So if you’re feeling overwhelmed by the amount of information going around about what constitutes a healthy diet, there’s one good place to start – with a professional’s opinion.
Dr Kellie Bilinski is an Accredited Practising Dietitian in private practice and postgraduate research fellow at NICM. She’s told Women’s Health the staples she will always stock her kitchen with.
1. Free range eggs
Eggs are incredibly rich in high quality proteins, vitamins, good fats and minerals. Plus they’re super versatile offering plenty of breakfast, snack, lunch and dinner options.
“There’s so much you can make with eggs when you need a quick meal,” Kellie says. “We also use them in baking to make morning tea snacks, such as healthy muffins or pancakes on a Sunday morning.”
2. Milk
While more and more people are cutting dairy from their diets, Kellie (like most dietitians) is still a fan of the white stuff.
“Milk is a staple in my fridge for breakfasts and a drink for my growing teenagers. It’s an excellent source of protein and calcium.”
3. Whole grain bread, crumpets and raisin bread
Whole grain and whole meal products retain the parts of the original kernel — bran, germ and endosperm. They are loaded with soluble and insoluble fibre, essential vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals, and their consumption has been found to reduce the risk of developing certain diseases.
“[These products are] always there fresh as well as some kept in the freezer for toast, sandwiches or an afternoon snack."
4. Fresh vegetables
“Really do try to make vegetables the basis of every meal and aim for your five serves a day,” Kellie says. “I particularly like to ensure we have as many different varieties each day.”
She always keeps her fridge stocked with fresh veggies such as broccoli, zucchini, onions, red capsicum, mushrooms and pumpkin.
“We can always whip up a stir fry when a quick meal is needed.”
5. Protein
Protein is an essential component of a healthy diet as it’s involved in almost all bodily functions.
Kellie says she’ll always have some sort of protein rich food in her fridge such as lean beef, fresh fish, or lean mince to make a quick meal such as Bolognese. But she also keeps meat-free protein sources handy.
“We occasionally have might be a lentil soup or tofu stir fry.”
6. Fruit
Fresh fruits are a great source of antioxidants and fibre.
“Particularly bananas - they’re convenient and make a great snack,” Kellie says. “Depending on what’s in season there is likely to be berries in the fridge to sprinkle over cereals or yoghurt.”
This story first appeared on Women’s Health
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