Generally speaking, food made at home is a healthier option because you use fresh, real ingredients, you control what goes into your meal along with your portion size versus when we eat out.
Now I’m sure we can all say that not every recipe we have is considered healthy. We’ve all got our favourite comfort food, decadent desserts, or yearly holiday baking. These recipes are not a bad thing at all, because it’s great to treat yourself to something you really like every once in a while. Life is about balance.
But there are a few ways that we can make our everyday recipes, meals, and eating habits just a little healthier.
Homemade baked goods:
-Whole wheat flour rather than white flour, or even substitute in some oat bran flour
(it has more fibre and protein)
-Add in some ground flax seed (to get more Omega 3’s)
-Reduce the amount of oil by substituting half the amount with apple sauce
-Use 2/3 the amount of sugar that the recipe calls for and add in spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, all spice, vanilla or almond extract to boost the flavour
Serving tips:
-Make portions smaller (cookies, pie & cake slices)
-Put less toppings on (whipped cream, icing)
Meal tips:
-Use plain yogurt in place of sour cream or mayonnaise (more protein, much less fat)
-Use darker leafy greens for salads rather than iceberg lettuce (more nutrients)
-Aim for whole grain and higher fibre options for pasta and bread
-Buy leaner cuts of meat, and less fatty meats in general (chicken, turkey, fish & shellfish)
Alcohol:
-Consume with food during a meal
-Use it to be social, don’t drink alone
-For every alcoholic drink follow it with 1 glass of water (to prevent dehydration)
-Healthy limit = 2 drinks/day for men, 1 drink/day for women
(This doesn’t accumulate, so you can’t save all your drinks for the weekend…sorry)