How Healthy is Your Kitchen?
By Sara Butler
There’s no time like the present to go through your kitchen and give it a health inspection. Foods hiding in the back of your refrigerator or junk food that tempts you to revert to unhealthy habits need to be done away with. If you want healthier habits in your kitchen, then you must have a healthy environment to start with. Here are a few tips to help you create a healthy kitchen that leads to healthier habits!
Start in the Refrigerator
Your fridge can be hiding some things that aren’t great for your health. You need to take stock of what you have, throwing out any highly processed and high-calorie foods, replacing them with lower-calorie and whole grain alternatives.
You should throw out any white rice, creamers, chips, soda, dip, pudding, and thick salad dressings. Keep any vinegar-based salad dressings, sweet potatoes, whole grains, whole wheat pasta, oatmeal, yogurt, salsa, fresh vegetables, and nuts.
There are a few things that are in a bit of a gray area, such as cheeses, butter, cooking oil, and whole milk. If you find yourself eating too much of these foods (which are great for you in moderation), then you may want to limit how much you keep on hand.
Other Considerations
Go through your pantry and take stock. Read the food labels to see what is good and what isn’t, throwing out anything that is high in sodium, fat, or calories and low in fiber. Make sure you have plenty of storage containers on hand to keep fresh food from spoiling too quickly and create a collection of healthy recipes you can pull out at a moment’s notice for a healthy meal. It’s also a good idea to get a few refillable water bottles so you can keep ice cold water on hand.
If you want to make good health a priority in your kitchen, then make sure to invest in fresh fruits and vegetables, too. Load up your spice cabinet so you can create flavorful dishes without adding salt. Collect cookbooks with healthy recipes and then look around and congratulate yourself on a job well done as you take one step closer to a healthier lifestyle with a healthier kitchen.
Getting healthy starts at home, so don't stock up on unhealthy things in your kitchen. If you need more nutrition guidance, talk to the chiropractors at The Joint!
To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Dallas, Tex.