affiliate Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, I may earn commissions from qualifying purchases from Amazon.com.

Looking for an alternative to your usual dash-and-go morning coffee routine? These 5 Healthy Summer Smoothies are the perfect solution to refresh your mornings and give you a natural energy jump start.

Bonus: You add servings of vitamins from produce to your diet. And if you’re making a cool fruit smoothie, there’s no need to heat up the kitchen during the dog days of summer. Fire up that blender and mix the following recipe ingredients until well blended.

Green Detox Smoothie

Full of antioxidants and vitamins, this detoxifying smoothie is the perfect start to the week.
Full of antioxidants and vitamins, this detoxifying smoothie is the perfect start to the week.

This refreshing green drink boosts your immune system. Spinach is considered an anti-cancer food.

  • 5.3 oz plain Greek nonfat yogurt
  • 1/2 cup low-fat milk
  • 1 cup ice crushed
  • 1/4 cucumber cubed
  • 1 celery stalk diced
  • Small handful fresh spinach leaves torn
  • Small handful of flat leaf parsley
  • 1 tbsp honey

Banana Blackberry Smoothie

  • 1/2 cup vanilla yogurt
  • 1/2 cup grape juice
  • 1 cup ice crushed
  • 1/2 of a banana
  • 1/2 cup fresh blackberries

Cantaloupe Mint Smoothie

You know what makes creating a smoothie for breakfast easier? Prepping the melon the night before so it can be easily added to the blender before you head off to work.
Do you know what makes creating a smoothie for breakfast easier? Prepping the melon the night before so it can be easily added to the blender before you start your day. I love how quickly my Magic Bullet blender mixes up a single smoothie at a time when I’m in a hurry!
  • 2 cups cubed cantaloupe
  • 1 cup crushed ice
  • 1/2 cup orange juice
  • 5.3 oz plain Greek nonfat yogurt
  • 1 tsp honey
  • Small handful of fresh mint torn
  • Small handful of flat-leaf parsley

Raspberry Chocolate Vanilla Smoothie

It's dessert in a glass and well, it has fruit so it's healthy right? Of course! Top this Raspberry Chocolate Vanilla smoothie with extra milk chocolate chips. It's our secret!
It’s dessert in a glass and well, it has fruit so it’s healthy right? Of course! Top this Raspberry Chocolate Vanilla smoothie with extra milk chocolate chips. It’s our secret!
  • 1 cup vanilla yogurt
  • 1 cup crushed ice
  • 1 cup almond milk
  • 2 cups raspberries
  • 1/2 cup milk chocolate chips

Raspberry Lemon Smoothie

www.onedelightfullife.com 5 Summer Smoothies Doesn't this smoothie look yummy? We'll take two please. Blend up this easy to make drink for a run-out-the-door breakfast or freeze a few to grab and go.

Yummy, right? Blend up this easy-to-make drink for a run-out-the-door sweet treat or to cool down.

onedelightfullife.com

5 Healthy Summer Smoothies

This thick base includes fresh, ripened fruit providing a dose of healthy vitamins to your diet. It's a great combination of sweet and tart.

5 minPrep Time

5 minTotal Time

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Ingredients

  • 2 cups fresh raspberries
  • 1 cup crushed ice
  • 5.3 oz Greek yogurt
  • 1 cup almond milk
  • 1 tsp honey
  • Juice of 1/2 lemon

Instructions

  1. Add all ingredients into a blender.
  2. Blend until smooth and serve cold.
7.8.1.2
5
https://onedelightfullife.com/5-healthy-summer-smoothies/
onedelightfullife.com

Nutrition

Calories

184 cal

Fat

2 g

Carbs

42 g

Protein

4 g
Click Here For Full Nutrition, Exchanges, and My Plate Info
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Filed Under: Breakfast, Drinks, Non-Alcoholic Tagged With: banana, blackberries, blender drink, blueberries, breakfast, cantaloupe, chocolate, detox, fruit, Greek yogurt, healthy, herbs, honey, lemon, mint, non-alcoholic, raspberries, smoothie, smoothies, summer drinks, yogurt

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Hello! I'm Vanessa. Welcome to One Delightful Life, a blog created to add more delight to your life with delicious recipes, travel destinations, and lifestyle improvement ideas. Thanks for exploring my blog!

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