At last the weather is warming up. You’ve swapped the long sleeves for shorter sleeves and you are preparing to put the knee-high boots towards the back of the wardrobe to embrace a strappy shoe. You can smell the blooms and you are starting to think about trips to the coast in a month or two… BUT your body isn’t quite ready to run along the beach in a cute bikini or a pair of Speedos (halt that Baywatch music).
One of the best things you can do this Spring is in fact clean up, and I’m not just talking about your wardrobe. It’s time to delve into the depths of your vegetable crisper, the overcrowded freezer and the dark corners of the pantry. If you want to feel fabulous this Spring (and Summer) it’s time to overhaul the kitchen and give it a Spring-clean. Ditch the processed, the winter indulgences and the ‘out-of-date’ and restock with fresh, minimally processed delights.
Where to start? Grab a bin and get ready to be ruthless. It is time to ditch (or pass on) the following items.
First stop: the fridge and freezer.
GOODBYE
1. Old vegetables and fruit looking grey, bendy or mouldy
2. Everything that is out of date
3. Bottles and jars of sauces, condiments, spreads and pastes that you haven’t used in 12 months
4. Deli and processed meats and fresh cheeses that you bought over a month ago and now smell rank
5. Items you bought for a party that were opened but not consumed (old dips, quince pastes, antipasto vege, salami) and have been lurking in the side door since for a short eternity
6. Frozen foods that have gathered ice crystals and are stuck to the walls because they have been there for years!
7. Items that contain a chemistry list of ingredients
8. Anything you bought to try (i.e. that trendy ‘miracle’ food) but thought tasted God awful and you know you won’t actually consume
9. Clean, wipe, spray and wash all surfaces
HELLO!
1. Fresh, seasonal fruits and vegetables. Your vegetable crisper should be a kaleidoscope of colour ready for salads, stir fries and BBQs.
2. Skim milk and natural yoghurt
3. Fresh lean proteins like chicken breasts, trimmed pork steaks, steak and Premium beef/kangaroo or turkey mince
4. One tub of hummus to use as a spread or as a veggie stick snack
5. A small block of cheese
6. Fresh eggs
7. Fresh herbs, garlic and ginger
Second stop: the pantry.
GOODBYE
1. Same rules apply in the pantry for anything out-of-date, opened for a long time or tasted but not enjoyed
2. Ditch anything you’ve had forever (old spices, packets of white flour, pine nuts going rancid, food samples you collected at a fair)
3. Say goodbye to sugary cereals, multiple packets of biscuits, lollies, that box of ‘Family Favourite’ gift chocolates, old bottles of coffee and hot chocolates packed with sugar or excessive artificial sweetener.
4. Ditch old bottles of oil, sauces and spreads
5. Ditch sodium packed cans of soup, powdered soups and 5 minute noodles
6. Goodbye packets of salty chips and white crackers
7. Excess packets of opened white rice and pasta
8. Reorganise the shelves
HELLO!
1. Some new dried herbs or spices (only the ones you use frequently when fresh isn’t available)
2. Swap all the white flour, rice and pasta for wholemeal or brown varieties.
3. Replace sugary cereals with untoasted muesli and rolled oats
4. Enjoy some dark chocolate, dried dates and figs for a sweet treat
5. Freshen up your coffee supply and try cacao instead of sugary milk chocolate powders
6. Grab some wholegrain crackers and crispbreads
7. Consider trying some quinoa or freekeh as new grain inclusions
8. Purchase some lovely fresh oils and vinegar for salads
This process isn’t an easy one, but it is well worth it. By loading up your kitchen with wholesome, minimally processed food items (and less processed junk) you will be more likely to eat well and get in shape for Spring and Summer.
OK, cue that Baywatch music now!
Until next time.
Eat well, be well!
Lisa Donaldson APD
www.FEEDinc.net
