How to Stock your Fridge for Success
Do you want to clean up your diet but don't know where to begin? Do you find yourself reaching for processed options more often than fresh produce? We all have our food weaknesses, and it's crucial to build healthy habits to sustain a healthy lifestyle long-term. Believe it or not, many of those habits start right in your fridge! One of the keys to success is ensuring your fridge is always stocked with an abundance of healthy options so you can grab the good stuff when you get hungry.
Here are some helpful tips on how you can stock your fridge for success!
1. Chuck out the bad
As painful as it sounds, the first step to an adequately stocked fridge is to conduct a massive cleanout. This means sorting through each item one by one and throwing out anything that will stand in the way of you and your health goals. Everyone has their own triggers, but in general, I suggest getting rid of the following:
Sugary beverages (juices, sodas, sports drinks)
Condiments that are highly caloric or loaded with refined sugars
Dairy products high in sugars (sweetened yogurt, whole milk, flavoured creams)
Foods loaded with artificial ingredients (those unpronounceable names on the label)
Items that you can make healthier from scratch, like salad dressings
Anything expired
Note: Juice is loaded with refined sugar, lacks fibre and is low in vitamins and minerals. Most salad dressings are a "must go" because they are filled with chemicals and preservatives that are both unnatural and difficult for your body to digest. Plus, you can easily make delicious homemade dressings with natural ingredients.
2. Make a Plan
The biggest mistake people make when grocery shopping is buying food without a plan, which leads to unnecessary purchases. Nobody likes spending money on beautiful fruits and vegetables to watch them sit at home and go bad. Bottom line: know before you go! Plan out meals for the week and then write your grocery list, rather than throwing random ingredients in your cart. You'll be satisfied knowing you've got your meals set for the week, along with a colourful fridge, plus you won't be letting any fresh foods go to waste.
3. Stock up on the Staples
Another tip to a healthy fridge is to stock up on the staples. Each week there should be a base of items you use up regularly. Here are a few staples that are always in my fridge:
Leafy greens like romaine lettuce and kale, these last a long time and can be tossed in so many recipes.
Sweet peppers, cauliflower, broccoli, tomatoes and sweet potatoes. These all have a long shelf life and are my favourite go-to veggies.
Fresh berries, apples, oranges, bananas and avocado are my staple fruits.
Eggs, almond milk, nuts and plain yogurt – all great protein sources I eat weekly.
Note: Check out meal-prep cookbooks or food websites for inspiring ideas using all these staple ingredients.
4. Don't Hide your Produce
Wondering where you should keep your veggies? Not hidden away in the back of your crisper drawer! It's easy to forget about all of your beautiful fresh fruits and vegetables when they are tucked away in the bottom drawers of your refrigerator. By keeping them out in the open at eye level, you will remember they are there, and you will be surprised how often you grab them.
5. Do the Prep Work
Once you've chosen your meals for the week and bought your food, prepping is the next step to keeping you on your health plan, not to mention it makes your fridge look pretty!
As soon as I am back from the grocery store, I wash all my produce, pre-cut my vegetables and store them in sealed containers to preserve them longer. You can also portion the meats you will eat in the next 2-3 days in Ziplock bags and freeze the rest. These simple tricks will save you time during the week, will organize your fridge, and will encourage you to eat what you purchased before it goes bad.
6. Stock Fun Water
Remember when we threw out all your sugary beverages? As an excellent alternative, I love making weekly water pitchers infused with natural flavours from fruits, vegetables or herbs. Mint, lemons, limes, berries, oranges, cucumbers — find your flavour and keep it stocked!