Many people overeat with larger portions and make less health-conscious decisions when dining out rather than eating at home. When you eat out at restaurants, you have less control over the ingredients that go into your food and spend more money on food too. But despite the many benefits of cooking at home, it can be difficult to find the time and energy to do so on a daily basis.
To inspire and encourage you to embrace healthier eating habits, here are some tips for cooking naturally healthy meals in your own home.
Plans Meals Once a Week
It takes substantial time and mental focus to research recipes, shop for ingredients, and combine those ingredients to make healthy meals. Set aside some time once per week, perhaps on Sunday evening, to figure out at least a couple of meals for the week. It may feel tedious to sit down and do this planning, but you’ll be thankful that you did when you can avoid eating out and unhealthily later in the week.
Try a Meal Delivery Service
There are various meal delivery services available that simplify the planning and prep work for cooking at home. Hello Fresh, Blue Apron, and Home Chef are a few examples of these services. These options are best for people who want the convenience of easy meal planning and don’t mind spending a little extra on groceries.
Focus on Basic Ingredients
If you are not a gourmet chef by profession, there’s no need to overcomplicate your life by finding complex recipes that require obscure ingredients and lots of prep time. Start your cooking journey with whole foods in their natural state with few things added. You can make quick and easy, one-pan meals by simply slicing up a few vegetables and adding a source of protein and perhaps a starch, like noodles or rice, unless you’re going for a low-carb approach.
Utilize Cooking Technology
Another way to encourage more cooking at home in your household is to harness the power of technology in your kitchen. Although an Instant Pot or Crock Pot will still require you to do some prep work, you can save time with dinners overall by using these devices instead of steadily stirring a pot on the stove. Roasters, steamers, pressure cookers, and other kitchen gadgets can save you time while being fun to use at the same time.
If you’ve gotten a handle on these basics of cooking at home, here are some suggestions for making your at-home meals a little healthier:
- Use 100% virgin olive oil in your recipes
- Add colorful fruits and vegetables to meals
- Keep portion sizes reasonable with smaller plates
- Minimize salt and sugar in recipes
- Experiment with herbs and spices for flavorful variety
Need more inspiration? Check out these Seagate blogs about cooking and natural eating: