One of the biggest challenges to your health goals is eating out. Although most Americans are aware how expensive and unhealthy it is to order from restaurants for most of their meals, the average American still eats an average of 4 commercially prepared meals each week, according to The Simple Dollar. use cable compare

The amount of unhealthy fats, sugars, and fillers in these meals is a major contributor to the obesity and heart disease epidemic our nation is currently facing. The solution is simple: Americans must learn to cook at home.

When meals are prepared at home, individuals are more likely to use natural, unprocessed ingredients. They’re also less likely to eat huge meals that lack proper nutrition.

But cooking all your meals is hard if you don’t enjoy being in your kitchen. A cramped, cluttered space prevents many individuals from setting foot in there. Try to wrestle your way past clutter alongside working in a dark atmosphere is not the way to go about cooking. For example, one of the first steps you could make to a lighter kitchen is replacing any dark blinds or curtains with some new Plantation Shutters or bright blinds. This will instantly make your kitchen a more enjoyable space both for the eye and for the cook! It’s amazing what a great kitchen design can do to make you fall in love with cooking again!

Don’t worry about the cost of such a renovation. Green Residential, a firm specializing in property management, Houston, TX, reports that kitchen remodels recoup more than 90 percent of their value, so you’ll get most of your money back when you sell your home.

So, roll up your sleeves and start planning a kitchen remodel, with the help of somewhere like this Boston home remodeling company, that will make cooking daily meals a breeze. However, if you wanted to go it alone, here are some more updates to consider:

1. More Countertop Space

Anyone with inadequate countertop space would get frustrated at the prospect of cooking. The cramped quarters make it difficult to prepare anything complex, so when you do cook at home, you probably stick to frozen or simple meals with little nutrition.

Look into opportunities to add more countertop space. Try to work within the space you have, and don’t forget that your cabinets can be moved overhead to give you even more space. With the help of somewhere like this Richmond kitchen cabinet installation company, not only can your cabinets be moved to a suitable spot, but any work that you want doing concerning your countertops can also be resolved too. When it comes to what you can do with this specific area of your kitchen, the options are limitless. You might extend your countertops all the way to the wall or widen the countertops. An island is also an easy solution, and you can purchase an island with wheels so that you can move it around whenever you need the extra space. Get one with shelves for added storage space that can free up existing countertops.

2. Update Your Appliances

Appliances are an expensive update, but they really can make a difference in your love of cooking. Stainless steel appliances look fabulous, but they aren’t a necessity, especially if white or black appliances would look better with your color scheme.

The more important factor for updating your appliances is functionality. For example, a double oven is incredibly useful so that you can bake chicken at one temperature and roast asparagus at another.

A refrigerator/freezer that’s large enough to hold your needs and a dishwasher that washes quickly and effectively also make it much easier to prepare meals. Look for energy-star rated appliances so that you can save on utilities while you’re at it!

3. Rethink Space Planning

As a general rule, kitchens should be planned around a triangle formation with your refrigerator, stove, and sink making up the three points. If your kitchen is not set up that way, it’s inefficient and frustrating to move around while preparing meals.

Additionally, look at the space you have for moving around. If your countertops have too much space between them, it gets exhausting to go from one station to the other. If they’re too close, you can’t have more than a single person in the kitchen at a time. Rethink these spaces to make cooking a breeze.

4. Affix Useful Tools

There are dozens of super useful gadgets that make cooking more enjoyable, particularly if you have a small kitchen. Consider these useful tools with your renovation:

Pot Filler Above the Stove: This is a water line that runs to a moveable faucet above your stove. This makes it easy to fill your pots with water when cooking pasta or boiling potatoes.

Magnetic Knife Strip: Wood blocks take up counter space, and it’s hazardous to put knives in drawers without protection. A magnetic strip that holds knives limits hazards and makes them easy to access – not to mention, it’s great for your budget!

In-Cupboard Storage Racks: To keep your pots and pans, Tupperware, lids, and other features neatly organized, get some cost efficient pull out shelves or storage racks built into your cupboards. Put these racks on sliders so that you can pull them out and push them back in without rooting around through drawers.

Large Sink: Farmhouse-style sinks are all the rage now, primarily because of their functionality. It’s so much easier to clean up afterward when you have a large sink to wash dishes (or hide them until you finally get around to doing it).

Bluetooth Radio/Speakers: Put a Bluetooth-enabled radio underneath your upper cupboards. That way, you’ll be able to listen to music or an audiobook while you cook to make the time fly by!