The kitchen is one of the most important rooms in your home. It is no wonder that the hearth is associated with the home. Historically, the hearth is the fireplace that acted as the main source of heat and the area where the food was cooked.

While nowadays, we don’t cook over an open hearth, the kitchen maintains its crucial function in our day-to-day life. It should be the place where you cook and eat.

However, modern households are changing. The introduction of new technology is transforming our eating routines, encouraging entertainment over nutrition.

Indeed, did you know that less than 50% of Americans eat at the dining table? More and more adults choose to eat on the couch, and some even eat in bed.

We are not replacing the plate, but choosing to focus our attention on our screens – tv and laptop – rather than our plates.

As such, people are at risk of developing mindless eating habits, which could put their health at risk. In countries where screens are interfering with dining time, health conditions are being exacerbated by our poor diets.

From obesity to diabetes, it’s time to drop the tv and bring the kitchen back at the heart of our health and lifestyle.

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Make it your new favorite room
Why don’t we spend time in the kitchen? Most homeowners agree that the kitchen has fallen into disuse. It’s old-fashioned. It’s too small. It’s not practical.

It’s not stylish. We all have our reasons. But the consensus is that the kitchen isn’t on top of our home improvement priorities. Yet, the longer we disregard our kitchen, the more it can affect our health. We are all familiar with the saying “you are what you eat”.

Therefore, it’s time to consider how the best kitchen renovations can bring your health back into perspective. Mindless eating habits are affecting our waistline, our metabolism, our mood, and our immune system.

Of course, designing a brand new kitchen isn’t going to solve all health problems. But it gives each household the chance to turn off the screen and enjoy the cozy and welcoming layout of the hearth. It’s about shifting our attention to our plates and away from the screen.

Invest in a spice & oil rack
What are the typical ingredients you are most likely to find in American kitchens? The pantry staples include a lot of sauces.

Ketchup, hot sauce, salsa, mayonnaise, and many more. Sauces can help transform a boring dish into a delicious meal. However, our favorite sauces are packed with preservatives, colorants, sugar, and processed fat, which turn a healthy meal into a calorific bomb that can put your arteries at risk.

Unfortunately, unless you create a dedicated space for your oils and spices, you’re likely to store and forget them at the back of the cupboard.

The first step to make the kitchen a healthy place is to make it easy for you to enjoy food without store-bought sauces. Instead, you may want to consider some of these yummy alternatives:

Basil, oregano, thyme, rosemary
Garlic, ginger, fresh turmeric
Spices
Olive oil, sesame oil, which have both huge health benefits
Lemons, plums
Seeds
Soybean sauce

You can elevate a simple salad dish with a fresh squeeze of lemon, some salt and pepper, and a tablespoon of olive oil. Sesame oil adds a nutty flavor to fish and noodle recipes. There are so many options!

Create a green spot
Dried herbs are a great addition to your recipes. But nothing replaces the fragrant flavor you get from fresh kitchen herbs. You can create a small herb garden inside your kitchen, using the window area or an unused countertop.

Many herbs, such as mint and parsley don’t need full sunlight to grow plentiful and delicious. Every kitchen is different, so you’ll need to find the best approach for your space.

It can be fun to re-purpose empty food cans for your kitchen plants. Keeping the plants in small pots makes it easy to relocate them throughout the season. Small rooms, on the other hand, can use vertical space by hanging pots around the window.

If you prefer high-tech, you can invest in a smart plant grower that offers a compact approach to kitchen herb gardening. The smart tech provides plenty of synthetic sunlight to help you grow fragrant basil even in the darkest of kitchens.

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Don’t buy junk food
If you don’t buy it, you don’t eat it.

Following this simple logic, you can learn to stock your cupboards and fridge with healthy choices. Contrary to common preconceptions, healthy food doesn’t have to be bland.

There are plenty of yummy alternatives to your favorite treats and meals. If you’ve got a sweet tooth, soft prunes, or dates make a great snack to keep you going. A fruity tea could also satisfy your sweet spot without needing unhealthy sugar.

Another great idea to reduce your carb intake without depriving yourself is to add more protein and vegetables to your meals. Carbs are crucial because they support the energy production process.

So they are not technically junk. Yet, we have an unhealthy relationship to carbs. The body also needs nutritional elements that it can’t receive from carbs. You’ll be surprised by how much a vegetable storage solution could transform your health!

Invest in a few essentials
We tend to misinterpret what kitchen essentials should be. Essentials refer to the tools and items that can help you cook and prepare food hassle-free.

It is a good idea to invest in good quality utensils that can do the hard work. A cook doesn’t need more than a good knife, a frying pan, a saucepan, and a mortar to carry on most recipes.

These are your top priorities. Depending on your cooking style, you’ll need more utensils. But there’s no need to accumulate meaningless gadgets that will only add clutter but no function to the kitchen.

Whether you want to improve your immune system or to lose weight, the kitchen can help you control your health. Designing a room that can remove the screen focus during dining time can transform our health and enjoyment of food.

From exquisite kitchen layouts to the introduction of healthy alternatives to sauces and treats, there’s a never-ending world of health opportunities at hand.