Five Kitchen Neccessities for The Fit Soul
These can make all of the difference in the world
There is so much more to being healthy in the kitchen than just buying healthy foods and supplements. You’ve got to know what to do with those packs of chicken and vegetables, you have to pay attention to what you’re cooking on, and you’ve got to know how much of everything your eating. Everyone’s routine and methods in the kitchen will vary, but there are some tools and items that are especially important to be aware of if you’re trying to be the ultimate lean machine and health star.
1) Measuring Cups
Measuring out your baking ingredients aren’t the only things that these kitchen staples are useful for. These are especially helpful for portion control. We’re all guilty of eating out of the bag, pouring to fill up a bowl, and just scooping out spreads like peanut butter with only a spoon. Cup measurements, tablespoon measurements, and liquid measurements can help you become more aware of how much you’re eating. Measuring out cereals, oats, even liquids can help you keep track of your calories and reduce the risk of over eating something.
2) Food Scale
Another form of measurement when those measuring cups aren’t available or as effective. A scale can help you measure out foods that don’t exactly fit tightly-packed in a measuring cup. Things like chicken, potatoes, vegetables, and fruits get a more accurate reading in terms of serving size when placed on a scale. Also, these foods and others tend to have a nutrition fact label reading based on weight. It can be hard to measure out ingredients when recipes are described with ounces and grams instead of cups and teaspoons.
3) Cooking Spray
Having this in your cooking kit is helpful in so many ways. Not only does cooking spray reduce food sticking on your pans, but it can also be used as a replacement for oil. Roasting vegetables and other foods in oil can add up in calories quickly, especially if you don’t measure it out. Cooking spray like Pam can easily replace oil when roasting or panfrying foods. You’ll save a ton of calories and “imaginary fats” and get a similar-tasting dish.
4) Water Bottles
These are exceptionally helpful to have, especially if you have a busy schedule. By having a reusable water bottle at grasp, you’ll reduce your risk of dehydration by always having something to sip on, and it’ll probably curb your urge to quench your thirst with a soda or another unhealthy beverage. Additionally, you won’t have to keep throwing away (or hopefully recycling) a bunch of disposable water bottles, making you a friend to the environment.
5) Cast Iron or Stainless Steel Pans
These are the simplest forms of cookware, and by far the safest. The ever-popular nonstick pans are convenient, yet, pose possible health risk. Two Kitchen Junkies explains possible health concerns that arising from improper non-stick usage due to the toxicity of the nonstick surface. A bunch of precautions are recommended to be taken to avoid all of these risks including no: broiling and/or searing meats, cooking on high heat, scratching of pans, and preheating empty pans. Stainless steel and cast iron are durable and relatively inexpensive. You can cook anything in a stainless steel pan, as well as put it in the dishwasher. Cast iron can be seasoned to be very nonstick, and transfers iron into foods.
It truly takes much more than just a fridge full of healthy food for your diet to reach its healthiest potential. It’s a lifestyle alteration. A few tweaks in preparation and cooking style can make a big difference in the fuel that you put into your body.
