7 Tips for Your Kitchen

Tip # 1: Fill Your Shelf with Healthy Cookbooks

Many cookbooks are created especially for people with diabetes, so try out some new healthy recipes. Find the ones you love, and share them with friends and family. They may soon become your new family favorites.

Tip #2: Give Your Old Recipes a Make-over

Many of your favorite recipes will taste just as good with less sugar, salt and butter. Try substituting artificial sweeteners. Cut the salt in half, or leave it out. Use pepper and seasonings instead of salt. Replace butter with vegetable oils or apple sauce. Experiment, and have fun.

Tip #3: Fill Your Refrigerator with Freshness

Each week, choose the freshest vegetables, fruits, meats and fish your grocer has to offer. Enjoy the rainbow of colors and flavors.

Tip#4: Use Your Freezer, too

Quick-frozen vegetables, fruits, fish and meats still retain most of their nutrition value, and they’re so convenient to have on hand

Tip# 5: Stock Your Pantry with Recipe Basics

Keep healthy staples like brown and wild rice, whole-wheat pasta, oatmeal, dried beans and lentils, nuts, garlic, olive and canola oils, flavored vinegars, herbs and spices. For quick meals, you might consider canned vegetables and soups with “No Salt Added.” Read labels carefully.

Tip #6: Plan Ahead for Quick Meals

Sometimes you just don’t have time to cook from scratch, so keep the ingredients for one or two yummy quick meals, using items in your pantry, freezer and spice rack. One quick meal might be whole grain pasta with salt-free tomato sauce, garlic, pepper and black beans.

Tip # 7: Throw Out Foods That Make You Loose Control

We all have certain foods that undermine our best efforts to eat well. Know your own temptations—cookie, cakes, potato chips, ice cream, whatever they may be. Enjoy them once in a while, but don’t keep them in your home.