I’m not generally a proponent of wasting food.  But I’m here today to challenge you to do a little bit of selective pantry cleansing.  This may be a little bit painful – but I’m here to hold your hand (and walk with you to the trash can).  You can do this.  We’re all in this together.

One of the most difficult things for me to do when we began our Healthy Eating Journey was to throw out and stop purchasing foods that I was able to get for little to nothing with coupons.  Skippy Peanut Butter, Hamburger Helper, Poptarts, Rice-a-Roni – these and many more were all frequently in my pantry until six years ago when we began to learn the importance of eating real, whole foods.  I shed tears, I got heeby-jeebies in my gut, I grieved my old way of life and way of thinking about “food”.

It was a roller-coaster time for me because at the same time I was struggling to clean out my food stash, I was also excited about eating better.  I was thrilled to be learning ways to feed my family healthier foods.  I was hopeful about the improvements in our health that came with eating nutrient rich foods, instead of pre-packaged foods that were hurting our bodies.

Why did I think I’d miss boxed mac and cheese when
for the same amount of time and effort, we can have this???
Creamy Mac and Cheese

During that transition, many boxes and bags made their way to our trash can.  (It helped when ants got into some open boxes of cereal – praise the Lord for blessings that come in the form of little black pests.)  Some of our unopened packages of processed foods were given to our local food pantry.  Little by little, I transformed our kitchen.

Some of the main ingredients I was focused on getting rid of right away were:  High Fructose Corn Syrup and Hydrogenated Oils.  I began reading labels, and if those ingredients were in the foods in my home, out they went.  Later, I transitioned our noodles and rice to be of the whole grain variety, then I made changes with our dairy products and meat.  Slowly but surely, my kitchen became funky, fresh and healthy.

If you’re on a healthy eating journey, I’d like to encourage you to make just one more change today.  Throw out something in your kitchen that shouldn’t be there.  (Um, don’t toss your husband’s favorite goodies without asking first – this post is supposed to be inspirational to your health, not detrimental to your marriage.)  ;)

Let’s walk together to your food stash.  What’s in there that isn’t helping you and your family to be healthy?  I’m not asking you to throw out everything that isn’t a real, wholesome food unless you’re absolutely ready to take that plunge.  Today I’m just asking you to throw out one thing (or set it aside to give away).

In an upcoming post I’ll share all kinds of exciting information about how to replace those bad-for-you foods with delicious good-for-you foods!!!  But today we’re just taking a step toward a Funky Fresh Kitchen by throwing out one thing that isn’t good for us.  Picture me (and all the rest of the gang who hangs out here) cheering you on while you do it.

Leave a comment on this post letting us all know what you’ve tossed out!!!   Use that awesome basketball ability you’ve been hiding all these years and skillfully shoot those boxes of unreadables across the room into the trash so that you can replace it with something delicious and better for you.  Share with us what you’re tossing!!!  We want to be inspired by you.  (Plus, your comment here will be entered in the drawing for our five $10 Heavenly Homemakers Shop gift certificates giveaway!!)

Hey, while we’re on the subject of cleaning out the pantry (and fridge), I’d love to hear how you’re coming on creating your Funky Kitchen.  There are still some $2.00 Funky Kitchen coupon codes to be had…get ‘em while they last!