Healthy Food Cupboard
Introduction The food items covered in this healthy food cupboard article includes items which are needed to maintain a nutritional diet, and provide you with the secondary benefit of adding variety to family meals. Breakfast Cereals Here brands with high fibre content are pretty much ideal, especially ones without added sugar and / or salt. The most appealing “healthy” cereal, where kids are concerned are usually shredded wheat biscuits and wheat flake bars. Canned Foods - Tinned or canned food items, such as tomatoes, baked beans, kidney beans, tuna, sardines, salmon are all good choices to make in terms of healthy eating. When you’re buying certain items, in particular beans and chick peas opt for varieties, which have been labelled (also, see Food Labelling Explained) ‘no added sugar’. If you’re seeking lower fat varietes of tinned fish, look for the ones canned in brine rather than oil, or where sardines are concerned, skinless and boneless (although these can provide additional nutritional benefits) canned in tomato sauce. In addition to the above advice see to it that you always check the ‘best before end’ date and discard any canned food, which has rusted, been penetrated, dented or become swollen. Dried Pasta and Noodles - As far as a healthy food cupboard is concerned, stocking a selection of high quality pasta and noodles, will help you conjure up quick, easy, energy filled, tasty meals. A good tip for pasta meals with a thick creamy sauce is to store a variety of about three different shapes, you know, shells, twirls or butterflies; using ribbon pasta for smoother sauces. If you want add to extra fiber, vitamin B and Zinc (see, Food Nutrition) to your diet use wholemeal varieties. For meals such as stir-fries and oriental soups, stock food cupboards with dried egg noodles and rice noodles, ensuring they’re kept in cool, dry conditions. Grains - Although grains are one of the most popular foods world over, the use of them Europe is relatively limited. However what many people don’t realise, is that they are a valuable source of fiber, carbs, vitamins and minerals. So for these reasons a healthy food cupboard should be stocked with some type of grain. Although rice is by far the most popular one found in European food cupboards golden yellow polenta, quinoa, buckwheat, amaranth and chia are other varieties you can try. If you are looking for seed dishes that can be prepared quickly, why not try par-cooked couscous or bulghar wheat, whic h can flavour up the blandest of salads or vegetable dishes. Wholegrains are another excellent source of nutrition, and what’s more, will last a lifetime if stored in a cool, dry place, however it must be noted as they mature they take longer to cook. Herbs and Spices - When cooking healthy family meals, fresh herbs and spices are always preferable to dried varieties, however types such as marjoram, rosemary and thyme have a sturdy enough make-up to allow then to withhold most of their aroma and are especially good at adding flavour to pasta dishes and casseroles. As a general rule of thumb though, it is best to buy herbs and spices whole and chop them as needed, as not to end up with too much waste. In addition discard any that have become limp, have a dry taste or have gained a musty odour. With this in mind, it is always best to purchase herbs and spices in small quantities, so you aren’t wasting too much. In addition, they should be stored in air-tight containers in a cool, dry, dark place. Nuts and Seeds - Nuts and seeds are an essential fixture in any healthy food cupboard. Not only are they jam packed full of nutritional goodness, they are very versatile and can be added to a variety of meals, such as biscuits, cakes, salads, stir-fries and curries. Almonds, Brazil nuts, chestnuts and walnuts are really tasty, as are sunflower, sesame and pumpkin seeds. However, it must be noted that because nuts contain a pretty high oil content they can “go off” quickly. Therefore I would suggest buying shelled nuts, but only if they are fresh. As with herbs and spices, purchase them in small quantities and store them in air-tight containers in a cool, dry dark place. Oils - When filling a healthy food cupboard, you should bear in mind that oils extracted from plants are a much healthier option than solid fats and margarines. The most flavoursome are cold-pressed oils, as they are unrefined and nutritional value. Extra-virgin olive is more expensive than other varieties, but can be drizzled over salad and vegetables. On the other hand you’ll find that light olive oil is best if you’re looking to shallow fry food. A great alternative is extra-virgin sunflower oil. When stir-frying, groundnut oil is ideal as it doesn’t oxidise as quickly as others, therefore having a tendency not to smoke too much. In addition, along with safflower and refined sunflower oil are high in polyunsaturates and linoleic acid.To add a deliciously high flavour to salads, why not invest in some unrefined walnut and hazelnut oils. Please note that it is ideal to buy these oils in small quantities, as they fair pretty badly in the ageing stakes. Peas, beans and lentils - World over, pulses provide billions of people with an excellent base for staple dishes. However the use of them in Europe is pretty marginal, therefore many dishes that are produced lack subtle differences where taste is concerned. Pulses such as split-peas, pink borlotti beans, purple-brown Puy lentils and black turtle beans are deliciously flavoured and are very nutritional.Pulses contain very little oil so can be stored for long periods, however the more mature they become the longer they take to cook. When you store or purchase pulses ensure they don’t contain small holes, have flaking skin or look dusty, as these are a sure fire sign that insects have been at them. If this is the case then discard them instantly. Seaweeds - Seaweed is an excellent addition for a healthy food cupboard. It arguably has the best mineral rating of any food and is high in fiber and low in fat. In addition seaweed is rich in protein and B vitamins. In consideration to storage seaweed can be kept indefinitely, as long as it’s stored in a dry place. Soya Products - a great addition to any healthy food cupboard, is the introduction of soya beans, as they are a good source of protein. Tamari is a fermented soya sauce, which is ideal for people on gluten-free diets, as it contains no wheat. An alternative to this (which does contain wheat), is shoyu. The added flavour that these soya sauces contain, make them preferable to processed varieties. Another interesting soya product is the highly fermented and flavoursome miso soya bean paste, which contain similar living bacteria and enzymes as yoghurt and is usually added to soups and stews, after cooking, to enhance their taste. Additionally it can be used in spreads and dressings. If you’re looking for a soya product rich in protein, calcium, iron and B vitamins then look no further than tofu, which is an excellent substitute for animal protein and is very versatile where cooking is concerned too. It can be scrambled, stir-fried, grilled, beaten and used in dressings, sauces and believe it or not desserts. In addition it comes in a number of states, namely silken, soft and firm. Vinegars - Vinegars are not only useful in adding flavours to salads. They’ll also add bite to sauces, casseroles, soups, stir-fries and dips. And because they have different flavours it might be an idea to keep three of four different ones in your healthy food cupboard. If you try the many different varieties, then you’ll find that cider vinegar is an all-rounder; Chinese black vinegar is light with a meaty flavour; brown rice vinegar is great for Asian dishes; white wine vinegar is lighter in respect to red wine vinegar and goes well with salads; balsamic vinegar is a sweet, aromatic and full-bodied, so a few drops is usually enough to do the trick and finally sherry vinegar, which, again is full bodied, but is not as sweet as balsamic vinegar. That’s it for this food healthy food cupboard article I hope you found it useful. While you’re here why not check our articles on:
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