Are you ready for some spring cleaning? This can be more than sweeping the dust bunnies from under your bed. Spring clean your diet, as well. Remove less-than-stellar choices from your kitchen and bring more energy into your life.
First things first
First, purge your fridge, pantry, car and desk drawer of leftover holiday goodies. Out chocolate Easter bunnies! Be gone marshmallow chicks and malted milk eggs!
Next, do a thorough cleaning of your refrigerator and toss anything that is questionable or beyond its expiration date. Then go through your kitchen drawers, pantry and cabinets and toss mysterious odds and ends, as well as any junk foods you find. Remove any foods that contain partially hydrogenated oils.
Next, clean the inside of the fridge with warm water and dish detergent using a microfiber cloth or sponge. Is there “crud” in the produce drawers? Either use a handheld vacuum or pull the drawers out, shake into the sink and wash with warm water. Dry before putting them back.
Eating spring clean
Pantry
Keep healthful choices on hand that make it easy to whip up nourishing meals and snacks. Swap white rice for brown. Stock up on other whole grains such as barley, whole wheat couscous and oats. Have canned tomatoes and beans available for pasta dishes and soups.
Buy foods whose first ingredient is representative of the product. For example, the first ingredient listed on a package of mango juice should be mangoes, not cheap apple juice.
Refrigerator
Take inventory. At least once a month go through your fridge and throw away old items and wipe down the fridge. Even better: Clean out the fridge before every grocery shopping trip.
Make a list and stick to it. Keep your list on or near the fridge and write down the items as you get low on them. If you wait until you’ve finished it up, it’s too late. Buy what you need for that week and shop once (or twice) a week to keep things fresh. This will save you money!
Keep your refrigerator at or below 40 degrees. Keeping it at this temperature helps to slow bacteria from growing. Only freezing completely stop bacteria from growing.
Keep healthy items in front, not way in the back where you can’t see them. This way you will eat the freshest items first. Hide the cheesecake in the back.
Keep produce front and center. Don’t put veggies and fruits in a drawer where you will forget about them. When you get home from the store, wash them, cut them up and put into clear bowls at eye level that you can easily access and take on the go.
Eat green. In season right now are asparagus, artichokes, salad greens and peas.
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