The Clean Eating Primer—Our Secrets to Get You Started and Keep You Going!

The better-for-you lifestyle you want with our Clean Eating Meal Plan that’s designed to remove

processed foods from your diet. Our family-friendly recipes are full of lean proteins, whole grains, and

fresh, seasonal fruits and vegetables, giving you a practical solution to feed your family simple, healthy

and delicious meals.

5 Ways to Save Money

These two lists are crucial to know where you can bypass the organic section in the produce

department. If a recipe calls for an ingredient on the Dirty Dozen list, it’s best to go organic. But that

doesn’t mean you have to buy all organic produce. Keep in mind that some stores may have an

organic item on the Clean 15 list on sale, so it may be more cost effective to buy organic in that case.

1 Know the Dirty Dozen and Clean 15

In-season local produce is not only cheaper; it also typically contains more vitamins and minerals since

it hasn’t had to travel as far. Take advantage of your local farmers’ market and buy produce there,

especially organic. It’s a great way to get to know the farmers and ask them how they grow their

produce.

2 Utilize Your Local Farmers’ Market

CSAs (Community Sponsored Agriculture groups) are designed to allow local residents the opportunity

to buy organic produce directly from the farm. Depending on how often and how much produce you

need, you can “subscribe” to one of these groups and pay a fraction of the price it normally would cost

to buy organic produce from the store.

3 Join a CSA

With meatless meal recipes provided each week, our Clean Eating meal plan is designed to help save

at the grocery store. But how do you save while buying organic meat and seafood? It is important to try

and buy organic meat and wild-caught seafood to avoid introducing antibiotics and pesticides in your

meals, but we understand that can get pricey. Pay attention to grocery store sales. If you notice that

organic chicken breasts are on sale, for example, buy an extra package or two. Once home,

individually wrap each chicken breast in plastic wrap, place in a large zip-top plastic freezer bag, and

freeze it. Don’t forget to label the bag with the date.

4 Buy Meat on Sale and Freeze

Have a craving for sweet corn in the middle of December or butternut squash in July? Thanks to frozen

and canned vegetables, you can enjoy both, even when out of season. Be sure to follow the Dirty

Dozen rule of buying organic, even if the fruits and veggies are frozen. You’ll also want to be wary of

the nutrition labels for hidden added sodium, sugar, and other unrecognizable ingredients.

5 Don’t Be Afraid to Use Frozen and Canned Veggies and Fruits

"Like most moms, I'm always looking for shortcuts and ways to make my life easier without sacri�cing our health. eMeal has

increased the variety in our diet and helped my family try new foods—not to mention saved me a ton of time and money. I’m

not con�dent cook, but eMeals is helping because the recipes are super easy and quick!”

- Katie H.eMeals Clean Eating User

All About CSAs: An Easy, Affordable Way to Go Organic

Also known as “Community Supported Agriculture,” CSA groups provide high-quality produce from

local farmers. When you become a member of a CSA, you purchase a “share” of seasonal produce.

These shares tend to be cheaper than buying from the grocery store because you cut out the

middleman. Subscription payments can be yearly, monthly, or weekly, depending on the preference of

the farm. Not only are you helping farmers, but you’re also providing the freshest fruits and vegetables

for your family.

Each CSA group is different. You can get a fruit and veggie box once a week, twice a month, and so

on. Some CSA groups even allow you to help pick the produce from the farm for a discount on your

own box. You may also find that your local CSA provides fresh eggs, organic meats, and other

products.

What is a CSA and how does it work?

Another great benefit of getting a CSA box is the variety of produce you’ll receive. Some groups give

you a few days’ notice of what the box will contain, while others allow you to pick what you’d like from

the farm directly. Either way, you will most likely be able to experiment with produce you may not have

ever cooked with before. This is a great way to get the kids involved in trying new things. Don’t be

worried if your box has ingredients that aren’t in your weekly eMeals plan. Our recipes are flexible and

substitutions can be easily made to allow you to take advantage of the delicious produce. Here are a

few suggestions for substitutions:

Variety

Use these interchangeably

* Hearty Leafy Greens: kale, Swiss chard, collards, turnip greens, spinach

* Salad Greens: arugula, baby spinach, mixed baby greens, leaf lettuce, romaine lettuce, iceberg

lettuce

* Cruciferous Veggies: broccoli, cauliflower, broccoli rabe

* Cabbage Family: bok choy, baby bok choy, green cabbage, red cabbage

* Root Veggies: carrots, beets, turnips, parsnips, rutabagas

* Onions: red onion, yellow onion, sweet onion, shallot (use a small amount of onion if replacing)

* Tree Fruit: apples, pears, nectarines, peaches

* Berries: strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, raspberries

So next time you shy away from trying organic produce because of the overall cost, consider giving a

local CSA a try. Check out Local Harvest to find a CSA in your area, and pair your produce with your

eMeals meal plan for extra savings.

