Give your Fridge a Facelift
Of the few things on which nutrition experts and the average consumer agree, the principal that people will eat what is available is one of the most important. That said, one of the easiest ways to eat healthfully is to make sure healthy foods are on hand and "other" choices are out-of-reach. You can give your fridge a face-lift by making these changes over the next few months. Keep in mind that making too many changes at once may sabotage your lifestyle transformation efforts so don't try to do these at the same time; make one change at a time and celebrate each little success!
You Have: Sour Cream; You Need: Plain Nonfat Yogurt
Used in a dip or on top of a baked potato nonfat yogurt is naturally nutrient rich with protein, calcium, potassium and five other important vitamins without the added fat of sour cream.
You Have: Fruits and veggies hidden in a drawer; You Need: Fruits and veggies visible on a shelf.
Keep your fruits and veggies ready to eat and at eye level. By making them visible you will eat more! Use the drawers for those "other" foods that you only eat sometimes.
You Need: refrigerator pizza dough
Refrigerated dough makes for a quick dinner without the added cost of delivery and you control the toppings. Add bottled tomato sauce and low-fat shredded mozzarella cheese for a complete meal.
You Have: Creamy salad dressings; You Need: Olive Oil based dressings
When it comes to dressings your best choices are those you make yourself. For the sake of ease, keep at least one already prepared olive oil based dressing on hand. Read the Nutrition Facts panel and find the one with the least sugar possible.
You Have: Margarine; You Need: Butter
Yet another nutrition controversy but one that has a tasty solution: scientists now believe that because of the artery clogging trans-fat found in margarine, butter is a better choice. Either way, moderation is the key when you use any type of fat.
You Have: Blocks of cheese; You Need: Shredded cheese
Using shredded cheese can save you time and calories by using less but keeping the flavor.
You Have: Strawberry jelly; You Need: Fruit Spread
Jelly is packed with sugar and very little fruit. By switching to a fruit spread you can boost your fiber intake while losing the sugar!
You Have: Mayonnaise; You Need: ketchup, mustard, roasted red pepper spread, horseradish
One tablespoon of mayonnaise can add nearly 100 calories to an otherwise healthy sandwich. Use ketchup, mustard, roasted red peppers or horseradish to add flavor and nutrients without adding too many calories. If you need a creamy fix, mix your favorite condiment with plain nonfat yogurt.