Spring Clean Your Kitchen

I am thrilled to say … happy spring! It was a looonnnnggg winter, wasn’t it? (and I am from Iceland). Now it’s out with the grey, cold days and in with sunshine and (slightly) warmer temperatures.
Doesn’t the change in seasons leave you feeling invigorated? Ready to try new things and shed what’s not working for you? Me too! I have an idea on how we can get started … clean out your kitchen pantry and cupboards.

In my One Day Immersion program, I spend the day the my client to kickstart a health transformation. Where do we start? In the kitchen of course!

A healthy diet starts with a kitchen stocked with healthy ingredients. A diet based on whole, seasonal foods means a minimal pantry because you are eating fresh foods. But, your pantry might be more important to feeling good and vibrant than you think.

Here is my three step process I use with my clients:

1. Remove items that aren’t healthful. The key is to read the ingredient list and toss items containing harmful ingredients. Hint, if you can’t pronounce it, it’s probably not good. That GMO, processed vegetable oil? Or the giant bag of Doritos that you dip into while preparing dinner? What about those MSG laden pre-packaged noodle side dishes? Ditch ’em. You don’t need them. Having these items in your kitchen just makes them too easy to grab in a pinch. Download the Food Scores or Fooducate app to help you identify the junk and upgrade to better alternatives. While you are at it, check the labels on items you want to keep to make sure they aren’t expired. If so, out with them too!

2. Add in only health-promoting, quality items.
If you read my blog, you’ll notice a theme – origin and quality matters when selecting your food. Think of stocking your pantry as curating the healthiest inputs to have on hand. Oils from whole food sources to roast and lightly saute; gluten-free, organic grains for blood-sugar stabilizing morning porridge; and nuts and seeds to add protein, flavor or to serve as a quick snack. Download my list of kitchen staples for more ideas on stocking your healthy pantry.

3. Organize, label and date. One way to stay on top of what you have is to group like items together. Whether you transfer items from the store packaging to your own containers, label them with the date of purchase so you can keep an eye on aging items. Airtight containers, even just re-use screw top glass jars, help prolong the life of your grains, seeds, and nuts.

I happen to have very little space in my kitchen, which I actually like because it forces me to only store what I need. Regularly I go through this process to remove, replace, and reorganize because this really helps me know what I have on hand and what I need which makes meal planning that much easier.

If you have any questions about what to keep and what to toss while you spring clean your kitchen — how to meal plan or how to incorporate nourishing routines into your unique life, just email me and let me know how I can help you spring into wellness!

For group events, check out the upcoming Detox and Cooking Classes!