Eating clean is a great choice if you want a healthier lifestyle that will give you energy, make you look more vibrant and feel amazing. Just because it’s healthy and nutritious, it doesn’t mean clean eating has to be tricky and bland; it can be very simple and delicious, too! From cleaning kitchen cupboards to prepping meals in advance, there’s a lot you can do to change the way you eat and not miss out. Let’s check out five kitchen hacks that’ll help you start your new way of clean eating today.
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Establish what clean eating means to you
Before jumping in, it’s important to define what clean eating is for you and how you want to approach it. This is a lifestyle change so you want to make sure you’re comfortable and clear about what’s coming up. It’s largely down to individual choice, but these pointers will give you a great place to start planning:
- Choose whole and natural foods over processed versions
- Stock up on whole grains like wild rice, oats, and quinoa
- Buy fresh fruit and vegetables
- Go organic where you can
- Opt for healthy fats (found in olive oil, oily fish, nuts, seeds etc.) vs saturated fats
- Ditch white sugar or at least cut right down
- Learn how to read food labels so you know about fat, sugar and sodium contents
- Cook your own food using raw ingredients
Have a good clear out
Once you’re done with setting out your clean eating framework, it’s on to purging! That requires cleaning kitchen cupboards, fridges, freezers and shelves to make space for all of the good stuff. Having a good clear-out not only prepares your kitchen for your new way of eating; it’s also psychologically great for saying goodbye to old habits and hello to healthy new ones.
SEE ALSO: Five Reasons Why You Should Introduce More Seafood to Your Menu
Invest in an essential kit
Eating clean can be time-consuming when it comes to prepping food, but you can take a lot of hassle out of it by investing in the right tools. Rather than making do, now’s the time to treat yourself to new kitchen gadgets, utensils, bowls and measuring cups… whatever you need to get it done.
Prep in advance
Following on from having the right kit to prepare your food, getting organized and prepping your meals in advance is a really good habit to get into. One way of making it a habit is to prep meals in advance on the same day you get your shopping. When you’ve got plenty of meals and snacks pre-made, you’re much less likely to reach for the convenience foods, especially when you’re on the go.
READ MORE: 5 Reasons Why Healthy Snacks are Key to Maintaining a Healthy Weight
Take time to transition
As we’ve already discussed, deciding to eat clean is a lifestyle change and you shouldn’t be hard on yourself if you slip up once or twice at the beginning. Give yourself time to transition from your old eating habits to the new ones and it’s more likely that they’ll stick.
There you have it, five kitchen hacks to help you get started on clean eating. Put them into action and enjoy your healthy new lifestyle. Happy eating!