If you find that you can’t skip the gym without fear of putting on weight, or if you feel constantly drained of energy despite getting a good night's sleep, there’s a simple explanation for your worries, and it’s not a health issue. You simply need to change your kitchen.
Many households struggle to keep a healthy kitchen (mine included). A healthy kitchen is, ultimately, a kitchen that fulfills its function of providing nutritional meals that are suited to your lifestyle. Developing healthy habits begins at home, and with one simple rule: Make it easy for yourself, and your family, to be healthy. We can start by creating a healthy kitchen that not only encourages you and the fam to eat healthy foods and decent portions, but also to reduce the risk of harmful cravings and overeating.
Many households struggle to keep a healthy kitchen (mine included). A healthy kitchen is, ultimately, a kitchen that fulfills its function of providing nutritional meals that are suited to your lifestyle. Developing healthy habits begins at home, and with one simple rule: Make it easy for yourself, and your family, to be healthy. We can start by creating a healthy kitchen that not only encourages you and the fam to eat healthy foods and decent portions, but also to reduce the risk of harmful cravings and overeating.
8 Ways To Make Your Kitchen Healthier
1. Grow Your Own Vegetables
One of the healthiest diets around is the Mediterranean diet, which includes plenty of fish and vegetables. And while you can expect a few unhealthy snacks to creep into your cart during a shopping trip, it's even worse if you happen to be hungry while shopping. Besides, it doesn’t matter how much you try to convince yourself that green is good, there are just some days when all you want is that bar of chocolate. But things can be radically different if you decide to grow your own vegetables. You can plant a variety of vegetables throughout the year to harvest, even in the fall. Not only is a vegetable garden going to keep your yard looking fresh and colourful but, more importantly, you’ll find yourself more tempted to "reap what you sow", or eating what you grow. Can there be anything more rewarding than growing your food?
2. Let In More Natural Light
Many older homes tend to have dark kitchens just by way of design. In addition to minimal natural light, the presence of large cupboards and appliances in a smaller, older kitchen may also overshadow light, be it natural or otherwise. If you have a smaller kitchen, consider the addition of servery windows and see what they can do to transform the room. If your kitchen is directly under the roof, try installing a skylight to maximise the light. If you have small windows, see if installing larger picture or bay windows is a possibility. By bringing more light into play, your kitchen becomes a brighter and more welcoming space.
3. Change Your Plates
Portion sizes in restaurants have doubled or even tripled in the US over the past twenty years, leaving our opinions skewed when it comes to what is an acceptable, healthy portion size. When it comes to eating at home, use your plate to control your portions. If, like most people, you use large dinner plates for every meal, consider switching from a 12-inch to a 10-inch plate. By doing so you could decrease your calories by 22%!
1. Grow Your Own Vegetables
One of the healthiest diets around is the Mediterranean diet, which includes plenty of fish and vegetables. And while you can expect a few unhealthy snacks to creep into your cart during a shopping trip, it's even worse if you happen to be hungry while shopping. Besides, it doesn’t matter how much you try to convince yourself that green is good, there are just some days when all you want is that bar of chocolate. But things can be radically different if you decide to grow your own vegetables. You can plant a variety of vegetables throughout the year to harvest, even in the fall. Not only is a vegetable garden going to keep your yard looking fresh and colourful but, more importantly, you’ll find yourself more tempted to "reap what you sow", or eating what you grow. Can there be anything more rewarding than growing your food?
2. Let In More Natural Light
Many older homes tend to have dark kitchens just by way of design. In addition to minimal natural light, the presence of large cupboards and appliances in a smaller, older kitchen may also overshadow light, be it natural or otherwise. If you have a smaller kitchen, consider the addition of servery windows and see what they can do to transform the room. If your kitchen is directly under the roof, try installing a skylight to maximise the light. If you have small windows, see if installing larger picture or bay windows is a possibility. By bringing more light into play, your kitchen becomes a brighter and more welcoming space.
