Eating out and other problems

what superstore? have I missed it in Walmart?
what do you use to replace sugar?

I am actually not doing any shopping at health food specialty store. I am getting my stuff from the Natural section of my Superstore.

That recipe is in the The Eat-clean Diet Cookbook. They are called "Clean eating power protein bars".

Yes, I have gone cold turkey on the sweetner. That stuff is dangerous. Since giving it up, my highs and lows have leveled off even more since just mostly clean eating and my cravings are WAY down too. It is great.

well, to go to the "city" is a 1 1/2 hour drive. I just go to a town of 18000 to do most my shopping. They had a health food store there, and I'd finally decided to get serious about this...so was planning on checking it out next week. Found out they closed in July. There's one a half hour away a different direction, but they mostly carry vitamins and diet stuff - a glorified GNC. I'd have to go to the St. Louis area to find something at this point. I have to say the IGA in Effingham has quite a bit to offer in grains though. I've been surprised at what I find there. But to get the different oils (peanut oils and some others I've seen in recipes) or I've read a lot about almond butter, things like that I'm out of luck. Oh, and I was wanting to get away from equal sweetener, but don't have any "healthy" alternatives to that either. That's why I ought to see about ordering on line. I think if I just keep trying, and modifying like you say, it will work out...just take some time to figure it all out. I'll mostly have a hard time giving up "convenience" on some things.

ya, it is hard when you are in a small town. The grocery stores I frequent haven’t gotten a lot better in recent years, but there is stills tuff I can’t find. Sometimes I just leave that ingredient our or sometimes I will substitute it depending how much I think it will change it.

I am at work right now, but I will check when I get home which one of her books I found that recipe in.

Maybe figure out which recipes you would eat, make a list of the ingredients you don’t have local, but pick them up next time you head to the city?!?

Well, sounds like I need to do some reading. I actually have one of her books. The Eat-Clean Diet. I had started reading it a while back...and lost interest. Mostly because it takes a bit of work to do this way of life, and I'm far away from any good Health Food store. I'm also getting the magazine, and that's what got me more interested. I'm loving the recipes in there - can't always do them because I can't get some of the ingredients. But I'm starting to think it will be worth my while and the extra time it takes to cook things ahead, and maybe even drive to get stuff. (my husband told me this morning "just order it all online!")
Do you remember which book you found the energy bar with dark chocolate at?

Those are some good questions. A lot of them are answered in the Clean Eating series of books. I have 3 of them so I am not sure where I read which information. In them, Tosca Reno talks about being prepared, having clean snacks ready to go for when you are ready. Quick snacks can always include fruits and veggies. Also, there are things you can make to have ahead. There are recipes for clean eating granola type bars as well as the one I am eating right now that I love, an energy type bar with dark chocolate. Delish.

She talks also of packing a cooler when you are out an about to keep from eating quick to grab garbage. Another chapter talks of making friends with your server at restaurants so you can special order. You need to explain to your server that you can't eat butter (or whatever else you think the dish might include that you don't want). I just explain I get ill if I eat, (cause I can get a tummy ache if I eat it). People can be quite accommodating, I was surprised. I have found though, people are human and they do make errors. I have simply told them I can tell it was cooked in butter and I can't eat it. It is often just miscommunication from the server to the kitchen or vice versa.

Good luck!

Edited by: ISLANDJANE at: 8/28/2008 (06:02)

I've been slowing becoming a clean eater. I started South Beach a few years ago, and it stressed to stay away from sugar and eat lots of fresh foods. Since then I've read more about eating clean. Some of it I don't like....anyway. What do you do about eating out? I live in a very rural area, so have to travel to get to anything organic. When I do go shopping right now I take along a special K bar for lunch or eat at Subway...any suggestions on what you do? Where do you shop if you live in the middle of no where? My husband has done a fantastic job on the garden this year...so we have fresh veggies and even watermelon and cantaloupe right now. I keep frozen grapes in the fridge for a sweet snack. Just don't know what to do when out and about. Or what do you do for quicky meals and snacks? I do have my office at home which helps have more time to cook..but some days I'm pretty busy and it's nice to have something to grab easy. I'm pretty sure Special K bars are not considered clean eating....