THINGS TO STOCK IN YOUR KITCHEN FOR NUTRIENT DENSE FOODS

In today’s scenario, it is very important to follow a healthy diet and healthy lifestyle. To follow a healthy diet and healthy lifestyle, it is very important to stock healthy food in your kitchen so that you can have easy access to nutritious food. If you have healthy ingredients in stock, you can easily make nutrient dense meals. These are :

Whole Grains = Whole grains like wheat, quinoa, oats, maize, rice etc are rich in fibre, vitamins and minerals. They can be used for making nutritious rotis, cheelas, salads, halwas, khichdi, dalia etc.

Legumes = Legumes like beans, lentils, chickpeas etc are excellent sources of protein, fibre and other nutrients. We can prepare soups, stews, salads, hummus, cheelas etc with legumes.

Nuts and seeds = Stock your pantry with variety of nuts and seeds like almonds, walnuts, watermelon seeds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, chia seeds, flax seeds, sesame seeds etc. These are rich in healthy fats, proteins and antioxidants. They can be eaten either in soaked form, roasted form or fried form. Don’t eat nuts and seeds in raw form as they contain anti-nutrients. They can be eaten as snacks with tea or coffee, toppings on salads and curd or can be added in baked food items.

Healthy Oils = Stock your kitchen with healthy alternatives like desi ghee, coconut oil, mustard oil, sesame oil etc. Don’t use refined oils. Use healthy oils in cooking, dressings and marinades.

Herbs and Spices = Stock herbs and spices like basil, oregano, turmeric, cinnamon, cumin seeds, curry leaves etc to enhance the flavours of meals. We can also reduce our salt intake by using herbs and spices. Moreover, usage of unhealthy sauces can also be reduced.

Keep home made peanut butter, almond butter or other nut butters in stock. They contain healthy protein, fibre and healthy fats. They can be used as spreads, can be added to smoothies or can be used as a dip for fruits and vegetables.

Add variety of dried herbs and seasonings like thyme, rosemary, garlic powder, onion powder in your kitchen stock. They add flavour and nutrition to your dishes with no effort.

Also keep Homemade non-dairy milk like almond milk, oats milk, soy milk . Use them along with your dairy products.

Nutritional Yeast = It is a deactivated yeast. It is used as a cheese substitute due to its savoury, cheesy flavour. It is a good source of protein, vitamins and minerals including Vit B12. It can be used for a cheesy flavour in sauces, popcorns, roasted vegetables and many other foods.

Dried fruits = Dried fruits like raisins, apricots, cranberries add natural sweetness to dishes. They are good sources of dietary fibre, vitamins and minerals.

Herbal Teas = Stock your pantry with herbal, caffeine free teas like chamomile, peppermint, ginger or green tea. They provide hydration and are also rich in anti-oxidants.

Do stock these in your kitchen to make healthy, nutritious meals. For individualised and customized diet plans, contact:

Neena’s Diet Clinic

Dietician Neena (MSc dfsm)

Course in low FODMAP diet for IBS from Monash University, Australia

Life member of IDA

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