Whether you're trying to lose weight or simply hoping to eat more natural foods, some of the largest temptations could already be lurking in your fridge and pantry. You may find it easy to eat more healthfully on the go, but when at home, you can lose your resolve when constantly confronted by snacks, treats and processed foods. By performing a food audit of your home, you can purge the foods that aren't contributing to a healthy lifestyle by replacing them with those that will.
Fridge
Go through your fridge the day before you typically go shopping. This allows you to take inventory of the food you toss and to learn what types of food to replace them with. Get rid of anything that has expired dates or mold. Read the labels on items like cream-based sauces, salad dressings and spreads and toss those that contain preservatives and sugar. Then, replace the unhealthy food with better options, such as fresh fruits and vegetables, natural cheese and oil-based salad dressing, which is typically lower in fat when compared to cream-based dressings.
Pantry
Since your pantry is likely full of nonperishable items, it's better to donate the canned and packaged goods to a local food bank rather than trashing them. Check labels and nutritional information and donate anything that is not in line with your current diet goals, which may include added sugar, preservatives, chemicals and fat. Instead, load your party full of healthy legumes, beans, brown rice and nuts that you can use in your baking for a lower fat, more natural diet.
Freezer
If you're dieting, the half-full ice cream cartons have to go. They are too much of a temptation when you have a sugar craving. If you must have a frozen sweet treat, opt for a fat-free sorbet served with fruit. Freezer convenience foods can be full of preservatives, so get rid of unhealthy TV dinners, prepared french fries and frozen drink mixes. Replace them with frozen vegetables, frozen fruit for smoothies and convenience items like pre-chopped sweet potatoes for a shortcut to healthier meals.
Stash
Whether you keep it in your pantry or in a hidden drawer, nearly every family has a stash of unhealthy snacks in the kitchen. Audit your stash my tossing anything that is contradictory to the diet and lifestyle you'd like to follow. This means items like chips and candy, snack mixes and pastries. If you still want quick access to snacks, swap out your stash for pre-portioned dried fruit and nuts, popcorn kernels for air popping and no-calorie drink mixes, all of which can take the place of treats so you don't feel deprived.
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