We have the kitchen appliances you need for maintaining a diet that's healthy, balanced – and enjoyable.
1. Grill more often
One simple and effective way to cut down on fat is to go for grilling over frying. The health and time-saving benefits of grilling your family meals include:
Reduced fat: the angled grill plate lets the fat drip off, so you can enjoy a guilt-free meal that's packed with flavour
Keeping it interesting: From sumptuous grilled salmon to a classic grilled chicken salad, there are plenty of healthy options that taste great, too.
Less time in the kitchen: Grilling is quick and easy – leaving you more time to relax and enjoy your meal.
Top tip: Rustle up all your family favourites from a lean, juicy steak to a veggie lasagne with the George Foreman Evolve Precision Grill, thanks to new deeper baking pans…
…and cook up to 6 portions in one go. Depending on what’s on the menu, you can angle the grill plates flat or tilt them to let fat drip off. Perfect for starting your health-kick – with the whole family in tow.
2. Eat less saturated fat
First of all, not all fats are bad for you. The ones to watch out for are the saturated variety. Too much saturated fat can raise cholesterol levels, which increases the risk of developing heart disease.
Unfortunately, it's in lots of our so-called 'guilty pleasures' like cakes, biscuits, cream, butter, cheese, sausages and pies.
Perhaps replace some of these with foods rich in unsaturated fats – the good fats – which are high in omega-3. They can be found in:
Nuts
Seeds
Avocados
Oily fish such as mackerel and salmon
3. Reduce your salt intake
Salt isn't just about the stuff we pour from a shaker on to our dinner.
Three-quarters of the salt we eat we can't see - it's already there in pre-packaged foods such as ready meals, as well as bread, cereal, meat, cheese and sauces such as mayo and ketchup.
Adults are supposed to eat no more than 6g of salt per day. A diet high in salt can raise your blood pressure, but there are ways to reduce salt when shopping and cooking. These include:
Avoiding salty snacks: Swap salted peanuts for unsalted popcorn or rice cakes, or a piece of fruit
Choosing the right fish: Swap smoked fish and shellfish like prawns for white or oily fish such as haddock fillets or salmon
Savvy shopping: Remove salty foods like ham, olives and bacon from your shopping list
Top tip: Steam veg instead of boiling it in salty water using a food steamer.
4. Eat the rainbow
Getting your 5 a day might sound a lot, but it's actually not that hard to achieve. A portion can be as little as a single piece of fruit. Try to incorporate all the colours of the rainbow in your diet to give you all the different nutrients you need.
Here are a few examples of one portion of your 5 a day (sorry, but potatoes don't count):
1 glass of unsweetened fruit juice
1 banana
1 slice of melon
3 tbsps of carrots
2 broccoli spears
Whip up a rainbow with the Braun MQ9187 hand blender. It has all the tools you need to speedily prepare fruit and veg for salads, soups and casseroles.
5. Don’t skip breakfast
A healthy breakfast kicks your metabolism into gear. If you make time for it and don’t just grab a slice of toast on the go every day, it can provide you with the essential vitamins you need to stay in tip-top condition.
You’ll also feel more alert and able to concentrate during the morning, whether at work, school or university.
Make nutritious smoothies and warm berry compotes to add to cereals with the Ninja Hot & Cold Blender & Soup Maker. Lactose intolerant or on a plant-based diet? You can also make your own almond or soya milk.
As well as blitzing up a tasty breakfast smoothie, the Ninja also makes yummy winter warming soups. Just throw in all your ingredients, pick one of the pre-set programs and it'll do the rest.
6. Prepare meals from scratch
Try to cook more meals using fresh ingredients. Cooking from scratch lets you control exactly what does and doesn't go into your food.
Make pasta sauces that are low on salt, curries with the leanest turkey, cottage pie with low-fat steak mince and potatoes mashed with semi-skimmed milk or a low fat spread rather than butter and cream.
Top tip: For convenience, make meals from scratch in a pressure cooker – a fast version of a slow cooker. Whip up something for dinner and tomorrow’s lunch in advance.
Try the NINJAFoodi OP350UK Multi Pressure Cooker & Air Fryer. It’s ideal for busy lifestyles – you can braise, stew and batch cook in minutes rather than hours. The pressurised steam locks in nutrients so your meals are also healthier than with conventional cooking.
Check out the NINJAFoodi OP350UK Multi Pressure Cooker & Air Fryer
