The kitchen has a greater impact on your health and wellness than any other room in the house. It’s where you prepare and store most of your food, so naturally, it makes sense to have a wellness-oriented kitchen design to support a healthy diet.
These seven ingredients are the perfect additions for any health-conscious homeowner looking to redesign their kitchen.
1. Fresh Refrigerator And Freezer
A great fridge-freezer combo is the most important ingredient of a wellness-oriented kitchen. Giving your food an ideal storage environment helps it stay fresh, taste better and retain its nutritional value for longer. Upgrading your fridge and freezer will directly lead to healthier and more delicious meals.
Today’s offerings have impressive climate control features. They can make energy-saving temperature adjustments and have different settings for meat and produce drawers. Some models even have sensors for remote monitoring. If you want to keep your leftovers fresh and flavorful, this improvement should be the first item on your list.
2. Combination Oven
The oven is another essential appliance you should upgrade. Instead of using a traditional single-purpose appliance, get a combination oven that can cook a wider variety of foods. It can switch between baking, broiling, roasting, steaming and smoking with ease.
Plus, “combi” ovens are known to maintain exact temperatures and humidity levels no matter what they’re cooking. Their reliable performance has made them popular in professional kitchens, but they would make a great addition to your space, too.
3.Sanitizing Dishwasher
Your dishwasher is the next appliance you should upgrade to ensure a wellness-oriented kitchen. The right one can use up to 10 times less water than hand washing your dishes. Although conserving water is important, that’s not the only reason you should upgrade your dishwasher.
Today’s dishwashers come with extra sanitizing features to keep your dishes truly clean. With the press of a button, you can increase the water temperature and kill more bacteria. Sanitized plates, bowls, cups and silverware contribute to a healthy, disease-free household.
4. Eco-Friendly Materials
Now that you’ve upgraded your essential appliances, you can focus on adding natural materials. Creating a nature-inspired look will benefit your family physically and mentally. It reduces your exposure to artificial contaminants and can lower stress levels by immersing you in more biophilic elements.
For those interested in biophilic kitchen design, natural hardwood will be in high demand because you can choose from various tree species and stain them in many colors. Maple, walnut, oak and birch are all versatile options that fit any kitchen style. Stone countertops are always in style, too — specifically granite and quartz.
5. Meal Prep Items
Sticking to a diet is arguably the hardest part of maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Your kitchen must be able to support your choices instead of holding you back, so you need to stock up on meal prep essentials. Making your food a few days in advance will help you stay on track toward your goals.
The key piece of the meal-prepping puzzle is a capable food container set with various sizes. You need reliable containers for on-the-go dieting and safe long-term storage. Other items you should consider include a food scale, blender, large cooking sheets and a Dutch oven for bulk-cooking purposes.
6. Water Faucet Upgrades
Your kitchen sink is another key component of wellness-oriented design. You should aim to make two upgrades in particular — a touchless faucet and a quality filter. Touchless faucets will help you conserve water and avoid spreading germs, while the filter will remove particles and contaminants from the tap.
Alternatively, you could use a water filter pitcher instead of attaching a filter directly to the faucet. As long as you have a device to purify your drinking water, you’re doing it right.
7. Clean Air Quality
You can also purify your kitchen’s air by getting an air filter or dehumidifier. Kitchens tend to have the worst air quality in the house because they’re high-traffic areas and often have several appliances running at once.
A natural way to improve your kitchen’s air quality is by adding more plants. Put a few houseplants in the windowsill or on the countertops. You could even start an herb garden in a few small pots and enhance your cooking skills. No matter your route, more plants will improve your air quality and add more life to the room.
Create Your Dream Kitchen
Kitchens come in many shapes and sizes, but they all serve the same basic purpose — to keep your family healthy. This purpose should be at the forefront of everyone’s mind when considering a remodel. Start by making these seven upgrades and you’ll be seven huge steps closer to creating your dream kitchen.
Author Bio
Oscar Collins is the editor-in-chief at Modded, where he writes about health, fitness and more. Follow him on Twitter @TModded for regular updates on his work.