Resident foodie, Katy Hofstede-Smith shares her tips for healthier eating. She starts by saying that cooking from scratch is the most important rule.
After the inevitable indulgences over Christmas I’m sure that, like myself, you start craving healthy, easy food to take you through January. There are so many things to think about when food planning and shopping that it can feel a little overwhelming trying to tackle a different way of eating, but with a few simple changes you can make your food so much healthier and tastier.
Substituting ingredients allows you to use your usual recipes but in a slightly healthier way. Quinoa is a fabulous ingredient to try. As a seed it is high in protein and very filling, helpfully allowing you to reduce portion sizes. Lentils are another fantastic healthy ingredient that I use in dishes such as cottage pie to reduce the amount of meat (and therefore fat), and increase the amount of fibre. It also helps to keep the costs down!
The most important rule in eating healthily is cooking from scratch. Avoid ready meals and pre-prepared sauces and instead make your own, ensuring that you really know what is in everything you’re eating. Double (or in my house at least triple) the quantities and you have enough to freeze so that you have the ease of a homemade ready meal for another night, whilst making sure that you don’t slip back into old habits.
Katy