How to organize your kitchen for success

A hot interior design/life tip: You can tweak the setup of your space to encourage healthy habits. Here’s how.

Try this!Let’s dive a little deeper…

Have you ever walked past the kitchen and saw, say, cookies or candy (or anything, really) on the counter and just popped one in your mouth? It’s normal; the see-it-eat-it urge is real! And it’s not just visual cues—research shows our overall environment can play a big role in what we eat and do.

Luckily, you can harness its power by making healthy choices visible, accessible, and easy, while also creating a kitchen that’s less conducive to behaviors you want to change. (*Cough* mindless snacking.) And remember, food is only one part of your environment. Try keeping go-to recipes or a cookbook, grocery list, and pencil on the counter to encourage meal planning, or leave your favourite water bottle out to remind you to sip.

Start by thinking about what you want to do or eat more or less of, then organize your kitchen to support those goals—and keep you on track to your bigger ones.

3 fast facts

How to organize your kitchen for success

1. The easier a choice is, the more likely we are to make it.

2. The distance between us and food options influences what and how much we eat.

3. Visibility (what we see) plays a role in at least 80% of our thoughts, perceptions, learning, and actions.