Overwhelmed by Healthy Eating? Start With These 3 Simple Steps

When I first decided to start my health journey, I was ready to make changes for my family, but I had no idea where to begin. Should I cut out sugar completely? Stop buying anything with ingredients I couldn’t pronounce? Go organic everything? It felt like every piece of advice conflicted with the last, and honestly, it was overwhelming. I wanted to make better choices for my family, but it felt like there were a million rules and no clear starting point.

I’ll let you in on a secret: I tried to do it all at once. And guess what? It didn’t stick. It wasn’t realistic for my family, or for me.

What I wish someone had told me back then is this: you don’t have to be perfect. Eating better doesn’t mean swearing off everything that you love. It’s about learning to make better, more confident choices—finding options that work for your life. 

If I could go back and talk to myself at the start of this journey, I’d share three simple steps that make a real difference. These steps aren’t overwhelming or complicated, and they’ll give you a great foundation to feel good about what’s going on your table.

Let’s dive in.

1. Learn How to Decode Labels (and Why It Matters)

When I first started my health journey, grocery shopping felt like a game of, “What on earth does that mean?” Hidden sugars, unpronounceable ingredients, and labels that looked more like a science experiment than food. Sound familiar?

Here’s the truth: if an ingredient label has something you don’t recognize, it probably doesn’t recognize you either. And here’s why that matters:

When we eat foods full of unrecognizable ingredients—things like artificial flavors, chemical preservatives, and additives—our bodies have to work overtime to process them. These ingredients weren’t made for us; they were made to make food cheaper, last longer, or keep us reaching for more. Over time, they can contribute to issues like inflammation, energy crashes, and even digestive discomfort.

Think of it like fueling a car with the wrong type of gas. Sure, it might run for a while, but eventually, it’s going to sputter and struggle. Your body works the same way—it thrives on real, whole foods, not mystery ingredients that sound like they belong in a science fair.

So how do you make better choices without spending hours deciphering every label? Start with this simple 3-step label check:

1. Scan for recognizable ingredients – If it sounds like something you’d cook with at home, it’s probably a good choice.
2. Watch out for hidden sugars – Sneaky names like maltose, corn syrup, or “natural sweeteners” are red flags. Did you know that there are actually 60 sneaky names for sugar? 
3. Skip the unpronounceable stuff – If you can’t say it, chances are your body doesn’t know what to do with it either.

Take peanut butter, for example. Some brands have sugar, hydrogenated oils, and preservatives thrown in. But the best ones? Just peanuts and maybe a little salt (but not totally necessary). Boom—simple, clean, and exactly what you’d expect.

Learning to decode labels isn’t about being perfect. It’s about taking small, intentional steps toward better choices. And the best part? Once you get the hang of it, it becomes second nature.

This is one of the first skills I teach in my 5 Days to Confident Food Choices Challenge—because understanding what’s in your food is empowering. It’s the foundation for making choices you can feel good about, and it sets the tone for the rest of your journey.

2. Start with Snacks That Feel Like a Win

Snacks are one of the easiest places to start cleaning up your eating habits—and one of the most rewarding. Why? Because they’re small, manageable changes that can have a big impact on your day. Plus, if you’re anything like me, snacks are often the thing you grab in a rush, so making better choices here feels like a quick win.

But here’s the twist: snacks don’t have to be boring or the same handful of almonds every day. Let’s think outside the box for a second.

How about these clean-eating snack ideas:

• Stuffed Dates: Take a pitted Medjool date, fill it with almond butter or tahini, and sprinkle a little sea salt on top. It’s sweet, salty, and satisfying. Bonus points if you add a dark chocolate chip for a little treat! This has become a favorite for me in my house…. And to think, I got introduced to it for the first time in Germany!
• Homemade Energy Balls: Blend oats, nut butter, a drizzle of honey, and a handful of dark chocolate chips or dried fruit. Roll them into bite-sized balls and stash them in the fridge.
• Savory Veggie Dippers: Skip the standard carrots and celery—try bell pepper strips, cucumber rounds, or even jicama sticks with hummus or guacamole. It’s crunchy, refreshing, and super satisfying.

The key is to keep snacks simple, clean, and balanced. Pair a little protein with fiber or healthy fats to keep you fuller longer and avoid that post-snack energy crash.

And remember, snacks are a great way to experiment with real-food swaps. Swap out that granola bar packed with sugar for a handful of raw nuts and dried fruit, or try making your own trail mix with clean ingredients you love.

In the 5 Days to Confident Food Choices Challenge, we’ll dive deeper into snack prep with easy, balanced ideas that your family will love, too. You’ll learn how to make snacks that don’t just fill the hunger gap but also fuel your energy and make you feel good.

3. Make One Simple Dinner Upgrade

For me, one of the most impactful changes I made to our dinners was making sure there was always at least one veggie on the table. And no, I don’t mean counting the tomato sauce on pasta night as the vegetable (though I’ve definitely done that before).

It doesn’t have to be fancy. If we’re doing pasta, I might sauté some zucchini or spinach and toss it into the sauce. Or, I’ll roast a quick side of broccoli or asparagus while the pasta cooks - or even turn my zucchini into zoodles making it the pasta for the night. It’s a small step, but it makes the meal more balanced—and I feel better knowing I’m feeding my family something extra nourishing.

Speaking of pasta night, finding a sauce with minimal ingredients was another game-changer. Some jarred sauces are full of hidden sugars and preservatives, but there are clean options out there. Look for ones with just a handful of ingredients—like tomatoes, olive oil, garlic, and basil—or try making a simple sauce at home with canned tomatoes and seasonings.

Other easy dinner upgrades you can try:

• Sheet Pan Meals: Toss some chicken thighs or breasts, sweet potatoes, and green beans with olive oil and spices, and roast everything together. One pan, no stress, and plenty of veggies!
• Build Your Own Taco Bar: Add a side of roasted peppers and tomatillos or a simple slaw made from shredded cabbage and lime juice. It’s fresh, crunchy, and pairs perfectly with your tacos. Oh, and you can make it easy on yourself and buy a bag of shredded cabbage or broccoli slaw at the store. 
• Picky-Eater Tip: If your kids balk at veggies, start small. Add finely chopped carrots to pasta sauce or fold spinach into quesadillas. They may not even notice the difference (trust me, I’ve been there!).

The point isn’t to make dinner harder—it’s to make small, meaningful upgrades that leave you feeling good about what’s on the table.

In the 5 Days to Confident Food Choices Challenge, we’ll cover simple ways to add more real food to your dinners without feeling overwhelmed. Because making healthier choices doesn’t mean giving up your favorite meals—it’s about finding easy ways to make them work for you.

Start Small, Build Confidence

When I look back on the beginning of my health journey, the most important thing I learned was this: you don’t have to do it all at once. Real change happens with small, intentional steps—like learning how to read labels, upgrading your snacks, or adding more veggies to your dinners.

And here’s the best part: it’s not about being perfect. It’s about progress—choosing to focus on the little changes that feel manageable today and trusting that those small wins will add up over time.

So the next time you feel stuck or overwhelmed by food choices, I want you to ask yourself this: What’s one small thing I can do right now to make a better choice? Because every single step you take, no matter how small, moves you closer to feeling more confident, energized, and in control.

You don’t need a complete overhaul to get started. You just need one small step forward.