Cooking at home is a great way to manage your nutrition plan. Eating out can lead to extra sugar, extra calories and extra unknown ingredients. Cooking at home can ensure you can get the nutrition you need every day while knowing exactly what you eat. Cooking at home takes a little more effort. Find tools that can make this easier for you.
Air Fryer:
Fried food can be a quick go-to dinner option for many. Unfortunately, fried foods add extra saturated fat and calories. A great way to get the crispy taste and flavor, without the extra calories is by using an air fryer. This small convection oven simulates deep frying without all the oil! The temperature and circulating fan create a crispy texture.
Quick tip:
Chop up a variety of your favorite vegetables- broccoli, Brussels sprouts or squash to name a few. Marinate in the seasoning of your choice and drizzle with a little olive oil. Add to the air fryer for about 10-15 minutes depending on the amount. Enjoy!
An Instant Pot:
This instant pot can do it all and really cut down on cooking time and has so many options. Pressure cooking, slow cooking, steaming, and even rice cooking can all be done in the same appliance. This can be an easy option for a busy working family.
Quick tip:
Prepare lean meat in your instant pot. Try cuts of meat such as shoulder, pot roast or round roast. Season your meat and prepare with a small amount of water. Small pieces of meat typically require about 15 minutes per pound or 20 minutes per pound for larger cuts of meat.
Spiralizer:
A spiralizer can take your zucchini, squash or fruit and do just what it says, spiralizer it. Think of all the options you can do with thin pieces of your favorite produce. A spiralizer makes slicing much easier than using a knife.
Quick tip:
Eating low-carb can be hard, but subbing vegetables can make things easier. Substitute zucchini for pasta noodles on spaghetti night. This will pack your dinner with vitamins and cut calories at the same time!
Oil Mister:
Olive oil and canola oil can be great choices. Good fats are a welcome addition to your balanced meal plan. Even though these heart-healthy oils have benefits, they also add calories. Using too much can increase your calories. An oil mister controls the portion you use while cooking to decrease calories and fat.
Quick Tip:
Instead of adding salad dressing from the bottle, use a mister to add evenly to your salad for a balanced taste.
Leftover Containers
When cooking at home, there will for sure be leftovers. Ensuring you have the proper containers to store these leftovers in the refrigerator or freezer can lead to a healthy lunch or dinner meal the next day.
Quick tip:
Store your leftovers in individual containers so you can have your lunches prepared for an entire week! This is a great way to stay away from fast food and vending machines during the day.
Here’s to a year of healthy cooking and healthy eating!
