Clean It Out
First things first, it’s hard to detox your body when your fridge is full of holiday leftovers. Take everything out and pitch expired items. Consider donating food that you won’t use—or throw a party to use everything up. Once you’ve cleared out the fridge, give it a deep clean, like this. Only put back the items that will support your healthy lifestyle.
Invest in Clear Bins
Keep fruits, veggies and all your healthy treats visible in organized, clear bins. These are perfect for prepped produce, cheese sticks and individual yogurt containers. A set of clear bins is an easy investment with a major payoff. Find more sanity-saving organization tips here.
Wash and Cut Produce
One of the most challenging parts of eating a healthy diet is time and prep work. It’s so much easier to sit down and inhale an entire bag of pretzels than it is to look through the refrigerator, decide on a snack and then wash and chop it. Set yourself up for success by spending an hour every week meal prepping.
Organize a Healthy Snack Drawer
Now that you’ve prepped your produce and organized it into clear bins, use one of those produce drawers as a healthy snack drawer. Place individual bags of berries, grapes, trail mix, baby carrots and celery. Toss in these Chia Seed Protein Bites for powerhouse snacks whenever hunger strikes.
Prepare Grab-and-Go Breakfasts
See you later, Pop-Tarts. Breakfast is getting a makeover with your new healthy fridge setup. Prepare breakfast foods like overnight oats and fruit salad cups for you and your family to grab on your way out the door. Keep them in a specific drawer or clear bin so everyone knows where to go.
Keep a Pitcher of Water at Eye Level
How many times have you found yourself staring into an open fridge with no idea what to choose? For many of us, thirst can feel like hunger, so help your body tell the difference by choosing water first. Keep a pitcher of infused water at eye level so you’re always more likely to hydrate before snacking.
Make Your Own Salad Bar
Instead of having lettuce with dressing on it, treat yourself to a full salad bar in your own home. Keep all of your favorite healthy toppings like spring peas, corn, chickpeas and chopped broccoli in clear jars for a restaurant-worthy salad in seconds. Check out these easy 30-minute salad recipes for ideas.
Keep Prepped Meals on the Bottom Shelf
Trying to figure out what to make for dinner after an exhausting day can be rough. Designate a shelf in your fridge for easy prepared meals and leftovers. Spend some time meal prepping over the weekend so you have plenty of cooked grains, easy soups and fresh produce ready for even the busiest weeknight.
Store Quick Proteins for Lunches
When preparing your salad bar shelf in your healthy refrigerator, be sure to add a section for prepped protein options like grilled chicken breast, hard-boiled eggs, rinsed beans and cooked quinoa. This will make it much easier to bag your lunch and resist the drive-thru. Just make sure you’re boiling your eggs the right way.
The post How to Organize Your Fridge When You Want to Eat Healthier appeared first on Taste of Home.
Carrie Madormo, RN