Trying to lose weight? Consumer Reports ShopSmart says try "scaling back" your kitchen.
The obvious first move, get fattening snacks like chips and cookies off the counter and out of sight.
ShopSmart's Sue Perry says your next move, rearrange the food in your cupboards.
"You want to move the healthy stuff to the front and the fattening stuff to the back." said Perry
Next stop, your refrigerator.
"Crisper drawers are great for keeping fruits and veggies fresher a little longer, but you can't always see the food that's in them" said Perry. "So you want to take that stuff and move it to where you can see it."
And put fresh fruit out on the counter in plain sight. As for the crisper drawer, us it to tuck m ore fattening foods out of sight.
"You want to apply the same idea to leftovers. Use foil or containers that you can't see through to hide the fattening stuff. And then use see-through bags and containers for the healthy things." said Perry
ShopSmart says trim down your freezer too.
"Rather than freeze big portions of food, like a whole pan of lasagna, free food in individual portions, like a piece of chicken" said Perry. "It's ready to cook when you are, but you're not forced to cook a whole lot of it."
When it's time to eat, scale back there too, using smaller dishes. They encourage smaller portions.
And forget serving food family style, only the salad bowl should be welcome at the dinner table.
Consumer Reports ShopSmart has a couple of other moves to trim the fat in your kitchen. When you're eating, lower the lights and the air conditioning. That's because bright lights and cooler temperatures can increase your appetite. And it's important to focus on the food you're eating, forget watching TV or reading. Instead, watch the clock, because eating more slowly can also help you cut down on how much you eat.