Eating with Ellie: Spring cleaning is for your kitchen, too

Spring invites a fresh-start mentality. It is a perfect season to clean house, literally and figuratively.

This year, incorporate changes that also support a healthier way of eating. It is remarkable how simple changes in how we stock and organize our kitchens can pave the way to eating better.

Remove. A big first step toward developing new, better habits is making room for them. So go through your cupboards, refrigerator and freezer and get rid of anything that is expired, unidentifiable, freezer-burned or stale. Ditch spices more than 2 years old; they have lost their potency by now. Consider tossing unhealthy snacks, soft drinks and sugary cereals or moving them to a hard-to-reach place (more on that below). Once you eliminate what's not helping, you open up your kitchen and life to new possibilities.

Replenish. Fill your newly cleaned freezer with frozen vegetables and fruits with no sauces or sugars added.

Health start shopping list

Frozen vegetables:
Peas
Corn
Spinach
Broccoli
Stir-fry medleys

Frozen fruit:
Berries
Peaches
Mangos
Mixed fruit

Whole grains
Brown rice
Whole-grain pasta
Oatmeal
Quinoa
Bulgur

Herbs and spices:
Curry
Cumin
Coriander
Cinnamon
Chili powder
Paprika
Oregano
Rosemary

Frozen produce, studies show, is comparable in nutrition to fresh, and stocking it means having fruit and vegetables at your fingertips even when you can't get to the market. Because fruit and vegetables are nutrient-rich and satisfying without a lot of calories, they are your No. 1 ally for good nutrition.

Whole grains have more fiber, minerals and health-protective antioxidants than refined; they cause a slower rise in blood sugar and help you feel full faster on fewer calories. So making them your new go-to could help you stay healthier and eat less. Branch out and try at least one whole grain you have never tried before. Quinoa and bulgur are especially quick-cooking and easy to use.

Spices and dried herbs not only add flavor to food, enabling you to cut back on salt without sacrificing taste, but they also have serious antioxidant power. The fresher they are, the more flavor and healing power they provide, so unless you use large quantities, buy small containers and replenish often.

Rearrange. A study in the journal Environment and Behavior found that we are more likely to choose a food if we are visually reminded of it, it is within easy reach and it looks appealing. So set up a beautiful bowl of fresh fruit front and center in your kitchen and replenish it every few days. To avoid unhealthy choices, if you can't ban them entirely, stash chips, cookies, candy and the like in tough-to-reach places so they won't entice you every time you open your cupboard. By having to go out of your way to get them, you give yourself a chance to reconsider. With summer on the way, what better time to redesign and reconsider the way we eat?