The Countdown Continues…Week 2

Now that your pantry and cupboards are cleaned free of all things processed and otherwise unhealthy, it’s time to tackle….your fridge. The first line of defense in the battle of the bulge.

The refrigerator can be a trigger for mindless eating. Especially if the first thing you see is leftover pizza, Jell-O pudding cups and other nefarious items.

A well-stocked fridge is a healthy fridge. A healthy fridge is a healthy you.

Here are some tips:

Take Stock. Once per month, clean your fridge. Wipe it down with a disinfectant and assess “best by” labels.

Shop Wisely and Frequently. Americans waste over $10/week on food that has spoiled or gone bad. Plan meals each week and shop from a list. Think about your schedule. Don’t buy a cart full of fresh fruit and veggies if you know you’re going to be out 3-4 nights that week and won’t be making dinner.

Think Light. Much of what’s in our fridge is from the dairy case. When choosing items like milk, sour cream, cottage cheese, butter, and yogurt choose light instead of fat free. Light versions taste similiar to their full fat cousins and can be substituted in recipes with little difference in taste. Condiments such as salad dressing and mayo are best done light as well.

Lower the Sodium. Dairy foods and cold cuts can be very high in sodium and combined with lunch at Chipotle can add up over the course of the day. Minimize sodium intake at home by choosing reduced sodium condiments and deli meats.

Hide the Desserts. Out of sight, out of mind. Avoid temptation and hide those high fat indulgences in tupperware or in the crisper drawer. Keep healthy snacks in plain sight like salsa or hummus for veggies, and vanilla yogurt for fruit.

Think Ahead. Adopt a habit of making one extra serving at dinner and get it prepped and ready to take for your lunch the next day. Don’t wait until the morning of to think about what’s for lunch.

Filter Water. Keep a water-filtered pitcher in your fridge at all times. Most people prefer the taste of filtered water over tap and filtering it yourself is far less expensive than buying bottled (and you can reduce your carbon footprint). For a little something extra, add a wedge of fresh lemon, lime, orange or other citrus, like pink grapefruit or tangerine.

Next week we’ll look at what you’re doing when you eat away from home when we uncover the secrets to eating out!

Enjoy your weekend and have a happy Easter!