10 No-Fail Tricks to Help You Eat Healthier at Home
Implement these tried-and-tested ideas in your kitchen and you'll find yourself making healthy eating choices with ease
It’s remarkable I’ve never had scurvy because, until recently, I rarely ever ate vegetables or fruit. Until recently, a half-rotten banana would linger, very lonely, in my fruit bowl for a week, and I never made time for cooking either. However, as I try to establish new habits (including not spending an obscene amount of money per week on takeaway food), I find I love a baked sweet potato with crumbled goat cheese on it, or to slow cook quinoa (something I’d never tried before) with apples in the slow cooker. What has helped me the most was setting up my kitchen for healthier eating success.
Here are some ideas to get you started, and I’d love it if you share what works for you in the comments section to help us add to the list.
Here are some ideas to get you started, and I’d love it if you share what works for you in the comments section to help us add to the list.
2. Enjoy making pretty still lifes out of your produce
This sounds silly, but it works. Put out a large platter, a fruit bowl or that cake stand you never use and play with arranging.
It will inspire you to keep the kitchen stocked with an array of colourful fruits and vegetables, and they’ll always be the first thing you see when you enter the kitchen for a snack.
This sounds silly, but it works. Put out a large platter, a fruit bowl or that cake stand you never use and play with arranging.
It will inspire you to keep the kitchen stocked with an array of colourful fruits and vegetables, and they’ll always be the first thing you see when you enter the kitchen for a snack.
3. Play favourite tunes while you cook
Have a radio, docking station or speakers set up so that you can enjoy catching up on the news bulletin or listening to a favourite podcast or playlist while you cook.
Try to get several things done once you’re on a cooking roll. I’ve been putting my quinoa and apples in the slow cooker while I bake sweet potatoes, whip up mini quiches in muffin tins and cook spaghetti squash in the microwave. This means all of my healthier choices will be easy to grab for the next few days, and I’ve only spent an hour in the kitchen.
Have a radio, docking station or speakers set up so that you can enjoy catching up on the news bulletin or listening to a favourite podcast or playlist while you cook.
Try to get several things done once you’re on a cooking roll. I’ve been putting my quinoa and apples in the slow cooker while I bake sweet potatoes, whip up mini quiches in muffin tins and cook spaghetti squash in the microwave. This means all of my healthier choices will be easy to grab for the next few days, and I’ve only spent an hour in the kitchen.
4. Add other electronic devices that you like to use in the kitchen
If you’re addicted to cooking shows, bring a TV into the kitchen so you can keep up with Julia, Jamie or Nigella. If you love to keep track of new recipes on the Internet, make an iPad station a part of your kitchen.
If you’re addicted to cooking shows, bring a TV into the kitchen so you can keep up with Julia, Jamie or Nigella. If you love to keep track of new recipes on the Internet, make an iPad station a part of your kitchen.
5. Organise the pantry in an attractive way
Keep your healthy items front and centre and make low-cal snacks easy to grab. Hide your secret chocolate stash in case of a total craving (sometimes you just have to have it), so you don’t get tempted by looking at it every time you open the pantry cupboard door.
6. Organise the fridge
Just like your pantry, take everything out of your fridge, give it a good clean and keep all this great food you’ve made and produce that needs refrigerating front and centre.
Keep your healthy items front and centre and make low-cal snacks easy to grab. Hide your secret chocolate stash in case of a total craving (sometimes you just have to have it), so you don’t get tempted by looking at it every time you open the pantry cupboard door.
6. Organise the fridge
Just like your pantry, take everything out of your fridge, give it a good clean and keep all this great food you’ve made and produce that needs refrigerating front and centre.
7. Keep a tea station handy
Making tea is a wonderfully relaxing ritual, and if you get the munchies, you may find that the scent and warm comfort of tea takes care of them (if not, by all means go munch).
Making tea is a wonderfully relaxing ritual, and if you get the munchies, you may find that the scent and warm comfort of tea takes care of them (if not, by all means go munch).
8. Use smaller plates
Every diet-tips article I’ve ever read seems to advocate this – tricking the brain into seeing an overflowing, full plate. I tend to doubt how well it works, because just like with my clock that’s set 10 minutes ahead to trick me into getting up earlier, my brain does the maths. However, there is something about having to get up for seconds that gives me pause, so why not give it a try? Stock up on smaller plates and see how they serve you.
Every diet-tips article I’ve ever read seems to advocate this – tricking the brain into seeing an overflowing, full plate. I tend to doubt how well it works, because just like with my clock that’s set 10 minutes ahead to trick me into getting up earlier, my brain does the maths. However, there is something about having to get up for seconds that gives me pause, so why not give it a try? Stock up on smaller plates and see how they serve you.
9. Make sure your small appliances are available
If you have to go digging through a messy cabinet and looking for all of the pieces, chances are that you won’t use it. Let the juicer, food processor and other small appliances sit firmly on the benchtop, inspiring you to get creative.
Down the line you may decide to install an appliance garage (below) or other special cabinetry that allows easy access to your small appliances.
Here are more creative kitchen storage options for your appliances
If you have to go digging through a messy cabinet and looking for all of the pieces, chances are that you won’t use it. Let the juicer, food processor and other small appliances sit firmly on the benchtop, inspiring you to get creative.
Down the line you may decide to install an appliance garage (below) or other special cabinetry that allows easy access to your small appliances.
Here are more creative kitchen storage options for your appliances
10. Keep sneakers close at hand
Cooking requires a lot of standing, so have good support for your feet while you work. Keep your sneakers stashed in a drawer, closet or doorway nearby.
TELL US
These suggestions are just a starting point. Please share in the comments section the kitchen tricks that help you make healthier choices.
MORE
Stylish Storage: 10 Steps to Planning the Perfect Pantry
Greening Your Home: The Best Natural Products to Clean Your House With
How to Organise Your Kitchen Cupboards
Cooking requires a lot of standing, so have good support for your feet while you work. Keep your sneakers stashed in a drawer, closet or doorway nearby.
TELL US
These suggestions are just a starting point. Please share in the comments section the kitchen tricks that help you make healthier choices.
MORE
Stylish Storage: 10 Steps to Planning the Perfect Pantry
Greening Your Home: The Best Natural Products to Clean Your House With
How to Organise Your Kitchen Cupboards
Herbs make healthy food much more savoury and flavourful, which will help you cut down on less healthy choices like too much salt and butter. Plus, check out how gorgeous you can make a herb garden look in the kitchen. This vertical garden is a living work of art.
I realise keeping things alive indoors can be a challenge for a lot of us. Growing herb plants need fresh air and sunlight to thrive. Simply keeping jars of dried herbs handy in a cupboard next to the stove is the low-maintenance version of this suggestion.
Check out these handy tips for storing your herbs and spices