Healthy cooking at home can seem like a daunting task in our fast-paced culture, but a commitment to eating nutritious food and some advanced planning can make it possible. Healthy cooking puts you in control of what goes into the foods you eat and enables you to lower your risk of obesity and chronic diseases.
Stock Up
Stock your pantry, refrigerator and freezer with healthy ingredients that make meal preparation quick and easy. Include heart-healthy seeds, nuts and nut butters; nonfat or 1 percent fat, shredded and sliced cheeses; whole-grain pasta and bread; whole grains, such as oats, brown rice and barley; omega-3 enriched eggs or egg substitute; olive, canola and sesame oils; trans-fat-free margarine; reduced-fat salad dressings; chicken and vegetable broths; reduced-sodium, canned diced tomatoes, tomato puree and tomato paste; canned salmon, tuna, sardines and assorted beans; frozen fruit and vegetables, boneless chicken breasts, fish and vegetable burgers; assorted vinegars and condiments including mustard, low-sodium soy sauce and sugar-free ketchup.
Timesaving Tips
Plan healthy meals a week ahead and buy necessary food items in one shopping trip. Chop vegetables for salads and recipes when you have time and store them in containers in the refrigerator. Cook more food than you need for one meal, and use the leftovers for lunches and dinners over the next couple of days or freeze for later use. Cook meals in a crock pot to have a healthy dinner ready to eat when you get home.
Make Your Favorite Recipes Healthier
Don't give up your favorite recipes -- substitute ingredients to make them healthier. Substitute lean ground turkey for ground beef. Replace full-fat cheese with 1 percent, or use mozzarella, which is naturally low in fat. Replace white rice with brown rice. In stews and casseroles, decrease the meat and increase the vegetables. Substitute Canadian bacon for regular bacon, and replace cream with evaporated skim milk. Use two egg whites or 1/4 cup of egg substitute in place of whole eggs.
Healthy Preparation Methods
Choose recipes that feature healthy food preparation methods, such as stir-frying, grilling, broiling, roasting, baking, poaching, steaming and sauteing. Prepare foods with heart-healthy oils, such as olive and canola, and avoid tropical oils, lard and vegetable shortening. Reduce the sodium in your cooking by adding flavor with dried and fresh herbs instead of high-sodium seasoning mixes, and experiment with adding flavor with hot peppers, vinegar or citrus juices, dried mustard and dried mushrooms, peppers and tomatoes.
References
- Cleveland Clinic: Grocery Guide - Heart-Healthy Kitchen Essentials
- HelpGuide.org: Healthy Recipes Making Fast, Healthy, and Delicious Meals; Maya W. Paul; Nov. 2010
- MayoClinic: Healthy Recipes: A Guide to Ingredient Substitutions; Nov. 2010
- American Heart Association: Healthier Preparation Methods for Cooking; Sept. 2010
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