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How to Design a Healthy Kitchen

HOW TO DESIGN A HEALTHY KITCHEN

Becoming healthier is on just about everyone’s list, especially at the start of a new year. More exercise, better food choices, and getting enough sleep are at the top of the list. When it comes to making healthier selections for what we eat, one of the first things we limit is going out and cooking more at home. Many find this problematic because their kitchen layout is not functional or motivating. Your kitchen design can impact your willingness to follow through with your resolve to eat better by cooking at home. Just like a good home office design influences productivity and the ability to focus, a good kitchen design can assist you in sticking to your plans for a better you. Let’s talk about essential design elements needed in your kitchen that can help you make better choices for your health and stick with them. 

More counter space

Cooking at home means having enough space to spread out. If you have limited space and struggle to prepare for a meal, it can reduce your motivation, which is one of the main ingredients to healthy living. Having sufficient counter space to spread out all of your ingredients and cutting boards helps you feel inspired to create that fantastic meal. Some things to consider when designing a healthy kitchen are:

  • Move appliances off the counter.
  • Use the wall space for pots and pans
  • Have a large, uninterrupted space

When planning your counter space it is essential to think about what needs to be done in the kitchen and what items can be eliminated. A built-in microwave in the lower cabinet area or island allows you to have its convenience without taking up valuable space. Hanging your pots and pans above the stove means easy access without clutter. Think about adding a kitchen island, it provides a large area for you to spread out all the healthy ingredients for your meal in one space making dinner prep effortless. Read a few more helpful tips on getting the most out of your counter space in this article by Family Handyman. Sufficient counter space is like having a blank canvas ready for you to create unique, healthy meals your family can enjoy together. It allows you to feel inspired and productive, two essential ingredients for a healthy kitchen.

Functional layout

The layout of a kitchen is another key ingredient to healthy living. A kitchen that hinders flow and feels cramped with people bumping into one another will quickly hinder any ambition for making healthy food choices. Put these things on your kitchen layout renovation list:

  • Good traffic flow
  • The work triangle
  • Open floor plan

Traffic flow is a critical part of the design planning phase as it controls how easy it is for the family to interact in the kitchen together. No one enjoys getting pushed against the counter while prepping for dinner because someone needs to get through. Make sure there is enough space between the counter and your island for people to move around. Another critical feature in a functional kitchen layout is the work triangle. This dictates the space between the appliances, such as the refrigerator and stove, from the sink. These are the three main cooking areas in the kitchen, and they need to be close if you want to make things easier for meal prep. Fewer steps between these areas mean less mess and more time saved, plus fewer accidents from turning around on someone or burning a person with a hot pot. Connection is an important element in the home, especially in the kitchen, as we like to stay involved with what’s happening with our family, but a closed kitchen can make us feel secluded. Open floor plans are a popular option for homeowners who want to cook but are connected at the same time. It’s easier to stay motivated to cook healthier meals for your family when surrounded by or near them while you are cooking. A good kitchen designer can help you create the perfect layout for you that can inspire you to be healthy in the kitchen.

Good kitchen appliances

A delicious meal can be ruined if you have faulty appliances or poor functionality. No one looks forward to cooking on a stove that doesn’t work properly or using an outdated microwave. This can even extend to the type of faucet or refrigerator you have. The fresh ingredients used to make those healthy meals need to be stored somewhere and at the right temperature, but if you have an old refrigerator or one that lacks the necessary storage, you will become frustrated. Think about upgrading to one that has enough room for all those nutritious ingredients. A good stove can also do wonders in cooking your food evenly and motivating you to want to do it. With a griddle option, you can weigh the options between a standard four-burner and a six-burner. Maybe you want gas over electric; the choice is up to you. The kitchen sink matters, including the faucet, as most of your prep work is done there, such as rinsing the vegetables. Select one that is easy to turn off and on, as you may have hands covered in olive oil or something else. Another good faucet option would be a nozzle that streams or sprays; a sprayer is perfect for raising salads or dirty dishes. Your kitchen appliances matter when cooking, so invest in ones that will make cooking healthy meals easier for you. 

Organized kitchen design

Knowing where everything is makes any task easier to accomplish, and the kitchen is no exception. Nothing nixes motivation like a disorganized kitchen; a healthy kitchen is organized and has a place for everything. Things most used in a healthy kitchen include:

  • Spices
  • Cutting boards
  • Pots and pans
  • Baking sheets
  • Cutlery
  • bowls

These items should be within easy reach and have a designed area. Spices will almost always be needed near the stove, so consider designing cabinets with roll-outs where you can place your favorite spices. Cutting boards and baking sheets stay neatly tucked away in cabinets with dividers. Adding deeper drawers to your lower cabinets makes storing pots and pans effortless and straightforward to put away when done. Kitchen organization is a must because it reduces stress, allows you to find everything needed for making a healthy dinner, and makes it easier to put things back where they belong. A healthy kitchen is one where you can find things when needed and keep it that way. Our designers are experienced in assisting our clients in creating a kitchen that is exactly what they need for their homes.

A healthy kitchen design

These are some of the things you can do to make sure you have a healthy kitchen ready for you to create dishes that are not just delicious but good for your family’s health. We know it is not always easy to stick with the decision to be healthier, but with a well-designed kitchen, it can be. With over twenty years of experience, our design team is well-versed in planning a kitchen design that functions well for your specific needs while looking like the style you will love.