Healthy foods to keep in your fridge

Eating healthy isn’t always easy—but there are steps you can take today to make it easier on your future self. Here’s a reminder to take stock of your fridge, clean out the spinach that’s gone mushy and consider the foods you consistently eat and the ones you leave behind.

Eating a plant-based diet—filled with fruits, vegetables, beans and whole grains—is just one of the many choices you can make every day to lower your risk for several types of cancer. We’re sharing the healthy hacks you need and inspo for which foods to stock up on so you can consistently reach for healthy choices.

Pre-cut fruits and veggies

Picture this: You’re super hungry and craving something sweet. You open your refrigerator and see a whole pineapple. Are you going to take the time to cut it up and risk your hunger turning into hanger, or are you going to close the fridge and reach for the cookies instead?

Take some time once a week after you grocery shop to prep your fruits and vegetables. Bookmark this guide to storing produce. Similarly, dice vegetables you want to use up and store in Tupperware so when it’s time to cook, the most annoying step is already done. If you want to get creative in the kitchen but don’t have time to hack a spaghetti squash in half or spiralize five zucchinis, consider buying pre-cut options to make life easier.

Smoothie starters

Want to make a smoothie for breakfast or a snack but don’t have time to gather various complementary fruits? Or, does your fruit tend to go bad before you have time to use it up? Try smoothie starters: bags of pre-portioned fruit that you just add liquid to for a perfect and easy smoothie. For example, for a banana berry smoothie bowl, portion out your mixed berries, bananas and spinach into plastic or silicone bags and store in the fridge or freezer. When you want a smoothie, mix the contents of the bag with yogurt, almond milk and peanut butter, allowing you to skip the step of gathering and portioning the ingredients every time.

Seltzer

If you want to reduce your soda or alcohol intake, stock up on seltzer. It’s better to avoid drinks with added sugar, but you can satisfy a craving for carbonation with sugar-free seltzer. Similarly, if you enjoy having a cocktail to end the night, try swapping it out for seltzer to lower your alcohol intake. Seltzer comes in lots of flavors and variations, so you can play around to find your favorite mocktail recipe.

Fresh greens

Spinach and kale are some of the most versatile vegetables. Making soup? Toss a handful in! A smoothie? Same thing. (Most times, you won’t even taste it.) Stew, pasta, stir fry, you name it—you can add a boost of green easily. A large 2021 study found that three servings of vegetables (not starchy ones, like potatoes) and two of fruit (not juice) every day resulted in a 10% lower risk of death from cancer. If your greens have been in the fridge for a little too long, transfer them to the freezer so they last longer.

Your go-tos

Ultimately, you’re going to reach for your favorite foods and waste the ones you can’t figure out how to cook. It’s great to try new recipes and experiment, but if you find there’s an ingredient that isn’t your thing, don’t push it. Try keeping track of the vegetables and fruits you eat the most and add those to your next grocery list.

LEER MÁS | Healthy after school snacks

We get it—pre-made cookie dough and takeout containers will be in your refrigerator from time to time—that’s life! But if we consciously add healthy and delicious foods to the mix, we’ll be more likely to reach for them and create a more balanced, prevention-focused lifestyle—and that’s always worth reaching for.