New Year’s Food Resolutions to Try This Year: Ideas & Tips for 2022

The New Year is upon us, and that means it’s time to start thinking about how we want to make this coming year better than the last. People make resolutions for all kinds of reasons—health, happiness, discipline, and so many others. 

While you’re considering what resolutions you should choose this year, you should think about picking up some New Year’s food resolutions. If you’re looking to try and live a healthier lifestyle, focusing on your diet is a perfect healthy New Year’s goal to commit to. 

8 Healthy Eating Resolutions 

There’s no better way to kick off the New Year than choosing to eat healthier. New Year’s food resolutions are always popular but can be difficult to keep up with. If you decide you want to keep your healthy eating habits year-round, we have some ideas that we think will make achieving your goals much easier. Whether you choose one, a few, or all of these dietary changes, we guarantee you’ll see results and feel better doing it.

1. Say Yes to Home-Cooked Meals

Eating out is a luxury, and from time to time it’s okay to indulge yourself. However, preparing your meals at home has some advantages you can’t get in a restaurant or from take-out. When you cook at home, you have control over every aspect of your meal. 

This means, the cleanliness of your kitchen, the calorie intake and nutrients, and of course any allergens. You get to choose which meals you’d like to make and how you’d like to make them. Grocery shopping on your own allows you to purchase your own fresh ingredients, and there are countless home-cooked meal recipes you can use for inspiration. 

2. Defend Against Dehydration

Staying hydrated has many benefits for a person’s health such as maximizing physical performance, increased energy levels, and brain function, and it can even help aid in weight loss. Drinking enough water throughout the day is important to keep your health in check and should be taken seriously.

If drinking water during the day is something you struggle with, there are different ways to incorporate it into your daily routine. The daily water intake varies depending on men and women, but there are resources available to figure out how much water you should be drinking.

3. Buy a New Vegetable Each Week

While vegetables may not be many people’s favorite part of a meal, it’s no secret that they’re also the most important. Vegetables are necessary, but there are ways you can incorporate them into your meal that are appetizing and fun.

Making healthy eating resolutions can be hard and tedious. But buying a new vegetable each week is just one way to keep things interesting, allowing you to discover new tastes and experiment with different recipes. There are countless ways to cook vegetables, making it easy for you to find the ones you enjoy the most and you can be healthy while doing it. 

4. Eat Less Salt

Some of the tastiest meals happen to be the worst ones for you, and oftentimes also contain large amounts of sodium. There’s nothing wrong with incorporating salt into your diet, but it should be done in moderation. 

Limiting your salt intake has many health benefits, including lowering your blood pressure, reducing your risk of a heart attack, preventing the hardening and thickening of arteries, and lessening any bloating or swelling. If you’re craving salty snacks or foods, there are alternative ways to stay satisfied without the salt. 

5. Try Using Alternatives

Food and drink alternatives have become increasingly popular, and for good reason. Substituting ingredients that are high in fat or sugar can benefit you in living a healthier life. While some do this to have a healthier diet, others need to based on other health issues.

Milk alternatives and substitutions in baking are some common practices people take up when changing their diets. There’s no need to make a sudden large change. You can start small and create a plan where you slowly switch one part of your diet out for a healthier option.

6. Drop Your Ban on Desserts

Dietary resolutions can be hard, especially if you have a sweet tooth, but what if we told you that you didn’t have to give up on desserts entirely? Becoming healthier is all about control and moderation, there’s no reason to cut something out of your diet completely. We all deserve a treat from time to time.

Dropping your ban on desserts altogether may actually help you in the long run. Doing this ensures that you won’t fall into cravings and binge eating. If you allow yourself to have a sweet every once in a while, you’ll get used to enjoying them in moderation, leaving you free to discover all kinds of dessert recipes to choose from.

7. Participate in Meatless Mondays

Getting rid of meat altogether may be too difficult for some people, and is not entirely necessary. You can choose to eat less meat, even on a small scale, and see improvements. Participating in Meatless Mondays is simple and will allow you to get creative with new recipes using other sources of protein.

Many diets can feel like “all or nothing”, so it’s important to set boundaries without completely depriving yourself of your favorite dishes. If you need to cut out fatty meats, or red meats, start by taking one day a week without splurging instead of cutting it out altogether.

8. Beware of Dirty Produce

You can never have too much fresh produce in your home, but that being said, you want to be careful and make sure it’s healthy and clean. When choosing your fruits and veggies, you should always examine them before purchasing anything.

Checking your produce is a good habit to get into, that way you know you’re not getting anything bruised, damaged, or rotten. You can also try to limit the amount of produce that contains a lot of pesticides. While these may not be nutritionally bad for you, some pesticides can cause other health issues. 

New Year’s Goal Setting Tips

Setting goals in the New Year is a great way to make positive changes in your life, yet we all know making commitments to our daily lives can be harder than others. No one likes giving up on their resolutions, so this year try some of these tips to stay on track: 

• Write goals down and review them periodically.
• Make goals that are realistic and attainable.
• Try working with a partner.

Some resolutions are large and life-changing, while others may be smaller. Either way, these tactics may be just what you need to hold yourself accountable, especially if they’re New Year’s food resolutions you’re trying to keep.

Don’t wait. Begin eating healthier now and stop by our fresh foods market for a variety of fruits, vegetables, and more! Or visit our website to buy groceries online today.