Whether you are looking to lose weight or make sure that your kids are eating healthy and are getting all the nutrients in their diet that they need to grow and develop, you might be thinking about changing some little things that will make a big difference. While it is convenient to reach for the frozen fries and burgers on a busy night, you can create healthy and delicious meals in just as much time and with little effort. Below you will find a few tips on saving time and making your food healthier.
Use Fresh
Whenever it is possible, you should use fresh ingredients. If your potatoes have been in the fridge for a few days, they will have lost some of their nutrient value. You can drop into the local farmers’ market or farm shop on the way home, or in the morning, and plan your meals so you are getting the vegetables and meat as fresh as possible. While it is not always possible to trace our food back to the farm, you will be able to reduce your carbon footprint and get fresher produce.
Use Organic
Organic food always tastes better. Whether you are looking to create a tasty hot pot or bake some butternut squash, leek, and sweet potatoes to go with your homemade burgers, you can find a local organic shop where you can even pick your own fruit and vegetables. Plan your meals according to what is in season, instead of your whim. You are more likely to get organic produce if you choose fruits and vegetables that are in season.
Grow Your Own
Even if you only have a small garden or a balcony, you can grow a few things, such as runner beans, tomatoes, peppers, and lettuce. Your kids will love picking the fresh produce, and you will know exactly what is in your soil and how organic the pesticides you used were. Check out square yard gardening to learn how to make the most out of a small patch and grow a variety of vegetables in one square yard.
Avoid Ready Made Mixes
While getting a gravy powder or a vegetable cube is an easy and fast option, you will not know exactly what is in your meal. If you have to use some stock, you can learn this skill and avoid getting artificial coloring and flavoring in your meals. The good news is that you can experiment with a variety of spices and organic mixes until you develop your signature meals and dishes that taste amazing and are unique.
Change Your Cookware
In case you are used to using your oven all the time and frying your fries and vegetables, you can find an alternative option. A health steamer and an air fryer can take care of a lot of your dishes and preserve the nutrients and vitamins in your food. In case you need to fry, you can swap to an copper saucepan that will distribute the heat more evenly and has no harmful Teflon coating that could potentially damage your health.
Add Antioxidants
We all like spicing up our cooking. Even if your kids don’t like vegetables and fruit, you can add some antioxidants without them noticing. Ginger in chicken meals tastes good, as well as in cookies. When you cook your wild rice, you can add some Turmeric, which is a natural antioxidant. Add garlic to your meals, including your salads, and honey to your fruit. This will improve your health, and protect you and your family’s immune system at the same time.
Integrate Raw Food In Your Diet
Every now and then we need a detox and an energy boost. Whenever you are feeling down, try to create raw sauces and drips that you can use with your main meals. A celery puree or a parsley sauce doesn’t necessarily need to be cooked. Give your kids a fresh fruit smoothie in the morning, instead of cereals, adding linseed and Goji berries. Add fresh lettuce, cabbage, carrot to your pasta salad, and your kids will not even notice that they are eating healthy meals.
There are several ways you can make your cooking more delicious and nutritious. Change your habits, shop organic, and trick your kids into eating raw, fresh, and organic. Add some antioxidants to your meals, and avoid overcooking vegetables. Use an air fryer instead of the saucepan, and a steamer instead of boiling vegetables, so you get more nutrients from your food.
Take Charge of Your Health!
Changing your eating habits can be tough. But it doesn’t have to be if you take a little time to think it out and create a plan.
This Healthy Eating Worksheet will walk you through the process of creating a healthy eating plan. All you need to do is print it out, set aside some time to complete it, and then fill it out. Then you can create your plan, knowing that you have addressed potential obstacles and came up with some creative ways to handle them.
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