A healthy kitchen is stocked with foods loaded in health-promoting nutrients and has few items with nutrient-poor calories. Healthy foods are minimally processed, meaning most of the foods in your kitchen are not in a bag or box. You must be able to satisfy the recommended daily intake of the food groups in the food pyramid with what you have in your kitchen: grains, vegetables, fruits, milk, meat, and beans. Use green containers and bags specifically designed to keep produce from spoiling in your refrigerator so you can eat 4 ½ cups of fresh fruits and vegetables every day.
Step 1
Purchase individually packaged, frozen salmon for your freezer and canned sardines for your pantry so you can eat two servings of fatty fish per week. Salmon and sardines are rich in omega-3 fats which raise your good cholesterol or HDL, according to a 2007 article by registered dietitian Janet Brill, Ph.D., published in "ACSM's Health & Fitness Journal."
Step 2
Shop for low-sodium canned beans to add to your salads and soups, increasing your fiber, protein, and carbohydrate intake without much fat or simple sugars. Keep them in your pantry to quickly open and add to your foods; beans are slowly digested and have a low-glycemic index, which means they do not cause a sharp rise followed by a sharp drop in your blood sugar. Consume a mixture of 5 ½ oz. of protein-rich foods like meat and beans every day.
Step 3
Keep unsalted nuts in your kitchen including almonds, walnuts, pistachios and peanuts; almonds are rich in monounsaturated fats that lower your LDL and raise your HDL cholesterol levels, while the walnut is an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids, which improve your HDL. Instead of including animal sources of protein in every meal, eat one serving or ¼ cup of nuts and one serving of fresh fruit.
Step 4
Add whole grains to your pantry including whole-wheat pastas, quinoa, barley and brown rice; keep the refined grains like white flour, white bread, and white rice out of your kitchen. For approximately the same amount of calories in whole grains compared to refined grains, you increase your fiber intake and better satisfy your hunger. Eat at least three servings of whole grains per day.
Step 5
Stock your refrigerator with low-fat dairy products like skim milk, low-fat American cheese, reduced cottage cheese, and light yogurt; these items provide the calcium necessary for strong bones and teeth, and effective muscle contraction without cholesterol-raising saturated fats. Drink about 3 cups of skim milk every day.
Step 6
Replace your vegetable oil with olive oil or extra virgin olive oil, as these oils are rich in heart-healthy monounsaturated fats.
Tips and Warnings
- A kitchen with plenty of healthy food is only good if you cook and eat the food. Plan your meals ahead of time and prepare a few dishes over the weekend so you have healthy food to eat during the week. Keep junk food out of your kitchen completely, to reduce temptation.
Things You'll Need
- Whole grains
- Fresh fruits
- Fresh vegetables
- Unsalted nuts
- Salmon
- Canned sardines
- Canned beans
- Olive oil
References
- My Pyramid: Inside the Food Pyramid
- American Heart Association: Frequently Asked Questions About Fish
- "ACSM's Health & Fitness Journal"; Eat Like You're in Crete: Teach Your Clients the Benefits of the Mediterranean Diet; Janet Bond Brill, Ph.D., R.D.; September/October 2007
- "ACSM's Health & Fitness Journal"; Glycemic Index: An Educational Tool for Health and Fitness Professionals; Stephen Wong, Ph.D., and Susan Chung, R.D.N.; November/December 2003
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