Tools for Healthy Eating

Home › Weight Loss Products that Work › Tools for Healthy Eating

My Top 5 Kitchen Utensils

Tools for healthy eating: what do you really need?

Do you think healthy eating is difficult and time consuming?

Do you spend lots of money on the latest must have kitchen gadget only for it to be left in the cupboard unused?

Never fear.

I've put together my top five tools for healthy eating.

The gadgets that WILL save you time. And you'll wonder how you lived without.

1. Tools for Healthy Eating: Slow Cooker

This is my number one tool for healthy eating, and for good reason. I don't know where I'd be without my slow cooker.

Well probably in the kitchen cooking my dinner.

But as it is, my dinner has been slowly cooking since this morning, freeing up my time to write this post for you lovely people.

They really do make healthy eating easier. Saving time and money.

Just chuck the ingredients into the cooker, turn it on, and go to work. You'll be welcomed home to mouth wateringly, delicious smelling food.

If you think they're just for stews and soups and such, you'd be wrong.

You can cook anything in them. Whole joints of meat, risotto and even baked potatoes.

Cooking meat slowly makes it really tender and juicy, so you can use cheaper cuts of meats. That makes them really cost effective as well.

Win, win in my book.

2. Tools for Healthy Eating: Food Processor

I felt very grown up and responsible when I bought my food processor. Ok, it didn't last long.

I'd always associated them with those who bake. And I had originally bought it to make muffins and cakes (all healthy of course).

But I found I use it for much more.

Making salads mainly. Well shredding vegetables to make a salad anyway.

They come with so many attachments, some more than others, that they take the time and effort out of so many kitchen chores.

Mixing burgers and fish cakes, blending soups, slicing veg. All done with the flick of a switch.

Simples.

3. Tools for Healthy Eating: Smoothie Maker/Juicer

Ah my NutriBullet, oh how I love.

I did put off this purchase for some time, mainly due to expense.

I bought cheaper versions, they broke. And I still put off the purchase.

My husband finally bought me one for Christmas last year. And I'm glad he did.

I love it.

I could bang on here about how much I love smoothies and how they are good for getting in additional fruit and veg.

I do, and they are.

That is after all why it's made it on to the list for healthy eating.

But that's not what I love about the NutriBullet.

I love the quality.

The mixer base is heavy and solid.

The cups feel solid in your hand.

The flip top ring has a catch on it so it won't leak when you take it to work.

The screw top handled lip ring makes drinking from the cup easier.

If you have ever bought cheaper version, I promise you will notice the difference.

You might be wondering why I've included this separately when you can make smoothies with the jug from your food processor.

Well, and I say this honestly, the NutriBullet does it better.

Whether it's the high speed motor, or the cyclonic action that they talk about in the infomercials, I don't know.

But they definitely do it better. Smoother, easier to drink and so much easier to clean.

Smoothie maker or juicer?

Well that will come down to personal preference.

There are advantages to both.

Smoothies blend the whole fruit, vegetable or herb, retaining all of the fibre, whereas juicing extracts the juice, leaving the fibre behind.

Smoothies require additional liquid, which, if you use shop bought, can increase the sugar content quite drastically.

If money is no object I would suggest you get both and combine the juice you make with your smoothie.

But for me, I prefer a smoothie.

4. Tools for Healthy Eating: Decent Food Storage

You know what it's like.

You've had a long day in the office. The commute home has been a bitch.

The last thing you feel like doing is preparing and cooking a healthy, nutritious meal.

So imagine how it would feel to be able to reach into the freezer and pull out one you made earlier.

I am a huge fan of cooking more than you need and chucking the leftovers in the freezer.

Some weeks I don't need to do any shopping or cooking as I've accumulated enough meals over the month.

But to do this you need something to store the food in.

You will be using them heaps so it will pay in the end to invest in good quality stuff.

Cheaper versions will break, you'll lose the lids, or pots, and annoyingly most of them aren't water tight. So if you take your soup or stew to work in them, it will end up over the floor.

Rather than going for the traditional Tupperware pot, I'd urge you, quite strongly, to go for glass or stainless steel. They are more expensive but they will last longer, and they are healthier.

You see there are lots of nasty chemicals in plastic that can leach into your food. Especially if you heat them up.

If you do opt for plastic make sure it's BPA free.

5. Tools for Healthy Eating: Water Bottle

Are you drinking enough water?

One of the first questions I ask my clients. The answer is usually, probably not.

Water is essential, not only for weight loss, but for your overall health.

It might be boring and tasteless. But it is essential. And that's why I've included a water bottle as one of my top 5 tools for healthy eating.

It is the best way to keep track of how much you're drinking. And you'll need one for your exercise classes.

I have one with me at all times. In fact, I have three, one for home, one for the office and one for the car.

Again I would urge you to opt for the non-plastic versions and go for glass or stainless steel.

But if that's not an option, make sure it's BPA free. And whatever you do, don't re use single use water bottles.