Kitchen Makeover Series: Week Three Review

Congratulations on completing the third week of your “Kitchen Makeover.” Here, I’ve summarized the takeaway points. Think of this as your Cliff’s Notes.

Drink to that. Hopefully, you’re choosing water as your number one beverage. Milk, tea, coffee, and juice are fine, too, but keep an eye on calories, especially if they contain added fats and sugars. Don’t forget that food contributes about 20% to our fluid needs. Foods containing the highest percentage of water include lettuce, watermelon, broccoli, grapefruit, milk, orange juice, carrots, yogurt and apples. Drink, er, eat up!

Egg yourself on. Eggs are indeed a perfect protein—which should take up about a quarter of your plate. Don’t toss the yolk – it’s all good! Make sure you cook your eggs fully, or choose pasteurized in shell eggs, if you like to eat them runny. Check the expiration date, too! A shell may look like the perfect storage container, but it’s porous, loses moisture, and can absorb strong smells from the refrigerator.

Let’s do dairy. Milk, cheese and yogurt are nutrition superstars. Milk not only provides hydration, but it also contains key nutrients for exercise recovery. Think of it as a workout buddy! If you’re lactose intolerant, use reduced-lactose milk, or take a lactase enzyme to help you digest it.

Buy the cow. Beef is a go—just keep it lean. Find the trimmest cuts available here.

When it comes to poultry, cook with the skin on to retain moisture, but don’t eat it, since it’s mainly saturated fat.

Catch a fish. The new dietary guidelines recommend eating at least two four-ounce servings of seafood weekly. Fatty fish, such as salmon, tuna, mackerel, and sardines, should a staple in your diet. Concerned about sustainability? Here’s a link for the safest fish to eat.

Harvest your health. About half of the contents of your refrigerator—and your plate—should be fruits and vegetables! That means you better have plenty on the tarmac. Make sure your fruits and veggies are washed, chopped, and ready to go. There’s a greater likelihood that you’ll eat them, if you don’t have to go through a bunch of prep. I like the pre-washed salad greens, too—half the work is already done!

Break less bread. When people hear the words whole grains, foods such as quinoa and amaranth may not be top of mind. These items are staples in some cultures. Incorporate them into your diet. They should take up about ¼ of your plate. One grain we all know and love is bread. And portions are getting bigger and bigger. Sure, the fiber increases, but so does the calories and sodium. Get hip to the game!

How is your Kitchen Makeover going so far? Let me know on the Kitchen Makeover Forum. Got a question? I’ve got an answer. See you next week!

Author David Grotto is a FitStudio advisory board member, registered dietitian and the founder and president of Nutrition Housecall. He is the author of 101 Foods That Could Save Your Life and 101 Optimal Life Foods. He served as a national spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association for more than six years.