One of the ways to improve your quality of life at home is to have a more balanced nutrition plan. Healthy eating not only helps lower your risk for disease, it also increases your energy levels, promotes better mood, and leads to better overall wellbeing. Here are a few ideas on how to improve the way you eat, starting at home.
Sometimes, eating healthy can be easier said than done, especially in the life of a busy mom. Managing the house, taking care of the kids, and juggling work and day-to-day tasks can be pretty exhausting. It can be easy to put having a healthy diet, and taking care of yourself, at the bottom of the priority list.
However, one way to look at it is to see that taking care of your health by eating right helps you be your best self, especially in your many duties as a mom.
Here are some tips to help you get started to improve the way you eat:
Start Fresh
A good way to start anything is to wipe the slate clean. Empty the contents of your fridge and pantry and pick the items to put back. Even if you don’t throw out all junk food, you can still organize them so that the healthier options are more visible and accessible.
Getting rid of junk food can also help you to fight the urge to resort to unhealthy eating when faced with food noise or the drive to continue to eat, even if you are full. Make sure you have room for healthy staples and snacks that give you more opportunities to eat better.
Plan in advance
Before you head to the grocery store, create a list of items you need based on meals you plan to make. Not only will it be easier for you to remember and make your trip easier, but shopping lists also help you avoid impulsive purchases.
When meal planning and deciding what to buy, do so with nutrition in mind. Consider nutritious produce that is in season. Also, consider frozen food options and pantry staples, which are usually just as nutritious as fresh produce.
Prep efficiently
Home-cooked meals have been linked to higher diet quality. However, cooking meals can be daunting just thinking about how much time and work goes into chopping vegetables, taking out ingredients, cleaning up and storing everything again.
To lessen the burden and help you enjoy cooking more, first make sure to improve your kitchen’s efficiency by reducing clutter and keeping useful appliances and gadgets readily available. Organize your prep area to make it efficient and appealing. Also, consider preparing ingredients for more than one meal at a time. This way, the next healthy meal will be easier for you to prepare.
Cook meals in bulk
In addition to the health benefits that come with home cooking, the act of cooking can also be a wellness booster because of its creative and altruistic nature. But when you are tired or overwhelmed, it can be easy to lose the desire to cook and just order fast food.
One way to prepare for those moments is to cook and prepare meals in bulk when you have the time and energy. Since you already pre-planned the meals you want to make, and have some ingredients prepared in bulk, you can also start to cook in bulk. You can do multiple make-ahead meals which have common ingredients, or you can make big batches to freeze for later such as pasta bakes, stews, or meatballs.
Make healthy choices
Aside from cooking and preparing meals ahead of time, healthy eating can also be easier with small but impactful choices. Add a fruit or vegetable to each meal, as an ingredient, as a side, or even as a dessert. Keep healthy ingredients and food options handy for swaps and substitutions such as replacing soda with water, whole-grain bread instead of white, baked dishes over fried, berries instead of candy.
These simple steps can add up and lead to an improved way of eating. At the same time, following these steps can help set you up for easier healthy meals and snacks. Finally, these steps and tips can also help you establish a long-term habit of eating healthy.