How to Clean Your Kitchen for Healthy Eating

Healthy eating is easy if you set your mind to it. With some rearranging of food in your kitchen and meal planning, you can have the necessary foods available to create a healthier lifestyle for you and your family. Read nutrition labels found on food products, and speak with your doctor to find out what kind of diet you need to follow to lead a healthy lifestyle.

Instructions

1. 

   Start by cleaning out high sodium and sugary foods within your refrigerator and freezer. Empty out microwave dinners that are high in sodium. Replace them with low sodium food. Also add frozen vegetables to your freezer instead of canned vegetables that are high in sodium. Remove all sugary snack foods, such as ice cream, which is high in fat. Replace them with frozen fruit snacks or fudge bars that are low in sugar or no sugar added. Empty out drinks that are also high in sugar. Replace those with juices that are rich with vitamins.

2. 

   Stop eating foods that are high in carbohydrates. Remove foods that have been made with white flour and replace foods that are made from whole grain. Try whole grain pastas, rice, and bread instead.

3. 

   Browse through your pantry. Read the nutrition labels found on your canned goods. Remove soups and vegetables that are high in sodium and replace those with soups that are lower in sodium. Try finding products that are 700 mg or less in sodium. These are better for your diet.

4. 

   To make your pasta recipes, purchase tomato-based sauces. These are lower in fat than recipes that call for cream sauces. Add more fresh vegetables to your kitchen to include with your pasta entrees.

5. 

   Add whole grain crackers or peanuts to your snack cabinets if you are craving salt. Regular chips are high in fat and are less nutrional. Create your own trail snack bags that include peanuts, pretzels, raisins, or m&m's for a quick pick me up.

6. 

   Make fresh fruits available in your kitchen. Canned fruits are high in sugar and syrup. Fresh vegetables such as grapes, apples, oranges and bananas are rich with vitamins. Also try frozen fruits. These are great for smoothies and make yummy snacks for evenings, or delicious breakfast choices too.

7. 

   Replace red meats with ground turkey. Ground turkey has less sodium and fat. For lunch meat, try the leaner meats that are low in sodium too. Speak with your local deli or grocery store to find meats that are more healthy for you and your family. Meats that are low in fat and sodium will be more heart healthy.

8. 

   Create a weekly menu that will include lunch and dinner options. This will help you stock the necessary foods to have in your kitchen and help you plan for more healthy eating as well. Not only will you be preparing healthier meals, but also save money by only buying the ingredients that you need to prepare your meals.

Tips & Warnings

• To enjoy a healthy lifestyle, you do not have to take away all of your favorite snack foods such as chips, popcorn, or ice cream completely out of your diet. Just make sure that you consume them in moderation.