10 healthy food hacks for summer

With the change of seasons comes the opportunity to make some healthy changes to your eating habits, whether your aim is to feel fitter, take care of your heart, or to save some money by ditching convenient but pricey food options. To get in the spirit, here are some healthy food hacks to get you started.

There isn’t anything magical about doing this, apart from the fact that fresh mint, cucumber slices, lime and lemon wedges, frozen berries and orange slices can turn your water into something that you want to drink lots of. Good hydration is vital for your heart’s healthy functioning, as well as weight management, concentration, healthy skin and lots more.

If you find it difficult not to follow lunch or dinner with something sweet, brushing your teeth can help take the cravings away. Peppermint is an appetite suppressant, and once you’ve brushed, you won’t want to dirty your teeth again.

Brown rice, quinoa, sweet potato and wholemeal pasta can be cooked up in large amounts, separated into snap lock bags or containers and frozen in individual portions. That way you’ve always got something on hand to throw into a meal. A smart carbohydrate source at a main meal means you’re less likely to pick a not-so-smart carbohydrate in between meals.

Rather than focusing on the foods you should be cutting out, focus on boosting the amounts of foods you should eat and putting together a balanced meal with nutrient-rich foods like vegetables.

Vegetables are the cornerstone of a healthy diet. Make a big bowl of salad out of one bag lettuce, one cucumber, one capsicum, one carrot and one punnet of cherry tomatoes. It’s quick and easy to put together, and then you have an easy vegetable side to add to anything that you’re eating.

Do the same for cooked vegetables. A container of chopped capsicum, carrot, beans, broccoli etc can easily be thrown into a wok as a stir fry or potato, pumpkin, carrot, zucchini and beetroot can be easily thrown into a tray and roasted.

Learn how to include them in a balanced way. If you enjoy chocolate, you could have a small portion of a high quality kind accompanied by a plate of fresh berries.

Healthy eating is so much more enjoyable when you’re eating food that you actually enjoy. One of the ways we bring enjoyment to food is by adding different flavours and keeping it varied and different. Try adding lamb or chicken pieces with lemon, garlic, oregano and olive oil into a snap lock bag or container and freezing. Then all you have to do is defrost and cook. Other easy combos you could try are:

• Moroccan spice mix, olive oil and lemon juice
• Lime juice, soy sauce and ginger.

You can find more tasty recipes on our website.

This means you’ll always have something quick and easy on hand. Thinks foods like canned beans, chickpeas, lentils and corn kernels, tinned tuna, salmon and sardines, eggs, popcorn, frozen berries, frozen vegetables, ricotta and cottage cheese, natural yoghurt, oats, raw nuts and seeds.

Start using containers to organise your staples into categories. Then, when you do a grocery shop, all you have to do is check the fridge, freezer or pantry and write your list based on which containers are running low. Add in any perishable items and fresh produce, and your shopping list is done!

Worried about the added sugar in store-bought muesli or don’t like some of the ingredients? Why not make your own? You can save money by buying the raw ingredients in bulk, and then you can create a muesli combo that is as individual as you! If you’re weight conscious, go easy on the nuts, seeds, coconut oil, honey or syrup. Too much fat or sugar may halt your weight loss efforts.