Your Health in Action: 5 Clean Cooking Tips for Newbies

For those of you who follow my social media or have been reading the blog for a while, you’ve probably definitely seen me post about my experiences with Whole30. If you’re not familiar with Whole30, it is a nutritional program that lasts for 30 days and is designed to help people discover food sensitivities and kick their junk food addictions. When I first dabbled in this way of eating in 2014, I quickly realized that I needed to do a lot of my own cooking — something that I’d had virtually no experience with before that time.

For many of us, transitioning to a cleaner way of eating can be intimidating because of the level of cooking and meal prep often involved. Even now, I do not claim to be a particularly talented chef. However, over the years, I’ve significantly improved my culinary skills and picked up a lot of tricks to simplify the clean cooking experience.

If you’re looking to make a few lifestyle changes and don’t know where to start, check out my tips below!

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a small compensation.

1. Prep your meals ahead of time.

I’ll let you in on a well-known secret: I’m a big fan of #MealPrepSundays. I love to set aside a few hours before the week begins to chop up some veggies, whip up a few dinners for class nights, and prep seasonings for other recipes I’ll try throughout the week. I don’t pre-cook all of my meals, but by getting some of the prep work done on Sunday, I can save time in the kitchen after work. Meal prep makes the cooking process a lot less overwhelming, because a lot of the work has already been done! I use this weekly organizer to plan my meals.

2. Sometimes it’s just easier to buy your produce pre-chopped…

… and that’s totally ok! If it saves time and doesn’t seriously compromise the health benefits of the food you’re eating, why not simplify? I chop most of my veggies on the weekend, but I buy my cauliflower and broccoli already in florets, and often buy my carrots pre-chopped as well. If it makes your life easier and you don’t mind the added cost, go for it!

3. The Internet is your best friend.

When following a more complicated recipe or trying out a new cooking technique, look no further than YouTube and Google. Thanks to the Internet, I now know how to poach chicken. (Thankfully, it does not mean that I have to hunt my own poultry!)

4. Find your easy go-to’s.

When you’re in a pinch, having a few simple items in the house that are ready-made can make dinnertime that much easier. For example, I eat a lot of cauliflower rice, so I end up buying it frozen through Bird’s Eye and Trader Joe’s. Find those shortcuts that work best for you, and stock up!

5. Learn the easy swaps.

Making a stir fry? Skip the soy sauce and add coconut aminos. Not sure if you have a dairy intolerance? Try cooking with ghee or coconut oil instead of butter. Skipping gluten? Use almond flour or shredded coconut instead of breadcrumbs to coat your chicken. These are just a few examples of some of the ingredient swaps you can make. For more ideas, check out my list of paleo kitchen essentials here!

Hope these tips help you along your own health and cooking journeys! Have any tips to share? Sound off in the comments below!