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7 kitchen tricks to make your food more nutritious

Oct. 16, 2025—When it comes to your health, it's not just what you eat that matters. It's also how you eat it. Making small shifts to the way you cook and prepare your food can make it more nutritious, according to the American Heart Association (AHA). Here are seven kitchen tips to work into your routine.

1. Keep the peels on. You'll get an extra dose of nutrients and fiber from many fruit and vegetable skins, says the AHA. So consider leaving produce like apples, cucumbers, carrots and sweet potatoes unpeeled. (Just wash them well before eating.)

2. Avoid overcooking produce. Several fruits and vegetables have more vitamins and minerals before cooking, advises HelpGuide. So make it a point to have a few servings of raw fruits and veggies every day. When you do cook your vegetables, steam or gently sauté them just until crisp-tender to preserve more nutrients.

3. Add a little fat. It doesn't just make veggies taste better. Fat helps your body absorb many of the nutrients found in vegetables. Toss salad with a splash of olive oil and lemon juice instead of low-fat or fat-free dressing. Or drizzle olive oil on steamed veggies like broccoli or carrots.

4. Pick a winning team. You'll get more nutritional bang for your buck when you pair certain foods together, reports AARP. Some powerful combos:

  • Vitamin C + iron. Vitamin C-rich foods like oranges, grapefruit or potatoes help the body absorb more of the iron in foods like spinach, broccoli or Brussels sprouts.
  • Greens + avocado. Add some sliced avocado to your salad to get more nutrients from leafy greens that boost eye, skin and immune health.
  • Tea + lemon. You'll get more anti-inflammatory compounds from green or black tea when you add a squeeze of lemon juice.
  • Tomatoes + oil. A little bit of fat unlocks heart-healthy antioxidants found in tomatoes. Roast tomatoes with olive oil, or enjoy a tomato salad with oil-based dressing.
  • Herbs and spices + anything. Garlic, ginger, curry powder, turmeric, basil, rosemary and coriander add extra flavor while serving up immune-boosting compounds.

5. Prep brown rice in advance. Cook the whole grain ahead of time and stick it in the refrigerator to cool completely, then reheat when it's time to eat. Cooling and reheating rice changes its starch structure, so the rice has less of an impact on blood sugar levels. It's a smart move for anyone, but especially for folks with prediabetes or diabetes.

6. Be grill-smart. Burning or charring meats creates carcinogenic substances. When you grill:

  • Opt for leaner cuts.
  • Flip meats frequently to avoid charring them.
  • Avoid overcooking.

7. Don't save the best for last. When it's time to eat, start with the non-starchy veggies on your plate. Follow that up with the protein and then the carbs and starchy veggies (like potatoes, corn or peas). It's a simple strategy that can help you keep your weight and blood sugar levels in check. Plus, it ensures that you get in the most nutrient-rich foods before you're full.

More ways to maximize nutrition

While you're thinking about smart prepping and cooking habits, remember that storing your food correctly matters too. Explore our interactive advice.

Sources

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