Stock Your Fridge - Healthy Fats

June 18, 2018

As mentioned in Newsletter #14, one of the most common issues we have to overcome when we decide to eat healthier is that we often don't have the right foods in our fridges and pantries when we need them.

When we're ravenous, we tend to just grab what we see first -- and that is often not the healthiest option. It is often something processed -- something to quiet those hunger pangs quickly. But the best thing to eat when we're really hungry is that often-maligned macronutrient: fat.

Healthy fats are a great way to keep hunger at bay AND nourish your body at the same time. Keep a variety of healthy fats on hand all the time! Here are some ideas:

- AVOCADOS. You wouldn't believe how many of these I bought at the supermarket today -- we go through a LOT of these in our house. Chop them up and put them on your salad, spread them on (gluten-free) toast or just sprinkle them with salt and eat them right out of their skins. Make a batch of guacamole and dip raw veggies in it for a delicious, healthy snack that will actually fill you up. Even if the only avocados they have at the supermarket are rock hard, just leave them on your counter for a couple of days and they'll be perfect (if they're getting too soft, just put them in your refrigerator to slow the ripening).

- NUTS. Almonds, macadamias, walnuts, pecans...and their correspoding nut butters (as long as they don't have added sugars or crappy oils)...are all good. Grab a handful of nuts and a piece of fruit or some veggies for a filling, nutrient-dense, blood sugar-balancing snack.

- SEEDS. Pumpkin, sesame, flax, chia and hemp seeds are all great options and are delicious on top of a salad -- they add a nice crunch and a healthy dose of fat to help keep you full if you're only having a salad for lunch.

- OLIVES. Green, black, Greek -- any kind is good. Whole Foods and Fairway have amazing olive bars -- grab a tub of whatever kind you like and keep it in your fridge at all times! Just a small serving, like 5 olives, can really help you stave off hunger.

- OILS & ANIMAL FATS. Rid your pantry of all processed seed oils, like canola, sunflower, safflower and soybean. Stock up on olive oil, coconut oil, avocado oil and grass-fed butter or ghee. Vegetables (Brussels sprouts, kale, sweet potatoes, butternut squash) are delicious roasted in coconut oil. Duck fat turns vegetables (broccoli, green beans, white potatoes) into mouth-watering delights.

Making these small changes -- keeping some healthy fats around for snacks and meal additions and switching out all of the processed seed oils in your house for healthier options -- is relatively easy to do since there's really no sacrifice. If anything, you'll be improving the taste of your food -- and you'll improve your health at the same time!