Decluttering and cleaning out your kitchen and refrigerator is a great way to kick off your spring cleaning. It may even help you lose some weight! A few studies have shown that an organized kitchen may help decrease mindless snacking. This is because chaotic environments that feel out of control cause stress and can lead to mindless eating.

Mindfulness is the state of being present in the moment and noticing and accepting all that is around you in a nonjudgmental way. Practicing mindful eating forces one to stop and think about what you are eating and why. The practice of mindfulness takes time and is much easier to focus on when one's life and environment is less chaotic. Our food environments play into this and can affect our ability to eat more mindfully.

Here are some tips to help declutter your kitchen and organize your food environment:

  1. Place healthy food at eye level.  Wash and portion produce into clear containers and place at eye level in your refrigerator.  Clear the counters of all food except for a bowl of fresh fruit.
  2. Hide less healthy foods.  If you keep snack food in the house, keep it in a cabinet.  Another option is to put cookies in the back of the freezer or do not buy them.
  3. Remove the TV, computer and cell phones from the kitchen.  This will ensure meal times are free of distractions.  You can focus on the taste of the food and your hunger and fullness cues.
  4. Keep a grocery list posted on the refrigerator.  This will allow the family to note what you are running low on.  Going into the store with a plan will help unwanted foods or repeats of foods from entering the house.  A list of planned meals for the week should also be posted so family members can help start dinner.
  5. Invest in a slow cooker and keep it easily accessible.  Starting dinner in the morning will ensure that food is ready when you walk in the door.  This can help prevent last minute decisions to eat out.  Try this healthy recipe in the slow cooker on low.
  6. Declutter the kitchen every other week.  This includes checking which foods you have and throwing out or composting spoiled food.