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When you’re dieting, or at least trying to eat healthier, often times the easiest way to stick to it is to be sure you don’t have any unhealthy foods in your house. This of course means tackling that kitchen and getting it in shape, to help keep you and your family in shape too.
The first thing you’ll need to do is trim off the extra fat. This means going through your fridge, your pantry and you cabinets and getting rid of all of the foods that are high in saturated fat, preservatives, refined sugars and empty calories.
After this, you might find you don’t have much left, so it is time to make a shopping list to fill your slimmed down kitchen with healthy, guilt free foods. Some of the staples you’ll always want to have on hand include:
- boneless, skinless chicken breast
- canned salmon
- eggs
- natural peanut butter
- canned beans (pinto, kidney, chickpea or black beans)
- frozen berries and fruits
- canned tomatoes
- fresh carrots
- frozen spinach
- whole grain cereals
- sweet potatoes
- brown rice
- broccoli
- skim milk
- onions
- non-fat or low-fat yogurt
Another way you can help keep your kitchen fit, is by controlling the portions of what you and your family eats. There are lots of different products on the market that can help you do this. Whether you use re-sealable plastic containers or plates with portioned sections, the goal is to be aware of what you’re eating and know you’re getting enough even if you think you want more.
Now, what to do about that pesky snacking habit you, your spouse or your children have? The truth is, even if you’re eating right you’re still going to crave a snack now and again, so you’ll need to be sure you have a good range of healthy snacks around the house.
Some good snack options might include:
- cheese cubes (preferably those made with 2% milk)
- hummus with whole grain pita bread
- cucumber slices
- frozen edamame
- granola
- oranges
- tangerines
- apples
- grapes
- bananas
- trail mix
- dried fruit
- graham crackers.
