Home cooking is really one of the healthiest things you can do for yourself. You control what goes in it, avoid the processed garbage, and steer clear of the questionable ingredients that have a history of sneaking their way into restaurant or pre-prepared foods. But even when your home cooking, there are a few easy to fall into habits that can creep up and ruin your good intentions quietly. Here are a few sneaky errors that might be making your food less healthy and how not to compromise on flavor.
1. Too much Oil
Yes, a single ounce of oil is perfectly okay. But the thing is, most home cooks are adding much more than they require. Whether it’s a sheen of oil in a pan or a pleasant drizzle over roasted vegetables, all of those extra spoonfuls mount up fast. Oils even the good kind such as olive or avocado are calorie-rich and not very nutrient-dense relative to intact plant-based fats such as nuts, seeds, or avocados.
The Solution: Roast or braise in water or vegetable broth instead. When roasting vegetables, use parchment paper to line your baking sheet so that vegetables won’t stick. You’ll be amazed at how good oil-free cooking is once you get accustomed to it.
2. Excessive Salt
Salt enhances flavor, no question. But excessive salt from more than one source (such as usually happens in canned goods, spice blends, and broth) can have your sodium consumption soaring way beyond what’s appropriate. Excess sodium is associated with high blood pressure and heart disease; it’s easy to exceed limits without even knowing it.
The Solution: Reduce added salt usage by depending more on herbs and spices, citrus juices, and vinegars. Utilize low-sodium canned goods or rinse them prior to cooking. And never taste food without first ascertaining its flavor using a soft finger lick or a small bite of food itself.
3. Using Non-Stick Cookware with Scratches
Non-stick cookware can be a huge time saver when it comes to cleaning, but the instant they begin chipping or scratching, they release chemicals into your food and that’s bad. The chemical-coated cookware, particularly Teflon, become toxic as soon as they begin to wear down with heat.
The Fix: If your non-stick pan is older than you, it’s time to retire it. Look for safer alternatives like stainless steel, cast iron, or ceramic-coated cookware, which will last longer and don’t carry the same health issues.
4. Cooking with High Heat All the Time
To add heat will cook it quicker, but sometimes the healthiest way to do it is not. It will destroy sensitive nutrients in vegetables when they’re cooked on high heat and produce carcinogens when browning and charring food primarily meats, but even plant food when charring.
The Fix: Wash more frequently using medium heat, particularly for sautéing or simmering. When roasting or baking, use moderate oven temperatures unless the recipe actually requires a burst of heat. Slow and steady often wins the flavor (and health) race.
5. Not Washing Produce Properly
Even fresh organic fruit and vegetables may be coated in dirt, bacteria, and pesticide residue. If you’re not thoroughly washing them off, you might be subjecting your body to things it didn’t invite at all.
The Fix: Always rinse produce under running water even products with a skin. For leafy greens or produce with many crevices, soak in a large bowl of water and swish around. You don’t need flashy sprays a good wash will do.
6. Relying Too Much on Packaged Sauces
Those dressings, marinades, and sauces that come in bottles are typically packed with added sodium, oils, preservatives, and sugars even the so-called “healthy” kinds. That can fall on a lot of unnecessary stuff in what could otherwise be a healthy meal.
The Fix: Prepare your own sauces at home using whole foods. It is simpler than you imagine! A blender, tahini or rehydrated cashews, lemon juice, garlic, and herbs can make a tasty dressing or dip. If you do purchase sauces, read labels and choose the lowest ingredient list.
7. Not Measuring Ingredients
“Eyeballing it” may work when you’re experienced in cooking, but it will be too much sugar, oil, salt, or even calorie-filled foods for a recipe in no time. These little mistakes accumulate over time.
The Fix: Have some measuring cups and spoons lying around and make use of them until you become more accustomed to seeing what the right quantities look like. Particularly convenient when baking or preparing sauces.
8. Overcooking Vegetables
If your veggies always come out mushy, dull, or bland, there’s a good chance you’re overcooking them. Overcooked veggies not only lose texture and flavor, but they also lose nutrients like vitamin C and some B vitamins.
The Fix: Aim to cook vegetables until they’re just tender-crisp. Steaming, sautéing, and roasting all work well just don’t leave them unattended. And if you’re boiling, do it briefly and consider using the cooking water in soups to save the nutrients.
9. Letting Leftovers Sit Out Too Long
We have all been guilty of eating our meal, then just letting dinner sit around for a bit before closing it back up in the fridge. The bad news is, if food is allowed to sit at room temperature for more than two hours, or one hour if it is hot outside, the bacteria will grow on it.
The Fix: Make cooling and refrigerating leftovers a habit. Package large servings in smaller containers to chill more quickly in the refrigerator. If it won’t be consumed within a few days, freeze it.
10. Using Old Spices
Spices expire. Eventually, they dry out and lose flavor and kick and stale spices won’t kill you, but it will make your food a mite sad and unexciting.
The Cure: Check all your spices every few months. If a spice has lost its aroma or is light in color, it’s time to discard it. For longevity, keep spices in an airtight space in your pantry not directly over your stove.
11. No Portion Sizes
Even healthy food is too much to eat. Portion-sized servings of calorie-dense foods such as pasta, rice, nuts, or sauces can do a healthy meal quietly do something you don’t want it to for your health.
The Solution: Eat off small plates or bowls, and pause to listen to your hunger signals. You don’t have to concern yourself with every bite, but tracking portions keeps you in balance without feeling starved.
Home cooking is one of the healthiest things you can do, but it’s easy to fall into habits that don’t seem a problem at the time but add up over time. With a few small adjustments such as measuring oil, substituting store-bought sauce with homemade sauce, or reducing the flame you can make your meals even healthier without sacrificing any of the fun or flavor. Continue learning, remain curious, and turn your kitchen into a room that nourishes the type of life you want to live.
