Spring is a good time to make your kitchen “more healthy”
Spring invites a fresh-start mentality. It is a perfect season to clean house, literally and figuratively. This year, incorporate changes in your kitchen that supports a healthier way of eating. How you stock and organize our kitchens can pave the way to eating better.
REMOVE
Make room for better eating opportunities by cleaning out the old/ bad foods. Go through your cupboards, refrigerator and freezer and get rid of anything that is expired, unidentifiable, freezer-burned or stale. Throw away spices that are over 2 years old; they have lost their potency by now. Get rid of unhealthy snacks, soft drinks and sugary cereals. Once you eliminate what’s not helping, you open up your kitchen to healthy options.
REPLENISH
Fill you freezer with frozen vegetables and fruits with no sauces or sugars added. Frozen produce is comparable in nutrition to fresh produce. Fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables are your No. 1 ally for good nutrition. Whole grains have more fiber, mineral and health-protective antioxidants than refined; they will cause a slower rise in blood sugar and help you feel full faster on fewer calories. Branch out and try at least on whole grain you have never tried before. Quinoa and bulgur are especially quick-cooking and easy to use. Spices and dried herbs add flavor to foods, as well as enabling you to cut back on salt without sacrificing taste. The fresher they are, the more antioxidants and healing power they have.
Rearrange
A study in the journal Environment and Behavior found that we are more likely to choose a food if we are visually reminded of it or if it is within easy reach and it looks appealing. So set up a beautiful bowl of fresh fruit front and center in your kitchen and replenish it every few days.
With summer on the way, what better time to redesign and reconsider the way we eat?
Bobby Bland PWCA, CIC
Commercial Risk Service
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