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Is your kitchen preventing you from making healthier food choices? Here's where to start
We all know that eating a balanced, nutritious diet is important if we want to stay healthy and feel our best. But even with the best intentions, sometimes it can be difficult to make good food choices – especially when we’re feeling tired, stressed or just plain hungry!
If you find yourself snacking on unhealthy foods more often than you’d like, the problem may not be your willpower – it could be your kitchen. Believe it or not, the way you organise your kitchen shelves and pantry can have a big impact on what kinds of foods you reach for when you’re looking for a quick snack.
For example, if your healthy snacks are hidden away at the back of the cupboard while all the unhealthy junk food is front and centre, chances are you probably won’t bother digging around for something healthier to eat. Likewise, if your fruit and veg are stored in an overcrowded fridge drawer where they’re difficult to see (and even harder to reach), there’s a good chance they might get forgotten about until it’s too late and they start to turn.
A big part of eating healthy depends on strategically placing foods and snacks. Source: OpenAI
The good news is that with a little bit of time and effort, you can easily reorganise your kitchen so that healthy eating becomes easier (and more convenient) than ever before! Here are some helpful tips from experts:
1. Create functional zones: One smart way to organise your kitchen is by creating different ‘zones’ for different types of items. For example, keep all your spices & oils together, near where you do most of your cooking. This way, even if a recipe does call for a few minutes of prep time, the task will feel less daunting.
2. Maximise your freezer space: An organised freezer full of commonly used items is a must, especially if you’re short on time. Stock up on frozen vegetables and protein to use for quick and easy meals.
3. ‘Hack your pantry’: Make sure the healthy snacks you want to eat are easily accessible. Store nuts, seeds, dried fruits, oatmeal, protein bars and other nutritious food ‘front and centre’ so you don’t have to go searching for them and stumble into junk food.
4. Decant your foods: Putting fresh and shelf-stable items into new, clear containers helps with visibility, can provide a longer shelf-life and easier access to nourishing, satisfying foods. Cut up produce (like pineapple, cantaloupe and watermelon) as soon as you get home from the supermarket and store the fresh-cut cubes or slices in air-tight containers near the front of the fridge.
5. Invest in good-quality food storage containers: Sustainably made and stackable containers maximise vertical space and can help you avoid unnecessary food waste.
6. Keep a list of quick and easy recipes: Keep a list of nutritious recipes that can be made in 30 minutes or less in your fridge or inside a cupboard door. This way, when you’re feeling hungry and don’t have much time to cook, you can easily find something healthy to make. Alternatively, search through the SDC recipes forum for plenty of quick and easy meal options!
With a little bit of organisation, you can make it easier than ever to make good food choices – even when you’re feeling tired or ravenous!
So, members, what’s your best tip for eating healthier and reducing food waste?
