It’s time to take a fresh look at your kitchen and start Spring cleaning. Below are some tips on what to get rid of what, what to add, along with other fun and easy tips for getting your kitchen ready for Spring.
- Take inventory – do you see tempting foods lurking in your cupboards? Go ahead and toss them!
- Organize! It’s much easier to prepare healthy meals when you can see and easily grab the necessary ingredients. Try grouping your canned foods according to type, place pasta, rice and other grains together and group healthy snack foods together.
- Make healthy foods visible by placing healthy foods where you can see them. For example - put cut-up fruits and vegetables in clear containers in front of the refrigerator so they are the first thing you see. Similarly, ask family members to keep tempting foods in another cupboard or place high calorie items like chips and cookies in a non see through container.
- Ditch the trans fat! Read ingredient labels for “partially hydrogenated” oils. If you spy this unhealthy ingredient, consider tossing the item.
- Add “Superfoods!” Certain foods take the prize when it comes to nutrition. Stock your cupboards and refrigerator with black beans, blueberries, wild salmon, sweet potatoes, almonds, oranges and spinach.
- Look for portion controlled options. Portion controlled chips and cookies make it easy to “indulge” while keeping fat and calories in check. Look for 100-calorie packages of your favorite treat! Or, make your own portion controlled versions using snack-sized zip-top baggies.
- Try new grains! Branch out and try whole grain versions of your favorite grain or try a new grain product altogether. Ideas include brown rice, wild rice, whole wheat pasta, barley, quinoa or whole wheat couscous.
- Limit mile-long ingredient lists. Mile-long ingredient lists usually signify highly processed foods, especially if you can't pronounce the words! Stick with food items with ingredient lists that you actually understand.
- Watch the salt. Read food labels for sodium. An easy general rule of thumb to follow: choose foods with fewer mg of sodium than calories (per serving).
For help with meal planning:
Veggie Toss Salad
The weather is warming up, the sun is beginning to shine and it’s time to add a splash of color to your day and your kitchen!
1 pint grape tomatoes
1 red bell pepper, cut into chunks
1 yellow bell pepper, cut into chunks
½ red onion, chopped
1 cucumber, seeded and quartered
1 carrot, cut into chunks
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2-3 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp dried oregano
Salt and pepper to taste
1. Combine chopped vegetables in a medium bowl.
2. Place oil, vinegar, sugar, oregano, salt and pepper in a plastic container with a lid. Shake for 1 minute.
3. Pour dressing over salad and toss.
Servings: 4
Nutrition Information: 92 calories, 2 g protein, 14 g carbohydrate, 4 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 18 mg sodium, 4 g fiber
Please note: The information in this article is not to be followed as
medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please consult with your physician
or primary health practitioner for information regarding your own personal
health and necessary treatments.
