Kitchen kit to keep you on track

Don’t kiss your old cookbooks goodbye – eating healthier is easy with these brilliant bits of kitchen kit

Just because you’re making smarter choices doesn’t mean your favourite recipes have to go by the wayside. You might just need a little gadget update. These tools are the tricks of the trade, and you might even have a few in your kitchen cupboards already. Time to dig them out and give your cooking a healthy helping hand.

Spray oil gives you all the taste of healthy oils without all the Points. On average, 5 sprays = 1 Point. Use it to lightly fry foods or add a touch of flavour.

A steamer makes cooking fish and veg a breeze, and will keep your Points in check. For a DIY steamer, try wrapping fish, or other foods, in foil with a splash of water, then cook in a hot oven.

Kitchen scales and measuring spoons help you weigh out and measure all your ingredients, so you can track accurately.

Storage containers like Tupperware simplify batch-cooking. Get a freezer-safe variety, and check out our batch-cook tips here.

A spiralizer lets you make that ‘courgetti’ you’ve been hearing about. It’s a brilliant pasta alternative with 0 Points. And you don’t have to stick to courgettes – aubergine, carrots, and squash also work.

A nonstick frying pan keeps your oil and fat content down, because you don’t need them to stop the food sticking to the pan. Use it to cook meat, eggs, or veg – with fewer Points.

And, these ingredient heroes…
Keep these low Points smart swaps in your cupboard or fridge.

• Use 0% fat Greek yogurt in place of double cream – in sweet or savoury recipes.

• Add a zero hero flavour-boost, such as dried chilli flakes, fat-free tomato salsa, garlic, lemon juice, soy sauce or herbs, dried or fresh.

• Swap whole milk for skimmed– you’ll save 2 SmartPoints per serving, and you won’t even notice the difference in your porridge.