Clean Eating Meal Plan Shopping List

STAPLES • Whole-wheat flour • Garlic • Honey • Pure maple syrup • Olive oil mayonnaise • Mustard • Reduced-sodium soy sauce • Sea saltOils* • Olive oil (first press, unrefined) • Extra virgin olive oilVinegars • Balsamic • Red wine • White wine • Apple ciderDried or fresh herbs & ground spices • Basil • Cayenne pepper • Chili powder • Cinnamon • Crushed red pepper • Cumin • Coriander • Dill • Ginger • Italian seasoning • Oregano • Paprika • Parsley • Rosemary • Thyme • Salt-free or low-sodium seasonings

REFRIGERATED • Eggs

DAIRY* • Low-fat milk, sour cream, and yogurt • Plain Greek yogurtCheeses (in moderation) • Mozzarella • Parmesan • Ricotta • Low-fat cottage cheese • Reduced-fat Cheddar • Reduced-fat feta • Goat cheese

CANNED & PACKAGED(Buy BPA-free canned goods)

• Lentils • Canned tomatoes* • Canned wild-caught tunaDried or canned beans* • Cannellini beans • Navy beans • Chickpeas • Black beans • Kidney beans • Pinto beansWhole Grains • Whole-grain pasta • Bulgur • Whole-wheat couscous • Quinoa • Brown rice • Barley • Farro • Oats • Whole-wheat bread • Whole-grain crackers* • Whole-wheat pankoNuts and seeds • Almonds • Walnuts • Sunflower seeds • Ground flax seeds • All-natural nut buttersOrganic or reduced-sodium broth • Chicken, beef, and vegetable

MEAT & SEAFOODPoultry (hormone free) • Chicken breasts & thighs • Turkey breast cutlets • Lean ground turkey • Ground chicken breastLean red meat (hormone free) • Ground round or ground sirloin • Sirloin or flank steak • Beef roastsLean pork (hormone free) • Tenderloin • Pork chops • Pork roasts • Ground porkFish and seafood • Purchase wild-caught, sustaintable seafood when possible.

PRODUCE • Apples* • Artichokes • Asparagus • Avocado • Bananas • Beets • Bell peppers* • Berries (all types) • Broccoli • Brussels sprouts • Cabbage • Carrots • Cauliflower • Celery* • Cherries* • Cherry tomatoes* • Cucumbers* • Dates • Eggplant • Fennel • Figs • Grapes* • Green beans • Kiwi • Leafy greens (kale and collards)* • Lemons & limes • Lettuce* • Melons • Mushrooms • Nectarines (imported)* • Onions • Oranges • Peas • Peaches* • Pears* • Pineapples • Plums • Pomegranates • Potatoes* • Shallots • Spinach* • Squash • Strawberries* • Sweet potatoes • Tomatoes • Watermelon • Zucchini • 100% fresh fruit juice

What to Buy for a Clean Eating Diet

*Purchase organic versions of these items.

The Dirty DozenThese two lists are crucial to know where you can bypass the organic section in the produce

department. If a recipe calls for an ingredient on the Dirty Dozen list, it’s best to go organic. But that

doesn’t mean you have to buy all organic produce. Keep in mind that some stores may have an

organic item on the Clean 15 list on sale, so it may be more cost effective to buy organic in that case.

Here are the 12 most contaminated produce items, the Dirty Dozen, which consumers are encouraged

to buy the organic option when possible.

Apples Celery CherryTomatoes Cucumbers

Grapes Peaches

Snap Peas Spinach Strawberries

PotatoesNectarines(imported)

Sweet BellPeppers

Clean Eating in a Dirty World

Admittedly, it takes longer to prepare fresh foods than it does to pull a box of cookies out of the pantry

or to zap a can of “beefaroni.” And there’s nothing more likely to derail your best intentions of eating

healthy than hunger. Prepare by stocking your fridge with a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables and

lean dairy for snack attacks, and fill your freezer with make ahead meals for easy dinner on busy

nights. And don’t forget to stash some nonperishable, healthy snacks, like nuts and unsweetened dried

fruits, in your desk at work and in the car for emergencies.

1 Always Be Prepared

In today’s world, most of us can’t spend three hours in the kitchen every night preparing dinner. The

good news is, fresh foods are delicious when prepared simply. Instead of choosing the cover recipes

from seven stylish food magazines for this week’s menu, choose simple recipes that fit your person

schedule and budget. Starting with a practical and doable plan will help you stay on track with clean

eating.

2 Keep It Simple

A common problem that many people face when adopting a new diet or eating style is the

“all-or-nothing” philosophy. We set new goals and dive headlong into a strict regimen, and one “bad”

choice causes us to fall off the bandwagon. Instead, start out with realistic expectations. It’s okay to

have a piece of your mother’s famous chocolate cake on your birthday (just don’t take the rest of the

cake home with you), and you can resume your healthy eating plan the next morning. Allow yourself to

enjoy occasional reasonable indulgences and don’t let them derail your overall healthy lifestyle.

3 Be Reasonable

The Down & Dirty on GMOs

GMOs, or “genetically modified organisms,” were originally created with good intentions. Simply stated,

the genetic makeup of produce, like corn, is altered to reduce the need for herbicides and pesticides

(the vegetable would produce a natural toxin to ward off pests), create a higher production of food to

feed the hungry in third-world countries, and even to increase good things, like nutrients, in food.

