Focus on Healthy Living (+ free printable labels!)

This post is sponsored by Curate.

Here at the Jungalow, we are all about brilliant (and often unexpected) combinations. We are not afraid put two things together (hello Jungle + Bungalow!!) in hopes of coming out on the other side with something amazing. So when I heard that there was a brand new snack bar in town that was all about brilliant combinations, I jumped at the chance to give Curate Snacks a go.

A bar featuring balsamic fig and hazelnut? Mmmhmm. Marcona almonds with quinoa, lemon, honey and balsamic vinegar? Yes please. The Curate bars have seriously unexpected ingredients and very, very delicious. I actually had to safeguard them at home because they were being eaten so quickly I was afraid we’d run out of them before our shoot–even healthy snacks go fast around here!

In our jungalow, healthy living is about balancing clean eating, physical and mental stimulation, and keeping organized. Even when life gets crazy, if I remember to focus on healthy living, I find that everything else kinda just falls into place. And even small changes, like eating a healthy snack instead of an unhealthy one, or keeping the kitchen pantry organized, may not change a whole lot in a single day, but can have a profound effect on the quality of life over time.

It’s obvious that I believe strongly in the power of plants in home decor, but I also believe that power extends to healthy eating. Especially since I don’t eat meat, I pay a lot of attention to the foods I eat to make sure that I’m getting enough protein and vitamins. I also am just curious about what’s inside the foods I eat and the more I learn about this stuff, the more I’m amazed, so I took a closer look at some of the ingredients in the Curate bars and here’s what I discovered:

The Ingredients in the Harmonious Blend bar : Lemon,  apricots,  Marcona almonds, quinoa. 
Apricots contain potassium to help muscle function, beta carotene + vitamin A for immunity and eye health. Almonds contain magnesium that can promote heart health, regulate blood sugar- (which helps to fight food cravings) and has prebiotic fiber that feeds the good bacteria in the intestines. Lemon boosts citrate acid levels which can help prevent kidney stones and is an alkaline food, which helps to balance the body’s pH. Quinoa is super high in protein, it also contains a small amount of Omega-3 fatty acids, which, I remember from my pregnancy with Ida is great for brain function.

The Ingredients in the Irresistible Dark Chocolate bar : Strawberries, Dark Chocolate, Pistachios
Strawberries: lots of vitamin C which boosts immunity, contains ellagic acid which can prevent wrinkles, and has antioxidants that can reduce inflamation Pistachios: have more potassium and vitamin K per serving than any other nut, they contain a type of vitamin E that can help protect your skin. Dark Chocolate: is a potent antioxidant, and contains cocoa phenols–compounds known to lower blood pressure.

Ok. I’m super down. That’s some serious plant power, right??
Now let’s talk organization.

With our open shelving situation at the Jungalow, we can see all of our food and snacks. Being able to see healthy snack options encourages me to make better snack choices. If there is a big bag of potato chips on the counter, chances are I’ll just have one until next thing I know the whole bag is gone. Instead, if I grab a handful of almonds from a jar, that makes me feel more satisfied, more full and less gross.

We do a lot of bulk shopping and have always used jars to hold our dry goods, but now that we have open shelving, I like to have most everything stored in jars because it gives me that old-school ‘general-store’ vibe, and also it makes it way easier to find things. Because we’ve been using jars for so long, we’ve accumulated different styles over the years. The labels that we designed help to unify the look of the different jars.

Plus there are other benefits to labeling the food storage. Food allergies at home? Clearly labeled canisters and bins ensure that your pantry is catered to the needs of your family and everyone stays healthy and happy. Since I’ve cut down on gluten, but my family doesn’t avoid it, adding a little *GF on *my* gluten-free pasta makes things simple. Also, I added a date onto the labels so that I can remember when I brought the items home. Here’s a little cheat sheet:

And now for our pretty labels (if I do say so myself) featuring the powerful ingredients of the Curate bars. We provided several shapes and colorways to go with different color motifs you may have in your kitchen. Tip: look for removable labels to print these on so you can easily swap them out when need be.