FALL 2019 / DI ABETIC LI VING 11
Remake
SMA LL CHA NGES
WITH BIG IMPACT
PREP & DISPLAY If prepping nu-
tritious foods during the week is a
challenge, spend 15 minutes on Sunday
washing and chopping. Pack sliced fruits
and veggies and rinsed beans into clear
containers or zip-top plastic bags and
stash them where they’re visible in the
fridge. Th e array of brightly colored op-
tions can entice you to reach for those
nutritious foods, and it’s a game changer
when they’re grab-and-go, says Sandra
Arevalo, RDN, CDE, a spokesperson for
the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
PRACTICE FIFO: “FIRST IN,
FIRST OUT” Th ere’s nothing worse
than spending money on wholesome
foods only to see them go to waste. To
avoid wilted produce and past-their-
prime left overs, arrange your fridge so
older foods are near the front. “Th is
practice nudges you to use up what’s in
the front fi rst, which will cut down on
wasted food,” Arevalo says.
CREATE AN ASSEMBLY LINE Eat
oatmeal or a smoothie every morning?
Try prepping in advance: Place each
ingredient in see-through containers,
add a measuring spoon, and group them
together in the pantry or fridge. You can
swift ly go down the line and scoop what
you need. Or, measure out individual
portions of oatmeal or smoothie ingre-
dients so that all you have to do is add
water or milk and cook or blend, says
Diabetic Living advisor Leah Sarris, RD.
KEEP A RUNNING LIST Th ere’s no
more forgett ing there’s sliced turkey
breast or left over fritt ata for lunch when
you keep track of what’s in your fridge.
Purchase an inexpensive dry-erase board
(or even use a sticky note) and keep a
list of the foods you have in the fridge
and freezer, suggests Arevalo.
Hack Your Food Storage
Small tweaks to your pantry and fridge can keep
good-for-you foods visible—and easier to eat.
BY JESSICA MIGALA
JA
CO
B^
FO
X;
ST
YL
IN
G:
K
EL
SE
Y^
BU
LA
T^
&^
SU
E^
MI
TC
HE
LL
+ We round up our favorite meal-prep containers at EatingWell.com/FoodStorage