While these seem to make a strong case for GMOs, studies by the EU and Russian National Academy

of Sciences have found links between GM products and diseases. It is believed that the alteration

disrupts the plant’s DNA in potentially harmful ways, and as a result, our bodies don’t know how to

process these new foods. Therefore, GMOs are not considered “clean,” and are even banned in the

EU. Unfortunately, the FDA does not require GMO safety testing, so more research needs to be done.

As a result, almost all processed food in the U.S. is likely to contain GM ingredients.

What is a GMO?

Buy food from the outer rim of the grocery store. Fresh vegetables, organic meats, and organic dairy

products are less likely to contain GMOs. When buying produce, check the label. If it is a five-digit

number beginning with an eight, it’s a GM product.

When buying packaged foods, buy organic. Organic foods are not allowed to contain any GM

ingredients.

Check the food labels first. Canola oil, corn oil, and vegetable oil are the biggest offenders for being

GM products. Choose olive oil or coconut oil instead. Honey can also be a GM product, because some

bees collect nectar from the bright yellow flowers on the canola plant (which is related to mustard and

cabbage).

How can you “eat clean” and avoid GMOs?

Success StoryWhen she’s not spending time with her husband and 3-year-old daughter or training for her next

marathon, Katie, who’s a Registered Dietitian (MS, RD) and Certified Specialist in Oncology (CSO)

dietitian, works as a nutrition specialist on the bone marrow transplant and oncology floor at the

University of Colorado Hospital.

We just had our one-year anniversary, and we used the Clean Eating Meal Plan. We’ve enjoyed the

menus so much that we have yet to try any of the other plans.

How long have you used eMeals?

Prior to discovering eMeals I would sit down every Sunday with all my recipe books and choose 4 to 5

recipes to make for the week. I would then create a grocery list from those recipes. It was super time

consuming!

How did you plan meals before trying eMeals?

One day I was sitting at the table with all my menus around me, and my husband and I were getting

bored with the same old recipes. I started to think that I either needed to create a meal planning app

OR I needed to find someone who had already created one. That’s when I found eMeals, which is

affordable and saves me a ton of time.

What encouraged you to try eMeals for the first time?

I’m actually not a confident cook, but I’m learning. eMeals is helping because the recipes are super

easy and quick!

You’re a Registered Dietitian. Does that also mean you’re a confident cook?

In addition to helping us save time and money, the recipes have increased the variety in our diet, and

helped us try new foods we would have never tried before. Like most moms, I’m always looking for

shortcuts and ways to make my life easier without sacrificing our health (i.e. fast food, prepared meals

with lots of chemicals/preservatives/salt, etc)—eMeals is the perfect solution.

How has eMeals influenced your meal planning from a health standpoint?

It’s awesome! I love using the app and always have the grocery list with me. I review my cupboard,

fridge and freezer prior to going to the grocery to make sure I don’t buy stuff we already have. Then I

just check things off easily as I shop.

How beneficial is the grocery list part of eMeals?

When training for my marathons I have even less time to focus on eating healthy, meal planning and

grocery shopping, so eMeals is a huge benefit. The meals are balanced with moderate carbohydrates,

lean proteins, and vegetables/fruits, so they’re in line with my nutrition needs.

How well does the Clean Eating Plan fit your nutrition needs as a runner?

Definitely! I save money because I’m more focused when I’m at the grocery store. I also feel like I

have less food waste since I use all the food I buy for the recipes.

In addition to saving time, do you feel like you actually save money with eMeals?

Yes. I grew up with my mom cooking dinner most nights. She was a great cook and we dinner ate

together as often as we could. Now, my family and I are able to do the same. Using eMeals, dinners

are planned and quick to make, so it’s much easier for us to eat together as a family.

Do you find that having meals planned has the trickle down of encouraging your family to eat together?

Ingredients

1 (28-oz) can BPA-free whole tomatoes in puree½ cup chicken broth½ cup honey¼ cup red wine vinegar1 tsp salt, 1 tsp pepper

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Cooking Directions

Pulse tomatoes in a food processor or blender until smooth. Transfer to a saucepan; stir in remaining ingredients.

Bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer, uncovered, 30 minutes or until mixture is reduced. Transfer to containers, and cool 30 minutes. Cover and chill 24 hours to thicken before serving.

Serves: about 4 cups

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HOMEMADE CONDIMENTKetchup

Ingredients

1 Tbsp olive oil2 cloves garlic, minced1 (8-oz) can BPA-free tomato sauce2 Tbsp double-concentrated tomato paste1 Tbsp unsulfured molas-ses2 Tbsp honey1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar¼ tsp salt, ¼ tsp pepper

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Cooking Directions

Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat; add garlic. Sauté 1 minute or until tender; remove from heat.

Stir in remaining ingredients. Bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer, uncovered, 5 minutes or until mixture is thickened.

Serves: about 1 cup

1.

2.

HOMEMADE CONDIMENTBarbecue Sauce