Congrats on making it to day 7! If you’ve made it this far and honestly completed the previous challenges, then you’re well on your way to a happier, healthier Spring! Just remember, small daily changes and habits will lead to longterm healthy habits. So don’t just think about the end goal for yourself a year or more down the road, take it a day at a time. Take it a meal at a time. This way you learn to make healthy habits each and every day which is your ticket for a healthier life.

Let’s quickly recap this past week —

day 1, you’ve started drinking more water and “health-ifying” your beverages

day 2, you’ve learned how to build a healthier, balanced plate

day 3, you understand the importance of moving your body every day, and are taking steps toward that

day 4, you’ve started to incorporate more green vegetables into your diet

day 5, you’ve learned the importance of mindfulness and are starting to practice being more mindful at mealtimes

day 6, you’ve discovered a healthier, whole-food version of a favorite food or treat

So it’s now day 7 and what’s left? What’s left is one of the most important steps you can take toward truly establishing and maintaining a healthier lifestyle. And that’s getting back in the kitchen. Cooking real food. From scratch.

Your challenge for today is to cook a meal from scratch this week. This means avoiding pre-made, store-bought meals and other processed foods. No pre-made sauces with ingredients you can’t pronounce. No packaged foods with additives and preservatives. Just real food with real ingredients.

DAY 7 CHALLENGE — cook a meal from scratch.

Maybe you already enjoy cooking. Maybe you despise it. What I will tell you is this. Cooking your own meals is a huge step in right direction toward a healthy lifestyle for so many reasons —

Cooking at home will increase the quality of your diet.

Cooking at home will save you money.

Cooking at home will nourish and energize your body, provided that you’re taking steps toward building a healthier plate [from your day 2 challenge].

Cooking at home will provide leftovers [perfect for lunch the next day!].

Cooking at home will save the headache of having to attempt to make healthy choices while eating out [which can be a struggle!]

A lot of us are short on time which makes it difficult to want to cook a meal from scratch. But guess what? You actually don’t have to have more than about 30 minutes for many healthy, simple, home-cooked meals. And the grocery store now stocks pre-cut, spiralized and riced veggies which can save time on prep.

Also, remember that you don’t have to follow a recipe to make a great, home-cooked meal. Try something super simple like scrambling up some eggs with your favorite veggies and having a side of avocado toast. Or boil some whole grain pasta [or chickpea or lentil pasta for added protein and fiber!] and add some sautéed veggies, diced chicken and parmesan cheese. Does your grocery store have organic rotisserie chicken? If so, this can make a great simple dinner. Simply shred the chicken and add to fajitas with bell pepper and onions, top on your favorite salad, or eat it on the side with some roasted broccoli and sweet potatoes [2 of my favorite things!]