3. Change Your Plates
Portion sizes in restaurants have doubled or even tripled in the US over the past twenty years, leaving our opinions skewed when it comes to what is an acceptable, healthy portion size. When it comes to eating at home, use your plate to control your portions. If, like most people, you use large dinner plates for every meal, consider switching from a 12-inch to a 10-inch plate. By doing so you could decrease your calories by 22%!
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4. Spice It Up
Your meal might be healthy, but if it's tasteless you won't been keen on eating it. Skip the calorie-laden sauces and gravies and opt for herbs and spices instead. As well as adding flavor to your dishes, using herbs and spices is a fantastic way of packing in a ton of health benefits, too. Consider a dry spice rub on beef, or fresh snipped herbs with fish and chicken.
Your meal might be healthy, but if it's tasteless you won't been keen on eating it. Skip the calorie-laden sauces and gravies and opt for herbs and spices instead. As well as adding flavor to your dishes, using herbs and spices is a fantastic way of packing in a ton of health benefits, too. Consider a dry spice rub on beef, or fresh snipped herbs with fish and chicken.
  The Encyclopedia of Spices and Herbs: An Essential Guide to the Flavors of the World, amazon.com |
  McCormick Gourmet Three Tier Wood 24 Piece Organic Spice Rack, amazon.com |
5. Empty The Cupboards
What do you keep in your pantry? If you’ve got a plethora of unhealthy items such as cookies, candy and other treats in there, it would be wise to pare down to keeping just a few goodies on hand. Additionally, think about:
- swapping out high calorie snacks for lower calorie versions;
- adding healthier options such as fruit leather, nuts, turkey jerky and multigrain bars and chips; and
- filling your fridge with fruit, low fat yogurt and string cheese.
6. Swap Out Coffee For Green Tea
If you’re a coffee person, try replacing at least one of your cups of coffee for green tea instead. Green tea contains caffeine, which makes it a suitable replacement for your morning coffee or tea. But that's not the only benefit! Green tea can also help to suppress appetite, has fat burning properties and can lower the risk of heart disease.
If you’re a coffee person, try replacing at least one of your cups of coffee for green tea instead. Green tea contains caffeine, which makes it a suitable replacement for your morning coffee or tea. But that's not the only benefit! Green tea can also help to suppress appetite, has fat burning properties and can lower the risk of heart disease.
  VitaCup Green Tea Instant Packets with Matcha, Moringa, B Vitamins, D3 & Fiber, amazon.com |
  365 Brand Green Tea, 70 Ct., amazon.com |
7. Repaint Your Kitchen
Interior design and decor play a significant role in mood and appetite. A red kitchen, for instance, increases your appetite. A blue kitchen, however, reduces hunger. Psychologists have long associated blue with calm, and because of that it can help to slow down our speed of eating and ultimately prevent overeating. If repainting your kitchen isn't an option for you, consider blue decor instead, like dishtowels, oven mitts, placemats and throw rugs.
8. Don't Forget The Fur Babies
When we talk about a healthy kitchen, we mean the fur babies as well. Whether you have cats or dogs, you'll need to take their diet into account as well. Cats are carnivores, meaning they eat mostly meat and very little carbohydrates. Cats will NOT thrive on a vegan diet, so please...add as much fresh, cooked protein into their diets as possible, including fish, chicken and beef. Steer clear of onions, shallots and garlic, as well bones and raw eggs. For dogs, they'll do well with either a plant-based or meat-based diet, and our suggestion is to speak with your vet if you're unsure of what's best for your furry friend. As long as it's nutritionally sound, it should be fine. What to stay away from? According to betterpet.com, chocolate, grapes, raisins and nutmeg (who knew?) are to be avoided. They also have a list of healthy foods they recommend, and other hazards around the home your pooch should avoid as well.
Your kitchen doesn’t have to be the enemy of your health. If you want to manage your diet effectively by giving your body the nutrients it needs in appropriate quantities, transforming your kitchen settings can help you achieve positive results without ever feeling hungry!
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