Eat Well, Live Well - Freshen up your fridge

Wed 16^th Feb

Lent is upon us – traditionally the time where we give up something we love. But when it comes to food, telling yourself that you’re ‘giving up’ a certain food can you crave it all the more. So why not just think of it as swapping an old fridge favourite for a new, delicious and healthy taste?

Swap: ancient mayonnaise for fresh new spread ideas
Mayo goes with everything, so many of us rely on it as our standard sandwich pick-me-up. But there are so many other ways of livening up your lunch. Why not splash out on some extra virgin olive oil or balsamic vinegar? They’re great multi-taskers as they make perfect salad dressings as well as adding zing to your sandwiches. Unsalted butter is deliciously creamy and perfect for baking as well, or experiment with more exotic tastes like salsa, hummous and pesto – they’re easy to make, cheap to buy ready-made and go well on RYVITA® Crispbread !

Swap: browning salad bags for crunchy fresh leaves
Hang on – isn’t salad good for you? Of course it is – but choose your leaves wisely. Salad that comes in pre-prepared bags may save you time, but it goes off quickly and slightly browning leaves aren’t exactly appetising. That means a lot of salad bags bought with the best of intentions end up withering and wasted at the bottom of the fridge. If you’re after maximum nutrients plus value for money, just grow your own. All you need is a windowsill, a flower pot, a bit of compost and a packet of mixed leaf seeds. Or try buying a whole lettuce – there are many fantastic varieties out there, all of which keep much better than the bags.

Swap: sugary desserts for fruity yogurt
It’s easy to fall into unhealthy habits when it comes to dessert and just grab the first sugary pot that comes to hand! So try something new.  Try buying a couple of big pots of natural or Greek yogurt plus toppings of your choice. Those toppings could be anything from fresh, dried or tinned fruit, nuts, seeds, granola, muesli...the choice is endless. Ring the changes with your toppings to suit the seasons, your mood and the time of day. And if you’re after maximum freshness, invest in a yoghurt maker which will cost pennies to run and will ensure you never run low.

Swap: greasy spoon bacon for classy smoked salmon
If you want to cut down on your consumption of red meat, start with your breakfast bacon. A weekend breakfast treat doesn’t have to be a traditional fry-up. The Food Standards Agency recommends that everyone should try to eat at least one portion of oily fish per week, so why not try the classic smoked salmon, bagel and cream cheese combination? Scrambled eggs also go perfectly with smoked salmon, and are a much healthier way of preparing eggs than frying them. Both options also work really well on RYVITA® Crispbread as a crunchy alternative.