We all have our staple shopping items that get thrown in the trolley without a second glance. It might be your weekly naughty indulgence or maybe its the bag of crisps you just can’t live without. Believe it or not, it’s these regular friends (or foes) in our baskets that determine how healthy we’re going to be eating that week, and in the future.

Being in great shape, eating clean and craving the benefits of healthy food is mostly, if not all, down to habit. We are creatures of habit – we like what we know and we know what we like. So if you’re looking for a place to kick-start some healthy changes in your life with what you eat, then knowing what foods to keep in your fridge is a great starting point. You may have heard the phrase “you are what you eat,” – true of course to some extent but I think more fitting is “you are what you buy”. Spend money on chocolate and crisps and no doubt they’ll be needing a re-fill a week later. The same applies to nutritious produce; buy raw beetroot, kale, asparagus and yummy greens and chances are they’ll be cooked and eaten in no time!

I want to let you into my home, my shopping trolley and my fridge! It’s not all about seeing only greens when you open the fridge doors, it’s about getting the balance right and making choices every day that will impact you, and your body in a positive way.

Have these foods in your fridge on a continuous basis and not only will you be feeding your body with a world of rich vitamins and minerals every day but even better, it will start re-progamming your cravings and tastes to a healthier set of foods without even knowing it!

My top 7 Foods to keep in your Fridge

 1)Leafy Greens

These can be anything from Kale to Spinach to collards. Bursting with an array of vitamins and minerals, they are literally your daily dose of ‘healthy’! Chop raw kale up and toss a lemon and tahini dressing on top and it makes for a delicious side salad! Pomegranate is a great one to add to leafy greens because it compliments them with a fruity and sweet taste. Steam them, stir fry them, bake them – get creative! Eating them raw is of course the best way to take in the maximum nutritious value but if you prefer them cooked, cook away!

2) Ginger

This is a great one to add into morning shakes, teas or fish dishes. Because of it’s strong flavour, it’s a perfect way to add taste and a little ‘kick’ to dishes like grilled salmon or steamed vegetables instead of using too much salt. Compounds in ginger have been proven to help with digestion and it’s a great natural anti-inflammatory.

3) Lemons

These go nicely hand in hand with ginger. For digestion, cleansing and purifying your body, lemons are a real winner! I go through at least a lemon-a-day from morning teas to salad dressings. They are the ultimate healthy and natural dressing for salads, especially ones that contain rich green vegetables that are high in Iron. The Vitamin C in lemons helps the body to absorb iron which is involved in important body processes such as producing red blood cells.

Combine with a little extra virgin olive oil and whole grain mustard and you have yourself a delicious and guilt free topping which adds a tun of flavour and health benefits in itself!

 4) Fresh fruit

 Never leave yourself short of a delicious piece of fruit! They provide us with natural sugars that can keep sweet and chocolate cravings at bay as well as support healthy fat loss. Berries are one of the best types of fruit because they are full of antioxidants and have a low GL (Glycemic Load) which means that they won’t cause a spike in blood sugar levels. Plus, they’re YUMMY!

5) Crudités

These are my failsafe snack when I need something to munch on! Carrots, celery, peppers and cucumber are always good to have there ready to chop up and eat. Combine this essential fridge food with my next one and you’ll always be prepared for a healthy afternoon snack, or for when unexpected visitors pop round and you need something to put on the table.

6) Homemade dips

The reason why these are in my Top 7 Fridge Foods is because you can get so creative with them! Whether it be roasted red pepper hummus or black bean dip, the world is your oyster. The range is endless and the best part about making your own dips as opposed to shop-bought dips, is you know exactly what’s in them. There’s no need to add preservatives but more importantly no need for unnecessary sugars or excess, unhealthy oils. Always have number 5) and 6) at the ready and you’ll never be left short of a tasty snack.

7) Fresh Herbs

There’ll always be a bunch of parsley, mint, basil and cilantro (coriander) in the bottom drawer of my fridge. Although there are plenty of herbs you can buy, these four key ones I find are the most useful day-to-day. They make for flavourful garnishes and tasty marinades as well adding welcome colour to dishes. Parsley in particular is found in lots of superfood green juices because of its abundance of vitamins and minerals, (especially Vitamin K , C and A) and it’s antioxidant properties. It’s a real superfood!

I hope you find these helpful and feel free to share your staple fridge foods with me below!