1 Healthy food finds

First week of the new year is over.  Finito.

To recover from the cheese ball, wine, pie, beer, chocolate, ice cream, potatoes, cheese, more cheese, nachos, etc.  I stocked up on a few things that make my body go "ahhhh" and also taste really good, because otherwise I buy them...and they sit there, and I open the pantry and go, mmmm nah and grab something else.  Here are why these are my go to picks...

(and none of this is sponsored in any way, shape, or form, they don't even know I'm out here)

1.  Numi Gunpowder Green Tea - I love the strong flavor of this green tea, but also love how eco-conscious the company is.  The packaging is recyclable, made of 85% post-consumer waste and printed with soy-based inks. They do not use plastic shrink wrap, and they use natural, biodegradable filter-paper tea bags rather than nylon or GMO-origin tea sachets. The tea itself is organic which is important because with tea, the leaves aren't rinsed before drying which means companies that use chemicals are leaving the toxins on the leaves to dry only to be released later in your mug.  They also use a solar-powered packaging company, how cool is that!  And like many companies, they plant trees in order to off-set carbon emissions.  It's so much more than just a cup of tea.

2.  Odwalla Original Superfood juice - I love juices but don't usually take the time to make my own.  This is my favorite flavor and other brands do sell it...but I choose Odwalla because of their packaging. The bottle is made from non-GMO sugar cane!  It is recyclable and from a renewable source.  The juice is a blend of apple, peach, mango, strawberry, banana, spirulina, soy, vitamin C, wheat grass, barley, wheat sprouts, artichoke, lemon and nova scotia dulse.

3.  Tribe Roasted Garlic Hummus - Roasted Garlic is my fav flavor, but I love that is is all natural.  Seriously all natural.  The packaging is recyclable but I've yet to find out more info.

4.  Fage Greek Yogurt - soooo creamy!  I usually stir in something sweet because it's still a little tangy for my taste, but with 23 g. of protein per serving and 25% of daily calcium it is a powerful start to the day.

5. Mary's Gone Crackers - My mom got me started on these.  Pepper or Herb are my favs and perfect to dip in that hummus.  They are my first step into Gluten Free.  I'm not allergic to gluten, but do notice that my body feels better when I eat less of it.  Just less sluggish and I don't get that heavy, tired feeling.   These crackers are organic, gluten free, non-GMO and made from sesame seeds, flax, brown rice, quinoa, soybeans and spices.  They taste amazing. They are also high in Omega-3's which is so important for our bodies.

6. Oat Revolution - I first fell in love with the RAW organic Chai flavor, and now am into the Maple Brown Sugar.  I love the small box (a complete sucker for packaging) and that you don't need any measuring cups which makes it perfect to take to work.  You just fill the empty packet to a marked water line, so easy! It's whole grain rolled oats, and flaxseed.  The Raw blends also have quinoa, barley and wheat.

I'm learning the power of the consumer.  If we demand a better product, we will eventually get it.  But we need to be conscious of what we are buying.  We need to realize that we aren't just buying food, we're buying a company and choosing what way of life we support for the future.  It sounds extreme and kind of intense, but it actually is true.  And what is beautiful about a capitalist nation (aka business) is that if we trend things a certain way, the companies will have to respond in order to keep making money.  So let's start demanding better!