You’ve seen the photos on Instagram—you know, the ones of clean, beautifully-organized refrigerators with food strategically placed in a rainbow-colored fashion. Sure, they look amazing, but they’re all in the name of marketing and not realistic unless you have a ton of time on your hands. Yet if you’re trying to get your kids back on track with healthy eating this fall season, and you want to save time and money in the kitchen, learning how to organize your refrigerator (without all the bells and whistles) is key. 

Oftentimes, we have food in our refrigerators that we don’t even know is there, and as a result, it usually goes to waste. Or, we don’t see anything appealing so we call for take-out. The good news? It doesn’t have to take a lot of time or work to organize your refrigerator. 

In this episode, I sat down with Kristen Hong, founder of HelloNutritarian.com, a site where she shares about fridge organization, meal prep, and plant-based recipes, and author of “Fridge Love: Organize Your Refrigerator for a Healthier, Happier Life—with 100 Recipes.”

Kristen is a self-described “junk food junkie,” and says she struggled with food addiction and binge eating for years until she discovered Dr. Joel Fuhrman and the Nutritarian diet and everything changed—including how she organized her refrigerator.

Kristen talks about how to get started with fridge love and how to organize your refrigerator, her 5 easy fridge goals, and her best shopping tips. She also talks about how to meal plan and prep—even if you hate to do it—and shares her favorite recipes from her book. 

Welcome

2:53 Let’s talk about your story!

7:17 Have you always been passionate about healthy eating and food?

9:15 What are the basic premises and benefits of Dr. Fuhrman’s Nutritarian diet?

13:30 What do you think is the biggest challenge parents have when it comes to feeding their kids?

19:00 What is “fridge love” and why do we need it?

22:21 Are there other benefits of “fridge love” for kids?

24:33 What’s the first step to getting started?

26:36 What are fridge goals?

30:15 What are your best shopping tips?

31:48 How can we get started with meal planning or prepping even if we hate it?

33:14 What are your favorite recipes from your book? 

Kristen mentions Dr. Joel Fuhrman and his book “Eat to Live.”

Julie mentions FIRST for Women magazine. 

Julie mentions research that shows “children’s choices depend on what is most visible and easily accessible.”

Kristen mentions her chipotle lentil recipe. 

Purchase a copy of “Fridge Love.”

Follow Kristen on her website and on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok.

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