Take a virtual tour of a healthy kitchen and learn the top tools of the trade. From the food in their pantries to the gadgets to make a seven-course meal, here is everything you will need.
Not only will these tools set you up for success it will also help ward away those pesky temptations. Whether you are ready to make a lifestyle change or preparing your meal prep for a competition in your future, we have everything you need to reach your goal.
βπππππΎππ πΆππΉ π»πππΉ π πππ πΆππΆππΎππ πΎπ πππ ππ» ππ½π π½πΎππ½πππ πΆπΈππ ππ» ππππ»-ππππ πππ πΈπΆπ π πΆπππΎπΈπΎπ πΆππ πΎπ.β β The Betty Rocker
REFRIGERATOR & FREEZER STAPLES
- Almonds (Keep them in the fridge or freezer for longer shelf life. The cold doesnβt allow the oils to break down as quickly.)
- Asparagus
- Avocado
- Bags of Frozen Vegetables
- Beets
- Berries
- Broccoli
- Cabbage
- Cauliflower (You can make hummus, mashed ‘fauxtatos’, rice, pizza crust, bread pudding, muffins, and biscuits!)
- Celery
- Chicken breast
- Cod
- Eggs
- Hummus
- Kale
- Pistachios
- Romaine
- Salmon
- Salsa
- Salsa
- Sauerkraut
- Spinach
- Spring greens
- Turkey
- Zucchini
Keeping your freezer stocked full of frozen vegetables is a great way to make sure you have them on hand for when you need them! Frozen veggies are flash froze at their peak time so you
ALL-STARS FOR YOUR PANTRY
- Almonds
- Bragg’s Amino
- Brown Rice
- Cumin
- Fajita Seasoning
- Green Tea
- Hot Sauce
- Pure Pumpkin
- Mustard
- Natural Nut Butter
- Old-Fashioned Oatmeal
- Oh Yeah! ONE Bars
- Roasted Tomatoes
- SINISTER LABS ANGRY MILLS SPREADS & POWDERS
- Quinoa
- Sweet Potatoes
- Walden Farms Syrups and Toppings
HEALTHY KITCHEN TOOLBOX
The tools you use are just as important. A carpenter canβt build a home without his tool box. So, how can you expect to prepare your meals without your own?
| A good knife set |
| A good pot/pan set with a 4 quart pot |
| Blender |
| Colander |
| Countertop grill Perfect if you live in an apartment that doesnβt allow outdoor grills. |
| Food processor |
| Glass or aluminum baking set Instant Pot |
| Kitchen shears Cutting your chicken versus slicing on the countertop with a sharp knife. |
| Liquid measuring cups |
| Measuring cups |
| Measuring spoons |
| Meat thermometer |
| Mixing bowls |
| Food Scale |
| Shaker cup(s) I have more shaker cups than friends |
| Slow cooker |
| Tongs |
| Tupperware/Gladware/Rubbermaid |
| Veggie spiralizer |
| Veggie steamer |
| Wisk |
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:
THERE’S AN APP FOR THAT
There are numerous recipe apps or meal trackers and calorie/macro counters. Having these apps at your fingertips will help ensure your success in the kitchen and help you switch things up.
| AlltheCooks |
| Calorie Counter Calorie King |
| Epicurious |
| Food IQ |
| Food Network in the Kitchen |
| Fooducate β scans barcodes |
| Go Meals |
| KitchenStories |
| LiveStrong (food library) |
| LoseIT |
| MyFitnessPal (food library) |
| NYT Cooking |
| SideChef SparkPeople |
| Tender |
| Yummly |
PEOPLE & POPULAR NEWSLETTERS
If thereβs someone you like or look up to, and they offer a newsletter, why not sign up for it? Often times, these newsletters are chock full of great tips and recipes that can help you keep things fun and fresh in the kitchen β and you donβt even have to think β theyβre delivered right to your inbox.
HerSUPPZ.com (we think this one is The BEST one, of course!)
Seek out blogs as well β there are so many other folks out there tasting and sharing and blogging about it! A few, independent bloggers/experts:
JUST SAY NO: MY DIRTY DOZEN
Letβs look at a few things I avoid bringing in my healthy kitchen.
Sugar: evaporated, cane sugar, barley malt, rice sugar, fructose, corn syrup β itβs all sugar
Soy: science has shown that soy estrogens stimulate the thyroid which gives you a hyper-effect. This leads to a hypo-effect where you crash β poor energy, brain fog. All modern soy products are jam packed with anti-nutrients such as phytates, and toxins which are now linked to host of disease ranging from brain shrinkage to thyroid dysfunction.
Aspartame/Sucralose β neurotoxin and carcinogen
High Fructose Corn Syrup β #1 source of calories in America contributing to diabetes and obesity
Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) β turns off the βIβm fullβ receptors
Food Dyes β animal studies have linked food coloring to cancer
BHA and BHT β color preservative that effects the neurological system and when stored in the body can form cancer-causing compounds.
Potassium bromate β used for volume in food. Causes cancer in animals.
Trans Fat β increases bad (LDL) cholesterol levels and reduces the good.
Sulphur Dioxide β FDA does not recommend consumption by children. It causes breathing problems. Destroys Vitamin E and A in the body.
Sodium Nitrate β keeps meat red. Has carcinogenic properties once it enters the digestive system.
Sodium Sulphite β attributed to asthma, headaches, breathing problems. According to the FDA, 1 in 100 people are sensitive to sulphites.
You can read more about the no-noβs in your food from the Environmental Working Group here
And, I get it. You canβt be perfect and avoid everything all the time. Itβs almost impossible to be an informed consumer these days. But, at the least, this can help. So step up your kitchen game and get to know your essentials to help make cooking and meal prep a breeze.
About the Author
Christine is a Womenβs Physique Competitor of 6 years.Β She has roots in Wisconsin and currently resides in Colorado where you can find her hard at work in the Orthopedics Department at UCHealth.
She is an avid β14erβ summiting the peaks of the Southern Rocky Mountain Front Range in her spare time. Β She has her sights on completing all of Coloradoβs 14ers (the mountain peaks above 14,000 feet of which there are 58) in the next two years. Β A strong advocate for womenβs health, she is also a personal trainer with a special interest in pediatric and womenβs fitness, nutrition, and bodybuilding. Β Christine attributes much of her success to having built a strong foundation of knowledge from her peers, mentors, and experts; as well as her fellow athletes.
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Resources:
EWGβs Dirty Dozen Guide to Food Additives: Environmental Working Group http://www.ewg.org/research/ewg-s-dirty-dozen-guide-food-additives
Article updated from January 2017