That's Fit

• Freeze it. Hesitant to put that yummy-looking recipe for six to use? Go for it -- and freeze the extras for future easy meals.
  
• Buy some small appliances. A small George Forman grill is a staple in my kitchen. Other ones that will come in handy? A small food processor, blender or toaster oven.
  
• Limit snack foods. After a long day at the office, it might seem like a good idea to have 25 crackers for dinner instead of a nutritious meal. Toss your favourite snack foods from the cupboards -- it'll force you to put together something that resembles a meal.
  
• Be realistic. Are you really going to eat four red bell peppers this week? Probably not. Limit how much fresh produce you buy to reduce waste and cost -- you can always pick more up if need be. But make sure to buy some produce -- you won't eat it if it's not in your kitchen.
  
  

Famous TV chef Rachael Ray wants to get kids cooking, and as the founder of Yum-O, a non-profit organization that helps parents and kids form healthy relationships with food, she's getting kids cooking one tyke at a time, according to the Well Blog over at the New York Times.

And if you ask Ray, the key to developing healthy eating habits in kids (in other words, how to get them to eat more veggies and less junk,) is by making healthy food cool. Says Ray: 'You can make vegetables cool to a kid if you're mixing them up with something a child likes. If a kid says "What's in there?" tell them, "It's boogers and dinosaur guts." Get a giggle out of them ... There are all sorts of ways to build healthy relationships with your children and food. You have to become more kid-like yourself. Think about what excites the child. It's your challenge and your job to make food cool, fun and an adventure for them.'

I for one totally agree ... what about you?

Cooking healthy is hard, right? We know that whole foods are the answer, but preparing meals from scratch can be a total drag -- especially during the witching hour when the kids are tired and clingy.

• Cook grains, pastas and legumes ahead of time and freeze in appropriate serving sizes. You'll always have them recipe ready.

• Use separate cutting boards. Use one cutting board for meats and another for fruit, vegetables, and anything else. Avoid wooden cutting boards as they can trap bacteria. Be sure to clean your cutting boards thoroughly after each use.
• Scrub fruits and veggies. Even if it says pre-washed, take the time to scrub fruits and vegetables off. A good scrub will help remove traces of pesticides (if you don't buy organic) and any other residue on the produce. It's even a good idea to wash fruits that you peel (bananas, oranges, etc.) to avoid transfer of pesticides or bacteria.

She may be committed to fitness, but overall, she doesn't have the healthiest habits. Eva Mendes recently revealed that despite her svelte figure, she's not adamant about watching what she eats. Says the gorgeous starlet: "I'd shock you at how much I could eat. Any kind of dessert is fantastic. It's gross, but I also love cup noodles. I'll eat two at a time because the salt really does it for me. They're so cheap so they can't be that good for you, but they're yummy!"

Mendes, 34, adds that the only time she is careful about eating well and exercising is when she is filming: "f I have a shoot I'll work out more and watch what I eat, but if I don't I'll let myself go. I'm addicted to bread. I want it constantly so, right now, I'm letting myself have more of it but when I start my next movie I'll cut down."

Why does she rely on junk food? Mendes also admitted that she is a terrible cook -- so bad, in fact, that she's given up trying to prepare meals.

(via Calorie Lab)

Gallery: Eva Mendes: How'd she get hot enough to be banned from TV?

Are you the person who does most of the cooking in your house? If so, you're at risk for a very serious condition: Food picking syndrome.