I can finally see green grass peeking from the vast piles of snow--spring has arrived! After a long winter, it's time to "think spring" and spring-cleaning my kitchen is on the top of my list. You may be surprised but a clean and organized kitchen can help you lose weight and live a healthier lifestyle. How you ask? Well, if you were to look in the windows of people's homes, you would find that the kitchen represents more than a place where we eat and prepare our meals. It's the hub of the home where memories are created.
It is also, unfortunately, the dumping ground for most of our stuff like the mail, keys, work and school papers. When we have a kitchen full of clutter, it lessens our kitchen's potential to be a haven for good health. A good spring-cleaning and "de-cluttering" can inspire us to want to cook more meals at home. A fresh kitchen environment weeds out old negative feelings about food and creates new uplifting feelings to make positive food changes. It's time to take back our kitchens and makeover our diets in the process!
Organize your pantry:
The first step in your spring kitchen cleaning is to organize your kitchen pantry. It's important to check products for past expiration dates. It's also a good time to weed out canned goods that you would probably not use. Many local food banks would welcome the extras this time of year. Also, we often spend extra money on buying duplicate items. Organize like items together like cereal, pasta and grains, snacks, canned goods, spices and other items like paper products. When going through your pantry, take note of the types of things you buy, like olive oil or certain brands of cereal.
Make a master inventory list of these products so when you are making your weekly grocery list, you will always have these "core" products on hand. If you are purchasing a lot of processed items at the grocery store, limit these items because most of them are high in fat, salt, and sugar. Also, this is a good time to go through and stock up on healthy items to have on hand for quick meals and snacks, like canned tomato products, whole wheat pasta, brown rice and healthy snack items like nuts, dried fruit and pretzels.
Clean out your refrigerator and freezer:
Lurking in the vast corners of your refrigerator could be mystery leftovers that have seen better days. Food that is kept too long, or at improper temperatures, may become contaminated with food-borne illnesses. When in doubt, throw it out! Check food products and condiments for expiration dates. Also, for the most reliable date to follow, look for the "best-if-used-by" dates on your packages, because this date takes in to consideration normal handling.
After your refrigerator gets a good cleaning, it will welcome the addition of some healthy foods. In the springtime, fruits and vegetables start to become more readily available. This is the great time to keep a wide variety of extra fresh fruits and vegetables around. Large fruit or vegetable salads are a healthful addition to your meals and kids love veggies with dip or fruit kabobs.
In your freezer, throw away any unidentifiable products or ones that are covered with freezer burn. When you are at the grocery store, stock up on lean protein sources like chicken breasts, fresh fish, and 100% ground turkey breast. This way, when you fire-up the grill for your first BBQ of the season you'll be well prepared!
Give you kitchen a fresh, clean look:
Once you have finished organizing and cleaning your pantry, refrigerator and freezer, it's time for your deep-cleaning workout! Washing your kitchen cupboards, baseboards, and appliances can take the place of a 30-minute workout. You burn about the same amount of calories mopping the floor or scrubbing appliances, as you would walking for 30 minutes. Also, it's so rewarding to see the benefits of a bright and shiny kitchen when you are finished! Add some bright spring flowers and some new kitchen towels or placemats and you have a brand new kitchen look. After this, you can't help but want to cook at home!
Spring gives you a chance to focus on the new. A clean kitchen, stocked with healthy options will motivate you and your family to make health a priority in your home. As warmer days approach us, focus on how nutrition plays a vital part in your everyday life. Embrace the bounties of fresh fruits and vegetables. Lighten up your winter menus and add room for grilled meats and vegetables. Get outside as much as possible to enjoy mild days and the sweet fresh air filled with smells of flowers. Spring has sprung!
Heather Stefan is a Registered Dietitian with more than 7 years experience with a Bachlor's degree in Dietetics. Heather gained knowledge throughout her career working in both outpatient and inpatient care at two separate hospitals, writing for local newspapers, and teaching community classes. Her specialties include: weight management using a non-diet approach, lifestyle modification, cardiac care, pre and postnatal maternal health, and diabetes.
Heather is currently a licensed provider for Real Living Nutrition Services, which provides online weight management and nutrition coaching. She is also a health educator in her community and writes a nutrition column for her local newspaper.
By Heather Stefan
0 comments:
Post a Comment