Many of us resolve to eat a healthier diet and start with good intentions but then everyday life gets in the way and we slide back into our old habits of eating what’s most convenient. Thankfully there is now a wide range of kitchen gadgets available that make healthy eating easier and more fun. Here are some of our favourites:
Juicer
If you find it difficult to meet your recommended five portions of fruit and veg each day, invest in a juicer. They are great for making highly-nutritious fruit or vegetable juice drinks. Some models allow you to just throw fruit in whole so there’s no chopping or peeling, making them a quick and convenient way to enjoy a wide range of healthy juices.
Grilling Machine
Can’t live without sausages sandwiches or a weekly fry-up? Well you can make these treats healthier by using a grilling machine. Grilling uses less fat than frying and these gadgets are designed to let the fat contained in the food drip away during cooking – channelling it into a separate drip tray so that it doesn’t end up on your plate.
Nutrient Scales
If you’re counting calories or keeping an eye on the fat content of your food it can sometimes be difficult to calculate the values contained in everything you eat. Ready meals and processed food will usually have guidance on the packaging but if you’re trying to be healthier by making your own food from scratch, it can be harder to calculate the nutritional value of the meals you are making. Nutrient scales take away the guesswork. Simply weigh your ingredients, key in some basic information and the scales will give you information such as calorie, fat, carbohydrate and sugar content.
Bread maker
When it comes to healthy eating and dieting, many people decide to cut down on bread. However, others feel that bread is a staple part of a healthy diet – providing essential carbohydrates and fibre. If you don’t want to give up bread, you can still make it healthier by making your own with a bread maker. Not only will it taste better than shop-bought loaves but you’ll know exactly what ingredients have gone into it and be able to avoid artificial additives.
Steamer
One way to make mealtimes healthier is to look at the methods you use for cooking your favourite foods. For example, if you steam food rather than frying, you could dramatically cut the amount of fat in your meal. An electric steamer makes it really easy and results in foods with great texture and flavour – as well as more nutrients and less fat.
Food Processor
Many of us reach for convenience foods and takeaways because we simply don’t have the time to cook meals from scratch. But you can make the preparation process much quicker and easier by investing in a good food processor. This will take the hard work out of chopping, mixing and blending and make creating your own healthy meals a doddle.
For more advice on healthy eating, visit: www.secretsofhealthyeating.com
